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  1. #26
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    Iraqis 'dancing in the street' after Soleimani death: Pompeo

    WASHINGTON: U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo posted a video on Twitter Thursday he said showed Iraqis "dancing in the street" over the killing of top Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani by the United States.

    "Iraqis - Iraqis - dancing in the street for freedom; thankful that General Soleimani is no more," Pompeo wrote, alongside footage of scores of people running along a road waving what appeared to be Iraqi flags and other banners.

    The United States announced earlier that it had killed the commander of the Islamic republic's Quds Force in a strike on Baghdad's international airport on Friday.

    Iraqis 'dancing in the street' after Soleimani death: Pompeo | News , Middle East | THE DAILY STAR

    (Fascinating, similar dancing also in 2003...)

  2. #27
    Excommunicated baldrick's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by jabir View Post
    and were waiting for some real or perceived provocation to engage
    Quote Originally Posted by raycarey View Post
    the ramifications of this shortsighted action.
    I am sure they were aware and will be happy with the power struggle that will ensue as the other pigs battle for control of the corruption and patronage networks - I would guess they are aware of other information which told them this was a good time to cast the spanner

  3. #28
    Thailand Expat raycarey's Avatar
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    there were plenty of other symmetrical retaliatory moves the US could have made. this killing ratchets thing up to a whole new level, and i'd wager the neocons took advantage of trump's ignorance. had they told him that this guy was essentially equal to the US secretary of defense or the chairman of the joint chiefs, i don't think he would have done it.

    now we just have to await the consequences.

  4. #29
    Thailand Expat David48atTD's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by raycarey View Post
    now we just have to await the consequences.
    Agreed ... this could get quite ugly, fast.

    Is there a Presidential election this year?

    A country likes a strong President and stability in 'times of trouble'.

    Humm ...

  5. #30
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    In 2011 Drumpf claimed Obama would start a war with Iran to get reelected. Hmmm...

  6. #31
    Thailand Expat OhOh's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by jabir View Post
    it's not possible in the short space of time between the act and the US action, no matter how efficient their intel, to investigate, identify, search, locate and take out linked individuals or groups, in this case him.
    They don't need no justification
    They're controlled by thought control
    No dark forces in the white House

    Quote Originally Posted by jabir View Post
    So something happens giving cause, say the embassy performance or the attack on personnel, they choose which target/s to take out in retaliation, and it doesn't matter if cause and effect are unconnected.
    You might find that the UN's "The Universal Declaration of Human Rights" has ample guidelines regarding crimes against all of the world's citizens, including from illegal assassination.

    Quote Originally Posted by raycarey View Post
    hoodwinked trump into this....there's no way he had any idea of the ramifications
    He flies the big jet "in the bright blue sky", he crashes and burns when the "fucked-up advisory software" fails.
    A tray full of GOLD is not worth a moment in time.

  7. #32
    Thailand Expat raycarey's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by David48atTD View Post
    Is there a Presidential election this year?

    A country likes a strong President and stability in 'times of trouble'.

    Humm ...
    for a jr. high social studies class that would almost be considered thoughtful analysis.

    almost.

    keep plugging away, curtain-twitcher dave.

  8. #33
    Thailand Expat HermantheGerman's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by raycarey View Post
    there were plenty of other symmetrical retaliatory moves the US could have made. this killing ratchets thing up to a whole new level, and i'd wager the neocons took advantage of trump's ignorance. had they told him that this guy was essentially equal to the US secretary of defense or the chairman of the joint chiefs, i don't think he would have done it.

    now we just have to await the consequences.
    Well we could also look at it from another perspective. This was not the first time that someone tried to kill Salami. There have been several attempts to kill him.
    Trump succeeded !
    So let's have a round of applause for the POTUS.

  9. #34
    Thailand Expat David48atTD's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by bsnub View Post
    In 2011 Drumpf claimed Obama would start a war with Iran to get reelected. Hmmm...
    Quote Originally Posted by raycarey View Post
    for a jr. high social studies class that would almost be considered thoughtful analysis.

    almost.

    keep plugging away,
    Humm ...

  10. #35
    Thailand Expat terry57's Avatar
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    I love it when The Donald has a massive win. Makes all you Dem wankers shit ya little girly nappies.

    Suck it up you hormonal fookin wankers.

  11. #36
    Thailand Expat raycarey's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by HermantheGerman View Post
    This was not the first time that someone tried to kill Salami. There have been several attempts to kill him.
    both the bush and obama administrations knew it would be a reckless escalation to try and kill soleimani. so knowledgeable people with cooler heads acted diplomatically....and when necessary with force via proxies. if you have evidence that indicates the contrary, post it.

    if another country killed the US secretary of defense with a drone fired missile, the US would swiftly declare war...and i'm not just referring to the president acting unilaterally....i'm saying that congress would authorize it in a bipartisan vote....and the US public by and large would support it.

    this action by the US was way over the top, and you can bet that the iranians are going to view this as an act of war and respond with a further escalation.

