Iran Quds Force head Qassem Soleimani killed in Baghdad strike — Iraqi TV

[libertybele]

As I anticipated (I have an occasional grasp of the grossly obvious):

Congressional Democrats Denounce Killing of Soleimani: Trump is Bringing U.S. to ‘Brink of an Illegal War’
...
And Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) responded to news of the attack by calling for a full accounting of the strike.

Mr. Udall and Mr. Levin, that's called leak prevention. Mr. Carver, it's called taking out a man who had invaded US soil and was responsible for killing thousands of US troops and God knows how many Syrians and other folks in the area. Mr. Markey it was taking out a man who was in the act of invading US territory and making war against the US. Mr. Blumenthal, yes! Investigate! Impeach! Jackass.

    I try not to curse but F*** the DEMS!

[cato potatoe]

All Views Welcomed, this pertains more to last night than anything now.... just saying, if one is "non-interventionist" and so on,  everyone's view (within reason) is welcomed.

On twitter, only about a week ago, there was video of us,  US troops passing Syrian troops on the roads in Syria. We have had some confrontation with Iranian forces in Iraq in the past, these never led to anything.

But now, it's worth considering, these same situations might not go so smooth now.

I am in the isolationist camp, but we can't just tolerate an attack on our soil.  It will be a shame if this leads to an escalation, but that is entirely up to the Iranians.

[TomSea]

rose mcgowan
@rosemcgowan
Dear #Iran, The USA has disrespected your country, your flag, your people. 52% of us humbly apologize. We want peace with your nation. We are being held hostage by a terrorist regime. We do not know how to escape. Please do not kill us. #Soleimani


Rose McGowan, the Hollywood actresssss.

Now, ain’t she special... special kinda stupid.

 
GOOD POST
       

 

[massadvj]

Personally, I am not a big fan of this action.  One of the things I have liked about DT is his willingness to question neocon assumptions and deep state thinking.  This action seems to escalate a situation that the Iranians wanted to be escalated.  No president ever wins by engaging in the ME, and if Iran escalates further (which they will) Trump will have no choice but to respond in kind.

I question whether the embassy attack was enough of a provocation to risk potential nuclear war.  All that said, it is a move that helps Trump politically over the short term, which causes me to wonder how the political calculus affected the decision.

Certainly this strike did little to promote world stability. Are we now going to see tit for tat drone assassinations? 

[TomSea]

Has the former Ambassador to Iraq, Silliman spoke yet? I heard he has and it's not all that positive but it's not in the printed news yet.

Trump did give him an award in 2018. It's interesting, we hit "Soleiman" and I saw former Ambassador "Silliman" mentioned, actually the names seem a bit similar.

But information becomes quickly outdated, it looks like we had to hit Soleimani and company. News quickly changes.

[TomSea]

This seems to be about more and I believe it is stated above, Soleimani was planning on imminent attacks on US personnel in the region.

Immediate Release
Statement by the Department of Defense
Jan. 2, 2020

At the direction of the President, the U.S. military has taken decisive defensive action to protect U.S. personnel abroad by killing Qasem Soleimani, the head of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Quds Force, a U.S.-designated Foreign Terrorist Organization.

General Soleimani was actively developing plans to attack American diplomats and service members in Iraq and throughout the region. General Soleimani and his Quds Force were responsible for the deaths of hundreds of American and coalition service members and the wounding of thousands more. He had orchestrated attacks on coalition bases in Iraq over the last several months – including the attack on December 27th – culminating in the death and wounding of additional American and Iraqi personnel. General Soleimani also approved the attacks on the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad that took place this week. 

This strike was aimed at deterring future Iranian attack plans. The United States will continue to take all necessary action to protect our people and our interests wherever they are around the world.

https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Releases/Release/Article/2049534/statement-by-the-department-of-defense/

[libertybele]

This seems to be about more and I believe it is stated above, Soleimani was planning on imminent attacks on US personnel in the region.

That's my understanding as well; liberal MSM won't admit to that though.

[kevindavis007]

From what I'm seeing on Twitter, the people of Iran loved this move...

https://twitter.com/hashtag/TnxPOTUS4Soleimani?src=hashtag_click&f=live

[Wingnut]

From what I'm seeing on Twitter, the people of Iran loved this move...

https://twitter.com/hashtag/TnxPOTUS4Soleimani?src=hashtag_click&f=live

Nice ring he had there!

[PeteS in CA]

This story is kind of weird to me as to which forum it best fits, but I think it gives valuable context, on a couple of levels, to this thread:

Report: Obama Administration Stopped Israel From Assassinating Soleimani in 2015

When President Donald Trump gave the order to kill Iran's Quds Force leader Qasem Soleimani, he not only made an arguably proportionate response to the invasion of the U.S. Embassy this week but he also reversed a policy of the Obama administration. According to a report from 2018, Israel was "on the verge" of assassinating Soleimani in 2015, but Obama's officials foiled the plan. In fact, they reached out to Iran with news of Israel's plans.

The Trump administration, on the other hand, gave Israel a green light to assassinate Soleimani, according to a January 1, 2018 report from the Kuwaiti newspaper Al-Jarida. The paper quoted a source in Jerusalem as saying that "there is an American-Israeli agreement" that Soleimani is a "threat to the two countries' interests in the region." According to Haaretz, Al-Jarida is generally assumed to be a platform for the Israeli government to disseminate its message to other Middle Eastern governments.
...
"The report says Israel was 'on the verge' of assassinating Soleimani three years ago, near Damascus, but the United States warned the Iranian leadership of the plan, revealing that Israel was closely tracking the Iranian general," Haaretz reported.

