War Iran-United States Military Crisis of 2020 - US Baghdad embassy under siege, rocket fire in US Baghdad green zone, Ukrainian Airlines flight 752 crash, and more!

January 10th:
Exclusive: Informants in Iraq, Syria helped U.S. kill Iran's Soleimani - sources (archive)(post)
Iraqi Shia cleric whose militia killed American troops says crisis is over following Iran strike and Trump speech (archive)(post)
Iraqi PM tells US to decide mechanism for troop withdrawal (archive)(post)
Mike Pence says Congress might 'compromise sources and methods' if fully briefed on the Soleimani strike (archive)(post)
Unidentified planes hit Iraqi militiamen in Syria, killing 8 (archive)(post)
Iraq: The Master Of Mayhem Meets A Missile (archive)(post)
Eliminating Qasem Soleimani was Donald Trump’s Middle East farewell letter (archive)(post)
Iran uses BULLDOZERS to clear debris from plane crash site while accusing US of ‘big lie’ that they shot it down (archive)(post)
Swiss Back Channel Helped Defuse U.S.-Iran Crisis (post)

January 11th:
UKRAINIAN AIRCRAFT WAS BROUGHT DOWN IN IRAN DUE TO 'HUMAN ERROR' (archive)(post)
Iran minister says 'human error' caused by 'US adventurism' led to deadly crash of Ukrainian jetliner (archive)(post)
Ukrainian aircraft was brought down in Iran due to 'human error' (archive)(post)
Trump, at Ohio rally, says Democrats would have leaked Soleimani attack plans (archive)(post)
The Atlantic's David Frum blames Trump for downing of plane in Iran, deaths of 176 (archive)(post)
Associated Press changes ‘shockingly bad’ headline about Soleimani, Ukrainian plane crash after backlash (archive)(post)
GOP Rep. Doug Collins apologizes for saying Democrats are 'in love with terrorists' (archive)(post)
Iran demands West 'show findings' as new video reveals aircraft was struck before fiery crash (archive)(post)
Warren town hall interrupted by angry protester accusing her of ‘siding with terrorists’ (archive)(post)
Trump administration announces new sanctions on Iran (archive)(post)
Prepare For the Worst From Iran Cyber Attacks, As DHS Issues Warning: Experts (archive)(post)
Trump tells Fox News' Laura Ingraham 'four embassies' were targeted in imminent threat from Iran (archive)(post)
Trump tweets support for Iranian protesters as they demand Khamenei quit (archive)(post)
Trump warns Iran against ‘another massacre’ as protests flare over downed jet (archive)(post)

January 12th:
Trump tweet in Farsi 'the most liked Persian tweet' in history of Twitter (archive)(post)
Iraq warned to keep US troops or risk financial blow-WSJ (archive)(post)
Iran arrests UK ambassador in what Britain calls ‘flagrant violation of international law’ (archive)(post)

January 13th:
Trump authorized Soleimani's killing 7 months ago, with conditions (archive)(post)

edit: This is a WIP. All links are posted in the order they appear in the thread, not in chronological order of their publication.


---Original OP before the merge---
Iraqi supporters of Iran-backed militia attack US Embassy
https://apnews.com/75228a8a607a44863b57021ac33264dc (http://archive.vn/ljm9Y)

By QASSIM ABDUL-ZAHRA12 minutes ago

BAGHDAD (AP) — Dozens of angry Iraqi Shiite militia supporters broke into the U.S. Embassy compound in Baghdad on Tuesday after smashing a main door and setting fire to a reception area, prompting tear gas and sounds of gunfire.

An Associated Press reporter at the scene saw flames rising from inside the compound and at least three U.S. soldiers on the roof of the main building inside embassy. It was not clear what caused the fire at the reception area near the parking lot of the compound. A man on a loudspeaker urged the mob not to enter the compound, saying: “The message was delivered.”

The embassy attack followed deadly U.S. airstrikes on Sunday that killed 25 fighters of the Iran-backed militia in Iraq, the Kataeb Hezbollah. The U.S. military said it was in retaliation for last week’s killing of an American contractor in a rocket attack on an Iraqi military base that it had blamed on the militia.

