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Trump's Declaration of War Conflict with Iran Could Be Inevitable after Killing of General

U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly insisted he does not want war with Iran. Now, with the killing of General Qassem Soleimani, that conflict could be inevitable. It is the price for instinctual foreign policy devoid of experts.

A Commentary by Maximilian Popp

Iranian General Qassem Soleimani was killed in a U.S. drone strike in Baghdad on Thursday night.

IRAQS SECURITY MEDIA CELL HANDOUT/EPA-EFE/REX

Iranian General Qassem Soleimani was killed in a U.S. drone strike in Baghdad on Thursday night.

January 03, 2020 05:03 PM

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He wanted to do everything differently, using deals instead of alliances, pressure instead of strategy. Even among Donald Trump's critics, there were many who long thought it might be a bad way to approach foreign policy. After all, preceding U.S. presidents had all struggled for years to find solutions to the same set of apparently insoluble crises: Afghanistan, Iran, North Korea.

Donald Trump made a complete break with traditional U.S. foreign policy. He got rid of the experts in the State Department and discarded the tools of diplomacy –negotiations, trade-offs and the weighing of interests. The guiding principle was "disruption." Trump claimed that he could solve conflicts purely with his charisma and his imagination. After all, didn't the tech companies in Silicon Valley likewise remodel the world with their innovations?

Now, though, the failure of Trump's approach has become obvious to all. Disruption might be a model appropriate for Google and Facebook, but not for global politics.

On Tuesday, Shiite militiamen attacked the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad, likely at the behest of Iran, and the ambassador had to be evacuated along with embassy staff. On Thursday night, the U.S. responded by killing the commander of the Iranian Quds Force, Qassem Soleimani, in a missile strike in Baghdad. Soleimani was considered to be the second-most powerful man in Iran and his assassination is nothing short of a declaration of war. At almost the exact same time, North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un threatened to carry out new nuclear weapons tests. Two crises that Trump had promised to contain have now become more acute and threatening than they had been for some time.

The Epitome of Trump's Capriciousness

The killing of Soleimani is the epitome of Trump's capriciousness. The ploy of unexpectly changing directions, of making threats and surprise attacks has not managed to extricate the U.S. from the Iraq-Iran-Syria quagmire. Washington has continued to be dragged into conflicts in the Middle East. Ever since the U.S., under Trump's leadership, backed out of the nuclear deal with Iran, Tehran has changed course. It has responded to the Trump administration's strategy of "maximum pressure" with provocations, for example by attacking American facilities in the Middle East. The Iranian regime had hoped the approach might force the Trump administration back to the negotiating table.

https://www.spiegel.de/international/world/killing-of-iran-general-soleimani-akin-to-war-declaration-a-1303566.html

>>7706994

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Jerusalem Post Middle East

U.S. airstrike north of Baghdad, six Shia militia men killed

According to pro-Hezbollah media source Al-Manar, the strikes targeted a convoy of Iraq's Popular Mobilization Forces umbrella grouping of Iran-backed Shia militias.

By JERUSALEM POST STAFF JANUARY 4, 2020 02:28

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Smoke rises after an U.S. airstrike, while the Iraqi army pushes into Topzawa village during the operation against Islamic State militants near Bashiqa, near Mosul, Iraq October 24, 2016. (photo credit: AHMED JADALLAH / REUTERS)

Smoke rises after an U.S. airstrike, while the Iraqi army pushes into Topzawa village during the operation against Islamic State militants near Bashiqa, near Mosul, Iraq October 24, 2016.

(photo credit: AHMED JADALLAH / REUTERS)

US airstrikes targeting an Iraqi militia convoy near camp Taji north of Baghdad were reported by Iraqi state TV on Saturday.

According to pro-Hezbollah Lebanese media site Al-Manar, the strikes targeted a convoy of Iraq's Popular Mobilization Forces an umbrella group of Iran-backed Shia militias.

Six people were killed in the strikes, three were critically wounded, an Iraqi army source said.

