Former Sudanese Foreign Minister Ismail: The US invaded Iraq to protect its interests in the region

HARTOUM, March 20 – RIA Novosti. Former Sudanese Foreign Minister Mustafa Usman Ismail told RIA Novosti that the US invaded Iraq in 2003 to protect its interests in the region and protect Israel.

On March 20, 2003, under the pretext of fighting terrorism and searching for weapons of mass destruction, the US-led international coalition forces bombarded Iraqi cities. As a result, President Saddam Hussein was overthrown and executed, and no traces of weapons of mass destruction banned by international convention were found.

“The American invasion of Iraq was by no means legal.” Ismail said that Washington did not receive any approval from the UN Security Council.

He said that Iraq under Saddam Hussein had reached an advanced level of military capability, but that America’s policy towards the Middle East had to outnumber any forces that could compete with Israel itself.

Ismail states that the occupation had a negative impact on Iraq and its people: the country’s resources were looted, blood was spilled, and millions of Iraqis became refugees in neighboring countries.

“The invasion of Iraq has allowed extremist groups like IS* and others to temporarily control large areas of Iraq, which has led to the destruction of monuments and cities,” the former official said.

He added that the results of the conflicts are now reflected in the social and economic spheres of Iraq and the security situation in the country.

* Terrorist organization banned in Russia