Iran Promises Retaliation After U.S. Kills General (NY Times)
Image: Iraq Security Media Cell, via Twitter
[ed. Without a doubt, the stupidist, most reckless thing Trump has ever done, and that's saying a lot. See also: Donald Trump’s assassination of Qassem Suleimani will come back to haunt him (The Guardian).]
Even though it is true that this killing amounts to an act of war, many regarded the severity of economic sanctions as an act of war too. So what is the point…to show the US as powerful even though it has yet to break Iran? To provoke Iran into doing something stupid?
It certainly did serve to poke a stick in the eye of Iraq, which was already gearing up to toss US troops out. The flagrant disregard for Iraq’s sovereignity is only going to accelerate that process as well as push a lot of fence-sitters in Iraq towards Iran. How smart was that?
Much of the understandable jitteriness results from the idea that Iran will strike back and precipitate a hot war. Iran has managed to survive by being among other things exceptionally disciplined and strategic. It’s unlikely to do anything without sounding out Russia and China, who are likely to be similarly measured and not show their hands. (via:)
