Shiite Leader: US Wants to Use ISIL for Projects in Iraq

"We believe the United States of America does not want to resolve the crisis, but rather wants to manage the crisis,” Qais Khazali, a leader of Asaib Ahl al-Haq (AAH), an Iraqi Shiite paramilitary group, told Reuters in an interview.

According to Khazali, Washington “does not want to end Daesh [an Arabic term for ISIL/ISIS].”

“[The US] wants to exploit Daesh to achieve its projects in Iraq and in the region. The American project in Iraq is to repartition the region."

The Shiite leader said that the US pressured Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi to limit Shiite fighters in the campaign to fight back Anbar province from ISIL fighters.

"Now the American project is trying at least to limit the presence of the Hashid Shaabi [Popular Mobilization Forces in Iraq composed of Shiite militia] to the borders of [the city of] Fallujah and not reach Ramadi [Anbar province capital]."

“This is the magnitude of the pressure from the American leadership now on the Iraqi prime minister.”

Khazali, who was captured by US troops in 2007 for killing American soldiers, but released in 2010 in a prisoner swap, says there are no prospects of cooperation between Washington and Shiite militia.

"We do not agree to participate in any area where there are American strikes. We will place full responsibility on the American administration for any strike that happens under the guise of being a mistake," he said.

"The Americans do not trust us because we resisted them during the occupation. There is no prospect [for cooperation]."

Farsnews