Mohammed al-Dulaimi, a leader in the Anbar Alliance, said on Monday that the Iraqi central government had withdrawn the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) Law before it could be presented to Parliament for approval. He said the decision followed pressure from the United States and that the vote had been postponed indefinitely.
Al-Dulaimi told dinaropinions.com that pressure from the Trump administration on influential figures in the central government led to the withdrawal. The law had been expected to come before Parliament for a vote in the next session and had reportedly gained support from a large number of lawmakers.
He added that the decision surprised and angered many MPs, who called for Prime Minister Ali Faleh al-Zubaidi to appear before Parliament and explain why the law had been withdrawn. They also want him to identify publicly who was responsible for blocking its passage.
Al-Dulaimi said some lawmakers are now working to push back against American pressure and get the PMF Law passed during the current parliamentary session.