Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Jim Inhofe led a congressional delegation to Iraq over the weekend, with stops in Baghdad and Erbil. The all-Republican delegation included Sens. Mike Rounds of South Dakota, John Boozman of Arkansas, Kevin Cramer of North Dakota, and Reps. Mike Kelly of Pennsylvania and Tim Walberg of Michigan.
The Republican lawmakers were briefed in Baghdad by Army Lt. Gen. Pat White, commander of the Combined Joint Task Force: Operation Inherent Resolve, the name of the U.S.-led, counter-Islamic State coalition. It was the first congressional visit to Iraq since the U.S. drone strike last month that killed Iranian Quds Force commander Gen. Qassem Soleimani.
“Meeting with Gen. White in Baghdad made it even more clear, the strike against Soleimani was the right call,” Inhofe said in a statement. “The briefings highlighted how his removal seriously disrupted Iran’s state supported terrorist networks in Iraq.”
Speaking at the Munich Security Conference on Saturday, Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif argued that Soleimani was “murdered” in “a cowardly military attack” that was “an act of terror.”
“They couldn’t face Soleimani at the war front, so they hit him when he was conducting a peace mission,” Zarif said, noting Soleimani was traveling in a “civilian car.” Zarif also disputed the U.S. account that two U.S. bases in Iraq were attacked in its reprisal missile attack by Iran, insisting only one base, Ain al Asad, was targeted.
Zarif said the killing of Soleimani stokes genuine outrage in the region. “These are not our proxies. These are human beings who are tired of bullying, who are tired of lawlessness, who want to have dignity,” he said, asserting his death has galvanized anti-U.S. sentiment. “Martyr Soleimani is much more effective than General Soleimani.”
In Munich, Germany, Esper said the strike appears to have served its purpose. “It’s fair to say we have seen a change in Iranians’ behavior,” he said. “I think we restored deterrence.”
After meeting various Iraqi representatives, Esper said, he’s convinced most Iraqis don’t want U.S. troops to leave their country.
“I met with the Kurds earlier; they definitely want us there. The Sunnis want us there. And many of the Shia want us there. But the challenge is the politics, given the influence of Iran through their proxies, is weighing heavily on Baghdad and how they move forward,” Esper said in his session with reporters in Munich.
“I believe most Iraqi officials want us there,” he said. “What they want, and that we support, is an independent sovereign, strong, prosperous Iraq. I think that’s what the people in the street want too.”
Jamie McIntyre is the Washington Examiner’s senior writer on defense and national security. His morning newsletter, “Jamie McIntyre’s Daily on Defense,” is free and available by email subscription at dailyondefense.com.
