Iraqi Lawmakers Vote to Expel U.S. Troops as Iran Mourns a Slain General

Jan. 5, 2020 10:43 a.m. ET
BAGHDAD — Lawmakers in Iraq voted on Sunday to urge the government to expel United States troops from the country after the United States ordered the killing of the Iranian leader of the elite Quds Force, Maj. Gen. Qassim Suleimani, on Iraqi soil.

The decision came as hundreds of thousands of mourners poured into the streets of Iran to pay their respects to General Suleimani, the most powerful figure in the country after the supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

The vote is not final until Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi of Iraq signs the draft bill. But since he drafted the language and submitted the bill to Parliament, there was little doubt he would sign it. Mr. Abdul Mahdi had urged lawmakers to oust the United States-led coalition after President Trump ordered a fatal drone strike against General Suleimani in the Baghdad airport...........

..............American troops are in Iraq “at the invitation” of the Iraqi government, according to the legal agreement between Baghdad and Washington. Presumably, if Baghdad withdrew that invitation, the United States would have to withdraw.

Link

Screw the ungrateful azzoles. We should have left the place a smoking ruin years ago!
Jerry

Way back before we invaded Iraq, Pat Buchanan predicted we would be creating a greater Iran in Iraq.

Seems like it happened.

Maybe that is what Trump really wanted?

welp, then bye and rotsa ruck with that. oh, and btw, misbehave and we'll be back.

How do you figure? The Iranian economy is struggling, most of the country hates their government. I’m sure the Iraqi military isn’t nearly the size it used to be.

I think the Iraqis are plain stupid, look for Iran to manufacture a reason to cross the border.

I almost fell out of my chair when I read this one. Great humor.

"welp, then bye and rotsa ruck with that. oh, and btw, misbehave and we'll be back. "

Surprised??

Sunni V. Shia to the end of days.

Sounds like a winner. Time to pack up and leave, bring the embassy staff with the military.

As usual, Pat was right.

Not I...

Long story at the link but it ends with this...

"Iraqi troops on bases that also house United States troops have been warned that they should stay at least 3,000 feet from American counterparts starting on Sunday evening, and not allow themselves to be used as human shields."

Good news,


Dumbazz W should have never invaded and killed Iran's biggest enemy.

Good. Bring them home.

Said at the time and still believe it - we never should have put our troops into Iraq (or anywhere over there) in the first place - There were better and lest costly (in terms of our troops blood and US dollars) ways to deal with the overall terrorist situation.

I believe this to be a blessing and quite possibly (maybe probably?) - what Trump and advisors wanted. That entire area is a mess and potential threat to those who love freedom, and is likely never to become anything better. God knows what He is doing, but that oil underground gave them so much of a means to power and threat. 65 years ago some astute Bible scholars/teachers were citing Persia/Iran as the place from which eventual BIG trouble would emanate.

The next steps are going to be very interesting. We need to act very wisely and work from the position of high values and strength.

Hellsfire.....hasn't anyone figured out that all we need to do to defeat all the Muslim bastards is bomb Japan and stop shipment of their Toy trucks to the country?

SHEEESH!!

It wont work, Toyota trucks run forever.
All they have to do is replace the bed mounted Machine Gun every few years.

As I understand it the Sunnis were always outnumbered in Iraq by a a Shiite majority.

I sincerely hope we pull out completely and then funnel arms and money into the Sunni factions and turn that chithole into a bloodbath again. Suck Iran into a bottomless pit for money and young Iranians. Continue to assassinate anyone who becomes a threat to the US or begins to consolidate power. Use Iraq to keep the Iranians busy and not expanding their operations elsewhere.

What ever Russia wishes, Trump grants! Just takes Putin snapping his fingers.

Phil

Maybe all the way to New Kurdistan?

No, all the way home. Let the muzzies eat their own. If they feel compelled to screw with us in the future send them some nuclear technology. Airmail.

This - do it well - maybe re-think the nuclear aspect a bit.

Amazing that it would take that to get our troops home. It’s insane to stay there

You're correct, my bad. Let's nuke'm now and get it over with.

The Iraq Parliament knows that the American government isn't going to leave Iraq. It's a symbolic gesture.

More than anything, it will put to rest the lie that the American government has installed a functioning Democracy in Iraq and that American troops are only there to make sure to protect Democracy in Iraq.

Of course, it's also to demonstrate unity with Iran.

