Issue of US Troop Presence Spills Over Onto Iraqi Streets
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UK £2 Issue 241, Year 5 EU €2.50 January 26, 2020 www.thearabweekly.com Hezbollah’s Presidential terror agenda of Tunisia’s listings PM-designate Pages 4,6 Page 9 Issue of US troop presence spills over onto Iraqi streets The anti-US demonstration, which took place after Friday prayers January 24, buttressed al-Sadr’s leadership ambitions but also showed his ambiguous position towards Tehran’s role in Iraq The Arab Weekly staff balance between the two,” Obeidy said in comments broadcast by Iraqi state TV. London Experts see al-Sadr playing a new risky role by defending Tehran’s he controversy of US troops agenda in Baghdad and associating deployed in Iraq spilled onto himself closely with pro-Iran Iraqi Iraqi streets after support- militias. T ers of influential Shia cleric The protests seemingly upended Muqtada al-Sadr rallied in Baghdad attempts by Iraqi President Bar- demanding the end of America’s ham Salih and US President Donald military presence. Trump to smooth out differences Hundreds of thousands of pro- during a meeting at Davos. testers attended what al-Sadr had “We are obviously working on a dubbed a “million-man march” lot of things together. We’re working seeking the withdrawal of US troops on military. We’re working on [the from Iraq. “Get out, occupier,” pro- Islamic State] ISIS. We have a whole testers chanted as they marched host of very difficult things to dis- through Baghdad’s streets, “Yes to cuss and some very positive things sovereignty.” also. And we’ve been friends and the Although the initial protests were relationship is very good,” Trump peaceful, at least two protesters was quoted in a January 22 White were killed and 25 injured in clashes House statement as saying. with security forces in Baghdad. “We have had a very good conver- sation with the president [Trump] and we had a very candid conversa- Experts see al-Sadr playing a tion [about] the need for basically re- new risky role by defending straint, calming things down,” Salih Tehran’s agenda in Baghdad said. “This is not time for another and associating himself conflict. In my conversations with closely with pro-Iranian many actors in the region… almost Iraqi militias. everybody is saying ‘This is getting Wanting a respite. Iraqi demonstrators in Baghdad protesting the presence of US troops in the out of hand. Please cool it down. Re- country, responding to a call by Shia cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, January 24. (DPA) The anti-US demonstration, straint.’” which took place after Friday It was the first meeting between prayers January 24, buttressed al- Salih and Trump since Iranian Ma- Responding to a question re- Iraq and in the war against ISIS. This ing Iran’s interests in their country’s Sadr’s leadership ambitions but also jor-General Qassem Soleimani and garding Washington’s plans for mission needs to be accomplished.” politics. showed his ambiguous position to- Iraqi militia leader Abu Mahdi al- withdrawal from Iraq, Trump said: Kaitaib Hezbollah, whose leader Speaking at Davos, however, Salih wards Tehran’s role in Iraq. While Muhandis were killed January 3 in “We’re down to a very low number. Muhandis was killed in the US drone stressed what Iraq and the United many at the protest focused their Iraq by a US drone strike. We’re down to 5,000. So, we’re down attack and which is designated as a States had in common. “We have a ire on Washington, al-Sadr spokes- Although Baghdad asked Wash- to a very low number — historically terrorist group by the United States, lot of common interests — the fight man Saleh al-Obeidy stressed that ington to prepare for a US troop low and we’ll see what happens.” threatened Salih with dire conse- against extremism; stability in the al-Sadr was seeking a middle path withdrawal from Iraq in line with a “These are challenging times, diffi- quences should he meet with the neighbourhood; a sovereign Iraq that between blaming the United States non-binding request passed by Iraq’s cult times,” Salih said during a news US president. His threats did not is stable, a friend of its neighbours and Iran. parliament after Soleimani’s assas- conference with Trump. “We have influence Salih but signalled an in- and a friend of the United States.” “We believe that both are behind sination, Washington has appeared had an enduring relationship and the tent by Iraq’s Shia militias to play an this ruin and al-Sadr is trying to disinclined to do so. United States has been a partner to even more aggressive role defend- P10 Algeria seeks revived diplomatic role through Libya mediation Lamine Ghanmi Maas, whose country hosted a and show that Algiers is willing to “After a long absence, Algeria is sit around the same table. peace conference on Libya Janu- play