Qasem Soleimani (IRGC Commander) killed in Baghdad

[MKSheppard]

More info:

“Night Operation in #Sanaa #Yemen led to the killing of a senior IRGC member, Abdul Reza Shahla’i, the head of the financial networks of the organization in #Yemen. Shahla’i was wanted by the #US that put a bounty of $15M on his head.”

[MKSheppard]

Rumors of Israeli Air Force Activity in the Beqaa Valley

[MKSheppard]

A U.S. official claims to the Associated Press that tonight’s airstrike was “not a U.S. military attack.” - Fox News

LIVE Breaking News LIVE Breaking News (@NewsBreaking) January 4, 2020

[Mange]

A U.S. official claims to the Associated Press that tonight’s airstrike was “not a U.S. military attack.” - Fox News

LIVE Breaking News LIVE Breaking News (@NewsBreaking) January 4, 2020

The PMU itself apparently doesn't deny the incident, but says that the U.S. wasn't involved. The Iraqi army says it didn't happen. Perhaps they're trying to deescalate?

[Broomstick]

Gadhaffi gave up his CW programs after seeing Saddam get smoked. Then later under Obama, Gadhaffi himself got smoked.

For shame - you're old enough to remember that bit of history. Gaddafi was killed during the Libyan civil war and was beaten/shot/anally raped to death by his own countrymen.

Now the US took out a high-ranking and (so I'm told) well liked Iranian official.

We took out the head of the Iranian equivalent of the Schutzstaffel (SS)'s foreign wetworks division which runs state sponsored terror ops all over the globe after he decided to play dick games with us over our embassy.

That in no way contradicts anything I've said. Soleimani could be all you've said and still be well-liked in his own country. Just like you could have an incompetent, bigoted, sexist, pompous buffoon in the Oval Office well liked enough to be elected in this country.

[Broomstick]

A U.S. official claims to the Associated Press that tonight’s airstrike was “not a U.S. military attack.” - Fox News

The PMU itself apparently doesn't deny the incident, but says that the U.S. wasn't involved. The Iraqi army says it didn't happen. Perhaps they're trying to deescalate?

Or someone else decided now was a good time to further their own ends, knowing the US would be the first blamed...

[Col. Crackpot]

That in no way contradicts anything I've said. Soleimani could be all you've said and still be well-liked in his own country. Just like you could have an incompetent, bigoted, sexist, pompous buffoon in the Oval Office well liked enough to be elected in this country.

The problem with your whataboutism here is that it doesn’t make the stupid asshole any more of an asshole than the murderous asshole.

I’m both glad the fucker is dead and annoyed by the way it was done.

[Ralin]

The problem with your whataboutism here is that it doesn’t make the stupid asshole any more of an asshole than the murderous asshole.

I’m both glad the fucker is dead and annoyed by the way it was done.

They're both murderous assholes. Why is this guy I'd never heard of before yesterday more deserving of public assassination than Cheeto Hitler or various US military leaders?

[Col. Crackpot]

The problem with your whataboutism here is that it doesn’t make the stupid asshole any more of an asshole than the murderous asshole.

I’m both glad the fucker is dead and annoyed by the way it was done.

They're both murderous assholes. Why is this guy I'd never heard of before yesterday more deserving of public assassination than Cheeto Hitler or various US military leaders?

So because you haven’t been paying attention we should all just accept your confirmation bias when you regurgitate “derp orange man bad”?

[Ace Pace]

They're both murderous assholes. Why is this guy I'd never heard of before yesterday more deserving of public assassination than Cheeto Hitler or various US military leaders?

Shame you haven't heard of him before. Man wasn't exactly unknown outside the Middle East. Whether he deserves more or less than U.S. leaders is a non issue. Since for years the U.S. has a very expansive view of what they are allowed to do and others aren't. It's not like there was an option for a trial, similar to how none of the U.S. generals are going to be impacted by many of their faulty decisions.

[Ralin]

So because you haven’t been paying attention we should all just accept your confirmation bias when you regurgitate “derp orange man bad”?

No, I'm asking why you think that the assassination of an Iranian general who has done whole lot less harm than various contemporary American leaders is good or justified on the grounds that the 'fucker' was a murderous asshole.

I mean, that's pretty implicit in what you said. Guy should be dead, you just don't like how it was done, right?

Shame you haven't heard of him before. Man wasn't exactly unknown outside the Middle East. Whether he deserves more or less than U.S. leaders is a non issue. Since for years the U.S. has a very expansive view of what they are allowed to do and others aren't. It's not like there was an option for a trial, similar to how none of the U.S. generals are going to be impacted by many of their faulty decisions.

Oh yeah, well if the US decided it's allowed to do that then I guess it doesn't matter.

[TimothyC]

For shame - you're old enough to remember that bit of history. Gaddafi was killed during the Libyan civil war and was beaten/shot/anally raped to death by his own countrymen.

And so are you Broomstick. Gaddafi was killed after the US knocked down the air defense system (with UK help) , and after the rest of Europe neutered his military via air strikes and naval gunfire.

[Col. Crackpot]

Ralin I look at it like this... The guy is actively orchestrating attacks attempting to overrun our embassy. His previous crimes are irrelevant. The US previous actions are irrelevant. A nation is required to defend its soil. If the US had some rouge general running special ops to overrun the Chinese embassy in South Korea, I’d fully expect the PRC to blow his ass up in defense of their territory and people. True question here, is this guy rouge therefore a terrorist or acting on behalf of a national military making this an act of war. Hopefully the Iranians will be logical and have the sense to at least give the faintest impression that this guy was rouge so we can all dismiss him as a terrorist and move on. But then again when has the US - Iran relationship ever been logical.

