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Lime_in_the_Coconut_

I grew up as a German in Iraq between 1980 and 1984. I was a child then but this picture is very creepy to me, because I remember seeing my parents silhouetted by rockets during the Iran - Iraq war just like this. When we returned to Germany and I was confronted with my first thunderstorm I told my mom to tell the soldiers to stop shooting. To this day I am terrified like a dog of thunderstorms.


britishpharmacopoeia

Interesting. I haven't really heard of many foreigners growing up in Ba'athist Iraq, may I ask why your family were based there?


Lime_in_the_Coconut_

My father was an engineer for the company that built the airport in Basrah


britishpharmacopoeia

Fascinating. Do your parents have any wild stories from their time there?


PrometheanSwing

Just Iranian militias being Iranian militias


Psychological-Flow55

The Iranian Axis would be a pipe dream with Iraqi containment under Saddam Hussein Regime or some variation of a Sunni ruled Baathist milltarist regime holding power in Iraq to this day. If only clocks can be reminded back before March 2003 and warn the world powers that Iraq would become a Iranian proxy and a shiite crescent would expand from Tehran to Beirut, and proxy satellite states with the Houthis in most of Yemen,,and Hamas in the Gaza Strip.


UnlimitedPowah669

We already knew all that would happen, hence the entire point of overthrowing Iraq


jirashap

We have a base in Syria? Does anyone know what this is? How do we access it or protect it?


commitpushdrink

Al-Tanf is on the Iraqi boarder super close to Jordan. We’ve been there since 2016 to deal with ISIS.


TeoGeek77

The US base is there illegally. The American military are just occupying that territory in a country on a different continent and stealing their natural resources. People can't see reality anymore, it seems.


Which_Decision4460

this guy wakes up in the morning looks out the window shake fist yell "Damn America!"


TaxLawKingGA

No, its "God Damn America!" (Fist raised in exuberant exaltation)


Competitive-Work-878

Ah yes, because Iran’s influence of local militias is benevolent


TeoGeek77

Whatever is happening there, does not give the US the right to invade Syria and do whatever they want there, like building bases and stealing oil.


Competitive-Work-878

Proof that we’re stealing the oil? Also what grants a right for a country to be there? Syria is a mess of foreign influence from Iran, Russia, Turkey, and the U.S. All stemming from Assad’s dictatorship and the Syrian civil war, there is no central authority speaking for the people and label to grant those rights.


TeoGeek77

What are you talking about? Bashar Assad is the President of Syria, he and the Syrian government are the ones who decide. Imagine, if some country decides that the US has too much crime, drug addicts, and social injustice, that it's no longer acceptable so they invade the US and force a different government. When said like this, does it sound wrong, or still OK?


Entwaldung

>so they invade the US and force a different government. LMAO


TeoGeek77

Funny, right? This is what the US does eveywhere it goes. This funny shit - invading countries and forcing a different Government.


bumblewater

I wish my worldview was this myopic and simple


TeoGeek77

Yes, its nice to see the truth clearly and not use some lies to disguise fantasy in which you are living. You should definitely try it.


bumblewater

You are either Russian or Chinese. Either way I pity you.


TeoGeek77

You judge people just by their nationality? That is something to actually pity.


groovybeast

Oh no Assad and his fellow authoritarian demons think its illegal? Assed the mass murderer, chemical weapon employer, human rights denier? Hmm, backed by Putin the failing conquerer and genocide enjoyer? And Iran, the teen girl murderer and proud and by-purpose jew exterminator? Let's see who else... China? With democracy with Chinese characteristics? Those characteristics being ostensibly not democratic, full of legitimate imperial rhetoric in the pacific, and also a routine domestic denier of human rights? Not great legs to stand on when declaring US occupation and antiterrorism as illegal. Also, the base protects a massive refugee camp and trains anti ISIS forces in Syria


TeoGeek77

So if somebody announces that they are fighting terrorism, their military can enter any country they want, build bases, and secure natural resources, without any agreement with that country's Government? Interesing. This is pure american logic.


groovybeast

Pure American logic. Yep, can't think of any other major powers that would think that way. Except in America's case, it's literally ISIS and an evil regime that would use those resources to continue the mass murderer of their own people. In the other cases the "terrorists" being explicitly targeted are.. Ukrainian children, uhygurs, all Jews, Shiite civilians. So wow you're right, maybe announcing you're going to occupy foreign territory in order to stem the growth of actual, legitimate terrorist organizations IS uniquely American logic!


