OF THE
TIMES
None other than US President Donald Trump has stood up against foreign intervention in Libya, warning his NATO ally Turkey that its planned military deployment there could make the situation in the North African country worse.
During the phone conversation with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Thursday, "President Trump pointed out that foreign interference is complicating the situation in Libya," the White House said in a statement.
No further details were given, but the call took place just after the Turkish legislature voted 325 to 184 to approve sending troops to the North African country, in order to prop up Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj and his Government of National Accord (GNA).
Readout of the call given by Erdogan's cabinet merely said the two leaders had "stressed the importance of diplomacy in resolving regional issues," without making it clear whether Washington endorsed Ankara's decision or opposed it.
Erdogan's bid to back Tripoli against Tobruk resembles his power play in northern Syria in October, in that it is apparently unilateral and neither coordinated nor cleared with its NATO allies. One major distinction is that the Syrian incursion was aimed against the legitimate government in Damascus, as well as the US-backed Kurdish militias.
Trump advising against "foreign interference" is of course ironic on a whole different scale, given the US assertion of a free hand to intervene anywhere, anytime, against anyone - from illegally keeping troops in Iraq and Syria to launching a regime-change operation in Libya itself, back in 2011. At the time, NATO bombers provided cover for militants to overthrow the government of Colonel Muammar Gaddafi and plunge Libya into a chaos from which it has yet to recover.
Many are understandably claiming that this geostrategically pivotal confrontation was precisely what Trump was installed to facilitate all along. The largest donor to any campaign in 2016 was oligarch Sheldon Adelson, who gave $25 million to the Trump campaign, and who in 2013 said that the US should drop a nuclear bomb on Iran. After Trump's election win, Adelson gave another $5 million to his inauguration, the largest single presidential inaugural donation ever made. Newt Gingrich, another of the billionaire's hired politicians, has said that Adelson's "central value" is Israel.
"At the direction of the President, the US military has taken decisive defensive action to protect US personnel abroad by killing Qasem Soleimani," the Pentagon said in a statement.This is truly an Israeli level of mendacity. It is incitement, pure and simple. It will not deter any future attacks - it will inspire them.
"This strike was aimed at deterring future Iranian attack plans. The United States will continue to take all necessary action to protect our people and interests wherever they are around the world."
The Pentagon said that the assassination was a response to "attacks on coalition bases in Iraq," accusing Soleimani of being the mastermind behind a recent spate of missile attacks on joint US and Iraqi military installations. In particular, the Pentagon blamed Soleimani for orchestrating the December 27 rocket strike at a US base in Kirkuk that killed one American contractor as well as "approving" the siege of the US embassy in Baghdad that almost ended up in the compound's takeover by protesters furious over the US strikes that killed 25 members of Kataib Hezbollah, part of Iraq's Popular Mobilization Units (PMU), over the weekend.
The U.S. military confirmed the attack shortly after President Donald Trump tweeted out a U.S. flag in his first Twitter posting in almost 13 hours.Tucker Carlson - an actual American patriot - is maintaining a level head and refusing to join the mindless war-mob in their puffing and gloating over this brazen murder, a rare thing in the United States today. (Unlike, for example, Iran-Contra criminal Oliver North, who is calling the murder "a good thing for every American and every freedom-loving person.")
The Pentagon said Trump had approved the attack in the morning of January 2.
Unconfirmed reports said at least one member of Lebanon's Hizballah movement was also killed in the attack.
"Soleimani served devotedly the cause of defending the national interests of Iran. We express our sincere condolences to the Iranian people."The Russian MoD added:
"The short-sighted steps by the United States that resulted in the killing of Qasem Soleimani lead to a sharp escalation of the military-political situation in the Middle East region and to serious negative consequences for the entire global security system", the ministry said in a statement.Trump has managed to demolish in one fell swoop the myth that 'Iranians are poised to rise up against their regime'. Here's the crowd this morning - in just one small city, Soleimani's hometown - mourning his death:
The ministry said that long before the US-led coalition, Soleimani had organised armed resistance to the Daesh* terrorist group and al-Qaeda in Syria and Iraq.
