In a twist of events, the United States has corrected its earlier claim, confirming that it did not give Iraq advance notice of the strikes that targeted Iran-linked sites in the country. The reversal contradicts previous statements asserting that the Iraqi government was informed prior to the strikes taking place.

 

State Department deputy spokesperson Vedant Patel clarified the matter during a briefing on Monday, stating, "As for this specific response on Friday, there was not a pre-notification. We informed the Iraqis immediately after the strikes occurred."

 

Patel emphasized that Iraq, like other nations in the region, understood the likelihood of a response following the deaths of US soldiers. The strikes, which targeted over 80 sites in Iraq and Syria associated with Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and affiliated groups, were conducted in retaliation for a drone attack on a US outpost in Jordan that resulted in casualties among US troops.

 

The initial confusion stemmed from National Security Council spokesman John Kirby's statement on Friday, where he indicated that the Iraqi government had been informed before the strikes. However, Kirby later admitted to misspeaking, attributing the error to the information available at the time.

 

In a subsequent statement to CNN, Kirby clarified, "It was not as specific as it could have been, and I regret any confusion caused. That said, we had made no secret – both to Iraqi officials and in public channels – that we would respond to the attacks."

 

Iraq promptly denounced the US strikes as a violation of its sovereignty, expressing concern over the escalation of tensions and its impact on regional stability. The incident occurs amid growing calls from the Iraqi government for the withdrawal of US forces from the country, with discussions expected to commence soon between the US and Iraq regarding the future of their security cooperation.

 

The conflicting accounts regarding Iraq's notification underscore the complexities of the US presence in the region and the delicate nature of diplomatic relations. Despite reassurances of continued partnership, questions linger over the transparency and communication surrounding military operations in Iraq, raising concerns about the path forward for US-Iraq relations.

 

06.02.24

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I certainly wouldn’t give warning to many Iraqis would gladly kill Americans 

5 hours ago, Tug said:

I certainly wouldn’t give warning to many Iraqis would gladly kill Americans 

Iraqis would kill Americans?? Confusing to me.😳

Corrupt Iraq leaders and agencies (well paid by Iran) would notify Iraqis militia groups immediately. But even though there was no advance notice they knew that it's coming for them.