WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), the top Democrat on the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Near East, South Asia, Central Asia and Counterterrorism, on Monday spoke by phone with the Iraqi Ambassador to the United States, Fareed Yasseen. Murphy released the following statement after they spoke: 

“Expelling U.S. troops from Iraq was Soleimani’s dying wish—and could end up as one of the lasting consequences of the Trump administration’s killing of the Iranian military commander. We have around 5,000 troops In Iraq, and pulling them out now would hurt the fight against ISIS and undermine our partnership with Iraq—both of which are critical to U.S. national security,” said Murphy. “Iraq is an important partner for our national security and foreign policy interests, but President Trump has put this relationship in peril. That’s why I wanted to reassure Ambassador Yasseen of our commitment to working alongside the Iraqi people, especially at a time when the administration is threatening to withhold access to key bank accounts and impose sanctions on Iraq’s already shaky economy.” 

On Monday, Murphy joined NPR’s Here and Now to discuss the dangers of the Trump administration’s flimsy imminence argument to kill Qasem Soleimani. Last week, Murphy and U.S. Senator Mitt Romney (R-Utah) received a briefing from the United States Ambassador to Iraq, Matthew Tueller, regarding the current situation in Iraq, Murphy has been vocal in the administration’s blatant disregard for congressional authorization for a war with Iran. Following the attack that killed Qasem Soleimani, Murphy released a statement. Murphy also released a statement following the missile attack on two military bases in Iraq housing American troops. 

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