Washington: President Donald Trump warned Iraq on Tuesday that the US would no longer support the country if its former prime minister, Nouri al-Maliki, returns to power.
Trump made the threat days after the dominant political bloc known as the Coordination Framework, a collection of Shiite parties, announced it was backing the nomination of al-Maliki, who the US administration views as too close to Iran.
“Last time Maliki was in power, the Country descended into poverty and total chaos. That should not be allowed to happen again,” Trump said in a social media
post announcing his opposition to al-Maliki.
“Because of his insane policies and ideologies, if elected, the United States of America will no longer help Iraq and, if we are not there to help, Iraq has ZERO chance of Success, Prosperity, or Freedom.”
Trump’s intervention into Iraqi politics comes at a fraught moment for Trump in the Middle East as he weighs carrying out new strikes on Iraq’s neighbour Iran, which has maintained deep influence in Iraq’s government since the US ouster of Saddam Hussein in 2003.
Trump has left open the possibility of military action in response to Tehran’s deadly crackdown on recent protests against the Islamic government.