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I'm trying to understand the reasons why so many readers consider Soleimani as a "terrorist", as opposed to an opposing general. I see two main arguments, neither of which thus far convince me, tho I'm willing to be persuadd.
2/ first argument is that Iran's (under Soleimani's direction) "malign activities" (a favorite adjective) in Syria and Iraq over past 5 years. Since 2014, Soleimani had led the ground resistance to ISIS and AlQaeda, and, in particular, acting bravely while Obama dithered.
3/ US seems resentful that Assad govt in Syria wasn't overthrown by AlQaeda and/or that Israel's desire for balkanization of Syria/Iraq through radical Sunnistan in area occupied by ISIS wasn't realized.
4/ but, from what I can see in initial research, Soleimani's role in stopping and then defeating ISIS, AlQaeda and their allies (who were financed by Saudi, Qatar and armed by US) seems praiseworthy and US policy incomprehensible.
5/ the second argument is that Soleimani was supposedly responsible for the deaths of hundreds of US soldiers. One seldom sees particulars. The main allegation seems to be that, in 2003-2007 (pre-ISIS), Iran supplied IEDs to Iraqi resistance, which were used against occupying US.
6/ if arming resistance forces constitutes "terrorism", then I would be interested in a principled argument as to why US arming resistance in Syria doesn't constitute terrorism (quite aside from problems with US arms passing almost immediately into hands of AlQaeda and ISIS)
7/ the other issue is empirical: whether the IEDs used in Iraq in 2003-2008 actually originated in Iran, or whether they were manufactured indigenously in Iraq and/or derived from Lebanese Hezbollah designs. See truthout.org/articles/lies-…
I don't know but am mistrustful of US intel
8/ good article by Craig Murray
craigmurray.org.uk/archives/2020/…
9/ Col Pat Lang, the extremely insightful retired intel officer at Sic Semper Tyrannis, says (convincingly IMO) that Soleimani "met a soldier's destiny" but that it is absurd to say that he was a "BAD MAN" merely because he fought US as well as jihadis.
turcopolier.typepad.com/sic_semper_tyr…
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Stephen McIntyre
@ClimateAudit
many people have observed that Soleimani was supposedly under a UN travel ban. But is this true? I don't think so.
twitter.com/search?q=UN%20…
2/ the travel ban in question appears to be the listing of Soleimani under UN Resolution 1747, which was in connection with Iranian nuclear program - not supposed "terrorist" activities.
3/ in July 2015, UN Resolution 2231, as part of the JCPOA (Iran Nuclear deal) rescinded Resolution 1747.
un.org/securitycounci… While Trump reneged on JCPOA, that didn't reverse Resolution 2231.

I.e. doesn't appear to have been UN travel ban on Soleimani
Read 4 tweets
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Stephen McIntyre
@ClimateAudit
a reader has sent me a nice email telling me that my recent tweets on Iran are too strident.

I realize that when I'm writing well, I'm being very analytic and avoiding adjectives, editorializing. Presenting facts is more persuasive than hectoring people.

Point taken.
2/ few of my present readers probably realize that my entry into climate controversy was connected to 2003 US invasion of Iraq. My request to Mann for data was in week of invasion and because of invasion. It seemed to me that climate advocates' demand for pre-emptive policy were
3/ just as pre-emptive as US pretext for invading Iraq because of supposed WMD. I had enough international business experience that I presumed that Ahmed Chalabi would tell US intel whatever they wanted to hear and thought it madness that he was anywhere near US foreign policy.
Read 6 tweets
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Stephen McIntyre
@ClimateAudit
good Elijah Malrai @ejmalrai interview on Shanahan about Iraq situation. Malrai said that only 7 of 79 killed or wounded in US bombing of Iraqi forces were members of Kataib Hizbollah, others regular Iraq police and military. Pompeo "precision", I guess
@ejmalrai 2/ Malrai: one week before attack, Iraqi intelligence warned US about risk of ISIS attack.