  12. #37
    Thailand Expat David48atTD's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by raycarey View Post
    both the bush and obama administrations knew it would be a reckless escalation to try and kill soleimani. so knowledgeable people with cooler heads acted diplomatically....and when necessary with force via proxies. if you have evidence that indicates the contrary, post it.

    if another country killed the US secretary of defense with a drone fired missile, the US would swiftly declare war...and i'm not just referring to the president acting unilaterally....i'm saying that congress would authorize it in a bipartisan vote....and the US public by and large would support it.

    this action by the US was way over the top, and you can bet that the iranians are going to view this as an act of war and respond with a further escalation.
    Quote Originally Posted by raycarey View Post
    for a jr. high social studies class that would almost be considered thoughtful analysis.

    almost.

    keep plugging away

  13. #38
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    I wonder is someone explained to trump the phase "Wag the Dog"...

  14. #39
    Thailand Expat raycarey's Avatar
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    this was published before the events of the last 24 hours...

    Iran’s Deadly Puppet Master


    Gen. Stanley McChrystal explains exactly why Qassem Suleimani is so dangerous.

    BY STANLEY MCCHRYSTAL

    The decision not to act is often the hardest one to make—and it isn’t always right. In 2007, I watched a string of vehicles pass from Iran into northern Iraq. I had been serving as the head of the U.S. military’s Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) for four years, working to stem the terrorism that had devastated the region, and I had become accustomed to making tough choices. But on that January night, the choice was particularly tricky: whether or not to attack a convoy that included Qassem Suleimani, the head of Iran’s elite Quds Force—an organization roughly analogous to a combination of the CIA and JSOC in the United States.


    There was good reason to eliminate Suleimani. At the time, Iranian-made roadside bombs built and deployed at his command were claiming the lives of U.S. troops across Iraq. But to avoid a firefight, and the contentious politics that would follow, I decided that we should monitor the caravan, not strike immediately. By the time the convoy had reached Erbil, Suleimani had slipped away into the darkness.


    These days, he still operates outside the spotlight. Suleimani has grown from a military commander into a ghostly puppet master, relying on quiet cleverness and grit to bolster Iran’s international influence. Suleimani has grown from a military commander into a ghostly puppet master.His brilliance, effectiveness, and commitment to his country have been revered by his allies and denounced by his critics in equal measure. What all seem to agree on, however, is that the humble leader’s steady hand has helped guide Iranian foreign policy for decades—and there is no denying his successes on the battlefield. Suleimani is arguably the most powerful and unconstrained actor in the Middle East today. U.S. defense officials have reported that Suleimani is running the Syrian civil war (via Iran’s local proxies) all on his own.


    The prominence the soft-spoken Suleimani has achieved is especially striking given his origins. Born into poverty in the mountains of eastern Iran, he displayed remarkable tenacity at an early age. When his father was unable to pay a debt, the 13-year-old Suleimani worked to pay it off himself. He spent his free time lifting weights and attending sermons given by a protégé of Iran’s current supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. He was enamored with the Iranian revolution as a young man. In 1979, at only 22, Suleimani began his ascent through the Iranian military, reportedly receiving just six weeks of tactical training before seeing combat for the first time in Iran’s West Azerbaijan province. But he is truly a child of the Iran-Iraq War, which began the next year. He emerged from the bloody conflict a hero for the missions he led across Iraq’s border—but more important, he emerged as a confident, proven leader.


    Suleimani is no longer simply a soldier; he is a calculating and practical strategist. Most ruthlessly and at the cost of all else, he has forged lasting relationships to bolster Iran’s position in the region. No other individual has had comparable success in aligning and empowering Shiite allies in the Levant. His staunch defense of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has effectively halted any progress by the Islamic State and other rebel groups, all but ensuring that Assad remains in power and stays solidly allied to Iran. Perhaps most notably, under Suleimani’s leadership, the Quds Force has vastly expanded its capabilities. His shrewd pragmatism has transformed the unit into a major influencer in intelligence, financial, and political spheres beyond Iran’s borders.


    It would be unwise, however, to study Suleimani’s success without situating him in a broader geopolitical context. He is a uniquely Iranian leader, a clear product of the country’s outlook following the 1979 revolution. His expansive assessment of Iranian interests and rights matches those common among Iranian elites. Iran’s resistance toward the United States’ involvement in the Middle East is a direct result of U.S. involvement in the Iran-Iraq War, during which Suleimani’s worldview developed. Above all else, Suleimani is driven by the fervent nationalism that is the lifeblood of Iran’s citizens and leadership.