And yet Putin develops new missile technology.

Whom do you suppose he views as the potential adversary?

Thousands of Iraq people protesting because an Iranian general was killed. Hmmmm. Kinda makes you wonder who’s side the Iraq people are on. Ed k

The Iraqi government is mostly Shiite now, we put them in charge after ousting the Sunnis. They’re essentially Iranian puppets now. Iran doesn’t need to invade, the door is already open.

When a bully or a gang leader gets a serious smackdown, his subordinates usually crawl back under the rocks they came from. When Tehran is a smoking hole in the ground from a dozen MOAB's or so, I'll bet Iran's rhetoric softens a little, or a lot!
Jerry

From wiki, demographics in iran...

According to the CIA World Factbook, around 90–95%[4] of Iranians associate themselves with the Shia branch of Islam, the official state religion, and about 5–10% with the Sunni and Sufi branches of Islam. The remaining 0.6% associate themselves with non-Islamic religious minorities, including Bahá'ís, Mandeans, Yarsanis, Zoroastrians, Jews, and Christians.[5] The latter three minority religions are officially recognized and protected, and have reserved seats in the Iran parliament.[6] Zoroastrianism was once the majority religion, though today Zoroastrians number only in the tens of thousands.[7] Iran is home to the second largest Jewish community in the Muslim world and the Middle East.[8] The two largest non-Muslim religious minorities in Iran are the Bahá'í Faith and Christianity.[9] The Bahá'í Faith, historically the largest religious minority in Iran,[10] is not officially recognized, and has been persecuted during its existence in Iran.[11][12][13][14]

The Iranian government does not officially recognise the existence of non-religious Iranians. This leaves the true representation of the religious split in Iran unknown as all non-religious, spiritual, atheist, agnostic and converts away from Islam are likely to be included within the government statistic of the 99% Muslim majority.[15] Sunnism was the predominant form of Islam before the devastating Mongol conquest, but subsequently Shi'ism became eventually utterly dominant in all of Iran and modern-day Azerbaijan (though highly secular) with the advent of the Safavids.[16]

In a May 2019 study, the Pew Research Center found out that 87% of Iranians pray on a daily basis, which was the second-highest percentage in Asia-Pacific, after Afghanistan (96%) and ahead of Indonesia (84%).[17]

So with that glib remark, please tell us how increasing NATO spending while upping energy production domestically and abroad (see Saudis increase oil production starting June 2017) to suppress crude prices (Putins ONLY cash export) helps Putin?

It doesn't, Lefty.

How does US opposition to the Baltic NG pipeline to Germany while container shipping NG to Europe help Putin?

Low crude prices hurt Russia's economy, hurts Iran's economy, and hurt ISIS while they were in business.

Don't worry about the facts of world economics that are above your pay grade, you and the Trump haters continue your delusions.

This.
Sad, true...

Yes, Saddam was a sunni as was the majority of his government.
Yet Iraq is 70% shia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shia_Islam_in_Iraq
Iran's state religion is the shia/twelvers
I would bet that most of the current Iraqi government is shia and they may be willing to let Iran take over Iraq only because of religion

Several Iraqi military leaders were also killed.

FROM WIKI...

A report published by the European Parliamentary Research Service suggests that in 2015 there was 20 million Arabs (15 million Shia and 9 million Sunni); 8 million Sunni Kurds (plus 500,000 Shia Feylis and 200,000 Kaka'i); 0.5 million Iraqi Turkmen/Turkoman; 1 million Black Iraqis; 500,000 Christians[47] (including Chaldeans, Syriacs, Assyrians, Armenians and Arab Christians); 500,000 Yazidis; 250,000 Shabaks; 50,000 Roma; 3,000 Sabean-Mandaeans; 2,000 Circassians; 1,000 Baha’i; and a few dozen Jews.[48]

Wonder who's paying them to protest?

We should have carpet bombed GENERAL Salami's funeral procession. That would have sent a very strong message.

Same people and same BS when Bin laden died.

Yeah, the Iraqi people sure aren't showing proper gratitude for us starving millions of them, then conquering them, then occupying them. What ungrateful people.

I just hope we are not stupid enough to keep funneling aid to that schitthole once we leave. They are all too happy to throw us out of there, but continue to accept aid funds from us. Bye....

As long as there's an America, (as we know it) it will have troops in Iraq.

