Tensions spike between US, Iran following Soleimani’s assassination
Tensions between the United States and Iran following the U.S.-led airstrike that killed Iranian General Qasem Soleimani on Jan. 3 continue to mount, as new information comes to light and the world waits to see what will happen next.
Gregory Mark, law professor and former associate counsel for the Office of Independent Counsel in the Iran-Contra affair, said the Trump administration justified the strike on the basis of “imminent threats.”
“The administration has also not elaborated, or at least has not elaborated publicly on why eliminating the commander would necessarily make it impossible or less likely for Iran to carry out whatever threats or might be,” Mark said.
A Jan. 2 statement by the Department of Defense stated that “General Soleimani was actively developing plans to attack American diplomats and service members in Iraq and throughout the region. General Soleimani and his Quds Force were responsible for the deaths of hundreds of American and coalition service members and the wounding of thousands more.”
Defense Secretary Mark Esper said he didn’t see specific evidence of these threats, specifically that of plans to attack four U.S. embassies.
Soleimani led the Revolutionary Guards’ Quds Force – an organization that handles Iran’s overseas operations and was designated a terrorist organization by the U.S government in April.
Scott Hibbard, associate political science professor at DePaul University, said Soleimani was a “key player” in helping Iran influence Iraq through his support of various militias following the 2003 invasion of Iraq.
“These militias were part of the insurgency fighting the American occupation,” Hibbard said. “Now the larger part of the insurgency were the Sunni militants, which killed more Americans than Shia did but. But nonetheless, you know, one can argue that Soleimani had American blood on his hands because of his support for these militias. Now it does beg the larger question: how much blood does America have on its hands?”
Karim Pakravan, instructor in DePaul’s Department of Economics, specializes in Middle Eastern geopolitics. Pakravan said relations between the U.S. and Iran have experienced periods of conflict and close cooperation throughout history – most recently over ISIS.
“There was however a degree of cooperation between Iran and the United States over ISIS,” Pakravan said. “And Iran actually actually was instrumental in helping that effort defeating ISIS especially in Iraq and the battle for Mosul.”
Trump quickly took to Twitter in a series of tweets that vowed significant military action against 52 cultural Iranian sites if the nation were to retaliate in any way against America.
Hibbard said at this point it is unclear what any potential retaliation will look like.
“There’s a 40-day period of mourning within the Shia tradition and at the fortieth day there’s a celebration or kind of a commemoration of the death of a person,” Hibbard said. “And so the assumption is that there’s probably not going to be much retaliation, if anything, until after that.”
On Jan. 5, the nation abandoned limitations on their uranium enrichment – a key point in their 2015 nuclear agreement with six nations, including the United States.
Iran launched 22 ballistic missiles at two Iraqi bases housing US soldiers on Jan. 7, only increasing fears of further conflict between the two nations. No American or Iraqi causalities were reported in the bombings.
Mark said the incident increased concern about further escalation between the two nations.
“It caused a number of people who are concerned about Iran and a number of people who want to support the president called this an act of war,” Mark said. “How they particularly distinguish that as an act of war from a drone attack on a general something that I don’t quite understand. But it gave people an out to suggest that Iran was in fact being bellicose military. They are not the ones who want to escalate.”
A Ukrainian plane was shot down over Tehran on Jan. 8. While circumstances surrounding the crash – which killed 176 people – were initially unclear, Iran took responsibility for unintentionally shooting down the aircraft on Saturday.
“Armed Forces’ internal investigation has concluded that regrettably, missiles fired due to human error caused the horrific crash of the Ukrainian plane & death of 176 innocent people,” President Hassan Rouhani said on Twitter.
Pakravan said while Soleimani had large influence in Iran’s affairs, his death did not have as much of an impact on the Quds Force – as they have already named his successor, General Esmail Ghaani.
“General Soleimani was not only the head of the Quds Force but he also had tremendous influence inside Iran,” Pakravan said. “And now the fact that he has been killed is not going to change the basic parameters of Iran’s desire to sort of have regional influence.”
Mark said Soleimani’s death was also significant because of the relationships he maintained with “people in the highest leadership in the Iranian regime.”
“The reason his death is significant because it is twofold,” Mark said. “Not simply because of how sensitive the Iranian leadership might be, but because it without knowing the intelligence that was behind the attack it seems to have come out of the blue for the vast majority of observers.”
Kaveh Ehsani, a DePaul international studies professor, said tensions between Iranians and the government were high, especially following December protests against austerity measures, but have seemed to improve following Soleimani’s death.