Dozens of protesters marched inside the compound after smashing the gate used by cars to enter the embassy. The protesters, many in militia uniform, stopped in a corridor after about 5 meters (16 feet), and were only about 200 meters away from the main building. Half a dozen U.S. soldiers were seen on the roof of the main building, their guns were pointed at the protesters.

Smoke from the tear gas rose in the area, and at least three of the protesters appeared to have difficulties breathing. It wasn’t immediately known whether the embassy staff had remained inside the main building.

The protesters hanged a poster on the wall: “America is an aggressor.”

Shouting “Down, Down USA,” the crowd tried to push inside the embassy grounds, hurling water and stones over its walls. They raised yellow militia flags and taunted the embassy’s security staff who remained behind the glass windows in the gates’ reception area. They sprayed graffiti on the wall and windows in red in support of the Kataeb Hezbollah militia: “Closed in the name of the resistance.”

Hundreds of angry protesters, some in militia uniforms, set up tents outside the embassy. As tempers rose, the mob set fire to three trailers used by security guards along the embassy wall.

No one was immediately reported hurt in the rampage and security staff had withdrawn to inside the embassy earlier, soon after protesters gathered outside.

The U.S. attack — the largest targeting an Iraqi state-sanctioned militia in recent years — and the subsequent calls by the militia for retaliation, represent a new escalation in the proxy war between the U.S. and Iran playing out in the Middle East.

Tuesday’s attempted embassy storming took place after mourners and supporters held funerals for the militia fighters killed in a Baghdad neighborhood, after which they marched on to the heavily fortified Green Zone and kept walking till they reached the sprawling U.S. Embassy there.

AP journalists then saw the crowd as they tried to scale the walls of the embassy, in what appeared to be an attempt to storm it, shouting “Down, down USA!” and “Death to America” and “Death to Israel.”

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Sunday’s strikes send the message that the U.S. will not tolerate actions by Iran that jeopardize American lives.

The Iranian-backed Iraqi militia had vowed Monday to retaliate for the U.S. military strikes. The attack and vows for revenge raised concerns of new attacks that could threaten American interests in the region.

The U.S. attack also outraged both the militias and the Iraqi government, which said it will reconsider its relationship with the U.S.-led coalition — the first time it has said it will do so since an agreement was struck to keep some U.S. troops in the country. It called the attack a “flagrant violation” of its sovereignty.

In a partly televised meeting Monday, Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul-Mahdi told Cabinet members that he had tried to stop the U.S. operation “but there was insistence” from American officials.

The U.S. military said “precision defensive strikes” were conducted against five sites of Kataeb Hezbollah, or Hezbollah Brigades in Iraq and Syria. The group, which is a separate force from the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, operates under the umbrella of the state-sanctioned militias known collectively as the Popular Mobilization Forces. Many of them are supported by Iran.

.

 

[Coleslaw]

At least Trump didn't start a war, they said.

 

[RodgerDodger]

I cannot describe how big of a deal that this is.

So first of all, Iraq is basically in a proto-civil war. There is a massive movement to oust Iranian-back officials in the country. This has already lead to the death of thousands of protesters/rioters as the hands of the Pro-Iranian "Popular Mobilization Forces." Iraq has had most of its national level leaders resign and hardcore civil conflict looks imminent.

The PMF is a direct subsidiary to the Quds Force a branch of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps. It is responsible for most Iranian operations outside of Iran proper.

Soleimani was the head of Quds force. As such he would have direct authority over all Iranian aligned forces outside of Iran.

To keep things brief, Soleimani was there to lead the Iranian faction in a civil war/coup against the non-Iranian back factions.

You're overly optimistic. What's brewing in Iraq isn't simply a Civil War. It's the long sought Holy War between Sunni and Shia. The Iraqi Shiite's form the bulk of the Iranian allied group. The Iraqi Sunni's were the dominant parties for years under Saddam. Seeking to put off any such conflict is why the Saudi's prevented Bush Sr. from taking out Saddam in '91.

 

[JosephStalin]

Trump's not fucking around. Payback's a bitch. Good.