Two of the three vehicles making up a militia convoy were found burned, the source said, as well as six burned corpses. The strikes took place at 1:12 am local time.

Iraq's Popular Mobilisation Forces umbrella grouping of paramilitary groups said on Saturday that the air strike hit a convoy of medics, not senior leaders as reported in some media.

Six people were killed in the strikes and three were critically wounded, an Iraqi army source said.

The alleged US airstrikes follow recent US assassination of IRGC Quds Force commander Qasem Soleimani and Iraqi militia commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis. Iran warned the U.N. it reserves the right to defend itself following what it called a "cowardly US bombing."

"This is war," pro-Hezbollah Lebanese daily Al-Akhbar said on Friday following Soleimani's assassination.

This is a developing story.

Reuters contributed to this report.

https://www.jpost.com/Middle-East/US-airstrike-north-of-Baghdad-six-Shia-militia-men-killed-613049

Jerusalem Post Middle East

Iran’s UN Ambassador: US virtually declared war on Iran

Iranian U.N. Ambassador Majid Takht Ravanchi wrote in a letter that the killing of Soleimani "by any measure, is an obvious example of State terrorism."

By REUTERS JANUARY 4, 2020 02:30

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Majid Takht Ravanchi (L) with Mohammad Javad Zarif (R), Iran's Foreign Minister, in 2015 (photo credit: TASNIM NEWS AGENCY/WIKIMEDIA COMMONS)

Majid Takht Ravanchi (L) with Mohammad Javad Zarif (R), Iran's Foreign Minister, in 2015

(photo credit: TASNIM NEWS AGENCY/WIKIMEDIA COMMONS)

Iranian U.N. Ambassador Majid Takht Ravanchi told CNN that the US killing of Qassem Soleimani, the top commander of the elite Quds Force of Iran's Revolutionary Guards, was tantamount to opening a war against Iran.

"The response for a military action," he said, "is a military action."

Iran told the United Nations Security Council and Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Friday that it reserves its right to self-defense under international law after the United States killed Soleimani.

Ravanchi wrote in a letter that the killing of Soleimani "by any measure, is an obvious example of State terrorism and, as a criminal act, constitutes a gross violation of the fundamental principles of international law, including, in particular, those stipulated in the Charter of the United Nations."

In a speech to the American people, US President Donald Trump called Soleimani the “number one terrorist anywhere in the world.”

https://www.jpost.com/Middle-East/Iran-tells-UN-it-reserves-right-to-self-defense-over-Soleimani-killing-613048

'It's pathetic': Interview emerges of Donald Trump predicting Barack Obama would go to war with Iran to get re-elected

video

https://www.standard.co.uk/news/world/donald-trump-barack-obama-iran-a4326111.html

Iraqi Premier condemns US aggression as blatant violation of Iraqi sovereignty

3 January 2020

Baghdad, SANA- Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi strongly condemned the US criminal aggression which led to the assassination of Deputy Chairman of Popular Mobilization Commission Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis and leader of al-Quds Failaq, Iranian Major General Qassem Soleimani, asserting that the US crime is an aggression on Iraq and a flagrant violation of its sovereignty.

In a statement on Friday, Abdul Mahdi said that “we strongly condemn and denounce the US administration assassination of the two martyrs Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis and Qassem Soleimani and other cadres.

He added that the assassination of a high-ranked Iraqi military commander is considered an aggression on Iraq as a state, government and people, asserting that carrying out assassination operations against Iraqi leaderships and other from brotherly country in Iraq is considered as a blatant violation of the Iraqi sovereignty and a dangerous escalation which ignites a destructive war in Iraq, the region and the world.

H. Zain

https://sana.sy/en/?p=181873

Nasrallah: Fair retribution from killers of LT. General Soleimani responsibility of all resistance fighters

3 January 2020

Beirut, SANA- Lebanese Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah stressed that the just retribution of the killers of leader of al-Quds Failaq Lieutenant General Qassem Soleimani is responsibility of all the resistance fighters throughout the world, asserting that the US killers will not achieve any of their goals by their crime.

