On Thursday night, a US drone carried out an airstrike against the Baghdad International Airport, killing seven people, including top Iraqi officials and Iran’s top Gen. Qassem Soleimani. The Pentagon confirmed that the attack was carried out on orders of President Trump.
Iran is threatening a “harsh retaliation” after the attack, and the US intends to deploy another 3,500 troops to Iraq and the surrounding area in anticipation of this escalating further. Iran says retaliation will be at a time of their choice.
The timing of the 3,500 more troops arriving is unclear, though they’ll likely mostly arrive in Kuwait. This plans are in addition to 750 sent earlier this week, and 4,000 announced at the time.
This caps off a shockingly escalatory week that has left the US on the brink of war with Iran and, realistically, with Iraq as well. On last Friday, a series of rockets hit an Iraqi base, killing a US contractor. The US blamed an Iraqi militia, and on Sunday attacked five of the militia’s bases, killing 25. The militia responded with protests at the US Embassy, which the US blamed on Iran, and by Thursday had escalated that to killing Gen. Soleimani when he arrived at the Iraqi airport.
The US attack also killed some high-ranking Iraqi officials in the Popular Mobilization Units (PMU). Analysts have said this attack was an act of war, and the US rushing troops to the region shows that they are expecting retaliation.
Iran has confirmed they intend to retaliate, and has also issued formal complaints by way of the Swiss Embassy.The UN responded by saying they don’t believe the world can handle another war in the Middle East.
Told you.
Indeed, many of us were right about Trump. It’s quite sad, however, to be right in this case, as it appears that the world may be in a more precarious situation than even we imagined. Heaven help us.
Just imagine if Russia decided to retaliate for the US not only attacking Russian contractors in Syria but bragging about it. Oh, but as we know the US is “exceptional.”
So Trump assassinated Iran’s George Washington to “prevent a war “and to “protect American troops.” And now we are sending thousands of troops into harm’s way. Newsweek is reporting the US just botched an attempted assassination of an Iraqi militia commander. Instead the drone killed six people including medics. It looks like Trump is determined to start a war with Iran.
This ain’t a four dimensional chess game. It is naked American aggression.
And Trump sure doesn’t sound like someone being pushed around by the Neocons.
The censorship on this site is getting out of control. My original post was squelched. I had to delete my reference and link to Al Jazeera to get the above post accepted. I also deleted my opinion of the mental fitness of the Commander in Chief. Very sad state of affairs for AW.com .
I think this site doesn’t moderate comments. Maybe it was “disquss” but the link is still there. Anyway, the world is mad and we need to support this site more than ever since it’s grassroots and objective
Your imagination is getting out of control. Your post is there, in full. It was probably the link that tripped the Disqus filter, and it was approved as soon as I saw it.
Sorry to crush your delusions of persecution.
Relax, Sky, I have had several comments flagged before as spam by disqus. The moment Thomas was aware of them (sometimes he is busy with other things, but, eventually) he restored them. The only thing I have ever seen a post deleted for on this site is racial, ethnic, or religious bigotry. Certainly not for posting a negative opinion about the mental fitness of a politician. I think most of us here are of the opinion that many, if not most, politicians are a little off in some way, and certainly that opinion is shared by the moderators.
But there are certain things Disqus flags more than others. Especially anything that contains the word that starts with the letter J.
I have used the word “Jew” in many comments here before, although almost always in response to those whose comments were some type of general blanket insult to the entire race/religion. Never has one of those comments been so much as flagged as spam, much less deleted. They will certainly be deleted if the word is used in a manner at least implying that just the characteristic of being Jewish somehow makes you a murderous Zionist or evil in some other manner. As Thomas Carlson often points out, most American Zionists are not even Jewish, but refer to themselves as “Christians.”
Trump is absolutely being “pushed around” by the Neocons. I’m not sure which or if any of the “incidents” might have been a Mossad covert-op designed to start a US war on Iran, but I’m 100% sure they’re watching carefully and waiting to do just that. (Americans killed in an attack by Israelis — beheaded perhaps, as a final added touch — in “Iranian Shia militia” disguise, on a US ground unit guarding Syrian oil, for instance.) The Israelis absolutely want the US to bomb Iran to rubble. So there’s that. Meanwhile, back home, the Neocon Israel-firsters (along w/the Deep State, IC, MIC, war-hawks) are also working to persuade or manipulate Trump into a war on Iran.
So I have to say, it’s not Trump — he absolutely doesn’t want that war — because he knows with certainty that that war will be the end of his presidency. He wants to respond with aggressive action short of war — more, tougher maximum pressure — and I would bet his “advisers” have advised him that “You’re safe, because there is no way Iran will strike out at the US. No way. Because they know they will be utterly destroyed if they start a war with the US. Go ahead and bomb Soleimani. that’ll send a message to Iran. And bomb the Shia Popular Mobilization militias, that’ll send them a message. It’s clearly justified. It will send the message that you’re tough and resolute and that America will not be threatened.”
