{"id":73655,"date":"2020-01-22T22:33:56","date_gmt":"2020-01-22T22:33:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/uncategorized\/2020\/01\/22\/trump-meets-iraqi-counterpart-first-since-soleimani-strike\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T14:30:04","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T14:30:04","slug":"trump-meets-iraqi-counterpart-first-since-soleimani-strike","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/flashpoints\/2020\/01\/22\/trump-meets-iraqi-counterpart-first-since-soleimani-strike\/","title":{"rendered":"Trump meets Iraqi counterpart, first since Soleimani strike"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

BAGHDAD \u2014 U.S. President Donald Trump hinted that sanctions on Iraq were still a possibility in a bilateral meeting with Iraq\u2019s president Wednesday, the first since a U.S. drone strike on Iraqi soil killed a top Iranian general, straining Washington-Baghdad ties.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Iraq\u2019s President Barham Saleh met with Trump on the sidelines of the annual World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland amid threats from Iran-backed militia groups promising to exact revenge should he sit down with the American president.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was the first high-level meeting since the Jan. 3 U.S. drone strike that killed Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani and senior Iraqi militia commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis near Baghdad\u2019s airport. The attack provoked the ire of Iraqi officials across the political spectrum and lead to the passing of a non-binding resolution to oust U.S. troops from Iraq<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In response, Trump threatened sanctions in Iraq, which would have profound and devastating effects on the country\u2019s economy if realized.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Trump said Washington and Baghdad have had \u201ca very good relationship\u201d and that the two countries had a \u201chost of very difficult things to discuss,\u201d in remarks to reporters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Asked whether the administration was still considering slapping sanctions on Iraq, Trump said: \u201cWe\u2019ll see what happens because we have to do things on our terms.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Saleh interjected here, saying the two countries shared common interests including the fight against extremism, regional stability and an independent Iraq.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAnd we\u2019re also involved with them in their oil business, and that\u2019s always been very important from their standpoint and from our standpoint. So we have a lot of very positive things to talk about,\u201d said Trump.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Asked whether there was a plan for U.S. troops to remain in Iraq, Trump said: \u201cWe\u2019re down to 5,000. So we\u2019re down to a very low number \u2014 historically low. And we\u2019ll see what happens.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are approximately 5,200 U.S. troops in Iraq advising and assisting Iraqi security forces in the fight against the Islamic State group.<\/p>\n\n\n\t