Trump Encourages Iraqi “Freedom” Uprising Against Iran; Esper Sends More Troops To Embassy

President Trump just called for a mass “freedom” uprising not in Iran, but in Iraq of all places, at a moment the US embassy in Baghdad continues to be encircled by enraged protesters bent on expelling the Americans after US airstrikes killed dozens of Iran-backed Iraqi militia over the weekend.

Trump’s provocative tweet, coming after an hours long embassy standoff that has reportedly trapped the Marine guard inside, anxiously awaiting a defusing of the tense situation, further implies that it is ultimately Iran that’s running the show inside Iraq. He blamed Iran for orchestrating the current mayhem. The country, though invaded and occupied by US forces since Bush’s war in 2003, is “dominated and controlled by Iran” the president said. 

To those many millions of people in Iraq who want freedom and who don’t want to be dominated and controlled by Iran, this is your time!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 31, 2019

However, by all appearances it’s the Americans that have fallen out of favor. Naturally, Iraqis across the religious and political spectrum don’t like seeing their country bombed repeatedly by both the US and Israel multiple times over the past months. 

Meanwhile, the Pentagon has announced it will be sending additional forces as security to protect US facilities. Defense Secretary Mark Esper announced the US will send additional troops to Baghdad specifically to protect the US Embassy in Iraq. 

The breaking details, via Bloomberg, will include about 100 Marines sent from nearby Kuwait and two AH-64s Apaches which will fly over the embassy in a show of force. According to one defense official cited by Bloomberg, the Marines will likely fly to the embassy area in V-22 Ospreys.

U.S Embassy in #Baghdad #Iraq pic.twitter.com/BC4k2pjpc2

— Steven nabil (@thestevennabil) December 31, 2019

But now the question remains: will the bulk of the Iraqi population join the Shia militias’ calls to expel the ‘foreign occupiers’ and thus intensify pressure on American forces to leave? 

Or will Iraqis actually head President Trump’s call to rise up against those leaders in Iraq who are ‘tainted’ by their links to Iran? 

As Ron Paul noted this week, the greatest threat to peace in 2020 now looks to be a possible disastrous Iraq War 3.0.