Um... the Baghdad Embassy situation sounds a bit more grave than they're letting on?

[Dennis Donovan]

Last edited Tue Dec 31, 2019, 05:39 PM - Edit history (1)

Link to tweet

Dan Lamothe ✔ @DanLamothe

The Marines reinforcing the U.S. embassy in Baghdad are with the special-purpose crisis response task force that commanders in the Middle East have available to them, U.S. military officials says. They work out of Kuwait.

Marines just released photos:

https://www.dvidshub.net/image/6006298/spmagtf-192-crisis-response-mission-2020 …
SPMAGTF 19.2 Crisis Response Mission 2020
U.S. Marines assigned to Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force-Crisis Response-Central Command (SPMAFTF-CR-CC) 19.2, prepare to deploy from Kuwait in support of a crisis response mission, Dec....
dvidshub.net

1:16 PM - Dec 31, 2019

Not for nothing, but this frigging Green Zone Embassy Bush/Cheney built after their massive clusterfuck cost a shitload of $$$ and was supposed to be the most secure place on the planet...

[uponit7771]

1. Praying this doesn't get worse, advocating we get the hell out of there smartly

[MarcA]

8. I am concerned that will happen only if there is no $$$ to be made. n/t

[Demovictory9]

2. I hope this gets resolved peacefully.

[stopdiggin]

3. one thing going for us (and de-escalation)

is that every one with an IQ over room temperature is looking at this from a standpoint of "do we want 5 more years of this U.S. president?" So there's probably a lot of "stand down" messages being ferried back and forth. Not to say that provocateurs aren't possible. But a war (or even escalation) doesn't really serve any players right now.

[Demovictory9]

4. i hope you are right

[Wellstone ruled]

5. Well,this is a typical

Rethug response,might is right and get over it.

Iraq is breaking up into three distinct countries.. BTW,Collin Powell as well as several Democrat Senators,predicted this before the first Bomb was dropped.

[KY_EnviroGuy]

6. Perspective.....these are Iraqis protesting in Iraq...

over an unsolicited air raid on Iraqi territory.

Looks like the air raid is backfiring on the Trumpster.....

Trump accuses Iran over storming of US embassy compound in Baghdad

Iraqi Shia militia supporters break into compound after US strikes on state-sanctioned militia

See: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/dec/31/us-embassy-stormed-in-baghdad

(snips)

The rampage was carried out with the apparent connivance of Iraqi security forces who allowed protesters inside the highly protected Green Zone. They made their way to the embassy, climbing walls and hurling stones. US guards responded with tear gas but did not open fire.
+++
Instead of advancing US goals, the airstrikes appear to be the latest in a series of foreign policy blunders in the Middle East. Iraq’s government furiously condemned them, while pro-Iranian militias promised further attacks against American targets, with the goal of expelling US forces.
+++
Iraq’s prime minister, Adel Abdul-Mahdi – an ally of both Iran and Washington – vowed on Tuesday to protect the safety and security of US personnel. After doing little initially to halt the violence Iraqi security forces turned up in force in the afternoon, and formed a protective line between angry crowds and US guards.

When will we ever learn we don't own that damned oil?.......

[tblue37]

10. Malcolm Nance's take:

Link to tweet

[KY_EnviroGuy]

13. Richard N. Haass' (and others') take....

Link to tweet

Link to tweet

Link to tweet

Link to PBS report: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/how-u-s-airstrikes-could-affect-ongoing-tensions-with-iran
(includes interview with pro-Trump State Dept. official)

The primary question still remains: Why do we still have bases in Iraq? The Iraqi people do not want us there.

KY........

[UniteFightBack]

16. You need to get up to date..these were attackers not protesters. These attackers are using the

recent protests as cover. COVER BLOWN.

[braddy]

7. After Benghazi we created the Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force-Crisis Response team to

avoid any repeats of that deadly event. Iraq is also supplying security.

[roamer65]

9. Shades of Saigon in 1975.

They had better start burning documents and helicoptering people out.

[gratuitous]

11. Say not so!

I'm sure it's much ado about nothing, and as usual with the Trump administration, isn't nearly as bad as it sounds on first impression.

Wait, that's not right.

EVERYTHING that has happened during the Trump administration has turned out to be far worse than first reported.

[moondust]

12. Call Baghdad Don.

The situation clearly warrants some...juvenile hyperbole.

[kentuck]

14. It cost a billion dollars...

I have heard.

[dalton99a]

19. More than $1.3 billion

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Embassy_of_the_United_States,_Baghdad

At 104 acres (42 ha), it is the largest and most expensive embassy in the world, and is nearly as large as Vatican City.[2] The embassy complex is about five times the size of the U.S. Embassy in Yerevan, which is the second largest U.S. diplomatic mission abroad, and over ten times the size of the U.S. Embassy in Beijing, which is the third largest U.S. diplomatic mission abroad.[3]

The embassy has extensive housing and infrastructure facilities in addition to the usual diplomatic buildings. The buildings include:[11]

Six apartment buildings for employees
Water and waste treatment facilities
A power station
Two "major diplomatic office buildings"
Recreation, including a gym, cinema, several tennis courts and an Olympic-size swimming pool

The complex is heavily fortified, even by the standards of the Green Zone. The details are largely secret, but it is likely to include a significant US Marine Security Guard detachment. Fortifications include deep security perimeters, buildings reinforced beyond the usual standard, and five highly guarded entrances.[citation needed]

[UniteFightBack]

15. We are like sitting ducks over there. We don't even have enough forces to RESPOND to anything.

I know everybody would just love to not be in the Middle East but GET REAL because us ceding everything is EVEN WORSE.

WE NEED TO KEEP TABS AND A LID ON SHIT...and there is plenty of shit.

We are relying on the Iraqi forces to secure OUR EMBASSY....US soldiers aren't doing it???? WTF.

[okaawhatever]

17. The host country is responsible for securing embassies. It goes

back to the Vienna Conventions. There is security inside the embassy provided by Marines, but I believe the number and weapons, etc. are negotiated country by country.

[keithbvadu2]

18. Iraq is our ally. Right?

Iraq is our ally. Right?

[Blue_true]

20. Iraq is a complex country, which we have not taken time to understand.

The country is overwhelmingly Shia in the south and east, Kurd in the north and Sunnie in the west. It basically is three countries. We have tended to excebrate the rifts instead of working to heal them. Our tendency has been to apply muscle when diplomacy is the best course, Trump has made that situation far worse.

[mahina]

21. Saigon evacuation.

That’s what it all makes me think of. While that preening puffing pretender huffs and puffs. We are in a weakened position because of him.

Shut up Donald.