Iraq pushes back with 'reciprocity measure' against Trump's ban
Iraq retaliated Monday against President Trump's executive order banning its nationals from entering the United States for 90 days by approving a "reciprocity measure" that will apply to Americans seeking admission to Iraq.
Deputy Parliament Speaker Sheik Humam Hamoudi called the decision a “recommendation” and encouraged the U.S. Congress to “pressure the American administration to reconsider” Trump’s order when it comes to Iraqis.
The counter-move was adopted by Iraq's parliament, although it was not clear to what extent it would apply to aid workers, oil company executives and other key workers who routinely do business in Iraq.
The U.S. military, which has about 5,000 personnel in the country, does not enter Iraq through normal immigration channels. There are thousands of civilian contractors working for the State Department and U.S. military in Iraq.
The push back from Iraq's government came as other voices in the Muslim world and beyond weighed in with criticism and concerns Monday.
An association that represents 57 Muslim-majority countries expressed "grave concern" that Trump's executive order banning refugees and citizens from seven of its members from traveling to the U.S. will "embolden the radical narratives of extremists" and provide further fuel for "advocates of violence and terrorism."
Refugee admissions have been halted for 120 days. Syrians have been barred indefinitely.
The forcefully worded statement from the Saudi Arabia-based Organization of Islamic Cooperation, a group that promotes Muslim solidarity in economic, social and political affairs, arrived as the fallout from Trump's ban for citizens of Iraq, Syria, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia and Yemen — all OIC members — showed no sign of abating.
"The OIC calls upon the United States government to reconsider this blanket decision and maintain its moral obligation to provide leadership and hope at a time of great uncertainty and unrest in the world," the organization said.
The OIC's rebuke was the official criticism out of Saudi Arabia, a staunch U.S. ally, and came just a day after Trump spoke to Saudi King Salman and invited him to the White House. Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Egypt, countries with large Muslim populations, were not included in the ban.
In Europe, European Union Commission spokesman Margaritis Schinas said that the 28-nation bloc is carefully studying Trump's decision to see how much the travel ban on refugees will impact its 500 million citizens.
Contributing: Jim Michaels in Washington.