Leader of Iran's elite Quds Force killed in US airstrike near Baghdad airport

Qassem Soleimani, the leader of Iran's elite Quds Force, was killed late Thursday in a U.S. airstrike that targeted a convoy near the airport in Baghdad.

abcnews.go.com

Leader of Iran's elite Quds Force killed in US airstrike near Baghdad airport
The attack also killed an Iraqi commander.
By
Justin Doom
and
Lauren King
January 2, 2020, 6:57 PM
3 min read
https://sneed.abcnews.com/images/Politics/soleimani_main_200102_hpMain_20200102-203053_16x9_992.jpg






00:0303:10











2:07
Leader of Iran's elite Quds Force killed in airstrike near Baghdad airportHundreds of U.S. troops have arrived in the Middle East after two days of chaos at the embassy, which was surrounded Tuesday by an angry crowd of Iranian-backed militia members.Stringer/Reuters

Qassem Soleimani, the leader of Iran's elite Quds Force, was killed late Thursday in a U.S. airstrike that targeted a convoy near the airport in Baghdad.

Iraqi militia commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis also died in the airstrike, Ahmed al-Assadi, a spokesman for Iraq's Popular Mobilization Forces umbrella grouping of Iran-backed militias, confirmed to ABC News.


The U.S. Department of Defense confirmed in a statement to ABC News it was responsible for the attack.

https://sneed.abcnews.com/images/Politics/soleimani_main_200102_hpMain_20200102-203053_16x9_992.jpg
https://sneed.abcnews.com/assets/dtci/icomoon/svg/camera.svg

Iranian Revolutionary Guard Commander Qassem Soleimani stands at the frontline during offensive operations against Islamic State militants in the town of Tal Ksaiba in Salahuddin province in this March 8, 2015 file photo.Stringer/Reuters

"At the direction of the President, the U.S. military has taken decisive defensive action to protect U.S. personnel abroad by killing Qasem Soleimani, the head of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps-Quds Force, a U.S.-designated Foreign Terrorist Organization," the statement read. "General Soleimani was actively developing plans to attack American diplomats and service members in Iraq and throughout the region."

Soleimani and the Quds Force, according to the Department of Defense, "were responsible for the deaths of hundreds of American and coalition service members and the wounding of thousands more. He had orchestrated attacks on coalition bases in Iraq over the last several months -- including the attack on December 27th -- culminating in the death and wounding of additional American and Iraqi personnel."

MORE: Pentagon leadership confident in security of US Embassy in Baghdad, undecided about additional troop deployments
The strike "was aimed at deterring future Iranian attack plans," the statement continued. "The United States will continue to take all necessary action to protect our people and our interests wherever they are around the world."

MORE: Protesters outside Baghdad embassy disperse, US citizens still warned to avoid area
Reuters earlier had reported the deaths of Soleimani and al-Muhandis, citing al-Assadi.

 

[Tasty Tatty]

Russia, China, Syria, Cuba, India, Venezuela, North Korea and some would even say Pakistan but I doubt they will intervene if they want the Saudi Money.

Russia speaks a lot but I don't think they have enough money to actually be involved in a war. They don't even intervene in Venezuela because they have better and more profitable investments in the rest of the region that they won't want to lose. They only have their people there and help train Venezuelan/Cuban intelligence, but that's it. It's just their presence so people can be scared of the regime. Politically or ideologically, yes, they can "side" with Iran, but that's it.

Cuba being on the side of Iran is interesting because Iran has bases there and they're dangerously close to USA.

 

[Spooky Bones]

At least Trump didn't start a war, they said.

Well, he was never reasonably accused of not being a big fan of the Jews.

 

[RA-5C Vigilante]

In these trying times, I offer some Persian music to calm everyones nerves:

Martik-Parandeh

THANKS FOR 20K VIEWS EVERYONE. Hard to find track but the rest of the album will be uploaded soon. Subscribe for more videos.

www.youtube.com

And for the more alarmist, Frankie Goes to Hollywood:

Frankie Goes To Hollywood - Two Tribes (TOTP 1984)

Frankie Goes To Hollywood - Two Tribes (Top Of The Pops 1984) Full track, redubbed.

www.youtube.com

 

[DogEatDogFood]

Fuck, if there is a World War III all our lolcows are going to die. I guess Trump is gonna be the one that manages to end Kiwi Farms lmao

 

[Spooky Bones]

I dunno, I've been seeing some of the protesters in Iran saying things along the line of "No more foreign intervention", and the IRGC are the ones really killing the protesters. And the Qods Force is the most vicious, blood thirsty members of the IRGC. But the ball is in the air.

