This is a reaction to the American airstrike’s …
The protests have to be backed by Iran , which has a increased presence in Iraq due the Trump policy of trying to leave the country…
The attack was in response to an American contractor’s death….
24 Iranian backed militiamen in Iraq where killed by the American actions.…
Hundreds of angry supporters of an Iranian-backed militia shouting “Death to America” broke into the U.S. Embassy compound in Baghdad on Tuesday, trapping diplomats inside in response to U.S. airstrikes that killed or wounded scores of militia fighters.
The protesters breached the vast embassy compound’s outer security but did not reach the main chancery building.
Iraqi security forces later intervened, erecting a steel barrier at the smashed gate into the compound’s reception area and forcing the protesters to leave. However, protesters remained outside the gates, taunting the guards inside with chants denouncing America, attempting to tear down razor wire atop the compound’s walls and tossing molotov cocktails over them.
After darkness fell, some of the protesters stormed and burned the embassy’s second reception gate, as others set up tents for the night beside the embassy gates. They vowed to stay until all U.S. troops and diplomats leave Iraq.
They did not, however, enter the sprawling embassy compound, where diplomats and embassy staff sought refuge in a reinforced safe room.
President Trump responded angrily Tuesday to the protesters’ actions, charging that Iran was behind a deadly militia attack that led to the airstrikes and blaming Tehran for the embassy siege.
“Iran killed an American contractor, wounding many,” Trump tweeted from his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida. “We strongly responded, and always will. Now Iran is orchestrating an attack on the U.S. Embassy in Iraq. They will be held fully responsible. In addition, we expect Iraq to use its forces to protect the Embassy, and so notified!”
He added later in a separate tweet: “To those many millions of people in Iraq who want freedom and who don’t want to be dominated and controlled by Iran, this is your time!”
Defense Secretary Mark T. Esper said the Pentagon has taken “appropriate force-protection actions to ensure the safety of American citizens, military personnel and diplomats” in Iraq “and to ensure our right of self-defense.” He added in a statement: “We are sending additional forces to support our personnel at the Embassy.”….
image….U.S. troops watch from inside the U.S. Embassy as Iraqi protesters surround the building in Baghdad on Tuesday. (Ahmad al-Rubaye/AFP/Getty Images)
“The protests have to be backed by Iran , which has a increased presence in Iraq due the Obama/Trump policy of trying to leave the country…”
Fixed it for you.
But (and here I know CG will disagree with me) Obama signed the JCPOA with Iran and five other powers, while Trump tore it up with no coherent substitute policy. “Maximum Pressure” works about as well with Iran as it does with North Korea.
It should never have been signed and then once it was done, the damage had already occurred. Tearing it up also really accomplishes nothing except pointing out what a bad idea it was in the first place to pretend Iran could be trusted.
Right now, the Embassy in Iraq must be secured and defended.
Donald Trump has NO cohesive Foreign Policy because he REALLY doesn’t give a shit…
His whole focus WAS making money…
THAT?
Is gone…
On Iran?
As just said?
Barack Obama did the agreement?
So even if it WAS working?
Trump could NOT stand it….
And worst?
EVERBODY else signed off on it…
So ?
Along with Bibi he tears the agreement up!….
Result?
Iran get spiteful ….
Why not?
Sanctions, no deal and Trump talking tough REALLY doesn’t work anymore with other countries …
Soooooo?
While the American military wants to NOT give up the Middle East…
Donald Trump DON’T care…
Iran is NOW gonna push….
The American military and Trump are stuck in the middle …
What I wonder (even though the current, duly-elected President of this Republic seems to be more comfortable with post-Stalinist dictators in Moscow, Peking and Pyongyang) are the chances of ever again getting Russia and China to agree again on a multilateral six-power agreement with Iran or North Korea?
And the consensus seems to be that Iran was sticking with its agreement while North Korea’s rulers (basically for existential reasons) was cheating.
Remember when Israel, the neo-conservatives, the super-hawks, GW Bush’s Vulcans, Screwball and Ahmed Chalabi all insisted that Iraq controlled Weapons of Mass Destruction, when in fact none could be found there after Operation Iraqi Freedom?
The net result was turning Iraq into a satellite protectorate of Iran, while allowing anti-Shia discrimination to allow the growth of al-Qaeda and ISIS.
* Big gain for America’s power and Israel’s security. *
Sorry, not Screwball, but Curveball.
Foreign Affairs is NOT for amateurs….
Next President is gonna have to put things back together,,,
Update on Trump vs Iran in Iraq….
….The developments in Baghdad came on the eve of the new year, when Trump is seeking reelection on a platform that boasts of strong international leadership and a commitment that the United States will not be a global policeman for age-old conflicts.
“They’re fighting for 1,000 years, they’re fighting for centuries. I want to bring our soldiers back home,” Trump said in October, as he announced that U.S. forces had killed Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. “I had absolutely nothing to do with going into Iraq, and I was totally against it.”
Trump has long viewed U.S. involvement in the Middle East as a political loser that leads only to the loss of money and lives, according to a Trump adviser who spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe the president’s views.
“I can tell you 100 percent that the president has no desire to get into some kind of new conflict in the Middle East during 2020,” the person said.
Speaking to reporters at Mar-a-Lago shortly before New Year’s Eve festivities there, Trump backed off his aggressive tone against Iran that he had leveled on Twitter earlier Tuesday.
“Do I want to? No,” he said when asked whether he would go to war against Iran. “I like peace. And Iran should want peace more than anybody. So I don’t see that happening.”…
More…
Thanks…