U.S. lawmakers challenge White House invitation to Iraqi PM

Washington, D.C — In a letter to President Joe Biden, a group of republican U.S. Senators and Members of Congress have communicated their concern regarding the administration’s invitation to Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani. The signatories expressed “deep concern with your invitation to host Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani to the White House in April.”

The letter alleges that hosting Prime Minister al-Sudani “amplifies the message of your ongoing campaign to undermine Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu,” and accuses the administration of preferring to “appease Iran, not supporting our allies.”

Addressing the influence of Iran, the legislators assert, “The Iraqi government remains under significant Iranian influence,” and criticize U.S. monetary policies, saying, “You continue granting sanctions waivers to the Iraqi government to import electricity and natural gas, all while using U.S. dollars transferred to Iraq from the Federal Reserve.”

The letter is signed by Senators Tom Cotton, Ted Budd, Bill Hagerty, and Rick Scott, as well as Representatives Jake Ellzey, French Hill, Michael R. Turner, and Michael Waltz,

The group criticizes the administration’s imbalance in its Iraqi relationships, “And while you invite the Iraqi Prime Minister to visit Washington, you have refused to meet with Kurdistan Prime Minister Masrour Barzani, a critical partner and the host of the most U.S. forces in the region.”

The letter concludes with a series of demands aimed at reducing Iranian influence and reinforcing U.S. interests in the Middle East, including, “You should focus on reducing Iranian influence in Iraq and shoring up support for our partners in Kurdistan. As a precondition of any visit by Prime Minister al-Sudani, you should require the immediate reopening of the Iraq-Turkey Pipeline.”

The signatories emphasize the urgency of their recommendations by stating, “Your appeasement of Iran has endangered American national security and weakened our relationship with our allies. While the corrective actions outlined here will not undo the damage you’ve caused, they represent an important first step.”