“There was widespread anger among the Iranian population toward the regime for its policies and actions,” Ehsani said. “However, popular outrage at the US assassination of Soleimani changed the sentiment and seems to have revived support for a regime whose legitimacy was being questioned.”
Pakravan said the unification is adverse to the intent behind Soleimani’s assassination.
“The point is right now that the killing of this general has unified the various forces in Iran at least and strengthened the hand of the hardliners,” Pakravan said. “Which is actually the opposite of what this policy was supposed to achieve.”
Hibbard said the move also strengthened the relationship between the Iranian and Iraqi governments while simultaneously highlighting shortcomings of the Trump administration.
“We’ve strengthened the Iranian regime and we’ve pushed the Iranian regime and the Iraqi government closer together,” Hibbard said. “All counterproductive. In my mind it highlights the fact that there is no policy process within the Trump administration and President Trump has no strategic vision for the region.”
samir sardana • Jan 16, 2020 at 6:17 am
US assassinates Solomon-I, in Iraq, in a Quasi-Shia State, in the wee hours of the morning.
Y would a Iranian Gen – who is anti-Israel and America, fly from a Commercial/Military Airport in Iraq – when the US embassy was firebombed just a few days ago ? He would have known that all his e-signatures would be tracked by the Americans,second by second,and there would be no dearth of spies at the hangar,ATC,Airport who would ply the Americans with precise coordinates of the General’s flight patterns ?
Surely after the US embassy bombing the Good General would have been told by his team to exit Iraq ? Could a general be so careless or foolish – that he would think that he could exit from a designated airport,after the US embassy escapade – and with another designated terrorist (designed by USA) – with makes it a double prime target – and with no collateral baggage ? In ISIS days – he was fighting with the Americans – and those days are over.
Persian Shia’ism is not a suicide cult – it appears to be one – but it is not.So the general was misled into complacency and entrapped by some , in the Iraqi state, to take that flight – and the US embassy firebombing might also have been a false flag operation as the US troops shot no one – id.est., no firebomber was killed.But the sons of Xerxes and Cyrus cannot be so naive and foolish.The General would not have boarded that plane unless he was secured by the Russians and Tehran.2000 years ago, the Jews inserted a fake verse into the Old Testament and Talmud – to state that Cyrus was the messiah- and showed it to Cyrus – who like a fool, believed it, and rebuilt the Temple !The General had read the Torah,Talmud,Hebrew Bible and the History of the Jews and the Nassara
CNN portrays the killing as a “Trump rash reaction” – but it is not.Ultimately,the USA will go to war with Iran – as the Americans do not trust the Persian Shias – on the N-Bomb,and the Persians do not trust the Jews or the Nassara. Soleimani was just the catalyst to push the Persians into the N- Suspension, and go full N-throttle – which is what the Persians have done – and which is what the Americans wanted.
Iraqi govtt will kick out the US troops and the US troops will not leave – as that is what the Americans (and Kurds,Nassara,Sunnis) really want.To be precise, the Kurds,Suniis do not want the Yankii to leave – but that they be asked to leave – so that their mortal fears of living under Persian Shias is brought to the fore – for a partition of the Iraqi state
What the Americans want is to trifurcate Iraq – which will happen inevitably post Soleimani – and which is what the Persians also seek,although the Persians would like to Shia-ise the whole of Iraq.Persian security interests are preserved by destabilising and burning Iraq to create a “sea of fire” between them and the US/Israel and satellite Hezbollahs all over the Gulf,especially encircling the Saudis (The Soleimani Doctrine).But now,they will be happy with a trifurcation
After trifurcating Itaq the Persians will export their franchise and the brand to all Shia regions in GCC and Africa (where the USA has lesser troops and even lesser interest).Even the EU/PRC will be pleased – and this will look like an amicable solution (already crafted) – after creating a well planned disaster (assassinating Soleimani)
There was no inpending attack by Soleimani – just lies and deception of the American state.There are many heads of Terror Groups in the Gulf who can be killed, with or w/o collateral impact – but they are never taken out – not even by Israel or ISIS (Israel Secret Intel Service).The Americans chose a Persian Shia,when the whole Sunni world hates Persia and the Persia Shian, and killed him in a Quasi Shia State – and so there is no empathy or support for the Persians – even after the assassination – not even from Russia and PRC.
