[News] Top Iranian military commander killed by air strikes

[SollysLeftFoot]

The thing to look out for is Russia's reaction.

Given Russia's new relationship with Saudi Arabia, it'll be interesting to see how Russia responds to this incident. If Russia doesn't come out in strong condemnation or support for Iran, then I would expect Iran to do little more than escalate its support for Shi'te rebel groups.

Bit of a shit show, though... I bet John Bolton is licking his lips with the prospect of war with Iran.

 

[vegster]

American officials consider General Suleimani responsible for the deaths of hundreds of soldiers during the Iraq war, when he provided Iraqi insurgents with advanced bomb-making equipment and training. They also say he has masterminded destabilizing Iranian activities that continue throughout the Middle East and are aimed at the United States, Israel and Saudi Arabia.

“General Suleimani was actively developing plans to attack American diplomats and service members in Iraq and throughout the region,” the Pentagon said in a statement. “General Suleimani and his Quds Force were responsible for the deaths of hundreds of American and coalition service members and the wounding of thousands more.”

It did not elaborate on the specific intelligence that led them to carry out General Suleimani’s killing. The highly classified mission was set in motion after the American contractor’s death on Dec. 27 during a rocket attack by an Iranian-backed militia, a senior American official said.

Not sure which way to feel but those Iranian leaders can be pretty rotten. Hate Trump though. You never know where the truth lies with him either.

Whatever he may have done, he did not get much of a trial, extra judicial killings on a foreign soil aren't a good look for future diplomacy.

 

[Springal]

No pre-season US tour for Ali J then?

 

[Live by the sea]

The Iranian Quds are responsible for various targeting of American bases in Iraq as well as giving operational and logistical support for the likes of Hamas and Islamic Jihad to attack Israel whenever they can.

Iran knows it can’t openly take on Israel because although Iran is a much bigger country , Israel is tiny in comparison about the size of Wales, but it has a very sophisticated airforce and navy as well as a nuclear capability.

Short term this strike takes out a threat to the region but he will be replaced soon but likely to be someone less experienced in gureillia warfare so yes it’s a win as far as America , Israel and the stability of the region is concerned.

I would be very surprised if This strike was carried out unilaterally, it’s likely to have been a joint intelligence effort between America & Israel with probably input from France and possibly UK as they all share high level Middle East intelligence along with a few other European countries plus Australia.

On a separate point, had Corbyn been elected I doubt whether the other countries would have shared intelligence with him due to his ‘ track record ‘

 

[Hugo Rune]

The thing to look out for is Russia's reaction.

Trump & Putin seem to have built up a bit of a relationship (based in part on their successful Brexit campaigns?).

I suspect that Putin was told what was happening prior to the strike with tacit approval. These two men are running the World now, I’m thinking of Orwell’s fake wars in 1984. Nothing keeps you in power more than an ongoing war.

 

[Bry Nylon]

...I would expect Iran to do little more than escalate its support for Shi'te rebel groups.

Admittedly, I don't know much about the geo-politics of the region but if Iran is going to escalate its support for rebel groups, they'd be better off choosing some half decent ones instead.

 

[happypig]

Don't say he wasn't warned
[tweet]141604554855825408[/tweet]

 

[LamieRobertson]

So Trump has just ordered the highest general of a sovereign nation (not a terrorist organisation and not a nation who the US was at war with) to be killed by air strike, outside an international airport in a third country (Iraq) and without any kind of approval from US Congress.

Starting a war to please his fanbase leading up to an election. I wonder what Boris will do in response when this inevitably escalates.

Blimey I thought Trumps supporter would be all over this by now

 

[Swansman]

Iran is not Syria or Yemen or Libya... Iran is how the third world war starts as it is the last bastion of the anti-judeochristian world and hundreds of millions of people support their stance. A war between Iran and the West is a complete game changer, a cataclysmic event. I'm sure Mossad and CIA would like it to go down the usual way - a Western supported revolution from the inside - but Iran is strong and at some point this war will happen.

 

[vegster]

The Iranian Quds are responsible for various targeting of American bases in Iraq as well as giving operational and logistical support for the likes of Hamas and Islamic Jihad to attack Israel whenever they can.

Iran knows it can’t openly take on Israel because although Iran is a much bigger country , Israel is tiny in comparison about the size of Wales, but it has a very sophisticated airforce and navy as well as a nuclear capability.

Short term this strike takes out a threat to the region but he will be replaced soon but likely to be someone less experienced in gureillia warfare so yes it’s a win as far as America , Israel and the stability of the region is concerned.

