NationStates

Posted: **Thu Jan 02, 2020 6:53 pm**

So, this news is just breaking but the US has done a "targeted" drone strike on a convoy heading to the Baghdad Airport. It killed 6-8 people, including Qassem Soleimani, who is the commander of the Quds Force and who report directly to the Ayatollah. This has been confirmed by two unnamed US officials and a spokesperson from the Popular Mobilization Forces (also known as Hashd al-Shaabi), who said that their Deputy Leader, Mahdi al-Muhandis, was killed as well. This comes as tensions in the region have been rising since the US did an airstrike against al-Shaabi back in December, which resulted in the US Embassy in Iraq being stormed. The US Embassy there has been secured after the airstrike that took place not too long ago.

So everyone, what's your opinion on the matter? Was this the right call? Will this flare up tensions with Iran and the United States?

Personally, this a victory for the United States in terms of cutting into the chain of command in Iran, as well as their affiliates they aid. However, this is bound to infuriate the Islamic Republic and retaliation is likely. I don't suspect a war is coming: Iran would be foolish to go to war, but I do suspect throughout the year, we'll see military plays between the two nations, resulting in more instability.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-iraq ... me=newsOne

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/01/ ... 17666.html

https://apnews.com/5597ff0f046a67805cc2 ... _medium=AP

Posted: **Thu Jan 02, 2020 6:57 pm**

I think this was the wrong call. I'm interested on how the Iraqi government will react. I don't think they'll welcome the Americans assassinating Iranians on their own territory, probably with no consultation.

Posted: **Thu Jan 02, 2020 7:12 pm**

Was this a reprisal for the Embassy incident?

I have to wonder.

Posted: **Thu Jan 02, 2020 7:16 pm**

Ignoring the other major regional and global implications of the strike, this must have been carried out using the 2001 AUMF.

Posted: **Thu Jan 02, 2020 7:27 pm**

Fun times for all.

Ifreann wrote:This is roughly equivalent to someone assassinating the US Vice President, if the VP was also Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Suleimani was, as I understand it, second only to the Ayatollah and very broadly in charge of Iranian "foreign policy", i.e. espionage and terrorism.

Posted: **Thu Jan 02, 2020 7:33 pm**

Not how I expected us and Iran to really start going at it but I guess State had to start thinking outside the box.

Posted: **Thu Jan 02, 2020 7:35 pm**

Hmm, would this be a chaotic stupid or a chaotic evil act?

In all seriousness... crap. That's an act of war. Things are HAPPENING again.

Posted: **Thu Jan 02, 2020 7:38 pm**

Jack Thomas Lang wrote:I think this was the wrong call. I'm interested on how the Iraqi government will react. I don't think they'll welcome the Americans assassinating Iranians on their own territory, probably with no consultation.

Nah, it's fine. I'm sure the Iraqi people, fresh off of withstanding a quasi-genocidal invasion and a genocidal religious insurgency created by that invasion, are very eager to be used as the main battlefield of the invader's attempt to start a formal war with a big historical rival of theirs.

Posted: **Thu Jan 02, 2020 7:40 pm**

Liriena wrote:Hmm, would this be a chaotic stupid or a chaotic evil act?

In all seriousness... crap. That's an act of war. Things are HAPPENING again.

The clock has struck HAPPENING o'clock.

Posted: **Thu Jan 02, 2020 7:46 pm**

Ifreann wrote:Fun times for all.
Ifreann wrote:This is roughly equivalent to someone assassinating the US Vice President, if the VP was also Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Suleimani was, as I understand it, second only to the Ayatollah and very broadly in charge of Iranian "foreign policy", i.e. espionage and terrorism.

I knew he was high level official and was an influential figure but I didn't know he was that high. Damn, this was a big target than. That is bound to result higher escalations.

Posted: **Thu Jan 02, 2020 7:47 pm**

My opinion. We will be at war with Iran soon.

Posted: **Thu Jan 02, 2020 7:49 pm**

American blood was shed, and American blood was avenged.

