The USA has assassinated one of Iran's top Generals at Baghdad aitport

[chomalungma]

AIBU to think this will lead to just more escalation in what is already a volatile area, given all the issues in Iran at the moment, the proxy wars, the recent arrival of US troops in Iraq.

We also have some British troops in Iraq, as well as Royal Navy ships in the region. This escalation affects us as well.

This person who was assassinated does have blood on his hands www.theguardian.com/world/2020/jan/03/who-is-qassem-suleimani-profile-iran but does a drone strike killing of him.

The response from Iran

"The Iranian foreign minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif, said on Twitter: “The US’ act of international terrorism, targeting & assassinating General Soleimani – THE most effective force fighting Daesh (ISIS), Al Nusrah, Al Qaeda et al – is extremely dangerous & a foolish escalation. The US bears responsibility for all consequences of its rogue adventurism.”

What consequences will there be?

Do you know what the Islamic centre of Britain actually is and who it was created by?

Generals gathered in their masses, just like witches at black masses. Evil minds that plot destruction, sorcerer of death's construction. In the fields the bodies burning, as the war machine keeps turning. Death and hatred to mankind, poisoning their brainwashed minds... Oh lord yeah! Politicians hide themselves away They only started the war Why should they go out to fight? They leave that role to the poor Time will tell on their power minds Making war just for fun Treating people just like pawns in chess Wait 'till their judgement day comes, yeah! Now in darkness, world stops turning, ashes where the bodies burning. No more war pigs have the power, hand of god has struck the hour. Day of judgement, god is calling, on their knees the war pigs crawling. Begging mercy for their sins, Satan, laughing, spreads his wings... Oh lord, yeah!

@Hefzi Thank you - that is the most credible sounding analysis I've seen so far (on Mumsnet or in media). Can you recommend any English language blogs or tweeters/writers on all this?

Plus Israel are happy so that’s okay then...

You think Israel is happy about the day’s developments?

You don’t know much about Israel, do you?

Do you know what the Islamic centre of Britain actually is and who it was created by?

Yes, do you?

Does that invalidate my broader comment somehow?

You don’t know much about Israel, do you?

Ignore it's the simpleton response from twitter, no doubt proudly left leaning and pretending everyone else has lacks nuance of geopolitics.

They will need to trawl twitter or comment pieces for responses instead of coming out with the far right 'jews behind it all' style commentary.

Israel surely won't be happy about today. They're way more likely to deal with the fallout than the US.

Which is not to say that Israel is terribly measured about Iran.

Oh I’m not saying he was a good guy at all. I’m sure he was a horrific monster who probably deserved it........but that still doesn’t mean it was the sensible thing for America to do.

The West don’t seem to learn that knobbling various dictators and their ilk in the Middle East doesn’t tend to work out well. Causes an upsurge in terrorist attacks against the West and leads to a power vacuum in the various areas. Do people think that this General will be replaced by Iran with a nice, moderate bloke?

Israel surely won't be happy about today. They're way more likely to deal with the fallout than the US.

It wont be just Israel.

The UK should stay out of it, Iran has pissed of enough neighbors for US to have a pick of an ally, the anti west sentiment that is displayed on this thread though shows a lack of knowledge of geopolitics, and how some just are copying and pasting twitter responses without any understanding of what they are actually arguing.

It has got the point of shills where slam poetry youtube vids are being posted, no original though, just shilling.

From some things I have read Obama capitulated to Iran and gave them billions to try and placate them and this was seen as a suicidal foreign policy move as Iran is an unstable totalitarian regime which supports Palestinian terrorist groups. If this guy was a terorist who targeted Americans then Americans and their allies will be broadly supportive of this assassination despite the consequences as it will be seen as retaliation to other acts of violence. Many will be supportive of this action.

Not sure how much is anti West as just worried about what's next. Iran is massively involved in other conflicts. The whole Middle East is a powder keg.

We have had the issues with the nuclear deal and the US rejection of that. All the fall out of the sanctions in Iran. I guess that the US would want regime change in Iran.

I have no time for Iran and what it stands for. However I recognise that this action will have consequences. A hornets nest has been attacked. We all know what terrorist attacks have happened in the past.

The Israelis are supportive of today’s action. Iran is very anti Israel. Many moderate Iranians that were kicked out and squashed in the regime change will also be supportive. There are sizeable communities who had to flee with nothing during the regime change and saw their homes and businesses and money stolen by the regime.

Remove a monster and a worse one will pop up to take his place. Have they learned nothing?

He has been the monster in Iran for years - he sent kids to clear minefields, murdered plenty of Iranians, any beyond. And let’s not forget who allowed the shah to be overthrown (a lesser monster).

Meddlesome foreign policy does not work - it only makes things worse and more dangerous.

