When Prime Minister Mahdi requested that the U.S. initiate the “withdrawal mechanism” of its troops from Iraq, the State Dept responded by saying that it couldn’t comply because, essentially, the U.S. military was “a force for good”
He may have been fired last September but he’s still guiding U.S. foreign policy. As Moon Alabama explains, the idea to kill Soleimani originated with John Bolton
Iraqi requests for talks to discuss the process of withdrawing U.S. forces from the country have been answered, writes Moon of Alabama, with a ‘big “F*** You”
If Iran warned Iraq, did it also indirectly signal a warning to the U.S, thereby minimising U.S. casualties and with it the prospect of U.S. retaliation?
When asked by details about what kinds of imminent attacks Soleimani was planning, the State Dept. responded: “Jesus, do we have to explain why we do these things?”
Iran’s missile strikes proved the accuracy of its missiles but it also signalled warnings. Giving the U.S. the opportunity to minimise casualties and step back from the brink
Moon of Alabama on the Iranian missile strikes, which were accurate and delivered the message that Iran can strike U.S. bases in the region with impunity
Iraqi PM Adil Abdl Mahdi has confirmed that the US asked him to mediate in a meeting with Iran and that Soleimani came to liase. In other words the US set up Soleimani’s assassination on the pretext of negotiations
Iraqi pm says Soleimani was in Iraq to ‘discuss de-escalating tensions between Iran and Saudis’ when he was killed – and claims Trump had asked for help mediating talks after embassy attack
Huge crowds gather to mourn Soleimani as the Iraqi parliament passes a resolution calling upon U.S. forces to leave the country
Trump seems ready to sacrifice U.S. lives on Israel’s behalf. A report from yesterday’s Guardian, abridged by Lasha Darkmoon with additional commentary
Meanwhile Iraq’s Kata’ib Hezbollah militia has warned Iraqi forces to stay away from local US bases “by a distance not less than a 1,000 metres starting Sunday evening”