All Things Trump: Is it over yet?

[Svartalf]

one day, they'll talk of the murder of Kassem Soleymani like they do now about that of Franz Ferdinand...

[laklak]

YOu mean someone will form a band?

[Svartalf]

given what those do to music, they do deserve to be murdered, wonder why it happened to john lennon and not to them

[JimC]

one day, they'll talk of the murder of Kassem Soleymani like they do now about that of Franz Ferdinand...

I was very surprised when one of our TV news shows used the phrase "President Trump ordered the murder of an Iranian general", as the term "murder" surely implies criminal culpability...

[Svartalf]

it does, even if he'll never be judged and even less convicted over it. but Iran and the US are not at war, so what happened is a common murder, AND a casus belli if I ever saw one.

[Scot Dutchy]

He is a fucking lunatic.

[L'Emmerdeur]

I think that the killing of Solemani would not be considered illegal under current US law. International law is another matter, though a case could be made that Solemani was engaged in/responsible for armed conflict with the United States, and therefore a legitimate target even though Iran and the US were not at war at the time of the killing. Not to say that the United States is known for strict adherence to international law.

Whether the killing was in accordance with any particular version of morality, whether it was the right thing to do, either tactically or strategically, whether it was ordered by a dangerous nincompoop whose action will result in more deaths (of unforeseeable numbers), these are separate questions.

[Tero]

[Joe]

I think that the killing of Solemani would not be considered illegal under current US law. International law is another matter, though a case could be made that Solemani was engaged in/responsible for armed conflict with the United States, and therefore a legitimate target even though Iran and the US were not at war at the time of the killing. Not to say that the United States is known for strict adherence to international law.

Whether the killing was in accordance with any particular version of morality, whether it was the right thing to do, either tactically or strategically, whether it was ordered by a dangerous nincompoop whose action will result in more deaths (of unforeseeable numbers), these are separate questions.

Yeah, I'd expect he'd be covered under the 2002 authorization of force because they nailed the Soleimani in Iraq. Quds Force has a long record of aiding and abetting our enemies in Iraq and elsewhere. Were we at war with Iran, I'd be popping a bottle of bubbly because he was a very capable commander.

It's an impetuous move and I wouldn't be surprised if it weren't a typical Trump spur-of-the-moment operation, without any consideration given to the consequences or impact on our people and allies. It seems really likely to me that Trump just gave the Iranians powerful motivation to get nuclear weapons, and short of invading them, I can't see how we can stop them.

Maybe this all ends peacefully, but the chance of someone making a bad decision and things going wrong just went up significantly, and of course the Iranians will extract their revenge on their own terms.

[Svartalf]

it will end in all US interests in the Iran influence sphere being major terror targets, and Iran can strike far away from its actual borders, from Pakistan to the Mediterranean, even if it has to call in favors, which it must have by the dozen given how they have been acting as the protector or chi'ite minorities all over the place.

[Joe]

Yeah, from everything I've read, they have a formidable reach through all their proxies. Hezbollah is trouble enough on its own.

[Svartalf]

basically, frump just gave away all of the near and middle east to Russia and China...and I predict major upping in muslim attacks against israeli interests.

[laklak]

Personally I'm glad the fucker is dead, one less fanatic jihadi asshole is always a good thing. Whether offing him at this juncture was a good geopolitical move or not remains to be seen, but I certainly won't be crying crocodile tears over their "beloved military leader". Fuck them, if I'd been in charge they'd have been smoking rubble back in '79. Probably a good thing I was never in charge of anything more dangerous than a boat, eh? It does put the Dems in the unenviable position of having to support an Islamic terrorist leader, which I find quite delicious. One thing you gotta give The Donald, he's certainly made politics interesting again.

[Scot Dutchy]

Why in the fuck doe no one shoot Trump?

[Svartalf]

you know what happened to the last guy to successfully shoot an american president? nobody wants that job anymore.