Posted on 01/04/2020 10:34:16 PM PST by NorseViking
BAGHDAD — American oil workers were fleeing Iraq on Friday, as fears grew of war between the United States and Iran. At sermons in the Shiite holy city of Karbala, worshippers chanted, “Death to America!”
And in Tahrir Square in central Baghdad, where anti-government protesters have gathered for months, a banner went up with a pointed message to both Iran and the U.S.: “Keep your conflicts away from Iraq.”
A Shocked Iraq Reconsiders Its Relationship With the U.S. Falih Hassan, Tim Arango and Alissa J. Rubin The New York TimesJanuary 4, 2020, 8:22 PM GMT+5 Maj. Gen. Qasem Soleimani in Tehran, Iran, Oct. 1, 2019. (Office of the Iranian Supreme Leader via The New York Times) Maj. Gen. Qasem Soleimani in Tehran, Iran, Oct. 1, 2019. (Office of the Iranian Supreme Leader via The New York Times) BAGHDAD — American oil workers were fleeing Iraq on Friday, as fears grew of war between the United States and Iran. At sermons in the Shiite holy city of Karbala, worshippers chanted, “Death to America!”
And in Tahrir Square in central Baghdad, where anti-government protesters have gathered for months, a banner went up with a pointed message to both Iran and the U.S.: “Keep your conflicts away from Iraq.”
Iraqis awoke to the news Friday that Maj. Gen. Qasem Soleimani of Iran, the architect of Iran’s dominating influence over Iraq, had been killed in a U.S. drone strike, along with several others.
Even before the shock of the brazen killing wore off, Iraqi factions were weighing their responses. Militias with ties to Iran vowed bloody revenge. Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi condemned the attack as “an outrageous breach to Iraqi sovereignty” and said parliament would meet to discuss the future of the U.S. presence in Iraq.
(Excerpt) Read more at yahoo.com ...
Remember, we also killed Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, an Iraqi Military figure who was also a former member of the Iraq Parliament.
Of course, Iraq is angry, and the vote to kick the US out will pass.
You can lead a horse to water........
Iraq has been at war with Iran HOW many times?
But now it seems they are OK/Eager to let Iran take over?
The only real downside to that from my perspective is that it would make Iran stronger, so more of a PITA for us/U.S. and allies in the future.
At this point I wish we had divided Iraq and erased it as a country when we had the opportunity.
BUMP
I'm hoping too!
“shock of the brazen killing”
Screw them.
Partisan Media Shills update.
No, Sunni’s are a definite minority in Iraq. Shia’s are the majority and should be far more grateful for our getting rid of Saddam.
Iran vs. Iraq has been a war going on for centuries. The last battles involved gassing one another in the 70's and 80's. They are sworn enemies.
Now I would think someone at the New York Times has a command of 5th grade world history?
That’s the point. In that sense killing this general is a very controversial action which is not to make US any more popular in Iraq.
Democrats new found love: Iran and terrorists.
That means that at least as much people if not more are disappointed.
Really?
Iraq has been at war with Iran HOW many times?
Since Old Testament days. And the Medes and Persians (Iran) beat the crap out of the Babylonians (Iraq).
“American oil workers were fleeing Iraq on Friday....”
They probably should have taken the hint when they attacked and captured our Embassy.
Why is killing a military general from Iran, riding with his military entourage within the borders of a different country so controversial? I mean did he swim a river to apply for asylum and food stamps in Iraq? Or was he in a country outside his own, training insurgents and passing out katusha rockets and roadside IED’S?
My apologies - I see that they breached the walls and burned some out buildings - but did not overtake and capture the embassy. It was surrounded for a few days.
Fine. Rot in your own filth, Iraq.
L
I don’t say it was bad from American perspective. I just say that Iraqis might view it differently.
Now I know democrats are jealous and admire the general's handiwork on his opponents or obstructionist, just wishing they could do that stuff to Trump supporters and the like, but they really need some context in their rage against the bad orange man.
what they aren't mentioning in this news story is that Iraqis have been demonstrating against Iran's influence in the Iraqi government, and that several were killed by Iranian militias or their government sympathizers in the Iraqi police.
The Iraqi government should not be complaining, since it was their job to stop the "demonstrators" who tried to enter the embassy but didn't. the Iraqi government should have stopped the raid on the US Embassy, but didn't. No explanation why.
They need to take a lesson from the Philippine police, who when demonstrators started fighting the cops, ran over some demonstrators here awhile back when they attacked the embassy https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/oct/19/philippines-police-van-rams-protesters-outside-us-embassy-in-manila
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.