President Trump reacted furiously at the news that Iraq’s parliament voted to expel US troops on Sunday, saying that if they actually ask the US to leave “we will charge them sanctions like they’ve never seen before ever.” He added it would “make Iranian sanctions look somewhat tame.”
Iraq, of course, was already under heavy US sanctions from 1989 to the 2003 invasion and occupation. The sanctions are estimated to have killed 1.6 million Iraqis, a great many of them children. Those sanctions were to punish Iraq for weapons of mass destruction that they didn’t have.
Trump’s threat is meant to imply he’ll inflict something even worse on Iraq this time. This is perhaps even more galling in that the threat is the result not of anything wrong that Iraq has done, but just because Trump is very cross with them.
The US troop presence in Iraq, as US officials are so often eager to remind us, is at the voluntary request of the Iraqi government. Currently, that is predicated on fighting ISIS, even though ISIS isn’t really active in Iraq anymore. There had already been talk, before the US started attacking the Baghdad airport and assassinating people, that the invitation had worn out its usefulness.
Parliament voted today to end that invitation, pending the prime minister’s signature. Trump’s threats are meant to give the impression that the Iraqis have no real choice, and that the US government would inflict genocidal levels of sanctions on them if they rescind their voluntary invitation.
That, of course, means the presence is not voluntary, but is being committed to by Iraq under extreme duress. The extreme level of the threat, coming just days after US attacks on the Iraqi capital, suggests a particularly ugly American military occupation, and that any claim to legality through coerced invitation would be immensely dubious.
Just wow! Is this for real? Or is this a nightmare? Who elected Mr. Emperor?
This is insane! Who would have ever thought that a democratically elected US president would ever sanction or bomb Iraq? Except for maybe Bush 1, Clinton, Bush 2, and Obama.
As horrible as those were, they were the policy of the govt as a whole, not the whim of a single man. There was/were excuses built up (WMD, etc.), Congress passes sanctions bills.
What Trump is saying here is as if he, our new Augustus, rules by fiat. This is categorically different.
But he is doing EXACTLY what his critics in Congress want! Exactly. It is only when he threatens to withdraw the forces that a veritable hysteria grips Washington. Him trying to fulfill at least one promise, to withdraw from Syria — even partially — was met with a meltdown.
I wish all is that simple as you say. But the mass total obedience we have in both Parties and both Houses — obedience to the whistle of warmongers, is a conundrum we must understand.
And it cannot be only the election money. There are many safe senators in their districts, yet they are rabid marchers to the sound of neocon war drums.
I cannot but conclude that the obedience is exacted by some other means.
Also you notice that with all the Dem complaints about POTUS and the ridiculous grounds for his impeachment, they all supported the huge “defense” budget and continuation of present policies.
“he is doing exactly what his critics want” gawd…get a grip.
Dave, “get a grip”,,look who’s talking,,LOL!! 🙂
I do PR for money (not here), so I will just assume you’re getting paid to write this. Pretty silly, but hey, if the check cashes?
Really? Paid by whom (’cause I’m apparently missing out)?
cali, you are mistaken.
“Democratically elected” by less than half the electorate and with huge corruption in the system and all of it fun by money.
anai, you know Prez. Trump won the election squared away,,stop the B.S.!!
Answer: Our nation which is saddled with an antique system of electing presidents elected our Mr. Bonaparte.
Correct. The system never throw up a candidate who could do the job effectively and for the good of the people.
dieter, you are mistaken!
Let me control a country’s money, and I do not care who writes their laws. Let me be in a possession of various black books, and I do not worry about legislators obedience. Trump’s fate is in their hands. Now, being the great showman, he is performing in circus ring with with style, as the sad music is playing,.
Not that Trump was not always the man who lived in those circles. But for some reasons — he is not tolerated. Simply not “people like us”. From day one organically rejected. One does not have to be a Trump supporter to notice this bizarre brain washing that is infecting people and even children. How many teachers can tell you how children are afraid of Trump and horrible things he is doing. This level if in your face hate far exceeds what he has done.
Now he is doing everything that is highly desirable by his critics. Will they turn on him with force or dish out some mild chastisement? Now it all depends on outcome.
