https://twitter.com/ejmalrai/status/1213672645549576192
It seems ridiculous that the US would believe a significant portion of Iraq would support the move, but then it was just as ridiculous 17 years ago and they certainly haven’t got better at this stuff.
That seems like big news. I wonder if the US will comply. Not the most tough-guy look for Iraq to tell you to fuck off and to meekly be like “OK, I’ll get my coat”.
Yes, I wondered that. No real idea where staying anyway fits on the scale from ‘completely impossible’ to ‘the obvious thing that will happen’. That guy I just posted seemed to imply he figured they’d retreat to the Kurdish controlled part in the North.
Kurds not exactly pleased with them either, but as always will probably take whatever allies they can get. I suppose what I’m getting at is whether the US just becomes openly hostile to the government of Iraq, rather than paying even lip service to their sovereignty.
Edit: Also I doubt anyone actually believed that a significant portion of Iraq would be pleased, like maybe some idiot Freedom Caucus types or something, but nobody in the Pentagon.
What’s the big picture? Is it feared that Iran would usurp Iraq and become even more menacing to Israel and other neighbors?
Saddam Hussein seems like a panacea of stability right about now. Good grief the leaders of our sad nation.
Just happened to be watching this for some reason lol and their take is a reasonable one, that we and our allies are the terrorists of the Middle East region.
From a Pentagon point of view they’d always like maximum influence in the region, but I was more getting at things from a Trump point of view. According to the NYT he ordered the assassination of Soleimani because he was mad about seeing the embassy attacks on TV. Is he just going to accept a rebuke from Iraq and be like “very sorry we were naughty, we’ll leave now”? It seems like a bad look, politically, they’d probably get mad about it on Fox. So does he respond with more belligerence? Like he’ll probably yell about how nasty and unfair it is on Twitter, for starters. Maybe some choice tweets about how ungrateful Iraq are.
Hopefully all the heavy-hitters are symbiotic enough to ensure the status quo – perpetual turmoil in that fucked up region, without any flirtation with escalation among superpowers. I think they will.
The strategy session, which has not been previously reported, came as mass protests against Iran’s growing influence in Iraq were gaining momentum, putting the Islamic Republic in an unwelcome spotlight. Soleimani’s plans to attack U.S. forces aimed to provoke a military response that would redirect that rising anger toward the United States, according to the sources briefed on the gathering, Iraqi Shi’ite politicians and government officials close to Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi.
Good thing that we prevented that!!!
Jamkaran Mosque in Qom, Iran today hoisted a blood-red flag. The flag there is normally blue. The flag symbolises vengeance. So that’s good.
https://twitter.com/Mustafa_salimb/status/1213814421019123719
thread reporting from the Iraqi Parliament
Definitely see team trump turning an assisted visitation into a reoccupation.
Seems crazy if we are there to assist Iraq and they asked us to leave why we wouldn’t leave. But of course we will not leave.
Hard to believe Trump was easily tricked by a foreign government.
Sounds like we’re going to have to go liberate Iraq again.
Maybe this time they will be more grateful.
“Yes, but, Mr Pompeo, you’re a bunch of fucking idiots, aren’t you?”
“Fair point”
