Protesters set fire to a guard room outside the U.S. embassy in Baghdad, Iraq on Dec. 31, 2019. Hundreds of demonstrators, participating in mourning for the Hashd Shaabi members killed by U.S. attack in Iraq, stormed the U.S. embassy in Baghdad's Green Zone on Tuesday, a security official said. Many of the protesters, wearing Hashd Shaabi's military uniforms, rallied outside the embassy chanting slogans condemning airstrikes by the U.S. forces against Hashd Shaabi bases in Iraq. (Xinhua/Khalil Dawood)
BAGHDAD, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- Hundreds of demonstrators, participating in mourning for the Hashd Shaabi members killed by U.S. attack in Iraq, stormed the U.S. embassy in Baghdad's Green Zone on Tuesday, a security official said.
Many of the protesters, wearing Hashd Shaabi's military uniforms, rallied outside the embassy chanting slogans condemning airstrikes by the U.S. forces against Hashd Shaabi bases in Iraq.
The protest then turned violent as protesters set ablaze a guard tower and the outer gate of the embassy, an official from the Iraqi Interior Ministry told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.
Afterwards, the protesters managed to broke into an outer yard of the embassy, but were repelled by the security forces who deployed tear gas against them, the source said.
The clash left some 20 protesters wounded and suffocated, according to a statement by the Hashd Shaabi website.
The demonstrators later set up tents in front of the entrance of the U.S. embassy for a sit-in protest, while some of them wrote on the wall of the embassy "closed in the name of the people."
Local media aired photos showing Qais al-Khazali, head of Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq militia, and top Hashd Shaabi leader Hadi Al Amri and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis participating in the protest.
Iraqi security forces then arrived at the scene.
The office of Iraqi caretaker Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi, in a statement, called on the demonstrators to leave immediately, saying that "any attack on foreign embassies is an act that will be strictly prevented by the security forces, and will be punished severely by the law."
Another statement by the office said the prime minister declared a three-day mourning starting on Tuesday for the Hashd Shaabi members killed in the attack.
Meanwhile, Jaafar al-Husseini, spokesman of Kata'ib Hezbollah (KH) militia told local media that the protesters had "no intention to attack the U.S. embassy, but the sit-in is to continue until the embassy is closed and the U.S. ambassador is expelled."
The protest came two days after the U.S. forces bombarded headquarters of Hashd Shaabi's 45th and 46th Brigades, leaving 25 killed and 51 injured.
A U.S. military statement said that U.S. forces attacked on Sunday evening five bases of KH in Iraq and Syria in response to repeated attacks by KH against U.S.-led coalition forces in Iraq.
The decline of the anglo american passes well and truly into the 2020s; did americans really think that stealing a nation's oil and murdering the inhabitants would result in any other response?
Americans are trapped in the embassy and may get dragged out ala Mogadishu style to face the inevitable justice of allah. Looks like the Shia Iraqis and their backers in Iran are ready to throw off the american presence in the oil rich region.
January 01, 2020, 12:30 PM
Heathen Hammer
Re: Iraqi protesters storm U.S. embassy in Baghdad
All of this could have been avoided if US didn't get into Iraq to begin with. As history shows, Iraq was better off under Saddam, and Middle East was better off with Saddam's Iraq.
January 01, 2020, 02:24 PM
conon394
Re: Iraqi protesters storm U.S. embassy in Baghdad
Quote:
The decline of the anglo american passes well and truly into the 2020s; did americans really think that stealing a nation's oil and murdering the inhabitants would result in any other response?
The US stole oil news me the us occupation was explicitly set to not do that.
Quote:
Americans are trapped in the embassy and may get dragged out ala Mogadishu style to face the inevitable justice of allah. Looks like the Shia Iraqis and their backers in Iran are ready to throw off the american presence in the oil rich region.
Or without being a PR bot - just a step in a what looks a like tit for tat proxy war. With 100 more Marines on site and ~800 troops from the 82nd airborne (nearby) the real question is can Iran goad the US into an ugly response to another provocation. On wonders also if the US decides it lost Iraq will it double down on the Kurds who might be feeling vulnerable.
January 01, 2020, 03:19 PM
Gaidin
Re: Iraqi protesters storm U.S. embassy in Baghdad
Quote:
Originally Posted by Exarch
Americans are trapped in the embassy and may get dragged out ala Mogadishu style to face the inevitable justice of allah.
Let's clear one thing up Exarch. What you're describing is a really fast and easy way to have the marines start using live ammunition to defend the embassy hallways instead of just lobbing teargas into a crowd. Nevermind whatever else the US will deploy there as fast as they can. Remember, those grounds are US territory and they can defend them anyway they damn well please.
January 02, 2020, 12:31 AM
Odenat
Re: Iraqi protesters storm U.S. embassy in Baghdad
Quote:
Originally Posted by Gaidin
Nevermind whatever else the US will deploy there as fast as they can. Remember, those grounds are US territory and they can defend them anyway they damn well please.
Ah, but US does not deploy its troops to Baghdad, instead it is sending those soldiers to... Kuwait? Last i checked the map, that was 1.000 kms away. lol
Once again, Iran shows it controls Iraq and US shows it understands nothing. Now the Shiites ask from Iraq parlament to pass a decision to kick out all of US troops from Iraq. Once it is done, Saudi Arabia that has a sizeable Shiite minority will be next.
January 02, 2020, 12:42 AM
Gromovnik
Re: Iraqi protesters storm U.S. embassy in Baghdad
Quote:
Originally Posted by conon394
The US stole oil news me the us occupation was explicitly set to not do that.
Yeah, the propaganda machine wouldn't lie to you.