Obviously,the Russians,PRC,EU would have known – and they did not tip off the Persians and the Americans shot off 4 Hell Fire’s – and THERE WAS NO COLLATERAL PRESENCE AT THE AIRPORT AT THAT TIME. A marked man would travel in the presence of ample collateral baggage – like the Hamas and Hezb, do in Gaza – to provoke Collateral damage,and then the Christian empathy,by Amanpour on CNN
The Persians have launched a muffled attack at a site which it knows, hosts no Americans, using missiles which have the capacity to hit US barracks,and knowing that the site hosts Iraqis – where the Iranians had ample intel and time to affix missile coordinates for the terminal descent – and they did not.The Persians used BM with intent,SO THAT THE AMERICANS could track their launch and loading and set up – AND THE AMERICANS did NOT TAKE OUT THE LAUNCHERS AND SILOS – before take off.
Not only that,the American ADS did not intercept the missiles – via BMD or Interceptor aircrafts. They say that they believed that the Persians would NOT hit the US Army barracks ! Is this love or a dream ? Or a Happy ending – Bangkok style ? Not 1 Iraqi killed ! The BM flew over LONG Distances – to give enough time for the Yankii to triangulate the possible targets – and still the Yankii did not shoot it down !What is GOING ON HERE ! We have a Hollywood movie here !
What is the Shia thinking here ? What is to stop the USA to take out more Iranian Generals and leaders outside of Iran and then as the US polls get close,the Mossad and CIA will have the same car/bike bonbs INSIDE IRAN to kill Iranian N-Scientists and leaders and then provoke a Tehrir square ?
The whole story stinks and if it ends with the Persian missile strike – it will stink even more.Odds are there will be more strikes by the Persians and US will make 1 strike (at least) on Persian soil – to further aggravate the Persians into the N-Bomb – and then disaster will come when either side hits civilians by plan or strategy
A few days ago,the Iranian media mentioned the US blowing up of a Iranian Airliner long ago.Coincidentally,a NATO nation – Article 5 nation – had its commercial aircraft blown up in Tehran- with no survivors – at take off time – with all tanks full,Ukraine is a nation that Trump and the USA have sworn to protect.
Just providence of coincidence and incidence.No one is reporting on the passenger list – surely there be would no Shias on the plane.Now it seems that the Persians shot down the plane via ADS at Tehran.They say that they thought it was a Cruise missile (low altitude missile!).More lies .The Cruise missile would cross the land border of Iran and so would be detected 4-500 kilometers away – flying at Mach 4 to 8.A plane at take off stage would be at sub Mach 1 ( a sitting duck).
The Hindoo vermin also shot down their own military chopper using their own ADS in the heat of the Pakistani air strike on Indian soil.The Persians think that the Hindoos are their strategic partners – to stand till death ? What is wrong with the Persians ? There is a stink in the Ukranian story. The Iranians COULD NOT HAVE believed that it was a Cruise – unless some one hacked into their ADS or EW units – or there was no manual override in the ADS.And of course the Iranians are embarrassed to admit it,PERHAPS.The Americans and Israelis and possibly the French,have in the past infected the Iranian nuclear plants with a virus – so they can do anything. Hacking into missile coordinates,Jamming GBR/ABR and Aircraft radars,Tripping Power Grids, Accidental discharge of missiles and Nukes,Meltdowns in Nuke reactors .. it is endless.The Persian way is asymmetric and saturaion by air and land – the persian evolution and innovation.
The place to hit is Goa – Plenty of high rise buildings and a RPG will be enough to take down a plane at take off and landing and it is a military airport – so the plane may crash into a Fuel or Ammo dump.Inshallah ! But the Shias should not bomb the White House (as some Quds General said),lest any harm come to Mekania/Ivanka Trump and Hope Hicks – the Snowwhite Cinderella Brigade !
The Nassara do not understand 1 simple thing.For the Persians and also the Sunnis,the path to salvation and evolution, as per Shia Theology and Philosophy – goes via the Bed of Armageddon – as that is when the Mehdi will return
As an aside, the Hindoos sent a terror-spy to Pakistan, via Iran, on the cover of a port project.The spy was busted in Pakistan.Hindoo History and Persian History shows that whenever, the Persians support the Hindoos or Indians – some disaster occurs.Soleimani supported the Indian Terror-Spy.
The wisdom of the “children of Cyrus,Darius and Xerxes”,encapsulates the “transcendence of Human thought”, the “Deuterosis of the Dindoo”, as under:
A “Persian dictionary”,titled “Lughet-e-Kishwari”,published in Lucknow in 1964,gives the meaning of the word Hindu as “chore [thief], dakoo [dacoit], raahzan [waylayer], and ghulam [slave].