And Trump went along with that, even though he knows, because they’ve repeatedly advocated for it, that they want a full out war with Iran. But now those hawks maneuvering him for the war they — not he — wants, now is the time for the Israelis to push him over the edge, into a situation — they think — he can’t escape from.
Trump knows that “short-of-war” works. It satisfies the requirement that America in the person of the American President, must look look strong. But that over-the-line-into-war is a catastrophe.
Because here’s what the predictability-and-unpredictability of that war looks like. Rapid uncontrolled escalation. The Straits of Hormuz mined and closed. Saudi and UAE and Iranian oil infrastructure destroyed. The price of oil worldwide at (?) $250-$300-$500 (?) a barrel. Worldwide economic chaos, depression, (but not for Venezuela & Russia!), (?)the collapse of the dollar(?, Russian and Chinese weaponry for Iran to bleed the US as long as possible. Multiple US military bases within striking distance of Iran attacked, with thousands of Americans killed and wounded, and worse, taken prisoner and held in Iran as human shields at strategic facilities. A new President (?)Bernie(?) who sues for a humiliating peace. No more MAGA, no more Trump and no more American empire.
Neither Trump nor Iran (nor the Pentagon) want this war that the Zionists & MIC absolutely want heedless of the consequences.
So now we will have to wait and see if Trump pulls back or gets pushed over the edge. So when all the players are taken into account, it’s not really on Trump, beyond it being his hires and ultimately, his “responsibility”. (Okay, I suppose that makes it “on Trump”, but not because he wants it.)
A final crazy note. Trump has been strangely lucky. I won’t go through the list. But consider how easily this attempt by the war-mongers and Zionists to get their war, might turn to seeming-triumph by Trump.
The Iraqis will — if they haven’t already — tell the Americans to “Stop what you’re doing and get the hell out! Right the fuck now!” (Which the Americans will resist/delay/stall, of course.) They for sure don’t want the Americans launching a war on Iran from their territory, or a war on Iraq against Iraq shia forces in Iraq, or a combination of both.
And here’s where the bizarre comes in. Trump wanted out, but the Neocons et al blocked him. Now, and if this “traps” him between war and withdrawal, he could/should/might — would almost certainly — opt for self-preservation and use the “opportunity” to finally get out.
And end up a hero.
Remember, HE DOESN’T WANT THE WAR. HE KNOWS IT WILL END IN FAILURE FOR HIM.
Interesting times. Happy new year.
“So I have to say, it’s not Trump”
At this point you have absolutely got to be kidding. Do you ever give up on believing this guy is some type of peacenik? It is obvious to anyone with any degree of objectivity that Trump is either an idiot, or a murderous, warmongering bastard, or perhaps a little of both. If it were Obama or Clinton, you’d be among the first to call them out. But, no, when it’s the man you worship, he is so well intentioned and innocent, the heroic do-gooder battered about by the forces of the evil Deep State and media, the man, who, if only we’d give him a chance would remove the US from military conflict all around the globe.
Give me a break.
“Admire” not “worship”.
But I acknowledge your point and your point of view. Now let’s see how it plays out.
You’re delusional. For Chrissake, the man is the POTUS, or didn’t you know.
“Remember, HE DOESN’T WANT THE WAR. HE KNOWS IT WILL END IN FAILURE FOR HIM.”
The war with Iran will appease the Neocons and keep him in office so he can’t be indicted. Trump is buying time for himself.
Besides that, doesn’t every American War President go down as a great leader in the history books? Trump’s dream legacy.
Did he appease the Neocons after the drone shoot-down?
He will “appease” the Zionists. He HAS BEEN FORCED to appeased the treasonous Zionist agents in the US, their AIPAC-owned and controlled Congress and the Neocon-owned and controlled State Dept (Wolfowitz Doctrine). And he has done this with rhetoric, sanctions, and by giving Israel everything they want THAT THEY ALREADY HAVE: Golan Heights, Jerusalem is all theirs, rhetorical belligerence toward Russia, Syria, Iran … everything short of war with Iran.
(And the more he panders to them the more they distrust him, as well they should, because unlike the rest of the political class, they can’t control him, and they know it.)
Note that, as I’ve written elsewhere this morning, he’s already turned his bullying away from Iran — taking the heat off of them — and redirected it toward Iraq, which can only make the Iraqis even more determined to expel, …er … “disinvite” the Americans.
He’s really good — instinctively good — at this strategic brinkmanship.
Note that ***THE DEMOCRATS *** in Congress who wussed out on Tulsi Gabbard’s “No war on Iran without Congressional authorization” amendment to the NDAA, stripping it from the bill, are now, led by Pelosi, pressing for a vote in the House to limit Trump’s war powers. (It’s just for show of course; she’s as big a Deep State Zio-stooge as Shomer/Schumer.)
No, I predict that Trump will out-maneuver these clowns. They’re not in his league.
But we shall see.
Today it has been announced that Bolton is willing to testify before the Senate. I predict that he will not say anything to incriminate Trump now that Trump has ratcheted up war with Iran. Bolton is under orders now to protect Trump.
