US to withdraw some Baghdad embassy staff as Jan 3. anniversary of Soleimani killing approaches

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December 02, 2020, 04:44 PMlatest revision December 02, 2020, 04:45 PM

The United States government announced its intention Wednesday to withdraw some staff from its embassy in Baghdad through the likely final weeks of incumbent US President Donald Trump’s administration.

As tensions rise in the region, particularly with Iran and its allies, the moves has been labeled as “de-risking,” which will continue until after the anniversary of the January 3 drone strike that killed Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Brig.-Gen. Qasem Soleimani, reported The Washington Post (WaPo).

“The State Department continually adjusts its diplomatic presence at Embassies and Consulates throughout the world in line with its mission, the local security environment, the health situation, and even the holidays,” a department official said.

The department official said that U.S. Ambassador Matthew Tueller would remain in Iraq and that the embassy would continue to operate.

Last Friday’s killing of Iran’s most senior nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, the details of which are still somewhat shrouded in mystery, has caused tensions to spike. Iranian officials have already blamed Israel and have vowed “severe revenge” for the assassination.

According to WaPo, “In Iraq, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has used the threat of a full embassy withdrawal in pressuring Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi to escalate his government’s crackdown on Iranian-backed militias in Iraq. The militias have repeatedly fired rockets at diplomatic and military sites used by Americans over the past year.”

That includes the firing of at least two ballistic missiles at the Ain al-Asad base, which housed US and coalition forces servicemen and women.

While Iran claimed that the limited strike concluded its retaliation for Soleimani’s death, foreign policy and defense analysts assess that this is far from likely the case. If one adds Fakhrizadeh’s recent demise to the mix, there are legitimate fears of massive retaliation and escalation.

Last month, Trump told his advisers he is prepared to order a devastating response if any Americans are killed in attacks attributed to Iran, a senior official said.