U.S. tells Iraq it’s planning to pull out of Baghdad embassy

The United States has told the Iraqi government and its diplomatic partners that it’s planning a full withdrawal from its sprawling embassy in Baghdad unless Iraq reins in attacks on personnel linked to the American presence there, U.S. and other Western officials said Sunday.

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Secretary of State Mike Pompeo notified Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi of the decision Saturday night, according to an official familiar with the matter.

A second person, a Western official in Baghdad, said his country’s diplomatic mission had been informed of the plan. Two European officials said they were due to meet with U.S. representatives Sunday evening.

It remains unclear if the White House has signed off on the decision to close the facility. The process of shutting it down is expected to take 90 days, a window that would give the Trump administration the opportunity to reassess the decision, said a diplomat familiar with the situation.

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