Evidently the Gates of Hell are ajar.In essence,the world is overpopulated.If The Indians and South East Asians (besides Thai women) were to disappear,the Garden of Eden would return.Then there are Arabs,who allow Hindoos in their nation and let them build temples in Arab nations and extol Hindoo Gods – such vermin should also die.dindooohindoo
And then there are Muslims – who will not answer 1 simple question – Was Soleimani a Mujahid and now a Shaheed.Soleimani- the Persian,named after Solomon-the son of David-David the messiah of Israel.
Solomon bore the Curse of Allah on the Jews – as per the Hebrew Bible – id.est the Jews are cursed by Allah,due to the sins of Solomon.
Y did the Russians and Tehran not protect Soleimani ? They allowed him to be killed .
samir sardana • Jan 13, 2020 at 4:36 am
US assassinates Solomon-I, in Iraq, in a Quasi-Shia State, in the wee hours of the morning.
Y would a Iranian Gen – who is anti-Israel and America, fly from a Commercial/Military Airport in Iraq – when the US embassy was firebombed just a few days ago ? He would have known that all his e-signatures would be tracked by the Americans,second by second,and there would be no dearth of spies at the hangar,ATC,Airport who would ply the Americans with precise coordinates of the General’s flight patterns ?
Surely after the US embassy bombing the Good General would have been told by his team to exit Iraq ? Could a general be so careless or foolish – that he would think that he could exit from a designated airport,after the US embassy escapade – and with another designated terrorist (designed by USA) – with makes it a double prime target – and with no collateral baggage ? In ISIS days – he was fighting with the Americans – and those days are over.
Persian Shia’ism is not a suicide cult – it appears to be one – but it is not.So the general was misled into complacency and entrapped by some , in the Iraqi state, to take that flight – and the US embassy firebombing might also have been a false flag operation as the US troops shot no one – id.est., no firebomber was killed.But the sons of Xerxes and Cyrus cannot be so naive and foolish.The General would not have boarded that plane unless he was secured by the Russians and Tehran.2000 years ago, the Jews inserted a fake verse into the Old Testament and Talmud – to state that Cyrus was the messiah- and showed it to Cyrus – who like a fool, believed it, and rebuilt the Temple !The General had read the Torah,Talmud,Hebrew Bible and the History of the Jews and the Nassara
CNN portrays the killing as a “Trump rash reaction” – but it is not.Ultimately,the USA will go to war with Iran – as the Americans do not trust the Persian Shias – on the N-Bomb,and the Persians do not trust the Jews or the Nassara. Soleimani was just the catalyst to push the Persians into the N- Suspension, and go full N-throttle – which is what the Persians have done – and which is what the Americans wanted.
Iraqi govtt will kick out the US troops and the US troops will not leave – as that is what the Americans (and Kurds,Nassara,Sunnis) really want.To be precise, the Kurds,Suniis do not want the Yankii to leave – but that they be asked to leave – so that their mortal fears of living under Persian Shias is brought to the fore – for a partition of the Iraqi state
What the Americans want is to trifurcate Iraq – which will happen inevitably post Soleimani – and which is what the Persians also seek,although the Persians would like to Shia-ise the whole of Iraq.Persian security interests are preserved by destabilising and burning Iraq to create a “sea of fire” between them and the US/Israel and satellite Hezbollahs all over the Gulf,especially encircling the Saudis (The Soleimani Doctrine).But now,they will be happy with a trifurcation
After trifurcating Itaq the Persians will export their franchise and the brand to all Shia regions in GCC and Africa (where the USA has lesser troops and even lesser interest).Even the EU/PRC will be pleased – and this will look like an amicable solution (already crafted) – after creating a well planned disaster (assassinating Soleimani)
There was no inpending attack by Soleimani – just lies and deception of the American state.There are many heads of Terror Groups in the Gulf who can be killed, with or w/o collateral impact – but they are never taken out – not even by Israel or ISIS (Israel Secret Intel Service).The Americans chose a Persian Shia,when the whole Sunni world hates Persia and the Persia Shian, and killed him in a Quasi Shia State – and so there is no empathy or support for the Persians – even after the assassination – not even from Russia and PRC.
Obviously,the Russians,PRC,EU would have known – and they did not tip off the Persians and the Americans shot off 4 Hell Fire’s – and THERE WAS NO COLLATERAL PRESENCE AT THE AIRPORT AT THAT TIME. A marked man would travel in the presence of ample collateral baggage – like the Hamas and Hezb, do in Gaza – to provoke Collateral damage,and then the Christian empathy,by Amanpour on CNN
The Persians have launched a muffled attack at a site which it knows, hosts no Americans, using missiles which have the capacity to hit US barracks,and knowing that the site hosts Iraqis – where the Iranians had ample intel and time to affix missile coordinates for the terminal descent – and they did not.The Persians used BM with intent,SO THAT THE AMERICANS could track their launch and loading and set up – AND THE AMERICANS did NOT TAKE OUT THE LAUNCHERS AND SILOS – before take off.