Yeah, you're right. Life was better under Saddam. They LOVED Qusay's woodchipper. Baathists were benevolent leaders, right? Abu Ghraib was a Disenyland.

Wait, how did they react when Saddam fell???

Jeff, that stupid sucker only parrots what CNN said. It's all he can do to keep up with them and MSNBC.

What the statue toppling looked like when the cameras backed away,...a small crowd.

You're too stupid to learn you get your ass kicked with truth every time you come here with your fake news gleaned BS.
Trump has doubled the sanctions against Putin from what gutless Zero had.

https://theamericanreport.org/category/home/gulftainer/

OK, did the media stage celebrations after Saddam was executed too? He was one hell of a nice guy, you know.

Without a doubt.

alluh akbar baby

The vote by Iraqi Parliment is meaningless. They are like our democrats, they make alot of threats but are just toothless mouthpieces for Iran.

They're voting in order to demonstrate exactly that.

Oh, of course! The media is run by the Joos, so the Joos ginned it all up in order to enrich the Military Industrial Complex and the Rothchilds and the urging of the Neocons marching us toward a One World Government!

Did I miss anything?????

(Jag, send the bottle back. I need a strong drink after this one)

Yeah, I wonder if Russia could use access to American Uranium reserves.

Ooops, somebody already sold those to them. Was that Trump?

Fixed it for you!

Iran is all pissed off at us for killing their POS General. Iraq is all pissed off at us cause...well...they are Iraq. Muzzies from Somalia just staged a terror attack on an American installment in Kenya....

I think this whole thing is about to unravel....

I refuse to worship their God, so I guess lets dance.

That's sorta the point---the Iraqis and Iranians used to hate each other and spent their spare time killing each other instead of bothering others. Now, they are unified against us and all the billions of dollars and thousands of American lives were wasted in vain. Yeah, Saddam was an a-hole, but he shouldn't have been our problem.

A FOXboomer classic.

Bristoe on the other hand; would love to run around in a burka hollering alluh akbar and squatting on a rug.

It's has little to do with WHICH GOD, as a matter of fact muslims worship the GOD of Abraham and Isaac, Christians and Jews the GOD of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob........ with the difference being that only Christians recognize JESUS as being GOD also.........

PS: they all should wake up, say Thursday morning, and wonder............. where have all the Stars and Bars gone............. all of them!

Let France and Germany handle the next one!

Tell it to a muslim, and hold on to your head Very tolerant of all religions them muzzy's.

It'll be interesting to see how it turns out.
Gas at the pump will probably go up a buck.

I would hate to pay the bill for your hallucinogens...

Looks like a good time to get out.

I must have missed something. Jesus (Yeshua) was always praying to God and referring to Him as a different entity. I consider myself a follower of Jesus which I assume would designate me as Christian. I like to base Jesus' teachings on what he said not what others interpret them to mean. Especially Paul's letters. He sounds crazy.

Level the embassy and the oil fields on the way out.....

Trump busy with threats; futures lower, oil higher

Jan. 5, 2020 7:58 PM ET|
By: Stephen Alpher, SA News Editor

Speaking to reporters on Air Force One, the president threatens major retaliation against Iran if they "do anything."

As for Iraq - which has requested that U.S. troops leave its soil - Trump threatens heavy sanctions. "It'll make Iranian sanctions look somewhat tame."

S&P 500 futures are down 0.4%, and WTI oil is ahead 1.3%.

They want us to leave? Well GOODBYE. Leave them to the tender mercies of the Iranians, the Russians, Saudis, Syrians. We have one friend over there and they aren't Arab or Persian or Kurd. What possible interest of ours is served over there? Compared to the downside I say we don't need 'em. Let Europe and China sort out how to keep their oil flowing and the Mid-east peaceful. Really, what are we trying to get done over there?

Settle down. That was to appease one of their internal factions.

Looks like we're out......

Don't call us back, please......

Call Germany or France...........

get the hell out of that [bleep] hole for good !and no nothing of anything except bombs and pig blood !

Stand by for DEM apoplexy...

more winning...........

I can't take anymore....

What friend do we have over there?

Anyone wanna bet they ask us back????

would not want to be any of these, and I'm missing several I'm sure


Iraelis, kurds, Saudis, Kuwaitis, Jordanians

the civil war will decide, but Iran will most likely be nuclear soion

https://www.ecfr.eu/mena/battle_lines/

Get out
Let them deal with whatever comes
This crap has been going on since that POS Carter deposed the Shah.

