Iran - a new revolution

[Baron von Lotsov]

Informed Comment from Melanie Phillips? That'll be the day.

Guardian

New Statesman

The Times

The Jerusalem Post

The Jewish Chronicle

BBC Radio 4

BBC One

The Observer

The Spectator

The Daily Mail



Seems like they are all one paper eh? She's another one of these immigrants, like our prime minister, but Poland rather than Turkey.

[Barry]

Missiles and explosions in Baghdad.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-50995792">//https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-50995792



Earlier today - USA hit an Iranian convoy:

A fresh US air strike early Saturday that targeted the convoy of the leader of the Imam Ali Brigades, Shibl al-Zaidi, near Camp Taji, north of Baghdad.

[cromwell]

Just been watching the itv news and they are making much of this US action and give the reaction from techrarn why do they do that ?when they do a report say on Macron they don't say now over to our correspondent in paree.....they say Paris or if it's Poland now a report from Varrschava.....no they say Warsaw, the motives......draw your own conclusions.

[papasmurf]

The American embassy in Baghdad was under attack by Iranians

Evidence please.

[Barry]

I have to say the opposite in regard to instability. The assassination of a national hero is only likely to unify rather than divide. in about the same way that the IRA assassination of Lord Mountbatten rallied British Public opinion back in the 70's.

From that, I take it you think the Iranian people hero worshipped this military strategist? Perhaps some of those inside Iran did admire him, however the Iranian diaspora seem to have other things to say, using words like, "terrorist", which I alluded to in a previous post. I do realise that one could say that America may proscribe organisations in order to justify assassinating their leaders, as per Bin Laden, Al Baghdadi, and now him.



It does show that although Trump is generally non interventionist, he will not stand by and see his troops in Iraq killed by a foreign power. He has struck back very hard and this is decisive. What was Soleimani (or however you spell it) doing in Baghdad? He hadn't gone there for a family holiday. The American embassy in Baghdad was under attack by Iranians for the last few days. At least Trump did not do a Hillary Clinton and let the country's personnel be killed without any comeback.

[Sampanviking]

There will be uproar amongst the ayatollahs today as the Republican Guard chief Gen. Qassem Soleimani, 62 was taken out in a USA air strike at Baghdad International airport.

This is likely to cause more instability in Iran which could be exploited by the protesters wishing to take control from the religious dictators.



It is also likely to cause a real USA/Iran war. All US citizens have been told to leave Iraq.

I have to say the opposite in regard to instability. The assassination of a national hero is only likely to unify rather than divide. in about the same way that the IRA assassination of Lord Mountbatten rallied British Public opinion back in the 70's.



The hubris employed over the subject of Iran is rather nauseating. The US has rather reaped what it has sown in respect of that country and has no-one really to blame for the outcome other than itself.



The other takeaway form this -- The US has not drone struck any General from North Korea or Pakistan - could there possibly be a common denominator as to why?

[Hyperduck Quack Quack]

This similarity with Khoshoggi is the state involvement in the killing of an opponent.  I could have used the Salisbury Novichok poisoning by Russia as another example.  The only difference is that this US attack is on the citizen of another country, whereas the others were against citizens of the same country as the perpetrator but took place in another country.



I'm not sticking up for Iran over this, it has a horrible regime that violates human rights on a daily basis.  But this attack by the USA seems 'unwise' to use the most diplomatic language possible.  It risks world peace and leaves unanswered the real reason as to why it happened now, if at all.



In the Middle East, destroying one enemy usually creates another one.

[cromwell]

Assassinating military top-brass of a sovereign nation with which you are not officially at war, even if it's Iran, doesn't seem like a good idea. What is the killing of Qasem Soliemani likely to achieve?  



1) A war in the Mlddle-East involving the USA, conveniently (or otherwise) coinciding with US presidential elections.



2) A huge protest movement in the USA, leading to a clampdown on civil liberties there.



Bumping off terrorist leaders like Osama Bin Laden or Abu Bakr Al Baghdadi is one thing (and good riddance to them) but this incident is more akin to the recent murder of Jamal Khashoggi.



It will be interesting, if disturbing, to see what the reactions of Israel and Russia are to this.

Hang on there Quackers this is nothing like the murder Khashoggi though I am no great fan of Trump it's bloody rich of political people in the US to criticise this compared to some of the stuff others have done.



Anyway with the world becoming increasingly less reliant on oil the Middle East will perhaps become less relevant.

[Barry]

The thing is HQQ, Irans Republican Guard was a proscribed terrorist organisation.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/apr/08/trump-designates-irans-revolutionary-guards-as-foreign-terrorist-organization">//https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/apr/08/trump-designates-irans-revolutionary-guards-as-foreign-terrorist-organization

Killing the leader of it was retaliation for the USA deaths in Iraq where Iran already have a foothold.

Israel will be rejoicing over his death. He is their number one enemy. However another head will pop up and Israel will no doubt suffer rocket attacks from outside their borders today.



Qassem Suleimani was an evil organiser of attacks against the West. He was the head of Iran's state sponsored terrorism.

[Hyperduck Quack Quack]

Assassinating military top-brass of a sovereign nation with which you are not officially at war, even if it's Iran, doesn't seem like a good idea. What is the killing of Qasem Soliemani likely to achieve?  



1) A war in the Mlddle-East involving the USA, conveniently (or otherwise) coinciding with US presidential elections.



2) A huge protest movement in the USA, leading to a clampdown on civil liberties there.



Bumping off terrorist leaders like Osama Bin Laden or Abu Bakr Al Baghdadi is one thing (and good riddance to them) but this incident is more akin to the recent murder of Jamal Khashoggi.



It will be interesting, if disturbing, to see what the reactions of Israel and Russia are to this.

[T00ts]

I remember well the overthrow of the Shah. My flat mate while at college, was indirectly working for him in the arts and suddenly disappeared. She was tortured and her career ended through the damage done to her and for a while we couldn't find her. I lost touch completely when she escape to France but would not communicate with us through the fear of being found. I believe she is now safely in the USA and all these years later is happy.

Her crime? To dance for the Shah.

I would be very happy to see the Ayatollah out of power.

[Barry]

There will be uproar amongst the ayatollahs today as the Republican Guard chief Gen. Qassem Soleimani, 62 was taken out in a USA air strike at Baghdad International airport.

This is likely to cause more instability in Iran which could be exploited by the protesters wishing to take control from the religious dictators.



It is also likely to cause a real USA/Iran war. All US citizens have been told to leave Iraq.

[Barry]

Informed Comment from Melanie Phillips? That'll be the day.

Nothing to say on the issue, then. That's the problem, the world likes to ignore Iranian aggression and the suppression of homosexuals, women, and human rights. That's how they continue to get away with their crimes in the name of religious fervour.

[papasmurf]

Informed Comment from Melanie Phillips? That'll be the day.

[Barry]

Here's some informed comment from Melanie Phillips who suggests we need to stop appeasing Iran.

https://www.melaniephillips.com/against-odds-heroic-iranians-resistance/">//https://www.melaniephillips.com/against-odds-heroic-iranians-resistance/