Posted on 01/06/2020 9:07:25 AM PST by SeekAndFind
President Donald Trump insisted Sunday that Iranian cultural sites were fair game for the U.S. military, dismissing concerns within his own administration that doing so could constitute a war crime under international law. He also warned Iraq that he would levy punishing sanctions if it expelled American troops in retaliation for a U.S. airstrike in Baghdad that killed a top Iranian official.
Trump’s comments came amid escalating tensions in the Middle East following the killing of Gen. Qassem Soleimani, the head of Iran’s elite Quds force. Iran has vowed to retaliate and Iraq’s parliament responded by voting Sunday to oust U.S. troops based in the country.
Trump first raised the prospect of targeting Iranian cultural sites Saturday in a tweet. Speaking with reporters Sunday as he returned to Washington from his holiday stay in Florida, he doubled down, despite international prohibitions.
“They’re allowed to kill our people. They’re allowed to torture and maim our people. They’re allowed to use roadside bombs and blow up our people. And we’re not allowed to touch their cultural sites? It doesn’t work that way,” Trump said.
The targeted killing of Soleimani sparked outrage in the Middle East, including in Iraq, where more than 5,000 American troops are still on the ground 17 years after the U.S. invasion. Iraq’s parliament voted Sunday in favor of a nonbinding resolution calling for the expulsion of the American forces.
Trump said the U.S. wouldn’t leave without being paid for its military investments in Iraq over the years — then said if the troops do have to withdraw, he would hit Baghdad with economic penalties.
(Excerpt) Read more at yahoo.com ...
And certain “comedians” too.
Cultural Sites? They must be the same type of thing ISIS spent years destroying.
If no problem for Islamists why should it be for US?
“No reason to have cultural sites involved.”
Head fake to divert defensive resources away from true targets.
Come on. How long have you been watching this man operate? President Trump is the MASTER at Prestidigitation!
He’s not going to bomb any historic sights; it’s called Psy-Ops.
And it’s working really, REALLY well on the Socialist Democrat Party and their Lapdog Media...who are now 100% in bed, PUBLICLY, with the Enemy!
Christians from Iran call themselves Persians. Muslims from Iran call themselves Iranian.
I think it’s pointless. Cultural sites aren’t sending missiles at our people. What I’d like to see is unlimited targeting of ammo dumps, missile sites, air defenses, aircraft inventory and naval assets. Essentially trade $18,000 2000 lb JDAM’s for millions of dollars of equipment.
No doubt satelite reveals what “culteral Sites” really are.
IF a cultural site is being used for military purposes, or the ground underneath it, it IS fair game.
Should we kill the Christians in Iran to save them from the muslims?
If you meet someone from Iran and they call themselves Persian, they're Christian. If they call themselves Iranian, they're muslim.
I just think about what Rush Limbaugh said, that there are no such things as war crimes, because all wars are crimes.
If there is no “just war” and it simply comes down to “might is right” that would be a strong argument for pacifism. Again, it’s not a position I accept.
Reagan backed down the SovUnion because they THOUGHT he was crazy enough to “make Communism illegal , and the bombing starts in five minutes.” It’s like MAYBE I own an insanely powerful handgun. If bad guys think I MIGHT, half the battle is won. Iran has been dealing with ObamaPussy in the past, and has done what they like. Even now, Democrats assure worldwide Bad Guys that Trump could NEVER be re-elected, so just wait it out. Businessman President knows people. Hold on tight.
To all the dumb asses who think buildings are more important than American lives; just tell that to MY FATHER WHO WAS UNDER FIRE AT MONTE CASSINO!
It’s a GODDAMN BUILDING, it can be rebuilt if it’s really worth shit!
And they would produce very bright fires.
There’s a gas station/convenience store near my neighborhood run by guys who call themselves Persians, who are Muslims. I think they use “Persian” because they figure people will have a less-than-warm reaction to the word “Iranian.”
?? Depends on where you look, and from whose perspective. I thought the expulsion of the inhabitants of the Plains of Nineveh was pretty world-historic, in that it pert-near wiped out historic churches going back to Apostolic times: the Chaldeans and the Assyrian Church of the East.
[To all the dumb asses who think buildings are more important than American lives; just tell that to MY FATHER WHO WAS UNDER FIRE AT MONTE CASSINO!
It’s a GODDAMN BUILDING, it can be rebuilt if it’s really worth shit!]
?? There are 50+ Muslim-majority countries. What in particular are you looking for here?
I agree, “no reason to take out their cultural sights.” Take out the oil refineries, and Nuclear power plant. That is their main source of revenue and energy.
Would you perhaps consider what happened in New York City on 9-11-2001 a “disaster of world-historic magnitude”???
In which of your 50+ Muslim majority countries has a “disaster of world-historic magnitude” happened since 9-11-2001????
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