"His personal merits in fighting against Daesh on Syrian territory are unquestionable", it said.
EXCEPTIONALIST COWARDS DETONATE THE RAGING TWENTIES WITH - WHAT ELSE - SUPREME COWARDICETrump has followed up his flaccid US flag tweet with another one of those cryptic 'maybe it's 4D chess, who knows?!' tweets:
We knew it was coming. There were rumbles in Israeli media. There were threats by the Pentagon. We discussed it in detail in Umbria last week. I received worried messages from Iran. We were discussing it last night till late, here in Sicily. They are SOOOO predictable. It does not matter whether Trump ordered it or the Deep State ordered him to order it, or the usual suspects ordered them all. They want war on Iran - and there cannot be a more hardcore provocation than this. Khamenei knows it and already said there WILL be blowback - and it will be nasty.
I met Mohandes in Baghdad two years ago - as well as many Hashd al-Shaabi members. The Deep State is absolutely terrified they are on the way to becoming a new Hezbollah, as powerful as Hezbollah. And Soleimani of course humiliated the whole of the Deep State over and over again - and could eat all of them for breakfast and lunch and dinner as a military strategist. Tehran has to be extremely clever in their response. Blowback by a thousand cuts is the way to go. Hit the Exceptional Cowards where it really hurts.
This is the way the Raging Twenties begin: not with a bang, but a cowardly whimper.
Iran's First Vice President Es'haq Jahangiri has warned that the US will end up being "the main losers in this dangerous game in the region," saying that those following the path paved by Soleimani will "push away the fire of war, terrorism and division from the region. The name of Soleimani struck fear in the hearts of the enemies of the independence and freedom of Muslim nations," Jahangiri said, adding that Soleimani was an inspiration and cause for hope among the "truth-seekers" and "downtrodden" of the world.Another is that Iran is going through formal channels to denounce the US, telling Swiss diplomatic staff, who represent US interests in Iran, that they condemn the attack as 'state terrorism'. Whether it's that or an 'act of war', it's certainly barbarian, and highly risky. Why would others, going forwards, feel compelled to not attack senior US leaders anywhere they touch down in the world?
"We're not like the Americans. We don't abandon our friends."Quotes about Soleimani, made by senior Iraqi officials:
"He is so short, but he has this presence. There will be ten people in a room, and when Soleimani walks in he doesn't come and sit with you. He sits over there on the other side of room, by himself, in a very quiet way. Doesn't speak, doesn't comment, just sits and listens. And so of course everyone is thinking only about him."
"All of the important people in Iraq go to see him. People are mesmerised by him - they see him like an angel."UPDATE 19:00 CET
"Soleimani's martyrdom will make Iran more decisive to resist America's expansionism and to defend our Islamic values. With no doubt, Iran and other freedom-seeking countries in the region will take revenge," Rouhani said in a statement, adding that the killing will only strengthen Iran's resolve in resisting the US.Unlike their cheerleading of Trump's Syria airstrikes, Democrats are actually criticizing Trump for his latest bit of war-mongering. Biden called the strikes "hugely escalatory" and likely to cause future Iranian attacks. Pelosi, Sanders, Warren, Schiff too. Republican war whores like Rubio and Graham are praising the assassination.
"Undoubtedly, such a villainous and cowardly measure is another sign of the US' frustration and incapability in the region and signifies the regional nations' aversion to this aggressive regime," the president noted.
In the Name of God, the Most Graceful and the Most Merciful,For the rest of SOTT's coverage of the assassination, see the following (starting with the latest):
Dear Iranian Nation,
The great and honorable commander of Islam became heavenly. Last night, the pure spirits of martyrs collectively embraced the purified the soul of Qasem Suleimani. Years of sincere and brave struggles and fights in battlefields with the evil and nefarious forces of the world, and years of yearning to be killed in the path of God finally elevated beloved Suleimani to this prominent status: His purified blood was spilt in the hands of the most wretched and the most pathetic among humanity.
I congratulate this magnificent martyrdom to "The Everlasting Proof of God" [Imam Mahdi (pbuh)] and to the pure soul of the martyr himself. And to the nation of Iran, I offer my condolences.