Posted: **Thu Jan 02, 2020 7:49 pm**

Totally Not OEP wrote:American blood was shed, and American blood was avenged.

What American blood?

Posted: **Thu Jan 02, 2020 7:51 pm**

Totally Not OEP wrote:American blood was shed, and American blood was avenged.

The best way to stop American blood being shed is to leave the middle east, not engage in tit-for-tat conflict.

Posted: **Thu Jan 02, 2020 7:51 pm**

Wikipedia works fast.

Oh, and also do you think we'll be back before next Christmas?

Posted: **Thu Jan 02, 2020 7:51 pm**

Ifreann wrote:
Totally Not OEP wrote:American blood was shed, and American blood was avenged.

What American blood?

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.cbsnew ... 019-12-27/

Posted: **Thu Jan 02, 2020 7:52 pm**

Totally Not OEP wrote:American blood was shed, and American blood was avenged.

Blood feuds have solved precisely fuck all and have contributed to a fuckton of global issues.

Posted: **Thu Jan 02, 2020 7:53 pm**

Ifreann wrote:
Totally Not OEP wrote:American blood was shed, and American blood was avenged.

What American blood?

An American defense contractor was killed in Kirkuk, which started all of this.

Jack Thomas Lang wrote:
Totally Not OEP wrote:American blood was shed, and American blood was avenged.

The best way to stop American blood being shed is to leave the middle east, not engage in tit-for-tat conflict.

Which is not going to happen until Oil is definitively replaced and/or the Suez Canal loses its importance.

Posted: **Thu Jan 02, 2020 7:53 pm**

Totally Not OEP wrote:
Ifreann wrote:What American blood?

An American defense contractor was killed in Kirkuk, which started all of this.

Jack Thomas Lang wrote:The best way to stop American blood being shed is to leave the middle east, not engage in tit-for-tat conflict.

Which is not going to happen until Oil is definitively replaced and/or the Suez Canal loses its importance.

So Elon Musk is an American Hero?

Posted: **Thu Jan 02, 2020 7:54 pm**

Valrifell wrote:
Totally Not OEP wrote:American blood was shed, and American blood was avenged.

Blood feuds have solved precisely fuck all and have contributed to a fuckton of global issues.

So has appeasement. Humans are fucked as a species but as Teddy Roosevelt said with regards to big sticks and what MAD itself entails, force deters and it's our best bet.

Posted: **Thu Jan 02, 2020 7:54 pm**

Totally Not OEP wrote:Which is not going to happen until Oil is definitively replaced and/or the Suez Canal loses its importance.

Ah yes, they're there for "''"oil""" and the """Suez Canal""", yes indeed.

Posted: **Thu Jan 02, 2020 7:54 pm**

Galloism wrote:
Totally Not OEP wrote:
An American defense contractor was killed in Kirkuk, which started all of this.

Which is not going to happen until Oil is definitively replaced and/or the Suez Canal loses its importance.

So Elon Musk is an American Hero?

If we get Nuclear Fusion and or super-proliferation of renewables from him, yes.

Posted: **Thu Jan 02, 2020 7:55 pm**

Totally Not OEP wrote:
Galloism wrote:So Elon Musk is an American Hero?

If we get Nuclear Fusion and or super-proliferation of renewables from him, yes.

Give him a couple months. I'm sure he's on it.

Posted: **Thu Jan 02, 2020 7:55 pm**

Totally Not OEP wrote:
Ifreann wrote:What American blood?

An American defense contractor was killed in Kirkuk, which started all of this.

Oh yeah, previously Iran was a neutral third party to the US.

Posted: **Thu Jan 02, 2020 7:56 pm**

Jack Thomas Lang wrote:
Totally Not OEP wrote:Which is not going to happen until Oil is definitively replaced and/or the Suez Canal loses its importance.

Ah yes, they're there for "''"oil""" and the """Suez Canal""", yes indeed.

Neocons are there for their own purposes, but there are realistic strategic reasons to be in the Middle East. If an enemy power cut off the oil or trade through Suez, it would utterly fuck up the Global Economy.

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