I would be very surprised if This strike was carried out unilaterally, it’s likely to have been a joint intelligence effort between America & Israel with probably input from France and possibly UK as they all share high level Middle East intelligence along with a few other European countries plus Australia.

On a separate point, had Corbyn been elected I doubt whether the other countries would have shared intelligence with him due to his ‘ track record ‘

No point in bringing Corbyn in to this, Trump would have done this whoever was in government here as you rightly know. Some leaders may have been briefed just before the attack but most would not as they are irrelevant in Trumps opinion.

Edit : Any word from Johnson/Cummings on this event yet this morning ?

 

[Blackadder]

good or bad...?? i mean obviously not good for him but for the region in general...??

Guess you would have to ask the innocent people who will die as a result of this?

 

[Blackadder]

Are the US at war with Iran then?

Well they have been at war (via proxy) for 40 odd years now. Ever since the hostages were taken under Carter's administration.

Remember, Uncle Sam backed Saddam in the Iraq/Iran war.

 

[Blackadder]

So Trump has just ordered the highest general of a sovereign nation (not a terrorist organisation and not a nation who the US was at war with) to be killed by air strike, outside an international airport in a third country (Iraq) and without any kind of approval from US Congress.

Starting a war to please his fanbase leading up to an election. I wonder what Boris will do in response when this inevitably escalates.

Doubt BJ will have much choice. We have voted democratically to leave the EU and become the 51st state by default. We know how Trump likes to use trade wars to get his way. We will want that trade deal. It may well come with "strings"

 

[RossyG]

Orange clown is the most dangerous dictator on the planet

He was democratically elected and will face another election this year. Hardly a dictator!

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

He was democratically elected and will face another election this year. Hardly a dictator!

He's acted like an unstable dictator since the day he was elected. His own people have no idea what decree he's going to issue next, and spend all their time trying to rein him in.

 

[SollysLeftFoot]

Admittedly, I don't know much about the geo-politics of the region but if Iran is going to escalate its support for rebel groups, they'd be better off choosing some half decent ones instead.

Neither do you know much about the rebel groups. Houthis in Yemen have been very effective in their insurgency. Hezbollah aren't pushovers, either and both are very experienced.

It isn't about being 'decent' either, it's about disruption; such as DNR/LNR in Eastern Ukraine.

 

[Wozza]

https://twitter.com/rfc__cal/status/1212942823990935553?s=20

[tweet]1212942823990935553[/tweet]

 

[Kalimantan Gull]

The thing to look out for is Russia's reaction.

Given Russia's new relationship with Saudi Arabia, it'll be interesting to see how Russia responds to this incident. If Russia doesn't come out in strong condemnation or support for Iran, then I would expect Iran to do little more than escalate its support for Shi'te rebel groups.

Bit of a shit show, though... I bet John Bolton is licking his lips with the prospect of war with Iran.

I bet John Bolton is... Which makes it all rather weird, Trump forced Bolton out precisely because Bolton was angling for war with Iran and Trump didn't want that. And now this

 

[NooBHA]

Trump & Putin seem to have built up a bit of a relationship (based in part on their successful Brexit campaigns?).

I suspect that Putin was told what was happening prior to the strike with tacit approval. These two men are running the World now, I’m thinking of Orwell’s fake wars in 1984. Nothing keeps you in power more than an ongoing war.

What keeps you in Power are ''short victorious wars'' - However, given that Trump only needs to get past the next US Election that is what he is aiming for. The only issue for him now is though. He has picked a fight with the wrong Nation.

Iran is a sort of law unto itself - In that region they are very powerful and they could strike at other smaller Muslim Nations in that region who support the US and virtually wipe them off the face of the earth. They could also start to fund Terrorism around the world and if they do that then it lands on everyones doorstep around the World.

This being the case it just goes to show the Trump is happy for his reign in the US to be knee deep in the blood of just about anyone. I said in a post months ago that he would start a War when he was due for re-election and so it has proved.

I now feel sorry for the families of the next wave of victims killed in Terrorist Attacks - Yes we will all rally against the terrorists but their blood will be spilled in retaliation. I feel sorry for this World now.

We say the West is Civilised ? - What Trump has done is not civilised. It is Barbaric and Reckless and no one signed up for this when we Elect leaders of Countries in the Western World. You can't run a Country like the US like you run a TV show like ''The Apprentice'' and say ''You're Fired'' and shoot someone dead like he has just done.

 

[Bakero]

Remember, Uncle Sam backed Saddam in the Iraq/Iran war.

While at the same time secretly selling arms to Iran and using the profits to fund death squads in Nicaragua.