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?

People just didn’t like her - in America she wasn’t well regarded at all.

Plus she had the ‘crime’ of having a gropey (or worse) husband - who she is said to have covered for and gone after the other women (not sure of the facts). Trump made darn sure everyone remembered that (pot/kettle/kettle/pot).

And she is a woman - Americans just aren’t ready for that.

My DH is Iranian and the opinion on this man within the country is that despite the tyrannical regime this man is popular within Iran. He has kept ISIS out of the country

USA threat level has just gone up on bbc website

Trump, like most presidents, is a puppet worked on by others in the background. These actions are designed to sever the physical bridge that is becoming established from Tehran to Syria, right up to the borders of the Golan Heights, all under a Russian-Iranian pact. Assad has paid the price and Syria is a servant of this new empire. A regional war is the intention, but driving back Russia is not the sole aim. Chaos capitalism results in opportunity and the victors will share in a new oil programme. As well, old investments in Iraq and Saudi need to be protected. With US asset values peaking certain investors need to look for new opportunities and this is one of those.

Royal navy warships are headed to Iran apparently.

Apparently they have evidence (like WMD?) that an attack was being planned.

And as for the 52 targets for 52 hostages (what a pathetic number to bring up - from 1978).

Have they actually forgotten that they shot down a passenger Plane by the Vincennes in 1988, killing 290 civilians (‘oops, wrong plane, my bad’). Did this cause Lockerbie (and will we ever know)?

They have assassinated a very senior official from another country that they are not officially at war with. And they honestly expect them to say ‘sorry sir, we will do what you want, shall we send you the money for the bomb you used?’ (the regime famously used to - may well still do - send grieving families a bill for bullets for their executed kin).

It’s like some other country assassinating a high up official or politician here. You may have loathed that person or what they stood for - but for another country to wipe them off the face of the earth, how would you feel as a citizen of this country against, say China or Russia (is a country known for meddling, lying, having financial interests at heart, wing run by an unstable intellectual lightweight)?

And back to 9/11 - most of these men were Saudis - who has Trump been dancing with and sooks up to?

This is going to be a hell of a test for Boris Johnson.
Especially given the relationship he wants with the USA.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-50996630

Do we all believe they're protecting ships?

We I believe they are nuclear ships - I’m guessing they are ready for anything.

I dont think Iran are whiter than white but cant help feel there will be repercussions on all sides

UK has no 'Nuclear' surface warships. The two warships sent to protect shipping in the Gulf would be a Type 45 Destroyer and a Type 23 Frigate.

The subs are all nuclear-powered. The SSNs sent to the region fire Tomahawk cruise missiles which are nuclear capable but all the nuclear warheads have been decommissioned.

The Vanguard SSBNs do not need to leave their North Atlantic patrols to hit Iran, but lobbing missiles over Russian might not be wise at this time.

And back to 9/11 - most of these men were Saudis - who has Trump been dancing with and sooks up to?

Indeed, was it 9 Saudis who caused 9/11 and yet Merica still dances with them and two fingers to the 3000 that died in the terrorist attack by your own countrymen

More people are murdered in the US by Americans with a grudge and a gun than any outside agency.

@Mockers2020Vision

Can you not use abbreviations please as it makes your post unintelligible. What are SSN and SSBNs?

15 of the 19 were citizens of Saudi Arabia, two were from the United Arab Emirates, one from Lebanon, and one from Egypt. Wasn’t it a Saudi national al who was being trained on a US base who went on a rampage with a gun (and not the only one if memory serves). Not their friend...

I genuinely don't understand how the US remains friends and partners with Saudi. Or Israel for that matter. Some Iranian leader said that the US and Israel would face severe consequences. Why we're sleeping with some of these country, the Lord only knows!

@Mockers2020Vision - what would happen if a nuclear powered submarine was hit by a missile? Is there the danger of a nuclear discharge or explosion?

What are SSN and SSBNs

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SSN_(hull_classification_symbol)

@ Shedidnt - money. They didn’t give two hoots before oil was discovered.

Is there the danger of a nuclear discharge or explosion

I think there is no danger from the actual nuclear missiles exploding.

The danger comes from the reactors. Leaks of radiation

Iran is often very subtle with how they handle these things. They'll use proxies, but they aren't likely to get their hands dirty. I would expect more attacks from the Hezbollah, Houthi's, etc and possibly some high up's from ME based US allies getting killed in these. Everyone will know it's the Iranians, but it won't be as overt as a drone attack on an Iraqi airport and a Twitter post.

Frankly I'm glad the assholes dead, but the way it was done was just plain fucking stupid and will end up with a lot more dead civilians.

He was a monster - but often the monsters keep even worse ones at bay. He was an official of a country that they are not at war with. The US has been goading them (and they have been doing likewise) for what end? America still wants revenge for their 52 hostages.

The ME is not America or Europe. What happened in Syria, Libya, Afghanistan?

What happened in Syria, Libya, Afghanistan?

Exactly. Trump's basically just signed a writ that the US will be embroiled in another losing battle in the ME for another decade at least.

It’s very scary. Who gives America the right?

When I heard trumps speech about they don’t want to cause a war or invade other countries I wanted to vomit (is he getting execution lessons? He sounds different, less droney and I’m sure he has new teeth as he is less slurry).

www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.indy100.com/article/usa-american-army-invasions-police-actions-overseas-dod-defense-war-troops-deployment-marines-7908611%3famp

s he getting execution lessons

That's one hell of a Freudian slip !