In a statement on Friday, Nasrallah said that the resistance axis will continue its road and it will achieve all its victories in all fields and fronts, adding that the fair retribution from the killers of Soleimani will be the responsibility of all the resistance fighters and jihadists throughout the world.

He pointed out that the martyrdom of deputy chairman of Iraqi Popular Mobilization Commission Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis will motivate the Iraqi people and the factions of resistance to continue the march to achieve their goals in an independent and prosperous Iraq free from occupation and terrorism.

H. Zain

https://sana.sy/en/?p=181884

In two condolences cables to Khamenei and Rouhani, President Al-Assad: The US criminal act will increase the resistance axis' determination to confront its devastating policies

Created on Friday, 03 January 2020 19:11 | Published Date | Print | Hits: 90

President Bashar al-Assad sent two cables to the leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and Iranian President Hasan Rouhani offering condolences for the martyrdom of several resistance leaders, foremost of whom is major General Qassem Suleimani.

President al-Assad emphasized that the criminal act perpetrated by the US affirms its policy in supporting terrorism, disseminating chaos and instability in the region and the world.

"We have received with great sadness and sorrow the news of the martyrdom of several resistance leaders, for most of whom was major general Qassem Suleimani, the Commander of al-Quds Brigade who spent his life-time in national work in the service of his country, the resistance axis, the just causes of people and fighting terrorism and its supporters," His excellency said, adding that "On behalf of the Syrian people and myself, I offer heartfelt condolences to you and to the Iranian people praying to God Almighty to have mercy on the deceased and inspire his family and yourself with patience and fortitude.

President al-Assad affirmed that the memory of the late Suleimani will remain forever in the conscience of the Syrian people who will not forget his support for the Syrian Arab Army in its battle against terrorism and its supporters, and his lasting imprints in many victories against terrorist organizations.

The President affirmed that this criminal act, which was perpetrated by the US administration, reiterates its continued policy of supporting terrorism, disseminating chaos, instability and imposing the jungle law in service of the Zionist projects and colonialism in the region and the world as a whole.

President al-Assad said, "We are confident that this crime will increase the determination of the Resistance axis to continue standing in the face of the devastating US policy and in the face of all forces of aggression and injustice in the world."

His Excellency added that we don't have a shadow of a doubt that the policy of martyr Suleimani and his colleagues will be further enhanced in the minds of the young men of the resistance who will be more determined to follow in the footsteps of martyr Suleimani and his colleagues to promote the strength of the resistance and its immunity in the face of our enemies, to achieve justice and impose the rule of peoples' will all over the world.

In his cable to president Rouhani, President al-Assad said, "We felt pain and were saddened by the news of the martyrdom of several resistance leaders for most of whom was major general Qassem Suleimani, the Commander of al-Quds Brigade in a cowardly American aggression.

The President added that the martyr's support of the Syrian people and army and his great contributions to the victories realized on the Syrian territories against terrorist organizations will remain in the memory of the Syrian people forever.

His Excellency affirmed that the martyrdom of these leaders who paid their lives for the sake of resistance will constitute a guiding light for all those who follow this path with them, and it will enhance the insistence and determination of the forthcoming generations to put an end to the aggressive policies that violate the rights of peoples and the sovereignty of states which have been adopted by the US in our region.

The President said that the blood of the martyrs would strengthen the resistance axis and increase insistence on liberating our region from occupation, settlement and confiscation of people's rights to their lands and resources.

" On behalf of the Syrian Arab people and my own behalf, I express full solidarity with the Iranian people and heart -felt condolences to the families of the martyrs praying to God Almighty to inspire the Iranian people and you patience and comfort.

K.Q.

http://www.syriatimes.sy/index.php/president-bashar-al-assad/110-activities/45945-in-two-condolences-cables-to-khamenei-and-rouhani-president-al-assad-the-us-criminal-act-will-increase-the-resistance-axis-determination-to-confront-its-devastating-policies