Edit because iPhones are dumb

[Gandalf]

But then again when has the US - Iran relationship ever been logical.

It wasn't too bad before the US/UK installed a leader who was friendlier to oil company interests.

[Col. Crackpot]

But then again when has the US - Iran relationship ever been logical.

It wasn't too bad before the US/UK installed a leader who was friendlier to oil company interests.

Ah the glory days NATO and WarPac proxy wars and revolutions. The good news is that if you are nostalgic for that you are going to love the new Cold War with the PRC.

[Ziggy Stardust]

Ralin I look at it like this... The guy is actively orchestrating attacks attempting to overrun our embassy. His previous crimes are irrelevant. The US previous actions are irrelevant. A nation is required to defend its soil.

To be fair, our "embassy" there is essentially a military fortress representing our invasion and occupation of Iraq, which makes it a legitimate target for Iraqis, regardless of whether or not Iran happens to be supporting some of those Iraqis. After all, Iraq is required to defend its soil.

Stripping away the history as you are trying to do is being dishonest, trying to jingoistically misrepresent the situation as "Oh noes the evil Iranians attacked helpless US diplomats, we HAVE to defend ourselves against this aggression!"

[Gandalf]

Ah the glory days NATO and WarPac proxy wars and revolutions. The good news is that if you are nostalgic for that you are going to love the new Cold War with the PRC.

Don't forget the bit where Washington acts bamboozled when someone on the receiving end of that glorious realpolitik doesn't like it, as though the world should be grateful to receive the products of the US' military industrial complex.

[Col. Crackpot]

That isn’t “fair”. And no jingoism is implied. Just a statement of fact. An embassy is an embassy. Sacred soil for a diplomatic mission. Just ask Julian Assange.

[Ralin]

That isn’t “fair”. And no jingoism is implied. Just a statement of fact. An embassy is an embassy. Sacred soil for a diplomatic mission. Just ask Julian Assange.

Like Ziggy said, no it isn't. The lives of the diplomatic mission inside the US embassy aren't worth more than those of any number of Iraqis killed by the government they represent. Less, really.

I'd cheer if it was burned to the ground.

[Col. Crackpot]

That isn’t “fair”. And no jingoism is implied. Just a statement of fact. An embassy is an embassy. Sacred soil for a diplomatic mission. Just ask Julian Assange.

Like Ziggy said, no it isn't. The lives of the diplomatic mission inside the US embassy aren't worth more than those of any number of Iraqis killed by the government they represent. Less, really.

I'd cheer if it was burned to the ground.

Well then you are showing your inherent bias. Cheering violence makes you an asshole.

killing the one guy leading the terrorist group is far better than killing all the poor misguided fools whipped up into a frenzy.

[Col. Crackpot]

And before you misconstrue “glad” allow me to clarify. I’m “glad” he is dead like I’m “glad” Pol Pot or Fidel Castro is dead. No joy in their individual death, but in the fact that they are eliminated as a threat to others.

[MKSheppard]

For shame - you're old enough to remember that bit of history. Gaddafi was killed during the Libyan civil war and was beaten/shot/anally raped to death by his own countrymen.

So the NATO intervention in 2011 never happened, along with this?

When news broke of Gaddafi's demise, Hillary Clinton was caught on a hot mic prior to an interview with CBS News. Then-Secretary of State Clinton pumped her fists and exclaimed, "We came. We saw. He died!"

[MKSheppard]

No, I'm asking why you think that the assassination of an Iranian general who has done whole lot less harm than various contemporary American leaders is good or justified on the grounds that the 'fucker' was a murderous asshole.

I think a more appropriate analogy would be:

A US Army General is killed via FSB Spetsnazgruppa Alfa assault in the Ukraine.

Said general was involved in handling terrorist/resistance groups inside Crimea via facilitating them with money or munitions.



Basically, Soileimani and the US had a long relationship, from him basically running a long long insurgency against us in Iraq during the war with various cutouts.

So when he started to fuck around with us again in Baghdad with links to plans for / assisting for assaults on US troops or Embassies, it wasn't a hard decision to kill him.

Note that we waited for him to enter Iraq before we iced him -- we could have sent stealth drones into Iran or sent a CIA wetworks team to kill him in Tehran -- but we waited until he was in a "free" area to kill him.

[MKSheppard]

Iran is talking very boldly about targeting certain USA assets as revenge for our ridding the world of their terrorist leader who had just killed an American, & badly wounded many others, not to mention all of the people he had killed over his lifetime, including recently....

....hundreds of Iranian protesters. He was already attacking our Embassy, and preparing for additional hits in other locations. Iran has been nothing but problems for many years. Let this serve as a WARNING that if Iran strikes any Americans, or American assets, we have.....

...targeted 52 Iranian sites (representing the 52 American hostages taken by Iran many years ago), some at a very high level & important to Iran & the Iranian culture, and those targets, and Iran itself, WILL BE HIT VERY FAST AND VERY HARD. The USA wants no more threats!

Trump on twitter like 25 minutes ago...

[MKSheppard]

Pro-Hezbollah Al Mayeeden: Tehran informed an Omani envoy who arrived in Iran that it was not interested in any mediation effort with the US, so the envoy left without meeting any official.

A red flag with inscriptions was hoisted over the Jamkaran mosque in Qom, Iran today.

Qom is the religions center in Iran, a red flag is supposed to signify a major battle ahead and the inscriptions supposedly has this significance:

It refers to a Shia martyr Husayn, grandson of the prophet, who was beheaded and along with his family defeated at battle of Karbala.

It took 4 years to wreak vengeance on Husayn's enemy, Yazid.

The flag means vengeance may take time but it will be inevitable and sure.