Unfortunately, we may have been cursed to live in interesting times.

I wouldn't underestimate the resonance martyrdom has in an Islamic country, and I'm pretty sure that the protesters have no particular love for America either especially given that I'm sure the State propaganda is highlighting how it's Amrika's fault they're in the dire straits they are.

 

[Piga Dgrifm]

Fuck, if there is a World War III all our lolcows are going to die. I guess Trump is gonna be the one that manages to end Kiwi Farms lmao

Nah, Drumpf kicked trans people out of the military, so all of our cows have at least one way out.

 

[Superman93]

You're overly optimistic. What's brewing in Iraq isn't simply a Civil War. It's the long sought Holy War between Sunni and Shia. The Iraqi Shiite's form the bulk of the Iranian allied group. The Iraqi Sunni's were the dominant parties for years under Saddam. Seeking to put off any such conflict is why the Saudi's prevented Bush Sr. from taking out Saddam in '91.

All I know is if either Saudi Arabia or Israel gets dragged into whatever that happens, we're getting dragged into it.

 

[RA-5C Vigilante]

I wouldn't underestimate the resonance martyrdom has in an Islamic country, and I'm pretty sure that the protesters have no particular love for America either especially given that I'm sure the State propaganda is highlighting how it's Amrika's fault they're in the dire straits they are.

True, but if today's events have proven anything, its that crazy things you wouldn't believe would ever happen sometimes do.

 

[pipcome]

The embassy attack was the final straw to end this piece of dogshit.
"orange men bad" people really can piss off and hide with obama and clintons if they like the "bengahzi" method more, while the Trump actually deals with this.

 

[StarkRavingMad]

People are making it sound like Trump did this from outta nowhere. There was an attack on a U.S Embassy. This is a response to that. Disagree with the strike all you want, but this didn't come from outta nowhere.

I am sure that the attack on the Embassy was done because they anticipated no response. Welp.

 

[14YearOldLoliGirl]

I don't really know what they expected, poke the bear and expect it not to attack?

 

[Superman93]

People are making it sound like Trump did this from outta nowhere. There was an attack on a U.S Embassy. This is a response to that. Disagree with the strike all you want, but this didn't come from outta nowhere.

I am sure that the attack on the Embassy was done because they anticipated no response. Welp.

I did anticipate and definitely wanted retaliation but holy shit I didn't expect him to literally blow up one of their heads of state . We haven't directly done a state sponsor execution of a adversarial head of state in about a decade so all this caught me off guard.

 

[Garth]

I don't really know what they expected, poke the bear and expect it not to attack?

That's exactly what they expected. They've been allowed far more by previous administrations and they've been doing a lot of posturing. They overplayed their hand.

 

[reptile baht spaniard rid]

I don't really know what they expected, poke the bear and expect it not to attack?

after you’ve poked a bear for eight years and all it did was shiT money at you you kind of get to like poking it.

 

[JosephStalin]

People are making it sound like Trump did this from outta nowhere. There was an attack on a U.S Embassy. This is a response to that. Disagree with the strike all you want, but this didn't come from outta nowhere.

I am sure that the attack on the Embassy was done because they anticipated no response. Welp.

Indeed. Now maybe the Iranians might rethink what they're doing. Keep it up, send some more Iranian generals so we can kill them, too.

 

[Shield Breaker]

I did anticipate and definitely wanted retaliation but holy shit I didn't expect him to literally blow up one of their heads of state

If he was there to plan attacks and led a coup against the anti-Iranian factions, I am not sure what else should have been done. I wish we weren't there to begin with, but that's Bush's fault.

 

[RisingPhoenix]

People are making it sound like Trump did this from outta nowhere. There was an attack on a U.S Embassy. This is a response to that. Disagree with the strike all you want, but this didn't come from outta nowhere.

I am sure that the attack on the Embassy was done because they anticipated no response. Welp.

I've seen a lot of people imply he's doing it to shore up his vote for 2020 - but honestly the Trump base is fairly torn on this - most are irritated because they don't want him listening to NeoCons who want a war.

I imagine we're not seeing people going into Iran in a few weeks or anything, it's likely the strikes are like the ones on the Russian Syrian base a few years ago. A warning shot as it were, only this one is a bit more on-the-nose because they just took out the person at the root of Irans funny business,