Trump regretted not hitting Iran after they shot down the U.S. drone in their waters. His image was on the line and of course his image is more important to him than America First. He could’t stand the War Hawks’ criticism of him as a wuss. So he had to show them what a tough guy he really is. Makes me want to puke!
While watching footage of U.S. troops deploying or preparing to deploy, I’ve noticed that the soldiers appear to be wearing green camouflage, as opposed to desert camouflage. I’m not a military expert–do they receive desert uniforms later, or is green what they’ll wear through any Mideast deployment? Are they expecting any potential combat to be in a more green, if not forested, area (Iran–a big country–appears to have lots of green in its geography, in addition to some desert)?
I’m trying to remain hopeful that this can be resolved peacefully. Though not completely similar, I think about the incident between U.S. and Chinese fighter pilots in early 2001 that resulted in the death of a Chinese pilot, and detained American personnel. There was tension between the U.S. and China, but each side eventually worked toward a face-saving resolution, and everyone moved on. I hope everyone involved here acts rationally, and we can have a peaceful 2020.
“While watching footage of U.S. troops deploying or preparing to deploy, I’ve noticed that the soldiers appear to be wearing green camouflage, as opposed to desert camouflage. I’m not a military expert–do they receive desert uniforms later, or is green what they’ll wear through any Mideast deployment?”
I’m not sure what the current standard issue is. When my unit was activated for Desert Storm, the standard issue was four sets of woodland camouflage. We received two sets of desert camouflage when we got to our pre-deployment station, and shipped over with those and one set of woodlands in our seabags.
For at least a little while after that war, I think the standard issue changed to 3 woodland and one desert, but who knows what it is these days. And it probably varies by branch and unit.
So Trump assassinated Iran’s George Washington to “prevent a war “and to “protect American troops.” And now we are sending thousands of troops into harm’s way. Al Jazeera is reporting that the US just botched an attempted assassination of an Iraqi militia commander. Instead the drone killed six people including medics. It looks like Trump is determined to start a war with Iran.
This ain’t a four dimensional chess game. It is naked American aggression.
And Trump sure doesn’t sound like someone being pushed around by the Neocons. We have a belligerent bat shit crazy commander in chief.
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/01/air-raid-targets-hashd-commander-iraq-state-tv-200103233605393.html
From what I can tell from the initial reports and at least one truther blog around Christmas, someone was planning an Iran Hostage Crisis II at the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad.
The protests and intrusions at the American Embassy seemed to reinforce that rumour. That would have been more than enough to trigger an assassination, given the secrets housed there.
Soleimani is clever enough to think of such a thing as a psyop, but executing such an escalation, not really within his track record of caution.
However, even hinting at a Baghdad Embassy hostage crisis would have been a death sentence under Trump or any other President. Soleimani may not have understood that.
The big black box of the U.S. Embassy in Iraq should have been shut down a long time ago and returned to Iraq.
The crisis is probably over. The emergency Iraqi Parliament session will vent emotion but not evict the U.S., as needs to happen for Iraqi and world peace.
Eh, if this general was worth the missile, he would already know mass assaulting the fortress embassy without weapons is pointless. Pretty sketchy, no, wholly sketchy.
Some story will rise tho, not hard really, every person in Iraq has probably said some thing about attacking americans. Heck, plenty of americans say it too.
They’ve been trying for months to kill Soleimani; every now and then a story would pop up about Soleimani being killed or severely wounded.
Soleimani finally underestimated how much leeway for action Trump excuses in the public eye. No-one is surprised Trump would order an an assassination in gross violation of all diplomatic and civil protocols, and the Deep State counts on that to manage the outrage.
Assaulting the U.S. embassy in Baghdad would be difficult but not impossible for the locals; they are not unarmed. Blockading it and eventually ferreting out hidden passages off-grounds, far easier and very disruptive to whatever’s being smuggled in and out of there.
Threats against Americans have festered for months, and mercenaries don’t deserve much humanitarian consideration. The only thing that changed on the ground, was the U.S. Baghdad’s Embassy’s status as a target for the PMUs.
This is intriguing, to say the least.
The black box nature of the embassy and its history are a magnet for trouble and totally defeats the purpose of a real Embassy.
Why anyone would want to go die so a bunch of zionazi chomos can get even richer is beyond me…*shrug* but this country consumes its own bullshit with an unprecedented voracity, so…
The murder of Soleimani has Israeli fingerprints all over. It was performed using Zionazi modus operandi and was probably assisted by the fakes as well. US “deplorables” rather than the Ziocons will typically take the consequences and those will be severe, anywhere, anytime, while narcissist Dump will be the fall guy….
While im at it, a USS Liberty 2.0 by our “allies” in order to speed up a US attack on Iran shouldn’t be ruled out either.
The only control on him personally which President Trump is forced to tolerate is loans. Did loans play a role in this case? From which Israeli?
There is another country where more US soldiers may be needed to protect the 500 already there. It is Somalia where rebels carried out an attack against government forces yesterday. Whereas the Sabaab rebellion was driven out of the capital Mogadishu it still controls enormous stretches of rural Somalia.