America - The Official Thread

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US Embassy in Iraq attacked.
Iraq is a country USA has been in since 2003 and many there might legitimately be aggrieved.
Blame Iran from the off.

Seems legit.
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It seems to be in response to US airstrikes against Iraqi militia, which killed 25, which were in response to the death of a US military contractor.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-50956111

It's also probably relevant that the Baghdad US embassy is apparently the "largest and most expensive in the world", or so Wikipedia tells me.
 
Breaking News of the very worst sort. We appear to be barreling into a new war in the Middle East, although I surely hope not.
  • Iraqi TV: Iran’s Gen. Soleimani killed in Baghdad strike
By QASSIM ABDUL-ZAHRA15 minutes ago

Baghdad (AP) — Iraqi TV and three Iraqi officials said Friday that Gen. Qassim Soleimani, the head of Iran’s elite Quds Force, has been killed in an airstrike at Baghdad’s international airport.

The officials said the strike also killed Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, the deputy commander of Iran-backed militias known as the Popular Mobilization Forces.

Their deaths are a potential turning point in the Middle East and are expected to draw severe retaliation from Iran and the forces it backs in the Middle East against Israel and American interests.

The PMF blamed the United States for an attack at Baghdad International Airport Friday.

There was no immediate comment from the U.S. or Iran.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows below.

An official with an Iran-backed paramilitary force said Friday that seven people were killed by a missile fired at Baghdad International Airport, blaming the United States.

The official with the group known as the Popular Mobilization Forces said the dead included its airport protocol officer, identifying him as Mohammed Reda.

A security official confirmed that seven people were killed in the attack on the airport, describing it as an airstrike. Earlier, Iraq’s Security Media Cell, which releases information regarding Iraqi security, said Katyusha rockets landed near the airport’s cargo hall, killing several people and setting two cars on fire.

It was not immediately clear who fired the missile or rockets or who was targeted. There was no immediate comment from the U.S.

The security official said the bodies of those killed in the airport attack Friday were burned and difficult to identify. The official added that Reda may have been at the airport to pick up a group of “high-level” visitors who had arrived from a neighboring country. He declined to provide more information.
https://apnews.com/5597ff0f046a67805cc233d5933a53ed

https://www.militarytimes.com/news/...ets-fired-at-baghdad-airport-7-people-killed/
 
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Fox News sources say they are informed this is a "proportional escalation" by Trump.

They also say the US has gone to some unspecified "higher level of alert".
 
A CNN reporter on the scene has said "We are about to enter an uncharted era...of bloodshed...in and outside of Iraq".

Another CNN analyst just said, "This thing could take off really fast".

He also said, "the US policy is regime change in Iran."

A statement from the Pentagon is expected shortly.

Edit:

This just in. Per CNN, the US military has taken responsibility for the strike and was directed by President Trump.

This assassination of Iran's "most revered military leader" is said by both those on CNN and Fox to be "morally responsible", and there is no disagreement. But they are asking "What comes next?" Fareed Zakaria said "we have just killed the most important man in Iran."

Edit: The Iraqi government, of which the general was said to be a guest, is said by CNN reporter on scene, to be "in a state of shock".

Military reinforcement of US embassy in Kuwait is reported to be underway.

Edit:
Zakaria also said, "Without congressional authorization, we appear to getting into another war in the Mideast." Personally, I think this sort of thing should be an impeachable offense.
 
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I wonder if this is something Trump is using to draw focus off his impeachment? I believe Clinton did the same thing with Iraq in Dec of 98 with Iraq, right in the midst of his impeachment.
 
Joey D
I wonder if this is something Trump is using to draw focus off his impeachment? I believe Clinton did the same thing with Iraq in Dec of 98 with Iraq, right in the midst of his impeachment.
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Trump killed a terrorist leader near the airport in Baghdad after our embassy in Baghdad was attacked, he didn't bomb some aspirin factory in Sudan.
 
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Chrunch Houston
Trump killed a terrorist leader near the airport in Baghdad after our embassy in Baghdad was attacked, he didn't bomb soom aspirin factory in Sudan.
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Not to say he didn't have it coming, but that's not quite correct. Trump assassinated a foreign government official. That's a big escalation. I have a feeling we'll be sending many more troops to the middle east. Again.
 
Eunos_Cosmo
Not to say he didn't have it coming, but that's not quite correct. Trump assassinated a foreign government official. That's a big escalation. I have a feeling we'll be sending many more troops to the middle east. Again.
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It is going to be interesting to see what happens.
 
Joey D
I wonder if this is something Trump is using to draw focus off his impeachment? I believe Clinton did the same thing with Iraq in Dec of 98 with Iraq, right in the midst of his impeachment.
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Are the people who impeached Trump speaking out against this agression?
 
VolkswagenX
Are the people who impeached Trump speaking out against this agression?
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Of course not, even though they should. Sadly I think most Democrats in Congress are in favor of military action in the Middle East despite there being minimal justification for it save for "protect and control oil and Israel." Still there are a few who are speaking out. I follow Justin Amash on Twitter and he spoke out almost immediately. Pelosi seems rather mum on the subject though.