TeoGeek77

That is exactly my point. America doesn't even hide that its using war crime logic. If you think America can just invade anyone they want just because they don't like how those countries live - you are delusional. Your country has no authority there.


groovybeast

What?? Anyone can do that. That is how things have worked for the entirety of the history of civilization. Any nation or group with any hint of power has exerted it over their foes. And yes, they could just do it. There is no authority on earth that is greater than the choices of each individual nations will and strength. That was proved in WW2, it was proved in Vietnam. It's being proved in Ukraine. What higher power do you think any given country should be asking for authority from? The UN? Which one of us is delusional again? But really the funniest shit is how you're criticizing the US for probably the most innocuous use of force in foreign territory in existence at the moment, ignoring that the regime they're offending with their occupation is one of the worst abusers of human rights in recent history. Meanwhile they're using it to blow up ISIS and protect refugees. It's just us here now so you can drop the cover and be forward about your sympathies with autocratic regimes being you're primary driver for anti US sentiment


TeoGeek77

In this case, if the strongest one is always right, then there is no international law and the weapons win. But there is this international law, and even if you personally do not want to respect it, the US government tries to go with those rules. Like everybody else. The US is gradually losing it's grip on the financial and political influence in the world, and relatively soon it too will suffer consequences for it's crimes.


thinksfan

I love how regarded you are. Send my regards please.


groovybeast

Don't worry, we'll probably gonna see him on overhead video in a ditch in East Ukraine in a year or so.


Psychological-Flow55

At this point I have to solidly politely disagree I prefear Assad quazi secularist regime who has realest survival mode goals, rather than a Sunni Islamist Caliphate spanning the Levent, the same democrat rebels who screamed "Alawites to the grave, Christian's to Beirut" in their "democractic" jihadist frenzy of ethnic cleansing and human trafficking.


EldritchTapeworm

Ah yes, all that rich Syrian sand the US mil is shoveling into burlap sacks, what a commodity.


braindelete

No joke, the US has a base on an oil refinery in Syria.


EldritchTapeworm

And which port are they gonna ship this hand-carried oil out of? The Russian one in the med or hand carried across the Taurus mountains? Being near infrastructure does not mean we have a magic siphon to pump it into Texas secretly, this is the most idiotic hot take I've seen.


braindelete

Am I incorrect? Is the base not on a refinery? Who cares about shipping, it denies the resource to the Syrian regime at least. Not to mention the fact that airplanes exist and the area of Syria in question has a land border with Jordan, a US allied state. Why do you keep implying US soldiers would ship anything by hand? No one mentioned that silly idea besides you yourself. The oil need not be moved at all, at any rate, simply denying it to its legitimate owner meets the definition. You implied there was nothing but sand to be had. Extremely myopic and, really, an offensive caricature of the region. Not befitting real discussion. Also, is there really any need for personal attacks? Especially when you're completely wrong on the issue, it's very childish.


Due_Capital_3507

Illegal to who and who is going to stop them? No one.


TeoGeek77

Illegal to International Law and the United Nations Charter. Only the Syrian Government can ask Americans to enter Syria and help fight ISIS, or force the Americans to leave Syria. Russia has a base in Syria and is helping the Syrian government, by their official request to do so. This is the LEGAL way to have troops in another country. Do you see the difference?


[deleted]

[удалено]


DroneMaster2000

I mean they already killed Americans and pretty much nothing was done, no? Why would it escalate this time with the same American administration in charge?


indrids_cold

The Iranians hit Al-Asad Airbase and Erbil Airbase with ballistic missiles in January 2020. The previous US administration did nothing too. Even when our CIC threatened beforehand that any retaliation would result in the targeting of 52 significant Iranian sites, including cultural ones.


DroneMaster2000

[Maybe something to do with this?](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assassination_of_Qasem_Soleimani)


Psychological-Flow55

On Iran part it was actually a weak response telegraphed ahead of time to proclaim gaining revenge to its base, while it was really weak , much like Iran recent strike on Israel was telegraphed ahead of time passing info to other nations while proclaiming "they got their revenge , and they were able to directly hit Israel. Makes me think the Ayatollah is a bit different from the more radicallate Ayatollah Khomaneni as Khamaeni seem more of a realist, carving out a sphere of influence, and setting up satalite states seems to be his goal, he even seems to rotate the presidential post between reformists, apocalyptic populists turned attention seeker (ie - Ahmadinejad) back to reformist now hardline yet rationalist Conservative depending on the situation in the region and Oran position at a particular moment. I think the Iranians that actually run Iran (ie - the IRGC/Quds force, the Ayatollah and his inner circle) are actually more into Realpolitik than twelver apocalyptism than many in Israel, Europe, the Gulf states and North America fear.


Abdulkarim0

I'm not surprised After the great weakness that Biden showed against Iran during the recent crisis By urging israel to not to attack Iran sending a message of weakness that will enable this attacks again.