Several Iraqi lawmakers hold out in vote seeking to expel U.S military

The United States military is officially in Iraq at the country's invitation. If that invitation is withdrawn American forces would seemingly withdraw along with it. Such a scenario inched a little closer to reality Sunday when members of Iraq's parliament voted to compel the government — which would then make the final decision — to expel the United States from the country Sunday following Washington's airstrike that killed Iranian Maj. Gen. Qassem Soleimani in Iraq this week.

The non-binding vote, which was pushed heavily by factions that have grown out of Shiite militia organizations aligned with Iran, wasn't quite as resounding as its 170-0 tally seemed though. The parliament has 328 members in total, many of whom, primarily Sunni and Kurdish lawmakers, reportedly did not attend the session or vote because they oppose abolishing the agreement between Iraq and the U.S.

The vote won't become final until Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi — the subject of mass anti-government protests who has said he'll resign — signs the draft bills, which he reportedly indicated he will do, The New York Times reports. The Times notes that there is no timetable for a withdrawal in the bill, and it specifically refers to a 2014 agreement that revolved around the U.S. helping Iraq fight the Islamic State, while leaving in place the the Strategic Framework Agreement that would allow some form of U.S. troop presence to continue. Read more at The New York Times and The Associated Press.

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