Donald Trump Threatens Baghdad With 'Very Big Sanctions', If US Troops Forced To Leave Iraq

US President Donald Trump on Monday threatened Iraq with ‘very big sanctions’ if Baghdad moves ahead with the resolution passed in its parliament mandating expulsion of US forces from the country. The Iraqi parliament on Sunday voted to expel the US military from the country.

The lawmakers voted in favour of a resolution that mandates to end the presence of military of any other country in Iraq. With almost 5,000 US troops stationed in Iraq, the resolution seeks United States to withdraw its military.

Trump, who was on his way back to Washington from a vacation in Florida, vowed ‘major retaliation’, if Tehran tries to avenge the killing of Iranian General Qassem Soleimani.

Moreover, the resolution in the Iraqi parliament came after a US airstrike killed Iranian Soleimani inside Iraq, dramatically increasing regional tensions. Earlier, the United States had sent troops to Iraq more than four years ago to help in the fight against the Islamic State group.

The resolution was backed by most Shiite members of parliament, who hold a majority of seats. Many Sunni and Kurdish legislators did not show up for the session, apparently because they oppose abolishing the deal.