Protests against the US Embassy in Baghdad have ended on Wednesday, with the Iraqi government and the leadership of the Popular Mobilization Units (PMU) militias urging a pullback from the site, and amid US guards firing tear gas against them.
The protests came after Sunday’s US attacks on five PMU bases in Iraq and Syria. The PMU, part of Iraq’s security forces, had a number of representatives at the protest, to the point that the US was blaming them for it.
The PMU issued a statement on the protests, saying that the “message has been received” by the US. One of the protesters said they had “achieved the intended aim” and “pulled out from this place triumphantly.”
The US has threatened more attacks against PMU targets, and has also threatened Iran. The specific PMU militia attacked, Ketaib Hezbollah, has threatened to retaliate against US forces for the weekend attack.
Beyond that, nothing has really been resolved, and nothing agreed to. The US is moving hastily to get more troops into Kuwait, likely anticipating further blowups going forward.
Aren’t we supposed to be getting out of stupid ME wars? Or just sit around until people get fed up — and act accordingly. But magically — we automatically blame Iran. Of course, every idiot knows why. By keeping “Iran” sound-byte in the news, saturation is achieved in public mind. And eventually, will be resigned to PAY to war profiteers ANOTHER tax for the next decade at least. In the name of another stupid war, or if not, just saber rattling will suffice. Plenty of money in this gig as well.
I have no idea why is our political elite so thick.
We may be asking for a war with Russia and China. Hope our Patriots will do a better job protecting our cities then the fiasco they had in Saudi Arabia.
The problem is that you are thinking “our” political elite are in the business of doing what is in the American people’s interest in general. They are not. They are in the business of doing what is in the interest of the DC permanent government and connected security/military corporations. The ME wars have been just great for these people. Why would they end them?
So, what does Trump do to defuse this tense situation? Why, send in 4000 more troops to Kuwait and 750 more troops to Iraq, of course. Does this sound like ending these “stupid wars” to you? Obviously, he can’t even think of a solution that doesn’t involve bluster and threats of violence. It sure makes the Israelis happy though. His Likudnik handlers must be smiling and licking their chops as we head off to war with Iran.
Thomas, if only DJT would purge the WH of all Trotskyists all would be right with the world .
Problem is, that would include oligarchs like Sheldon Adelson and the Likudnik gangsters he’s been beholden to for decades, ever since he was Roy Cohn’s mentor laundering drug money for the Mob through his real estate empire.
The Iraqi “sovereign government” and the protesters it seems to be supporting for their angry retaliation on US attackers are being treated as if they have no rights in their own country. I suppose after nearly thirty years of US sanctions, invasion, occupation, destruction, Iraq cannot be allowed to make any attempt to decide for itself what it needs.