Oh I’m not saying he was a good guy at all. I’m sure he was a horrific monster who probably deserved it........but that still doesn’t mean it was the sensible thing for America to do.

You don't need to be sure, it is clearly documented how horrific he was, you just following media spin and thinking that Trump is far right and not being a typical neocon that would have wiped him out years ago is why geopolitics is a grey area, you are looking at it from a slant that you have been presented by the media that you consume.

The West don’t seem to learn that knobbling various dictators and their ilk in the Middle East doesn’t tend to work out well. Causes an upsurge in terrorist attacks against the West and leads to a power vacuum in the various areas. Do people think that this General will be replaced by Iran with a nice, moderate bloke?

This is a basic twitter response, no nuance, default into the west being the problem, any argument against is defaulted to racism.

To really show you have an understanding of the situation you would not have added a pretext of I’m sure he was a horrific

It's OK to be anti west and generally thick of geopolitics, just don't try and educate others.

Are the West part of a solution? God knows the Middle East geopolitics is a mess. Are we part of the solution or part of the problem as well?

I’m not trying to educate anyone. This is a discussion forum, I’m having a discussion. It’s ok for you to have a discussion without being a patronising twerp but you’re not exactly managing it.

I wouldn’t say I’m entirely thick of geopolitics. Nor do I claim to be an expert. Dh used to live and work in Iran and he and all his Iranian colleagues are more than a little concerned about how this will develop.

Guess the next few months/years will show whether this was a good move by Trump or not.

The Israelis are supportive of today’s action

The Israeli government can't exactly condemn its greatest ally, can it? You can't tell anything from Israeli leaders' public statements regarding this assassination - they are highly limited in what they can say.

Iran cannot strike back at the United States - it doesn't have the capacity. It can only retaliate against US military bases in the Middle East, US embassies and US allies (i.e. Israel...). Take a look at some of the speeches by angry Iranians and Iraqis today - they blame and condemn Americans and "Zionists" in the same breath. They don't differentiate.

Israeli leaders also aren't going to be happy that they weren't given advance warning of US intentions - do you think Benjamin Netanyahu would have been in Greece if he knew what was about to happen? Of course not - that's why he had to hastily fly back to Israel this morning, cutting his visit short.

It's okay read this 🙄

www.google.co.uk/amp/nymag.com/intelligencer/amp/2019/08/heres-how-wed-really-know-that-trump-is-the-antichrist.html

This article by Oz Katerji - an excellent journalist covering the Middle East - is the best explainer I've seen today.

www.newstatesman.com/world/middle-east/2020/01/qasem-soleimani-brutalised-middle-east-bloodshed-far-over

But the reality is that if a new war is on the horizon, it is unlikely to be Americans who will suffer the most. It will be terrified and trapped civilians across the Middle East, which would in a sense be a continuation of Soleimani’s life’s work. We should also disabuse ourselves of the notion that there isn’t an ongoing war still raging in Iraq, Syria and beyond. Soleimani’s wars have engulfed his victims for decades, Middle Eastern civilians are the ones paying the price, and every action or inaction from global superpowers has a price in blood. We live in dangerous, unprecedented, terrifying times. But for tonight at least, our thoughts should be with the families of Qasem Soleimani’s victims. For better or for worse, a brutal tyrant is dead

I’m not trying to educate anyone. This is a discussion forum, I’m having a discussion. It’s ok for you to have a discussion without being a patronising twerp but you’re not exactly managing it.

If you had an ounce of reflection you would be laughing at yourself.

I wouldn’t say I’m entirely thick of geopolitics. Nor do I claim to be an expert. Dh used to live and work in Iran and he and all his Iranian colleagues are more than a little concerned about how this will develop.

Pulling a DH card is laughabale, you have still to refute my original comment, so i will state you have no original thoughts other than copy and pasting some twitter reply that has the most likes.

You have no argument that is your own, you tried to chastise others and got unstuck, you can namechange and pretend it didn't happen.

I don’t read Twitter so can assure you I haven’t copied and pasted anything from there. I’m not saying that the West are the problem. But I certainly think they’re causing problems. There’s a difference.

What’s your original arguement? I’m all ears.

I haven’t attempted to chastise anyone. I haven’t got unstuck.

I certainly won’t be name changing.

And the only person I’m laughing at is you.

This was quite an interesting discussion until you came along like a self proclaimed expert, without actually saying much apart from calling me thick.

@LochJessMonster the problem arose in IRAQ with protestors invading the embassy there - they killed the General in IRAN - just because he mocked trump on twitter???? was anybody killed or injured in the Embassy? this sounds like a wise reaction & well thought out plan (please tell me you were being sarcastic)

Anyone else think of Homeland and Nafisi?Just me 🤷‍♀️