Not only that,the American ADS did not intercept the missiles – via BMD or Interceptor aircrafts. They say that they believed that the Persians would NOT hit the US Army barracks ! Is this love or a dream ? Or a Happy ending – Bangkok style ? Not 1 Iraqi killed ! The BM flew over LONG Distances – to give enough time for the Yankii to triangulate the possible targets – and still the Yankii did not shoot it down !What is GOING ON HERE ! We have a Hollywood movie here !
What is the Shia thinking here ? What is to stop the USA to take out more Iranian Generals and leaders outside of Iran and then as the US polls get close,the Mossad and CIA will have the same car/bike bonbs INSIDE IRAN to kill Iranian N-Scientists and leaders and then provoke a Tehrir square ?
The whole story stinks and if it ends with the Persian missile strike – it will stink even more.Odds are there will be more strikes by the Persians and US will make 1 strike (at least) on Persian soil – to further aggravate the Persians into the N-Bomb – and then disaster will come when either side hits civilians by plan or strategy
A few days ago,the Iranian media mentioned the US blowing up of a Iranian Airliner long ago.Coincidentally,a NATO nation – Article 5 nation – had its commercial aircraft blown up in Tehran- with no survivors – at take off time – with all tanks full,Ukraine is a nation that Trump and the USA have sworn to protect.
Just providence of coincidence and incidence.No one is reporting on the passenger list – surely there be would no Shias on the plane.Now it seems that the Persians shot down the plane via ADS at Tehran.They say that they thought it was a Cruise missile (low altitude missile!).More lies .The Cruise missile would cross the land border of Iran and so would be detected 4-500 kilometers away – flying at Mach 4 to 8.A plane at take off stage would be at sub Mach 1 ( a sitting duck).
The Hindoo vermin also shot down their own military chopper using their own ADS in the heat of the Pakistani air strike on Indian soil.The Persians think that the Hindoos are their strategic partners – to stand till death ? What is wrong with the Persians ? There is a stink in the Ukranian story. The Iranians COULD NOT HAVE believed that it was a Cruise – unless some one hacked into their ADS or EW units – or there was no manual override in the ADS.And of course the Iranians are embarrassed to admit it,PERHAPS.The Americans and Israelis and possibly the French,have in the past infected the Iranian nuclear plants with a virus – so they can do anything. Hacking into missile coordinates,Jamming GBR/ABR and Aircraft radars,Tripping Power Grids, Accidental discharge of missiles and Nukes,Meltdowns in Nuke reactors .. it is endless.The Persian way is asymmetric and saturaion by air and land – the persian evolution and innovation.
The place to hit is Goa – Plenty of high rise buildings and a RPG will be enough to take down a plane at take off and landing and it is a military
airport – so the plane may crash into a Fuel or Ammo dump.Inshallah !
The Nassara do not understand 1 simple thing.For the Persians and also the Sunnis,the path to salvation and evolution, as per Shia Theology and Philosophy – goes via the Bed of Armageddon – as that is when the Mehdi will return
As an aside, the Hindoos sent a terror-spy to Pakistan, via Iran, on the cover of a port project.The spy was busted in Pakistan.Hindoo History and Persian History shows that whenever, the Persians support the Hindoos or Indians – some disaster occurs.Soleimani supported the Indian Terror-Spy.
The wisdom of the “children of Cyrus,Darius and Xerxes”,encapsulates the “transcendence of Human thought”, the “Deuterosis of the Dindoo”, as under:
A “Persian dictionary”,titled “Lughet-e-Kishwari”,published in Lucknow in 1964,gives the meaning of the word Hindu as “chore [thief], dakoo [dacoit], raahzan [waylayer], and ghulam [slave].
Evidently the Gates of Hell are ajar.In essence,the world is overpopulated.If The Indians and South East Asians (besides Thai women) were to disappear,the Garden of Eden would return.Then there are Arabs,who allow Hindoos in their nation and let them build temples in Arab nations and extol Hindoo Gods – such vermin should also die.dindooohindoo
And then there are Muslims – who will not answer 1 simple question – Was Soleimani a Mujahid and now a Shaheed.Soleimani- the Persian,named after Solomon-the son of David-David the messiah of Israel.
Solomon bore the Curse of Allah on the Jews – as per the Hebrew Bible – id.est the Jews are cursed by Allah,due to the sins of Solomon.
Y did the Russians and Tehran not protect Soleimani ? They allowed him to be killed .