Trump is exactly what I expected. A wrecking ball. At home or abroad he is acting as honestly as any Empire in history. Nasty and dangerous. Who can cure this —some ignorant snowflakes, smug in compensating for lack of knowledge, repelling imaginary threats to their feeble personas?
Hard to find any countervailing forces of common sense and uprightness to steady this ship.
You go girl! Perfect counterpoint to my “alternate universe”. Damn I wish Justin were here to see this. (A moment of quiet reflection to mourn our fallen comrade.)
Indeed! Spiritually he is here. Such spirit as his cannot be held back, even beyond the grave.
“for some reason he is not tolerated”….sheesh, Bianca, what does it take ? From rubbling Syria to the bozo tie….next time your plumbing breaks, I’ll see if I can find a plumber to send over that, a) has never plumbed anything, yet tells you he knows more about plumbing than anyone, b) the only plumbing he does makes it worse c) evaluates you compared to silicon filled bimbos tho he’s a fat, weak slob d) steals whatever money you have around e) if the plumbing still sucks, he will blame you….if you want to see blind hatred, check out the ignorant voters that hated Clinton and Obama so deeply, they would cast a vote for this mobbed up perverted ignorant pos….
Dave, such crazy rants, so filled with hate, give further proof that you cannot be taken seriously. 🙂
I think Dave’s point is that even for those people who voted for him (not the cultists who worship a rich man idol who dog whistles to racists, misogrynists and homophobes), whether they did so tactically (he seemed better than HRC at the time) or out of party affiliation etc., there are obvious reasons to dislike him on a more visceral level due to his personal life (serial infidelity at a level and of a sordidness to make Clinton blush) and business dealings (hundreds of lawsuits, refusal to reveal tax returns) and finally his pathological need to react to, boast and lie about everything, even the most trivial, remotely related to him, be it personal, political, or business — and indeed, to make things about him, to take credit for the accomplishments of others. Then there’s the increasing slurring of his speech (he doesn’t drink or do drugs) possibly indicating something physically wrong happening; he’s oversensitive and impulsive, takes everything personally and that is extremely dangerous. Threatening sanctions on Iraq for asking the US to leave after being overthrower, occupier, tolerated and finally most boorish and unwanted guest by attacking Iraq and murdering Iraqis, and all this without having consulted other branches of his own government, lying about why, his VP now trying to connect the target to 9/11, a blatant lie… These are the actions of a tyrant. People who have been saying he has fascist tendencies appear to have been proven right.
I do not think you understood.
I thought the way he is acting — he should be the DARLING of Neocon
Mafia. He checks every desirable on their wish list of their imperial dreams. Why is he not accepted by THEM? Or do they prefer slick lawyer who makes good speeches? Or Clinton who could become anything you want?
The reason Republicans did not like them, because the Republican leadership was getting their base for elections, preferably Republican.
BUT BOTH WERE LOVED BY BOTH PARTIES POWER BROKERS AS THEY BOTH DELIVERED ON NEOCON DEMANDS. Do mot mix politics for masses and politics that delivers goodies to Neocon Mafia.
Neocon Mafia is keeping him on tight leash. Mafia is bipartisan. They do not trust him. First because he broke the invisible wall that separates us — the audience — from them, the power players. All the topics he raised are literally not allowed. Wars, deindustrialization, media lying. These topics became fair game — not just among “conspiracy” theorists.
So, he is under control as any mercurial person can be.
I am disinterested in his persona, only on the impact he has on politics in the long run.
Bianca, you make great points,,but a well armed populace, can raise hell on the DC GHOULS, and after much bloodshed, can then restore the Republic. This is exactly why we must fight strongly against any infringement against the 2nd, it is our last hope against the tyranny of the DC GHOULS! (As well as the State GHOULS).
We have a well armed populace. What’s the holdup on “restoring the republic”?
Most of those who have most of the arms likely support everything Trump stands for. Including this: “they attacked our Embassy which stands on sacred soil…”
Zar, I don’t buy into any of that B.S. coming out of DC,,”sacred soil”, what a laugh. I would not believe anything your Boi Prime Minister says either, he is a disgrace and seems to hate Canada and it’s people and culture.
wars, That is exactly what is holding up complete tyranny! Why do you thing the Ghouls REALLY want our guns….!
