The Curious Case Of Soleimani
Let me ask what everyone should be thinking: What in the Name of The Almighty was Qasem Soleimani doing in Iraq, meeting with the Iranian-backed PMF terrorist organization?
Iraq is supposed to be our ally. So, under what circumstances does Soleimani, Iran’s top military commander, not only get a visa to visit Iraq, but also get enough freedom of movement to run around, take meetings with hostile insurgent forces, and openly plan terror attacks against the United States? Who in the Iraqi government gave the green light for all this?
We should all be extremely concerned that Soleimani was this comfortable flying into Bagdad International Airport, and running operations blatantly hostile to the United States. He and his entourage clearly conducted themselves as honored guests. Or, in the parlance of my own ancestors, Soleimani was treated like a visiting Thane. To the government of Iraq, I ask, “Seriously?”
I’ll just leave that there for now.
A Little Self-Reflective Candor.
Before Wednesday last week, few of us knew who Soleimani was. So, you’ll pardon my cynicism if I regard the sackcloth and ash act from The Left with some skepticism. OK, more than just some skepticism. More like an eye-rolling, face-palming, dismissal.
To hear CCN tell it, one would think that President Trump killed a barefoot missionary rather than the world’s most effective architect of terrorism.
Yes, yes, first Trump takes out The Left’s favorite “Austere Scholar,” and now they have to do without their favorite “Revered Military Leader.” Please.
Then, there is the obligatory vow of revenge from the government of Iran. To be fair, how else would they respond?
Of course, nothing beats the hyperventilating over Iran’s imminent retaliation by the usual suspects. Neo had such a pithy response to the Left’s caterwauling and hand-wringing, that I wished I had thought to say it:
“For those who think this will cause Iran’s response to escalate, I wonder what the Iranian leaders can actually do that they haven’t already been doing. Sponsor more terrorism? They’ve been doing that for decades and in fact it seems to have been one of Soleimani’s main tasks. Establish proxy governments and/or influence around the Middle East? Check. Threaten Israel? Of course. Try to develop nuclear weapons? Indeed. All have been ongoing for ages.
Maybe I haven’t thought of everything. Maybe Iran’s leaders have been holding back on something they might be doing to hurt us. But so far I don’t know what it could be. And they also have to deal with their own growing economic problems and increasingly rebellious people, the latter constituting a population that most likely (as Trump points out) didn’t feature many who actually “revered” Soleimani at all.”
Iran Responds. Or At Least Tries To.
Jan 4:
BAGHDAD (Reuters) – “Several rockets fell on Saturday inside Baghdad’s heavily fortified Green Zone, its Jadriya neighborhood, and the Balad air base housing U.S. troops, the Iraqi military said, adding that there were no deaths. Several rockets targeting Celebration Square and the Jadriya area in Baghdad, and the Balad air base in Salahuddin province, with no loss of life. Further details to come,” the military said in a statement.”
Jan 8:
TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Iran struck back at the United States early Wednesday for killing its most powerful military commander, firing a barrage of ballistic missiles at two Iraqi military bases that house American troops in what the Iranian supreme leader said was a “slap” against the U.S. military presence in the region.While I’m sure we haven’t heard the last of them, Iran’s “revenge” is off to a less than auspicious start.
We Need To Stop Pretending.
Since 1979, no administration would admit they we were at war with Iran. The government of Iran, on the other hand, feels no such restraint. When a nation opens their parliament with chants of “death to America,” we should take them seriously.
Iran clearly feels no incentive for any kind of rapprochement with the United States. We should internalize that message and act accordingly. We have kicked this can down the road for decades.
Iran is creative. They know they cannot go toe-to-toe with a Western Power, so they operate in limited, shadowy ways that poke the bear, and earn perhaps a half-hearted swat in return. It’s well past time for a more, vigorous response, or to paraphrase our 43rdpresident, time to ‘stop swatting flies.’
The End Of Appeasement?
The good news for the United States, if one can call it that, is that we may very well be on the cusp of our first truly “push-button” war. The one we’ve been promised since the end of the Second World War. No boots on the ground, no body bags (for the good guys), and no nation building. Just a relentless dismantling of our enemy’s infrastructure until they get their minds right and change their government to one that is decidedly not hostile to the United States.
Wars are not cheap. Even one that would involve just a fraction of the usual deployments will cost the taxpayers dearly. Cruise missiles and drones cost far less than paying the deployment salaries of ten of thousands of soldiers, marines, airmen and sailors. They still cost billions, and yes, we just spent untold billions, two decades, and way too much human capital in an effort to introduce liberty to an ungrateful populace. I don’t want to see Iran turned into an obsidian parking lot. Still, the problem that is Iran is not going away.
I choose not to separate the Iranian people from their leaders. Furthermore, I can find very little sympathy for them within myself. Yes, they live under a horrible fascist state with little, if any liberty. That said, the window for the Iranian people to do something about this has come and gone. Philosopher Joseph de Maistre (1753 – 1821) may have been the first to say “every nation has the government it deserves.” The Iranian people have had four decades to make this right. It might be time to take it out of their hands. Or at least give them an unambiguous push in the right direction.
Selah.
I like the way you think and have been wondering when our government is going to finally end this “conflict” with this piss ant country since the “student” revolution when they took our diplomats hostage during the peanut farmers administration.
Grant and Sherman knew that wars end quickly when you are brutal and take it to the civilian population. That type of diplomacy seems to work with this group.
Let’s just finish this once and for all.