    Suleimani’s accomplishments are, in large part, due to his country’s long-term approach toward foreign policy. While the United States tends to be spasmodic in its responses to international affairs, Iran is stunningly consistent in its objectives and actions.While the United States tends to be spasmodic in its responses to international affairs, Iran is stunningly consistent in its objectives and actions. The Quds Force commander’s extended tenure in his role—he assumed control of the unit in 1998—is another important factor. A byproduct of Iran’s complicated political environment, Suleimani enjoys freedom of action over an extended time horizon that is the envy of many U.S. military and intelligence professionals. Because a leader’s power ultimately lies in the eyes of others and is increased by the perceived likelihood of future power, Suleimani has been able to act with greater credibility than if he were viewed as a temporary player.


    In that sense, then, Suleimani’s success is driven by both his talent and the continuity of his time in positions of power. Such a leader simply could not exist in the United States today. Americans do not allow commanders, military or otherwise, to remain in the highest-level positions for decades. There are reasons for this—both political and experiential. Not since J. Edgar Hoover has the federal government allowed a longtime public servant to amass such levels of shadowy influence.


    Despite my initial jealousy of Suleimani’s freedom to get things done quickly, I believe such restraint is a strength of the U.S. political system. A zealous and action-oriented mindset, if unchecked, can be used as a force for good—but if harnessed to the wrong interests or values, the consequences can be dire. Suleimani is singularly dangerous. He is also singularly positioned to shape the future of the Middle East.


    This article originally appeared in the Winter 2019 issue of Foreign Policy magazine.


    Retired Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal led the Joint Special Operations Command from 2003 to 2008 and served as commander of U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan in 2009 and 2010.
    https://foreignpolicy.com/gt-essay/i...sem-suleimani/

  15. #40
    Thailand Expat Pragmatic's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by raycarey View Post
    this action by the US was way over the top, and you can bet that the iranians are going to view this as an act of war and respond with a further escalation.
    Let the battle commence. Anyone taking bets on who will win?

  16. #41
    Thailand Expat misskit's Avatar
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    Here we go again.

    I’ve a nephew in Iraq right now.

  17. #42
    Thailand Expat raycarey's Avatar
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    CFR President Richard Haass tweets: "Make no mistake: any war with Iran will not look like the 1990 Gulf war or the 2003 Iraq war."


    "It will be fought throughout the region w a wide range of tools vs a wide range of civilian, economic, & military targets. The region (and possibly the world) will be the battlefield."
    https://www.axios.com/newsletters/ax...404bedbe2.html


    reports are also indicating that the US is particularly vulnerable to a cyber attack on power plants, hospitals, financial institutions, etc...and iran apparently has the people and wherewithal to successfully pull off this kind of attack.

  18. #43
    Thailand Expat raycarey's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by misskit View Post
    I’ve a nephew in Iraq right now.
    is he a US citizen?

    the embassy "urged all citizens to leave iraq immediately".

  19. #44
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    Quote Originally Posted by Pragmatic View Post
    Let the battle commence. Anyone taking bets on who will win?
    The US will win the conventional battle. It always does. Tehran will fall within days the same as Baghdad. The vacuum that will follow will cause a death spiral no thinking person could want.

  20. #45
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    Quote Originally Posted by raycarey View Post
    https://www.axios.com/newsletters/ax...404bedbe2.html


    reports are also indicating that the US is particularly vulnerable to a cyber attack on power plants, hospitals, financial institutions, etc...and iran apparently has the people and wherewithal to successfully pull off this kind of attack.
    Jesus Reach, you've got your finger on the pulse, old news its been a threat with the ruskies for years now. Your hated Zionists are way ahead of the game on countering...keep up.

  21. #46
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    Quote Originally Posted by misskit View Post
    I’ve a nephew in Iraq right now.
    Prayers sent....

  22. #47
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    I hope things don't escalate but really, Iran sorry EyeRan aren't that stupid, they know they have ...lets be polite and say a trigger happy pres in the the whitehouse. There will be some tit for tat but i cannot see it going further.

  23. #48
    Thailand Expat misskit's Avatar
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    ^^ Thank you.

    He is in the Army, Ray.

  24. #49
    Thailand Expat Pragmatic's Avatar
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    Just my my opinion but I think Iran will not retaliate against this killing. Iran is all bluff.

  25. #50
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    There is also that fact that Trump doesn't have the same support as per prior engagements, i don't think even BoJo will support an escalation with a trade deal backdrop unless EyeRans response is significant enough.

    And Kitt i also hope for your Nephews sake all remains as calm as can be, hope he wasn't one of the 4K flew out or is in the Embassy there.

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