He was an excellent example of those educated in Islam and Imam Khomeini's school of thought. He spent his entire life fighting in the cause of God.
Martyrdom was his reward for all these years of struggle. With his departure, with God's Will and Help, his path will neither be stopped nor closed. However, a severe retaliation awaits the criminals who painted their corrupt hands with his and his martyred companions' blood last night.
Martyr Suleimani is an international face to the Resistance and all lovers of the Resistance share a demand in retaliation for his blood. All friends - as well as all enemies - must know the path of Fighting and Resistance will continue with double the will and the final victory is decidedly waiting for those who fight in this path. The loss of our selfless and beloved commander is bitter but the continuation of the fight and the achievement of the final victory will leave a more bitter taste for the culprits and the criminals.
Iranian nation will commemorate the name and memory of the high status martyr, Commander Lieutenant General Qasem Suleimani and his martyred companions, especially the great warrior of Islam, His Excellency Abu Mahdi Al-Muhandis. I announce 3 days of mourning in the country and to the beloved wife, children, and family.
I offer my congratulations and condolences.
Seyyed Ali Khamenei
13 Dey, 1398
"There are some indications out there that they may be planning additional attacks. If we get word of attacks, we will take preemptive action as well to protect American forces, protect American lives. The game has changed."With the deployment of Marines from Kuwait to the embassy and an Army battalion from Fort Bragg, N.C., to Kuwait, the Pentagon has enough forces in and around Iraq to fend off further assaults on the embassy or outposts where U.S. troops are training the Iraqi military.
Iran's Revolutionary Guards are not leading the country into a war with the US, but will not hesitate to wage one if forced to, the commander of the elite force said amid a row over US embassy in Baghdad.'A grave mistake' says the Israeli FM (any excuse leads to Iran).
The US blames Tehran for orchestrating mass protests at the US embassy in the Iraqi capital, which involved a partial takeover of the massive compound. The protest was led by Kataib Hezbollah, an Iran-backed militia group, in response to US airstrikes on its forces. Speaking on Thursday, Brigadier General Hossein Salami said the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) was not moving towards an open war with the US, but would not shy away from one.
"We are not leading the country to war, but we are not afraid of any war and we tell America to speak correctly with the Iranian nation. We have the power to break them several times over and are not worried."
Kataib Hezbollah ordered its supporters to pull back from Baghdad's Green Zone on Wednesday, claiming a 'psychological victory' over Washington. The angry crowds, which acted under the Iraqi government's non-involvement stance, didn't break into the main embassy buildings during the two-day standoff.
The US response to the security crisis was to deploy additional troops to Iraq.
Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz on Wednesday denounced what he described as an "attack" on the US Embassy in Baghdad by Iraqi protesters, and accused Tehran of supporting the protests.
Katz tweeted that his country supports the United States and urged the international community to stand against "the crimes of the murderous regime in Tehran".
Tweet Israel Katz:
"Israel supports the United States and strongly defends the attacks on the United States Embassy in Iraq by the envoys of the Ayatollah regime in Iran. Iran has made a grave mistake in attempting to strike US diplomats in Iraq. We call on the international community to stand firmly against the crimes of the murderous regime in Tehran".
Comment: The incredible thing about the American Empire is how successful it has been despite being so wrong about so much for so long.
How is that possible?
Under normal circumstances, if a business or family were to make decisions based on information that is directly orthogonal to truth, they'd fail.
Yet when the giant behemoth known as the US govt does this, systematically, it somehow eventually wins... even when it loses on that specific issue!
The only idea we can suggest is that the US, in its advanced state of entropy (at the level of beliefs/information), is somehow 'willed' or 'directed' by a foreign entity - and not necessarily one of this world - and that this 'alignment with some higher power' somehow staves off the manifestation of its entropy at the level of material things...
Now, for many Americans, that's a no-brainer. They would say, "Of course! God/Providence is on our side!" But that can't be the case because God without Truth is not 'the one true God'...
See also: Merry Christmas in Syria: Liberated from terror by Russia, oldest Christian country celebrates birth of Jesus