I’m sure you’ll be first in line when the WH responds with bombs and drones, Jay. Good luck with the Second American Revolution.
Zar, tell that to the Afghans, or the Iraqi’s, or the Viet Cong, or even George Washington against the British Empire! You surrender as if you were a coward Zar, is that true?
Right. And our motivated society is just like those you mentioned. But of course that is if “Dancing with the Stars” isn’t on TV at the time. But go ahead and compare people fighting for their very existence to a bunch of lazy, loud mouthed assholes who would wet themselves when the first shot in anger is fired.
wars, talk about Negativity,,,GEEZ Bro’!
First of all, I’m a Canadian. I get the feeling you’ve assumed I’m an American all this time. Second, what you’re referring to are long wars of resistance against an aggressor whose own home is half a world away who cannot realistically maintain a supply chain indefinitely nor deal with insurgency indefinitely. The indigenous don’t have to win, they just have to wait, endure losses far greater than that of the enemy, till the enemy stops trying and goes home. You are home. So is your enemy. The enemy is, per Pogo, you. You can’t make your enemy “go home”. You are stuck with them and starting a second civil war is not a solution. You don’t know what the outcome will be. Knowing this does not make anyone a coward for refusing to take up arms with General Jay Jay. If your civil war started tomorrow it wouldn’t be your oft repeated phrase the DC Ghouls who’d die. It’d be you, your friends, and assorted cultural cold now hot warrirors from both sides of the “divide”, National Guardsmen, etc., the police. You’re just as likely to have a Narco government emerge as the paradise you dream of if you did manage (somehow) to manage a putsch.
So you are a Canadian, and you have already surrendered, sad! 🙁
What I am afraid of is that populace, well armed or not — is going to pay. And bear the brunt of the inevitable implosion of such hubris.
We do not need arms. As much as we need good PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS.
Every penny of public money spent in wars, regime changes, bases outside the country, money spent on political influencing by buying foreign media, so called NGOs at taxpayers expense, bribing politicians in various countries, giveaways to corporations in the name of influence peddling, compensations to corporations who deliberately invest in foreign companies in order to ruin them, and eliminate competition, unlawful loan practices, etc.etc. The use of public funds ostensibly as democracy promotion is often employment for the brats of rich snd well connected, Money spent on assisting migrants to illegally criss into Europe or US. Our media outside of US for the sole purpose of providing publishing forum for desirable points if view, ie propaganda. Funds spent on promotion of lifestyles, promoting school books that incorporate teaching children different lifestyles, often at too young of an age, money spent on University programs that promote irresponsible behavior, much of it not tolerated in US. I can go kn and in. It is our money. We need to know how we spend money outside of US, as this is the money taken out of our economy.
This is an out of control Mafia that uses wars, security, and promotion of democracy to spend, spend, spend.
And spend.
Money we do not have.
But will be presented to us as bill due.
And Congress, both Parties, make sure nothing is being voted on. Just stuff money into big budgets, then wheel and deal.
Bianca, You are right on, except the 2nd is already part of our Constitution and Bill Of Rights, take that away and the Constitution goes with it and anarchy takes it’s place. Bianca, all that you have mentioned just really shows that it is truly game over for the future of the DC GHOULS and this nation as we dreamed it,,prepare.
The presidential office should not be a singular person anymore.. there are too many flaws and weaknesses in the Constitution. It does not sufficiently protect us from tyranny in this day and age.
The protection was always in the officers faithfully executing it, not sure if having 10 executives would help any more than having 100 senators who wont impeach one for his usurpations does.
Josh,,so why let the people vote if you then over turn that election because you disagree with the Official? Just wait for the next election, which will come in 11 months.
Impeachment does not have to run all the way through to what you are calling the overturn of an election. The fact is no one including a president should be above the law. This goes beyond simple checks and balances. Clinton was impeached for something far more trivial when you come right down to it–yes he lied about his personal life under oath, but FFS, who put him in that situation and why? And though he was impeached, he remained in office, same as Trump most likely will.
Why have a constitution if you will simply ignore elected officials violations of it…
It’s not about “disagreeing with” the official.
