United States – A letter sent by 8 US Congress lawmakers to President Joe Biden sparked interaction among activists on social media after they attacked the Iraqi Prime Minister, Muhammad Shiaa Al-Sudani, before hosting him at the White House.
The letter, which was sent by Senator Tom Cotton and seven lawmakers and published on his official website, stated: “We are writing to you to express our deep concern regarding your invitation to host Iraqi Prime Minister Muhammad Shiaa al-Sudani at the White House in April.”
“Hosting the Iraqi Prime Minister, especially with the failure to meet with leaders of some of our most trusted partners in the region, amplifies the message of your ongoing campaign to undermine Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu: The Biden administration is interested in appeasing Iran, not supporting our allies,” the lawmakers said.
They continued: “The Iraqi government is still under significant Iranian influence, and the Iraqi government provides about $3 billion annually to the Iranian-backed Popular Mobilization Forces militias, including four groups that the United States classifies as terrorist.” These militias have attacked Americans and Kurdistan more than 180 times since October 7, 2023, resulting in the death of three American soldiers and the injury of more than 100 people. However, you continue to grant sanctions exemptions to the Iraqi government to import Iranian electricity and natural gas, all while using US dollars transferred to Iraq from the Federal Reserve. While I invited the Iraqi Prime Minister to visit Washington, I refused to meet with the Prime Minister of Kurdistan, Masrour Barzani, who is an important partner and host of the largest number of American forces in the region.”
They added: “The Iraqi government is actively working with Tehran against our Kurdish allies, including cutting off government funds and closing the Iraq-Turkey pipeline, which represents most of Kurdistan’s economy. You must focus on reducing Iranian influence in Iraq and mobilizing support for our partners in Kurdistan. As a precondition for any visit by the Sudanese Prime Minister, you should demand that the Iraq-Turkey pipeline be reopened immediately so that the Kurdistan region can export oil and American public and private funding is no longer threatened by Tehran’s influence in Baghdad. You should also ask the Iraqi government Resuming financing of the Kurdistan region, the immediate sale of Kurdistan crude already in the port of Ceyhan, and a full cycle of oil sales and payments to Kurdistan and its oil investors. Finally, it should not allow further U.S. dollar transfers to Iraq until the Treasury confirms that such transfers do not benefit the Iranian regime or its proxies.”
The lawmakers concluded their letter by saying, “Your (Biden’s) appeasement of Iran has endangered American national security and weakened our relationship with our allies.” Although the corrective actions described here will not undo the damage you have caused, they represent an important first step. Thank you for your attention to this important issue.”
