Iraqis in the streets in a "million-man march" in Baghdad to protest against the US troop presence in Iraq.
They are asking nicely (this time). It would be wise to take the hint.
هنا #العراق.. هنا سقطت عصابات #الجوكر_صنيعة_امريكا أمام ملايين الحناجر العراقية في وضح النهار وبلا مؤثرات التصوير التضخيمية#جمعة_السيادة#ثورة_العشرين_الثانية_2020#الا_مليونية pic.twitter.com/DaRoSrH69n
— jamal cheaib (@JamalCheaib) January 24, 2020
Muqtada al-Sadr, 3rd from left, standing with heads of some Iraqi Militia in Iran's holy city of Qom last week.
Al-Sadr, arguably the most powerful Iraqi political figure, called for this march to send a message to Washington.
Since the assassination of General Soleimani & Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, al-Sadr has re-activated the Mahdi Army & called on all foreign forces to leave Iraq.
Al-Sadr's party won the most number of seats in the May 2018 parliament elections. He's an Iraqi nationalist, averse to US & Iranian influence in Iraq.
NYTimes -- The rally is supported by mainstream Shiite parties, including al-Sadr's political rival Hadi al-Ameri, who heads the Fatah bloc in parliament, as well as the Popular Mobilization Units, an umbrella group comprised of an array of militias, including Iran-backed groups.
Comments
(Old Spike)
Some numbers:
During the height of the insurgency in 2006-2007, American-led occupation forces aimed at a ratio of 3:1 & with ~170,000 troops.
Right now the US-led forces number under 10,000.
The Mahdi Army is 10,000-50,000 strong and there are a further ~150,000 battle-hardened PMF militia men who would likely go hard, particularly since the US martyred 2 of their favourite generals.
Both sides have increased tech capabilities since the height of the US occupation of Iraq - American drones warfare has been enhanced & so have the militia's weaponry.
TLDR; US-led forces are sitting ducks.
The US would need around 500,000 troops to have a chance of holding on if it gets hot. If it kicks off this year I suspect it'll be worse than last time. Leaving while under attack seems politically untenable for the US but wold be a real dilemma because there's no real American national interest in occupying that country.
How many more Americans will die for this freak's rapture fantasy?
(Long Spike)
The Gulf War (2 August 1990 – 28 February 1991) , https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gulf_War
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Pompeo , starts his career in 2010....
(Old Spike)
That's not the point. The point is that Pompeo is one of the key people in power right now who's trying to keep US forces in Iraq & even spark an unwinnable war with Iran, it seems. None of this makes sense rwt US national interest.
(Old Spike)
Western media... lol
Pic from a previous protest ^
There's nothing "radical" about Muqtada al-Sadr. He's about the most rational & well-versed political figures in Iraq, not to mention the most influencial. Western media always calls him "firebrand" etc. It's laughable. USA truly is the United States of Amnesia.
"anti-government"?
(Old Spike)
LOL
(Old Spike)
US-backed agent provoceteurs hold parallel "protest" on a bridge to pull media attention away from the million-man march. Western media can now conflate to 2 & the CIA can keep up pressuring on the Iraqi government. Western media will report heavily on the casualties from these color-revolution protests to use the humanitarian grounds as a way to delegitemize the Iraqi govt. It paves the way to sanctions & other neat stuff in the name of "freedom & democracy"
Notice the similarities between these guys & the Hong Kong "protesters"?
(Long Spike)
What do u call a basemnet full of libtards? a whine celler
(Old Spike)