WAR DRUMS BEATING: Trump Vows Retaliation Against Iran for Attack on U.S. Embassy in Iraq
Shane Trejo
|
President Donald Trump is assigning the blame toward Iran for an attack on the U.S. embassy in Iraq, and vows that Iran “will be held fully responsible” for the siege.
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1211981022084128768
The hostilities have grown quickly after the U.S. attacked the forces of Hezbollah, an Iraqi militia with ties to Iran, over the weekend with airstrikes that killed 25 militants. Iraq has been rocked by protests for months, but the attack has seemingly galvanized freedom protesters against U.S. forces.
“This is a victory in retaliation to the American airstrike. This is the initial retaliation, God willing, there will be more,” said Mahmoud, a militant wielding a black flag who is with the Imam Ali Brigades, after he stormed the embassy.
A main door at the embassy has reportedly been smashed, and a reception area has been lit ablaze by enraged protesters. Shiite militiamen are believed to be responsible for the attack. Marchers outside of the compound could be heard yelling chants such as “Down, down USA!” and “Death to America” and “Death to Israel.”
As of right now, there have been no reports of U.S. personnel being harmed in the attacks, and the U.S. Ambassador was outside of Iraq conducting business when the siege took place. Some local staff were evacuated from the facility while others are believed to be safe inside the compound.
The President is expected to retaliate against Iran, and the result could be another endless war in the Middle East.
“As the president said, Iran is orchestrating this attack, and they will be held fully responsible,” Grisham said in an emailed statement. “It will be the president’s choice how and when we respond to their escalation.”
Retired Army Col. Douglas Macgregor said during an appearance on Fox News’ “Tucker Carlson Tonight” that Trump made a huge mistake by conducting the airstrike against Hezbollah.
“What we’ve heard routinely is that we’re coming out. We’re coming out. We’re coming out. Each time the president seems to be subverted and we end up with a few more troops left,” Macgregor said on Monday. “So it seems that your essential suspicion is probably accurate. This looks like an attempt to drag us into something.”
“I don’t think we have any idea what we’re doing there. And I think the president has been skillfully misinformed,” he added. “I think he’s being walked into another ambush much as he was last summer when all of a sudden he was presented with this fait accompli. ‘They’ve shot down a Global Hawk [drone]. We have to attack Iran.’ Now we have attacked these Iranian backed forces.
Trump has called the war in Iraq the worst blunder in U.S. history, and has talked consistently about bringing the troops home from the Middle East.
“From the first day I entered the political arena, I made it clear that I did not want to fight these endless, senseless wars — especially those that don’t benefit the United States,” Trump said in October.
“Fighting between various groups that has been going on for hundreds of years. USA should never have been in Middle East,” Trump said. “The stupid endless wars, for us, are ending!”
But now President Trump may have his own foreign policy blunder on the way, as the drums of war beat furiously with Iran. The military-industrial complex is on the cusp of drawing the U.S. into another endless war.
Share: