The former U.S. ambassador to Baghdad: Iraqi-American relations depends on the orientations of Muqtada al-Sadr

Shafaq News/ The former U.S. ambassador to Baghdad, Douglas Silliman, said that the political forces that "bet on severing ties between the United States and Iraq" lost in the recent parliamentary elections.

In an interview with Al-Hurra TV, Silliman indicated that the relationship of Iraq and the United States in the next stage depends on the orientations of the leader of the Sadrist movement, Muqtada al-Sadr.

"Al-Sadr and his allies should take into account the demands of the Tishreen demonstrators to give Iraq an independent voice." He said.

The U.S. Ambassador considered that "the caretaker prime minister, Mustafa Al-Kadhimi, kept his relations with America and Iran, and his foreign policy was acceptable."

He pointed out that "the Iraqi elections took place without violence. The voters freely voted for the forces that want to focus on the Iraqi identity," adding that "the elections produced new players," referring to the forces from the popular protests.

He added that "Al-Fateh Coalition, which wanted to sever the relation between the United States and the Iraqi armed forces, lost the elections…Al-Fateh and the forces of the state want to reject the elections entirely without real justifications," describing this situation as dangerous.

Silliman said, "I advise those negotiating with al-Sadr to make sure that the government he will lead or control will make deals with the United States."