Home / World News / Threat to evacuate US diplomats from Iraq raises fears of military action

Threat to evacuate US diplomats from Iraq raises fears of military action

Any move by the United States to scale down its diplomatic presence in a country where it has up to 5,000 troops would be widely seen in the region as an escalation of its confrontation with Iran

rotesters demonstrate over the U.S. airstrike in Iraq that killed Iranian Revolutionary Guard Gen. Qassem Soleimani in Tehran, Iran, Jan. 3, 2020.

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The concern among the Iraqis is that pulling out diplomats would be followed quickly by military action against forces Washington blamed for attacks

Reuters Baghdad

5 min read Last Updated : Sep 28 2020 | 10:45 PM IST

Washington has made preparations to withdraw diplomats from Iraq after warning Baghdad it could shut its embassy, two Iraqi officials and two Western diplomats said, a step Iraqis fear could turn their country into a battle zone.

Any move by the United States to scale down its diplomatic presence in a country where it has up to 5,000 troops would be widely seen in the region as an escalation of its confrontation with Iran, which Washington blames for missile and bomb attacks.

That in turn would open the possibility of military action, with just weeks to go before an election in which

Topics : Iraq United States Middle East Donald Trump

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