a support role in addressing staging its return to the diplomatic Tebboune, in his first news con- ary 19, said much of the fallout world crises. Algiers is also signal- stage through the issue of the Liby- ference since his election, said on Tunis from the conflict had been borne ling that it is coming on top of un- an conflict,” said Jalel Harchaoui, a January 23 that Algeria’s “equidis- by Libya’s neighbours. He also precedented protests at home. researcher at Clingendael Institute tant stand” in the conflict allows it lgeria is aspiring to a re- tried to respond to criticism over Algeria will have to reckon with of International Relations in the to bring together the warring rivals vived diplomatic role by his country’s decision not to invite the fallout of a seemingly intrac- Netherlands. and their allies among the tribes positioning itself as the all Maghreb countries — Tebboune table conflict in Libya, which has “Libya offers Algeria the oppor- and regions. A Maghreb’s lead mediator was the only leader of a Maghreb caused it to increase spending on tunity to get noticed at the world “Algeria has had a good experi- in the Libyan conflict. country to attend the Ber- border security by approximately stage and to be courted by other ence in conducting mediations that Top diplomats from Libya’s lin Conference on Libya. $500 million a year. powers,” added Harchaoui, who benefited several countries,” he neighbours and beyond gathered Algeria’s diplomatic Senior diplomats in Algiers wrote a study titled “Too Close for said. in Algiers January 23, in the first momentum was seen by said countries attending the Comfort: How Algeria Faces the Analysts said Algeria’s diploma- diplomatic foray by Algeria into re- analysts as an attempt January 23 meeting agreed to Libyan Conflict.” cy will be tested in dealings with gional and international diplomacy to gain the respect Libya’s sovereignty The diplomatic and intelli- Turkey while trying to keep good since its leadership transition in De- confidence and integrity, want the African gence services of Algeria are said ties with Arab countries that resent cember, in which Abdelmadjid Teb- of key Union to be involved to have been working since 2014 Islamist-driven Turkish and Qatari boune became president. interna- in resolving the to strengthen relations with both encroachment in Libya. The Algiers meeting brought tional conflict andsides of the Libyan conflict. However, its priority would be to together foreign ministers from part- back efforts to Khalifa Haftar, whose forces con- leverage its diplomatic activism to Egypt, Sudan, Chad, Niger, Algeria, ners stop weapons trol most of Libya, is spearheading lure foreign investment to help it Tunisia and Mali. All the countries, from being an offensive to capture Tripoli from with its economic problems. except for Mali, border Libya and sent to Islamist militias aligned with the “The first concern of Algeria is have suffered fallout from fighting warring GNA, led by Prime Minister Fayez not geopolitical but economic. Al- there. par- al-Sarraj. geria badly needs foreign invest- “Libya has been in turmoil. The ties. Since January 12, belligerents ment and later, without doubt, it conflict there has increasingly have observed a shaky ceasefire will need foreign loans,” said Har- turned into a proxy war by foreign brokered by Russia and Turkey. chaoui. powers that are far away and much The frenetic diplomatic efforts less affected by what is happen- have left mediators with the thorny Lamine Ghanmi is an Arab Weekly ing,” said German Foreign Minister Diplomatic opportunity. Algerian Foreign Minister Sabri issue of about how to reach out to correspondent in Tunis. Heiko Maas, who took part in the Boukadoum leads a meeting with foreign ministers in Algiers, the leaders of the Libyan main war- meeting. January 23. (Reuters) ring parties and convince them to P 2,8 2 January 26, 2020 Top news Protesters’ rejection amid challenges awaiting Lebanon’s new cabinet Technically, the new government is made up of specialists but the ministers were all named by Hezbollah and its allies Samar Kadi lah and its allies, including the Shia nouncement inflamed those partici- Amal movement and the Christian pating in demonstrations, which have Free Patriotic Movement of Lebanese turned violent in recent weeks. Pro- Beirut President Michel Aoun, in a process testers rampaged through the streets involving horse-trading and bicker- near parliament and the Beirut Souks Bumpy start. Lebanese Prime Minister Hassan Diab (R) arrives to ollowing month-long arduous ing. It includes six women — a record shopping mall in the capital’s com- attend the first cabinet meeting of the newly formed (DPA) negotiations, Lebanese Prime number for Lebanon — in key minis- mercial district, engaging in some of government at Baabda Palace, January 22.