It’s about whether the official is fulfilling his duty to “take care that the laws be faithfully executed,” or whether he’s either neglecting or violating that duty.
Yes, either disperse the powers or (much better) reduce the power. The US president would be a LOT more reasonable if he did not have a trillion $$ annual “defense” budget.
Cali, unless you are a demoncrat Potus,,right?
He didn’t say or even imply such a thing. What is wrong with you?
Just so you know, I came to this site originally in the 90’s, when this was one of the few against our involvement in the Yugoslav wars.
A small, weak central govt focused mostly on true national defense and strong varied states was the original vision of the founders and what I’d support.
antar, Thus, the 2nd Amendment!! Hoorah!!
First the US assassinate an envoy on a peace mission…..now the US threatens a sovereign country with crippling sanctions, who wants the murderous gang out of Iraq.
Jim,,”peace mission”,,stop the BS!!!
When i read all your comments, it`s obvious, your either brainwashed, uninformed or brainless.
Jim, that is a most negative and hurtful comment! LOL!! 😉
i`m sure you get over it.
https://news.antiwar.com/2020/01/05/soleimani-was-in-baghdad-on-mission-for-saudi-peace/
Trump has just morphed into “Ming the Merciless”. He transcends merely ridiculous.
I guess this jackass wasn’t around in the nineties, when sanctions had a devastating effect on the people of Iraq. None of it ever led to Hussein being ousted.
He’s not worried about them being ousted from power, he just needs to look like he is super man so his retarded supporters don’t lose faith in his ability to force the world to kneel at the feet of their government Idol and worship its goodness….
Josh,,”retarded supporters”..that says all about you ,,bud! 🙁
He’s referring to the cultists, Jay. The women who say a woman should never be president and the men who wouldn’t let their daughters near him but would still shake his hand.
You could be correct, what to be more precise I should have said desperate and/or obtuse supporters
and to be even more precise – and/or ignorant/Idolatrous…
GTFO back back across the Rubicon you psychopathic monster..Back, back i say,back to your stolen lair of manifest destiny so divine and utterly indispensable,your so cool,proud, the greattttteessst that’s https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/2f02c8fb1a2b6fb090502b2b9bbbddbf5c3c927ea1d766debed95cf204fac189.jpg ever been.
I remember when the UNSC would convene emergency sessions because someone paid a few kids to overturn cars and set a few dumpsters on fire in Tehran. The silence now is quite significant.
International law…don’t make me laugh. There’s the law of the jungle and that’s it.
Great point. Reminds me of Nikki Haley’s show and tell.
The issue is no longer what will President Trump do next but what will the responsible leaders in Washington do about this newest threat to a government and nation which is the product of our aggression. Every Republican Senator who watches this unhinged wildness to unfold must ask himself/herself now ‘how should I vote on removal?’
As an aside: one must also wonder what the government of Saudi Arabia is thinking today. Does the Crown-Prince-King really want a big shooting war in his bailiwick? Is it true that he was seeking a diplomatic path for reducing tensions with Iran and that the murdered Suleiman was in Iraq for that purpose?
Seems like the neocons have infected Trump with rabies and now he is going all Cujo.
“Trump’s threat is meant to imply he’ll inflict something even worse on Iraq this time. This is perhaps even more galling in that the threat is the result not of anything wrong that Iraq has done, but just because Trump is very cross with them.”
Remember the good old days when Trump the candidate said the Iraq war was wrong and we never should have invaded? Me neither.
Now, now girls, don’t get your panties in a twist.
Trump wants to make sure the Iraqis don’t go all soft and squishy on him and slow walk their demand for an American exit. He’s just keeping them insulted, keeping them pissed, keeping them focused on actually following through on the expulsion impulse. He has long wanted out of Iraq and Syria, but until now he’s been blocked by the Neocons et al. The “Soleimani Gambit” — unplanned though it may have been — is his ticket out, and this threatening is just him keeping “maximum pressure” on the Iraqis toward that end. The guy is instinctively — not cognitively — brilliant. He probably doesn’t even know himself where he’s going with this (Yeah, I know, that sounds totally irrational, but … instinct is pre-rational). Call me a Trump fan boy all you want, but then let’s just see how this works out. Sphincters at maximum tight, everyone “motivated” and looking for a way out of a US/Iran war — Trump, Iran, the (sane) American people, the Russians, the Pentagon — (except for the Neocons, Netanyahu, the MIC, and the war-hawks of course … so okay, not ‘everyone’).
