Trump Regime Invented Pretext for Assassinating Iranian General Soleimani

by Stephen Lendman (stephenlendman.org - Home - Stephen Lendman)

Make no mistake. The Trump regime's assassination of Iranian General Qassem Soleimani was an act of war on Iran and Iraq — for killing an Iranian national in Baghdad, attacking its sovereign territory.

Friday on Fox News, Trump falsely claimed Soleimani was killed because he planned to attack four US embassies, including the one in Baghdad.

Days earlier at an Ohio political rally, he falsely said "Soleimani was actively planning new attacks, and he was looking very seriously at our embassies, and not just the embassy in Baghdad (sic)," adding:

"But we stopped him, and we stopped him quickly, and we stopped him cold" — despite no threat he posed to the US, just ISIS and likeminded terrorists the US created and supports.

At his nationally televised mid-week briefing, Trump said he ordered Soleimani's assassination "because (he was) looking to blow up our (Baghdad) embassy (sic)."

He provided no evidence of a Soleimani threat because none exists. Claiming he acted in self-defense was a bald-faced Big Lie. No "imminent" threat from Iran existed earlier or now.

On the same day, Pompeo falsely accused Soleimani of plotting "a broad, large-scale attack" on US regional facilities (sic), adding:

"We don't know exactly which day it would have been executed, but it was very clear…Those attacks were imminent (sic)" — clearly not so!

In response to Trump regime remarks about Soleimani, Dem Senator Chris Murphy tweeted:

"Let's be clear. If there was evidence of imminent attacks on four embassies, the (Trump regime) would have said so at our Wednesday briefing," adding: 

"They didn't (because) there was no such imminent threat." Other Dems made similar comments.

Fact: Soleimani was in Baghdad on a diplomatic peace mission. Not a shred of evidence suggests he was planning attacks on the US or any other countries.

Fact: As IRGC Quds Force commander, he was in the forefront of combatting and defeating the scourge of US-supported ISIS and likeminded terrorists.

Fact: He was and remains widely respected and revered in Iran, other regional countries and elsewhere.

Fact: He was a renown freedom fighter for regional peace and stability — his mission polar opposite endless US wars of aggression against nonthreatening states.

Fact: Elevated to martyr status by  the Trump regime's murder, he's larger than life in death than when alive.

Throughout Islamic Republic history, it never attacked another country — what the US, NATO and Israel do repeatedly.

Iran threatens no other countries except in self-defense if attacked, its legal right under international law.

If Soleimani posed an "imminent threat" to US regional embassies, why were congressional members left uninformed when briefed by Trump regime officials?

Separately on Thursday in response to a question about a Russian opposed Security Council draft statement on yearend Iraqi protests near the US embassy in Baghdad, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said the following:

"The Russian Federation invariably and consistently upholds the principle of inviolability and security of diplomatic missions. We were ready to work on the US draft this time as well," adding:

"But a few hours later, the US military delivered a strike at Baghdad's civilian airport, which killed several people, including Major General Qassem Soleimani of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, commander of its Quds Force." 

"True to its anti-Iran policy, Washington, without offering any proof, (falsely) accused Tehran of masterminding the attack on the US Embassy in Baghdad and used an extrajudicial method to punish the Iranian general."

"Against this background, the US attempted in subsequent days to promote (its) UN Security Council draft statement (that) turned into a search for justifications for their unlawful and violent action." 

"In this specific case, the UN Security Council's approval of the proposed statement would have amounted to a display of disregard for the use of force in violation of the UN Charter and for the principle of respect on the part of all countries for sovereignty and territorial integrity of states."

Attacking the territory or nationals of a country constitutes an act of war by the aggressor state.

Time and again, the US is guilty of this highest of high crimes, why both wings of its war party pose humanity's greatest threat.

A Final Comment

On Friday, EU foreign ministers met in Brussels to discuss escalated Middle East tensions in the wake of the Trump regime's assassination of General Soleimani and Iraqi deputy PMU commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis.

Along with expressing concerns about things potentially spinning out of control, they reiterated support for the JCPOA nuclear deal with Iran they flagrantly breached by failing to observe their mandated obligations.

They expressed EU support for continued US-led coalition occupation of Iraq to combat the scourge of ISIS Washington created and backs.

German Foreign Minister Heiko Mass falsely said "if the anti-IS coalition leaves Iraq, then IS will regenerate so much that it can carry out attacks in Europe again."

Other EU foreign ministers made similar false remarks, expressing support for endless US occupation of Iraq its ruling authorities, parliamentarians, and most of its people want ended.

VISIT MY WEBSITE: stephenlendman.org (Home - Stephen Lendman). Contact at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net.

My newest book as editor and contributor is titled "Flashpoint in Ukraine: How the US Drive for Hegemony Risks WW III."

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