Iraqi Shiite armed groups have celebrated the departure of US forces from the country as the end of a prolonged era of American military intervention, portraying the withdrawal as a major victory for Iraqi sovereignty after Washington maintained a presence there for much of the past two decades.
The celebrations followed the departure of American personnel from Erbil Air Base in northern Iraq, completing the latest US withdrawal. Abu Mojtaba al-Yasiri, a commander associated with the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, described the development as a “crushing defeat for the American project.”
Kataib Hezbollah, one of Iraq’s most prominent Shiite armed groups, delivered a similarly defiant message. Senior representative Abu Mujahid al-Assaf declared that the “expulsion of the occupation forces, defeated, from the land of Iraq is the beginning of full sovereignty.”
For the militias, the withdrawal carries particular symbolism because of the turbulent history of US involvement in Iraq. American forces invaded the country in 2003, beginning a military occupation and political intervention whose consequences continued long after most US combat troops initially departed in 2011.
Retired US Air Force Command Chief Master Sergeant Dennis Fritz told RT that he believes the latest departure differs fundamentally from the earlier withdrawal and predicted that Washington’s wider military footprint across the Middle East could also shrink significantly.
The exit follows another period of intense confrontation between Washington and Iran-aligned forces in the region. Several Iraqi Shiite armed groups backed Tehran after the United States and Israel attacked Iran in late February, launching missiles and drones against American military installations.
Despite the withdrawal of US troops, political friction between Washington and Baghdad is unlikely to disappear. Kataib Hezbollah has already warned the government of Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi against implementing recently imposed US sanctions targeting Iranian airlines.
Yes beginning of their sovereignty and the further erosion of ours, as the fading US and UK imperialists tighten their hold on their remaining colonies, which includes New Zealand. This election please DON’T vote for GLOBALISTS!