Trump puts the worst of the worst — Bolton, Pompeo, Abrams, Esper, etc — in charge. (So that) when they screw up and take us to the brink, Trump comes to the rescue, and looks like a hero. Genius at an instinctive level.
(If I end up being wrong, no amount of apologies and “But, but, but …” will suffice to repair my reputation … such as it is. Just the same, I’m stickin’ with this until “the fat lady sings”.)
Let the howling and guffaws begin.
Every time I think the spectacle can’t get any better … it does. 2020 is shaping up to be a truly “dazzling” year. Best wishes to you all.
And people keep dying while the fat lady warms up her vocal chords. But hey, it’s the Donald’s game and you’re just fine with that. Sleep tight.
Bullcrap.
“ISIS isn’t really active in Iraq anymore.” because the Iranians, under Suleimani, have been the main fighters against ISIS, along with Hezbollah.
The whole nightmare shows Trump is trying to outdo Netanyahu in irrationality and violence.
According to a post on Colonel Lang’s blog, the US has up to one year to remove its forces after Iraq requires them to leave. So US troops aren’t going anywhere soon.
In fact, to quote Percival Rose from the Nikita show, “That ain’t gonna happen.”
You can’t have a war with Iran with no troops in Iraq. So the US absolutely will not leave Iraq. Instead, the US will *re-occupy* Iraq with scores or even hundreds of thousands of troops and essentially restart the Iraq war.
Because Iraq will restart its insurgency against the US forces in country if the US does not leave. This alone will require scores of thousands more troops.
Trump has made it clear with his threat of sanctions that he intends to remain in Iraq pursuant to a plan to start a war with Iran. This also proves once again that he fully intends to start a war with Iran – the only question is when and how.
Sanctions like never before? That’s horrifying! In 1995 the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization estimated that US sanctions on Iraq led to the deaths of over half-a-million children under the age of 5 due to malnourishment and disease.
i’d expect that Pompeo will soon have his Madeline Albright moment and agree that “we think the price is worth it”.
I believe the ‘Deep State’ and the demoncrats have finally drove Prez. Trump over the clifff,, just as they have planned,he appears to have gone insane, totally insane. I do not say this because he terminated that Iranian POS,,but based upon his statement’s since, he has been broken mentally. The USA, as we were taught by the propagandist, is clearly a fraud and it is game over, for all to see. (There are many USA POS’s too, that deserve the same fate, think?).
“I do not say this because he terminated that Iranian POS”
Says a lot about you. And not in a good way.
wars,,all evil people, people who kill and maim, no matter who or what they are, no matter who they represent, can expect the same, sooner or later, this is justice. You know the saying, “Don’t do the crime if you can’t do the time”,,..I believe good men must stand up against evil on this Earth, in this life. (And there is much evil that needs to be confronted on this Earth).
What does any of that have to do with the Iranian general? And why did you call him a POS? Are you a follower of the MSM and what real pieces of sh*t like Lindsey Graham say about the general? He fought against ISIS(literally)and is more loyal to his country than any of the kiss ass clowns(literally)that we call generals in this country. The main evil in this world is concentrated right here in our nation’s capital and itincludes the moron in the white house.
wars, You suffer from a very narrow view and fail to grasp the big picture and the reality of the world as it is. Yes, Graham is a POS too,,,you just do not understand what I write, you need to think much harder and read between the lines of what I am trying to say. The Iran general was a POS, I would not have done what dumb azz Trump did, but justice is justice, “Live By The Sword, Die By The Sword”, can you dig it Bro’??
What are you talking about? How is my “view” narrow? YOU are the one that called the General a piece of shit, not me. What are you basing it on? Anything other than what the neocons are repeating? You sound exactly like them.
You’ve changed your tune, I thought you did not approve of the drone strike.
I thought about it, and the conclusion is that Trump goes where the military wind blows.
‘like they’re never seen before.’ Again, and again, and again. Because it taxes his massive intellect to actually think of anything specific, so he just hits the ‘grandiose’ button every time.