What the heel do we care??

Wow even a Chevy could tow what was left.

All this talk about troop pullout is just to keep Trump base happy. Nothing will change. All this means is American troops are now officially an occupying force which they were from the beginning in the first place. Nothing to worry about.

I sort of thought Israel is amicable to us and doesn't ask us for troops to occupy their country. If we help them out with the guns they keep their country free and up and running.

Holy Crap!

Shall I point out we still have bases in Germany and Japan? It's been what, 75 years since the end of WW II. Are we still an occupying force there? We actually have military bases in over 70 countries. Are we officially "occupying" all 70+?

How many military bases do Japan, Italy, and Germany have in the United States?

Yes, I agree that Israel is our only true friend over there.

Shall I remind you that we training and joint exercises HERE with Germany and Italy? So, they do bring their military and their equipment to our bases. Are they invading? We provide security for Japan. So having bases around does not automatically make us "occupiers", chief.

The Iraqi "govt" has become infested with pro-Iran rats. No surprise here.

What would our government's response be if Japan just started constructing and manning a military base in Kansas?

Japan has bases in Indiana, Tennessee, Alabama, and Mississippi. They are camoflagued under the names "Nissan, Acura, Toyota, Infinity". The Yen can be just as mighty as the samurai.

Look,

There was a war. Japan lost. We are no longer "occupiers".
There was a war. Saddam lost. They have a government. We are no longer "occupiers".

Had Japan taken out the Obama Admin, they would have deserved a base in Kansas. IMHO.

Go ahead and play these cute semantic games.

Reminds me of when somebody told Stalin the Vatican would object to his expansionism, to which he replied"
How many divisions does the Vatican have" Bottom line, RIDICULOUS analogy and if it's in our interests to stay, then we stay. Now if a discussion ensues about defining what the national interests are or should be, then fine. In reality the Iranians have no vote.

Wait, did I read that right? You say - "All this talk about troop pullout is just to keep Trump base happy?" Does this mean the Democrats WANT our forces there? I mean, if this is purely to keep the Trump base happy. BTW, Were all those anti-war anti GWB Code Pink protestors all GOP hardcores who are now Trump people? Does that mean Pelosi is suddenly all for having our troops there? Thought they hated this sort of thing:


Not long ago they wanted to defund this sort of thing.

That seems to be the reality.



We have national interests. Only the useful idiots think this is ideological.

Look, this is pretty simple.

We are keeping troops in Iraq to keep an eye on Iran.

So Iran retaliates for losing their raghead general, and we kick the everylovin' schitt outta Iran.

No need for troops in Iraq to keep an eye on Iran any more, because Iran consists of nothing but rubble.

We bring troops home from Iraq. And they don't go back.

The End.

I'm only making the point that we are, in point of fact, occupiers. Military bases never leaving is the proof. You can argue whether it's good or bad that we are occupiers, but it's very hard to credibly argue, in light of the bases never leaving, that we are not in fact that.

So,...you think people who voted for Trump wanted to extend the wars in the Middle East?,....besides you, of course.

As far as I can tell, there is only one active conflict, Afghanistan and that's being drawn down.

At last count, there was 14,000 troops in the Middle East. More are on the way.

There's always going to be a faction of Americans that truly enjoy watching the American government demonstrating its military strength. It's the best reality TV show they've ever seen. But there's a lot of people on the right in America who have had a belly full of the nonsense.

It was all based on lies when it started and lies are keeping it going.

We've had 40K in Korea since the 50s and lots more in Europe since 45. Didn't see any wars there. It might be because having a presence deters wars from breaking out..

It's not the 50's any longer.

World Police Force at US Tax Payer expense.

Preventing wars is a lot cheaper than fighting them, TRH. And not just cheaper in dollars.

That was good, really good. Thanks

Would there be less of a Tax Payer expense if these troops were stationed elsewhere, or are you saying we should bring all of our troops home, then lay them off, thus saving dollars?

WTF answer is that? Our interests remain. Sure they change but the last thing we need is the vacuum we would create by leaving, only to be filled by the Iranians, Chinese or even the Russians. I'm amazed at your simplistic view of the world.

Another equally idiotic response. WGAF about policing unless it's in our interests, which it is, but you seem to consistently fail to grasp that.

You wankers settle down please, the Group W Bench is getting rambunctious.