US Marines are in Iraq under the will of the Iraqi government, the country’s Foreign Minister Ibrahim Al-Jaafari said.
The Iraqi News Agency (INA) reported Al-Jaafari saying in a statement: “The operation undertaken to clean Iraqi cities of terrorism are purely Iraqi operations, in coordination with other parties, being advisors or those who support us with air cover, but the real will to gain liberty stems from Iraqis.”
The Fallujah operation was an Iraqi achievement in its entirety, he said, conducted by Iraqi arms and planned by Iraqi minds.
Al-Jaafari said that since “our war is not a traditional one, it is vital to have the support of those countries that have capabilities, and take advantage of their power, including the United States.” He said the presence of Marines in the country was not imposed on Iraq but it is based on the will of the Iraqi armed forces.