January 02, 2020, 02:22 AM
Coughdrop addict
Re: Iraqi protesters storm U.S. embassy in Baghdad
Quote:
Originally Posted by Gromovnik
Yeah, the propaganda machine wouldn't lie to you.
If we were there to steal oil, it would already be stolen. Whatever else you may think about the war, the US certainly isn't making money off of it.
January 02, 2020, 07:37 AM
Abdülmecid I
Re: Iraqi protesters storm U.S. embassy in Baghdad
The answer to the question depends on how you define the United States. It would be naive to expect that the state treasury would have benefitted from the unprovoked invasion, apart from accumulated interest in potential loans, but several domestic groups that supported the war greatly profited from it. Perhaps the total amount was disappointing, in comparison to the original optimistic estimations, due to mismanagement, corruption and the ensuing insurrection, but nonetheless remarkable gains were achieved. Foreign investments increased significantly, especially in the oil sector, which was previously monopolised by Baghdad. Trade with Iraq was also reinforced, with the country's oil exports were appropriately adjusted and regulated, in order not to harm the interests of the United States and their allies. Meanwhile, the innumerable billions generously given or borrowed to Iraq were also fuelled into the pockets of multinational contractors and international companies, like the arms industry. So, money was made, but the fruits were not reaped by the average citizen, as it usually happens with aggressive overseas operations.
January 02, 2020, 12:10 PM
tgoodenow
Re: Iraqi protesters storm U.S. embassy in Baghdad
Maybe the US should withdraw from Iraq again... so those same Shia militias can surrender half the country to guys with machine guns on trucks
January 02, 2020, 04:11 PM
Barry Goldwater
Re: Iraqi protesters storm U.S. embassy in Baghdad
America wins again. Too bad, so sad OP - anyone who was expecting this to turn out like Mogadishu or Benghazi can now go cry and hug their nearest body-pillow of Al-Baghdadi, the Ayatollah, Xi Jinping, Vladimir Putin or whatever anti-US figure they love most in a corner.
January 02, 2020, 08:11 PM
Heathen Hammer
Re: Iraqi protesters storm U.S. embassy in Baghdad
Quote:
Originally Posted by Coughdrop addict
If we were there to steal oil, it would already be stolen. Whatever else you may think about the war, the US certainly isn't making money off of it.
US taxpayers definitely get nothing out of this, military-industrial complex got trillions and interest groups and foreign lobbies got what they wanted as well. So certain groups definitely benefited, just no the people who actually paid for it.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Gaidin
What you're describing is a really fast and easy way to have the marines start using live ammunition to defend the embassy hallways instead of just lobbing teargas into a crowd.
I presume other side has live ammo too, most like much more of it, and numbers on its side as well. So it would be a fast and easy way to... die.
It would be best for both sides if US just leaves Iraq and Middle East overall.
January 02, 2020, 08:15 PM
Sar1n
Re: Iraqi protesters storm U.S. embassy in Baghdad
Well, that backfired spectacularly. US retaliatory strike against Iranian-backed militia killed one of best Iranian military leaders.
Definitely wrong move for Trump. Instead of engaging in state terrorism, US should just leave. They are clearly not welcome in Iraq.
January 02, 2020, 08:28 PM
Vanoi
Re: Iraqi protesters storm U.S. embassy in Baghdad
Holy :wub: they really just killed the head of the Quds Force. I highly doubt this was a US strike. This bears the marks of a classic Israeli strike against Iranian targets.
January 02, 2020, 08:29 PM
Heathen Hammer
Re: Iraqi protesters storm U.S. embassy in Baghdad
Hopefully, Iranians will successfully retaliate.
January 02, 2020, 08:35 PM
Vanoi
Re: Iraqi protesters storm U.S. embassy in Baghdad
Quote:
Originally Posted by Heathen Hammer
Hopefully, Iranians will successfully retaliate.
That strike just managed to kill the leaders of the Quds Force and the leader of the Iraqi PMF militias. Retaliate all you want Israel has shown no matter where you hide they'll kill you.
January 02, 2020, 08:45 PM
Heathen Hammer
Re: Iraqi protesters storm U.S. embassy in Baghdad
Quote:
Originally Posted by Vanoi
That strike just managed to kill the leaders of the Quds Force and the leader of the Iraqi PMF militias. Retaliate all you want Israel has shown no matter where you hide they'll kill you.
Sounds like more reasons for Iran to increase support for anti-Israeli groups in Middle East. The only thing Israel does is create more public support in countries that surround it for more hard-line anti-Israeli policy.
January 02, 2020, 08:49 PM
Vanoi
Re: Iraqi protesters storm U.S. embassy in Baghdad
Quote:
Originally Posted by Heathen Hammer
Sounds like more reasons for Iran to increase support for anti-Israeli groups in Middle East.
They have. Israel has responded by targetting Iranian commanders and weapons shipments. Have you missed all of those Israeli strikes in Syria and Iraq over these last years?
Quote:
The only thing Israel does is create more public support in countries that surround it for more hard-line anti-Israeli policy.
:wub: i bet the Saudis are cheering the Israelis on.
January 02, 2020, 08:52 PM
conon394
Re: Iraqi protesters storm U.S. embassy in Baghdad
Quote:
Originally Posted by Vanoi
Holy they really just killed the head of the Quds Force. I highly doubt this was a US strike. This bears the marks of a classic Israeli strike against Iranian targets.
I not so sure. The last strikes a day or so ago were US. Israel can't even figure out who to have as PM or if they are going to put the current one on trial. The Quds force certainly falls under the earlier terrorist designation for the Revolutionary guard. Death by air strike is as popular with both the US and Israel. not Carter fear factor after the Embassy and I willing to call US.