The incident "sparked a sharp disagreement between the Israeli and American security and intelligence apparatuses regarding the issue." That sounds like an understatement.

President Barack Obama frequently snubbed Israel, considered by many to be America's best ally in the Middle East. Yet the news that the Obama's administration prevented Israel from assassinating the Quds Force leader seems particularly significant, since the Obama administration also kept a list of approximately 500 American soldiers who were murdered by Iranian IEDs. ...

Clinton passed on opportunities to take out Osama and 9/11 happened. Strictly speaking, 9/11 wasn't specifically foreseeable to WJC, but giving a terror leader extra years to do his terror thing is obviously foolish.

OhBummer! saved Soleimani's @$$, giving him 4 more years to kill American, Syrians, Iranians, etc.. Same stupid mistake, same bloody consequences.

[txradioguy]

There are 600 souls in Section 60 of Arlington National Cemetery that are rejoicing over this bleep's death.

[Cyber Liberty]

There are 600 souls in Section 60 of Arlington National Cemetery that are rejoicing over this bleep's death.

[mountaineer]

Interesting,  @PeteS in CA !

[txradioguy]

"The report says Israel was 'on the verge' of assassinating Soleimani three years ago, near Damascus, but the United States warned the Iranian leadership of the plan, revealing that Israel was closely tracking the Iranian general," Haaretz reported.

He and some of his top assistants had been all over Syria as "advisers" to Assad's military since Russia and Iran struck up a partnership there.

[Cyber Liberty]

He and some of his top assistants had been all over Syria as "advisers" to Assad's military since Russia and Iran struck up a partnership there.

So, O'Bastard not only would not have done this, he actually tipped off the bad guys?

[txradioguy]

So, O'Bastard not only would not have done this, he actually tipped off the bad guys?

Yup he sure did.  He did almost as much to destabilize and prevent peace in that part of the world as the Iranians have.

[Formerly Once-Ler]

https://twitter.com/khamenei_ir/status/1212301034871279616

Khamenei.ir @khamenei_ir

That guy has tweeted that we see Iran responsible for the events in Baghdad & we will respond to Iran.
1st: You can’t do anything.
2nd: If you were logical —which you’re not— you’d see that your crimes in Iraq, Afghanistan… have made nations hate you.

3:14 AM · Jan 1, 2020·Twitter Web App

This tweet aged poorly

This one is still golden.

https://twitter.com/iowahawkblog/status/1213104469484982272

David Burge @iowahawkblog

Let's face it, there's a crazy maniac in the White House, so my best advice to Iran is airlift us $150 billion in unmarked bills in hopes it'll calm him down

8:26 AM · Jan 3, 2020·Twitter Web App

[TomSea]

Daily Caller.

‘Feckless Intermittent Eruptions Of Violence’: Rand Paul Warns Against War With Iran Without Congressional Approval
Mary Margaret Olohan
Social Issues Reporter
January 03, 2020 10:31 AM ET

Republican Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul warned against war with Iran without congressional approval following the death of top Iranian Gen.Qasem Soleimani.

Paul spoke out in a series of tweets Friday morning, saying President Donald Trump “understands that the toppling of Saddam Hussein made Iran stronger” and that though Soleimani and Hussein were both evil men, “the question remains, whether his death will lead to more instability in the Middle East or less.”

Read more at: https://dailycaller.com/2020/01/03/rand-paul-iran-congress-war/

[txradioguy]

Dear Senator Paul,

  My condolences on the loss of your BFF.  I heard that Rep's Talib and Omar are holding a memorial in Qassem Soleimani's honor.  Perhaps you can get an invite.

[Smokin Joe]

Yep. That would do it, alright. 

[Smokin Joe]

‘Crush the economy’: Graham urged Trump to target Iran’s oil refineries following Soleimani's death
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/crush-the-economy-graham-urged-trump-to-target-irans-oil-refineries-following-soleimanis-death

Oh, geeez. That would have the ecowhackos here having cartwheeling sh*tf*ts all over the place. It'd be effective, though, but open the Straits of Hormuz to all sorts of 'shipping interdiction', and not just by us. Of course, now that we are a net exporter, that might not hurt us as much as it hurts them.

[Smokin Joe]

https://twitter.com/khamenei_ir/status/1212301034871279616

This tweet aged poorly

This one is still golden.

https://twitter.com/iowahawkblog/status/1213104469484982272

Yeah, they'll send the cash as soon as they get it printed up....

[truth_seeker]

#Rand Schiff, Adam Paul both urged delay, until Dr. Fiona Hill returned from her 30 day winter leave in Northern England.

Upon her return she will direct/ advise Congress about American foreign policy and national defence.

Trump  should sit tight, until he gets his directions from the National Security Council. LTC Alex Windman commanding.

signed, Comrade-President John Brennan

[Formerly Once-Ler]

https://twitter.com/DuffelBlog/status/1213135092266127361

Duffel Blog @DuffelBlog

JUST IN: Suleimani bag still on carousel 9 at Baghdad International Airport



10:28 AM · Jan 3, 2020·TweetDeck

[TomSea]

Mike Doran posted this:

Mike
@Doranimated

Khamenei's website: The Imam Hussein bin Ali embraces Qassem Soleimani. Pretty idolatrous if you ask me, but fundamentalist thugs always let their religious structures slide when their grip on power is at stake.

https://twitter.com/Doranimated/status/1213154006148751365