Really under the War Powers Act Trump should involve Congress with regards to military action. But it's a common thing for Presidents to ignore. But we are teetering on a potential massive war depending on who decides to get involved. Iran has allies or at least friends in countries like Russia.

If Trump ordered an attack on some ISIS stronghold I doubt anyone would care. But he just ordered the assassination of a top official from Iran without casus belli. Iran will respond, but in what way I'm not sure.

I'm very much against a war with Iran. There's no point to it and it's something the US will have difficulty winning. The US shouldn't be in the Middle East to begin with but like I said "oil and Israel." Iran has oil and hates Israel so it was going to be on the list sooner or later.
 
Dotini
A security official confirmed that seven people were killed in the attack on the airport, describing it as an airstrike. Earlier, Iraq’s Security Media Cell, which releases information regarding Iraqi security, said Katyusha rockets landed near the airport’s cargo hall, killing several people and setting two cars on fire.
Click to expand...
When did the US start using Katyusha rocket systems or is that a separate attack?
 
Ah yes. This is a chance to increase military spending, and create a bigger deficit. Great...

To fight this potential war, we will send troops. Many of them we have classified as too young to make decisions about drinking or smoking. But we are going to let them make decisions with weapons of warfare. Makes sense.

In the end, innocent people will die for no reason.
 
In a retaliation attempt from Iran, who is likely to "pay the price"?

Innocent civilians who have no say in this matter.

Officials in New York City and Los Angeles announced they’re taking precautionary measures in anticipation of a possible retaliatory attack. New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said Thursday he’d spoken with top NYPD officials about immediate steps the department could take “to be vigilant against this threat for a long time to come.” LAPD said it was monitoring the situation in Iran but affirmed there has been no credible threat to the city.
 
And of course, the only people that benefits from the war is always the ones on top of the capitalism chain and the government.

Ordinary people got screwed, again, repeatedly, for all countries involved.
 
Liquid
I dread to think what the reaction in the States would be if it was the other way around and a top American General was killed in an unprovoked Iranian airstrike.
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Huge, or rather YUUUGGEEE, bombs. But yes, the retalion from the Americans would be awful bloody.

Rallywagon
When did the US start using Katyusha rocket systems or is that a separate attack?
Click to expand...

I had no idea Katyusha rockets were still in use. Aren't they from WWII or the Korean War? My guess is the Iraqi military uses them, but it's weird that the US would carry out an attack with them. Seems like a couple Tomahawks are more of the standard from the US.

TheGeologist
To fight this potential war, we will send troops. Many of them we have classified as too young to make decisions about drinking or smoking. But we are going to let them make decisions with weapons of warfare. Makes sense.

In the end, innocent people will die for no reason.
Click to expand...

My biggest criticism about the war going on for the past 20 years is just how senseless it is for so many people to die. I get the war in Afghanistan, the Taliban and Osama we're connected and they attacked the US (ignoring the terrorist were Saudi because the US <3 Saudi Arabia). But Iraq? No justification there. Syria? Same thing. Now Iran? I assume it'll be more of the same.

Civilians will die and many of our young men and women will also die. I don't know why anyone would want to join the military now. They aren't defending America anymore, they're fighting a fight that isn't there's.
 
Joey D
I wonder if this is something Trump is using to draw focus off his impeachment? I believe Clinton did the same thing with Iraq in Dec of 98 with Iraq, right in the midst of his impeachment.
Click to expand...
CBS news states that Trump has taken a 180-degree turn, and it's probably not a coincidence.

 
Joey D
I wonder if this is something Trump is using to draw focus off his impeachment? I believe Clinton did the same thing with Iraq in Dec of 98 with Iraq, right in the midst of his impeachment.
Click to expand...

Perhaps he's just working on his campaign...

newsbeat-50982073
 
Chrunch Houston
Trump killed a terrorist leader near the airport in Baghdad after our embassy in Baghdad was attacked, he didn't bomb some aspirin factory in Sudan.
Click to expand...
Trump ordered the killing of the equivalent of one the members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. That is a significant escalation.
 
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Chrunch Houston
Trump killed a terrorist leader near the airport in Baghdad after our embassy in Baghdad was attacked, he didn't bomb some aspirin factory in Sudan.
Click to expand...

What are you talking about? Clinton didn't launch a strike on Sudan during his impeachment.

UHJRTnO.jpg
 
It would be considerate of Iran if they measure their retaliation by targeting only an american military vehicle with some 5 star general in it. And then it would be nice if the USA would also re-retaliate by killing more military iranian personnel. And so on with Iran's re-re-retaliation, but always limiting the reciprocating assassination games between these two bellicose countries to their own military personnel and/or facilities (an even better scenario, no deaths of any kind, just iranian and american things getting blown up until someone reasonable steps in and gets both countries to a negotiating table)

But I guess we'll see civilian deaths soon enough …
 

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