Go home, Tillerson tells Iranian-backed militias in Iraq

[Loyd]

Source: Reuters

October 22, 2017 / 11:08 AM

RIYADH (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said on Sunday it was time for Iranian-backed militias and their Iranian advisers who helped Iraq defeat Islamic State to “go home” after a rare joint meeting with the leaders of Iraq and Saudi Arabia.

The United States is concerned that Iran, a Shi‘ite regional rival, will take advantage of gains against IS there and in Syria to expand the influence it gained after the U.S. invasion in 2003, something Sunni Arab states like Saudi Arabia also oppose.

“Iranian militias that are in Iraq, now that the fight against Daesh and ISIS is coming to a close, those militias need to go home. The foreign fighters in Iraq need to go home and allow the Iraqi people to regain control,” Tillerson said at a joint news conference with Saudi foreign minister Adel Jubeir.

Tens of thousands of Iraqis heeded a call to arms in 2014 after IS seized a third of the country’s territory, forming the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) which receive funding and training from Tehran and have been declared part of the Iraqi security apparatus.

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-gulf-tillerson-iraq/go-home-tillerson-tells-iranian-backed-militias-in-iraq-idUSKBN1CR0JR?il=0

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Yeah, they helped defeat ISIS, but now our Saudi pals want us to go to war with Iran, so.....

[dalton99a]

1. Conflict raises oil prices.

[yallerdawg]

2. I'm so glad ISIS is just on the internet now.

We can anticipate a much more peaceful Middle East since the armed militaristic Sunni, Shiite, and Kurds are all eyeballing each other where the nation state apparatus is almost nonexistent.

Peace at last.

[Irish_Dem]

4. Yes, Trump has single handedly defeated ISIS. No one has ever seen anything like it.

It is the most amazing feat in the history of the world.

(Do I need a sarcasm thingy?)

[ret5hd]

3. Well, that oughta work:

Uhmmm...OK...I guess.

[KY_EnviroGuy]

5. Rex sends orders from half-way around the globe!

While Iran is Iraq's next-door neighbor and brother in arms. If Iran pulled every soul out of Iraq, it would probably promptly collapse (again). Without Iran's help, Iraq and Syria (with US bombers) would be fighting ISIL for another decade or more.

May as well be honest and say "you and the Iraqi Oil Ministry must sit down with Aramco and Exxon and negotiate away your oil and other natural resources, and rights to pipeline routes".

I'm guessing Iran will promptly tell Rex to kiss their royal ass.

[Old Vet]

6. Good Luck with that Tillerson...........LOl

They have been fighting and dying for there patch of desert, Trust me, There gonna get theres.

[Flaleftist]

7. Um. Wouldn't that be Iraqs decision to make?

[roamer65]

8. Not going to happen.

The Iranians are going to keep tight reins on the Arab Shi’a population of Iraq. If they don’t, the Iranians risk the formation of an Arab Shi’a superstate from Iraq’s south and the bordering Iranian province of Khuzestan. The Persians do not want to lose all of that oil.

[Loyd]

12. Good Point

As well, the Saudis would LOVE for that to happen!

[WinkyDink]

9. Bwahahaha! Unsexy Rexy thinks HE is King, too! How about the US "goes home," Buddy Boy?

[NCDem777]

10. Let's be real

the Iraqis aren't capable of running a nation.

[Eugene]

11. Iraq rebuffs Tillerson call to disband Iran-backed militias

Source: BBC

Iraq rebuffs Tillerson call to disband Iran-backed militias

23 October 2017 Asia

Iraq's prime minister has defended Iran-backed militias, during talks with US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson who had criticised their role.

During Mr Tillerson's visit to Baghdad, PM Haider al-Abadi called the fighters the "hope of Iraq and the region".

Mr Tillerson said earlier that the Iran-backed fighters should disband, as the fight against the Islamic State militants was almost over in Iraq.

The Shia militias were mobilised in fighting against IS earlier this year.

More recently, they helped Iraqi troops seize the northern oil-city of Kirkuk from Kurdish forces.

-snip-

Read more: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-41721565