US: Iraq is Acting Appropriately in Response to Attack on Ain al-Asad Airbase
"They have announced publicly that they have launched an investigation and arrested a number of suspects," Miller said, and that is "appropriate."
WASHINGTON DC, United States (Kurdistan 24) – The U.S. views Baghdad’s response to the rocket attack that targeted Ain al-Asad Airbase on Monday as “appropriate,” State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller told journalists on Wednesday.
Five U.S. soldiers and two contractors were wounded in Monday’s assault.
On Tuesday, U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin affirmed, “The United States will not tolerate attacks on our personnel in the region.”
Read More: Houthi Drone Expert Killed in U.S. Strike in Iraq; Iranian Proxies Launch More Attacks
Iraq Denounces Attack—Appears to Recognize Iranian Role
Also on Tuesday, Iraqi authorities, themselves, denounced the attack, saying that outside the base, they had found a truck carrying a rocket launcher, with eight more rockets, in addition to the two that had been fired.
Iran has been exploiting the ten months long war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza to mobilize its proxies, including in Iraq. Authorities in Baghdad appear to be well aware of that.
“We categorically reject any attack from within or outside Iraq on Iraqi lands, interests, and targets,” they said in a statement. “We reject all reckless actions and practices targeting Iraqi bases, diplomatic missions and locations of international coalition advisors, which raise regional tensions, draw Iraq into dangerous situations, and harm the interests of various states.”
Read More: Joint Operations Command obtains information on Ain al-Assad Airbase attack perpetrators
Indeed, the statement seemed to reflect a broader view within the country. The Iraqi population has enough problems already, and they do not want to be dragged into the conflict between the Palestinians and Israel.
Read More: Iraqis demand stability amid regional tensions, fear of war
Subsequently, on Wednesday, Iraqi security sources arrested four suspects in connection with the attack, as Iraqi media reported,
U.S. Says that It is Satisfied
Asked about the Iraqi response to the attack, Miller presented a generally positive picture.
“We have been in conversation with the Iraqi Government about this,” he responded. “They have announced publicly that they have launched an investigation and arrested a number of suspects in connection with the attack.”
“That, of course, is the appropriate thing for them to do,” he continued. “We have long said in previous rounds of attacks against U.S. personnel in Iraq that those personnel are there at the invitation of the Iraqi government, and it is incumbent on the Iraqi government to take steps to prevent attacks in the first place—and when attacks do occur, to fully investigate and hold accountable those parties responsible.”
“So it’s appropriate they they are doing so in this case,” Miller concluded.