Welcome to Thursday, January 2nd, new and old years...

Protesters have left the U.S. embassy in Baghdad.

Supporters of an Iranian-backed militia withdrew from the U.S. Embassy compound in Baghdad, Iraq, Wednesday, following two days of clashes with America security forces.

The groups were protesting U.S. airstrikes in Syria and Iraq against the Kataib Hezbollah militia that killed 25 fighters.

“Everyone is breathing a sigh of relief,” said Maj. Charlie Dietz, a spokesman for the U.S. military in Baghdad. “A situation that could have easily escalated out of control was handled with tactical restraint, and everyone was able to walk away.”

Earlier, the political spokesman of Kataib Hezbollah addressed protestors at the embassy, saying, "We will take our fight to expel U.S. troops from our land to parliament and if we don’t succeed, we will return."

How do you feel about U.S. operations in Iraq?

On the Radar

Should McConnell Recuse Himself from the Senate Impeachment Trial?

Democratic lawmakers are calling on Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) to recuse himself from the Senate impeachment trial.

Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) and Rep. Val Demings (D-FL) have said McConnell should recuse himself from overseeing the trial following comments by the GOP leader that he’s “not an impartial juror,” considers the upcoming trial a “political process,” and plans to coordinate with the White House.

"No court in the country would allow a member of the jury to also serve as the accused’s defense attorney. The moment Senator McConnell takes the oath of impartiality required by the Constitution, he will be in violation of that oath," Demings said in a statement.

House Judiciary Committee member Mike Johnson (R-LA) said calls for McConnell’s recusal are “absurd.”

"Everybody in the country now has seen the record. They've seen the facts and they've seen what supposedly is backing up these articles of impeachment—and there's nothing there," Johnson told host Brian Kilmeade on Tucker Carlson Tonight.

Should McConnell recuse himself from the Senate impeachment trial?

Under the Radar

Looking Back at 2019 in Congress

The first session of the 116th Congress is in the books, and lawmakers will return to the Capitol next week when the second session begins in 2020.

We take a look back at the year that was here, which includes:

ACCOMPLISHED / IN PROGRESS

USMCA: The House approved the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) to replace NAFTA on a bipartisan vote of 385-41. It will be up for approval in the Senate in the new year, with the timing dependent on the House’s decision to appoint managers for the impeachment trial.