Instead, Pompeo et al appear to have used attack as pretext for pre-emptive attack on Iraq in al-Qaim area, where US and Israel want to block only open hiway betw Damascus & Baghdad
@ejmalrai 3/ Malrai predicts that Iraqi govt will now push strongly for end of US forces in Iraq and, meanwhile, a return to 2005 conditions in Iraq with casualties of US soldiers, all resulting from irresponsible policy by Pompeo and neocons.
Read 3 tweets

Related threads

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Rebecca Ingber
@becingber
There are a lot of takes out there on the legality of the #Soleimani strike, and many conflate the various bodies of law involved, including the US domestic and international law.

Here is a very simple breakdown of the various legal questions at stake. 1/
This thread does NOT address the policy implications or wisdom of the targeted killing of Soleimani. And as I've said before, law should provide *outer limits*, but legal justification (to the extent that it exists) should never substitute for a separate policy decision.
First, a cautionary note: beware “international law” explanations that rely on an AUMF. The 2001 and 2002 AUMFs are U.S. statutes that themselves are informed and constrained by int’l law, but do not themselves *constitute* int’l law or satisfy its requirements.
Read 27 tweets
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The Storm Is Here NOW!!!
@PaulSchmehl
I just posted a thread by Stephen McIntyre (@ClimateAudit), and I felt the need to address in more depth his points. He suggests that there’s no real evidence that Soleimani was a terrorist as opposed to an enemy combatant. I would disagree, but that’s beside my point.
@ClimateAudit I would consider ALL Iranian military terrorists because Iran is a terror state. Just as we considered all Nazis evil, regardless of whether they were conscripted or volunteered, I would consider all Iranian combatants as terrorists because they work to support Iran.
@ClimateAudit I think it’s indisputable that Iran is a sponsor of terror. Therefore, anyone who works to further their goals is a terrorist. Especially a leader of the status of Soleimani. However, I don’t see any need to label Soleimani as a terrorist to justify his killing.
Read 19 tweets
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Fogheadz
@Fogfaaja
1/20

I think your wrong about that.

You're not going to get a war with Iran, you're getting a war with the world.

Let me explain; first this is a blatant breech of international diplomatic norms, which US opponents will seize on to justify pot-shots at US interest abroad.
2/20

The US currently can't afford to pay for their worldwide "empire", using this "lawless act" as an example. US allies will get pressured to abandon their support.

As "irregulars" ramp up attacks on US businesses. Trump will be forced into making even worse strategic errors.
3/20

As we've already seen the various dictators/regimes he's propped up across the world are all largely RW ideologues or ethno-nationalist. Most of whom have questionable Democratic legitimacy and are by nature reluctant to commit forces to a cause not of personal benefit.
Read 21 tweets
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Charles Thépaut
@diplocharlie
[Thread] There are so many angles to #Soleimani’s death that it will take time to grasp the full picture of it. But let’s try to look at a number of issues :
1/ The event : #Soleimani was one of the most important actors of today’s Middle East politics. His killing by the US is the most significant event in the region in recent years. Twitter tells you analysts are in shock : “we enter unchartered territories”.
2/ The spy : Head of the #IRGC, he was the face of Iranian regional expansion in the 2010’ and the architect of a network of militias in #Iraq, #Syria, #Lebanon, which has shaped these countries’ current situation.
Read 22 tweets
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Clint Watts
@selectedwisdom
Many are arguing #Soleimani death may trigger a regional US-Iran proxy war, one could also argue that #Soleimani led a Iran-US proxy war in Iraq for the last decade.
Divisiveness in America, lack of will political leaders unify popular support defense of US interests, leads us feel uncertain about killing leader designated terrorist group, because we don’t know what the plan is, we don’t trust info we get, we get 🇺🇸 tweet as an explanation
#Soleimani got what was coming to him, US should defend its people, but what are our interests in the region, what are we trying to achieve at this point, how many Americans are we willing to risk for this so called victory? Would love to know these answers, doubt there are any
Read 5 tweets
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Al Jazeera English
@AJEnglish
Pre-dawn US airstrike at Baghdad airport kills head of Iran's elite al-Quds force, General Qassem Soleimani aje.io/zhqrt
The Pentagon confirms killing of General Qassem Soleimani in Iraq, saying strike was carried out at the direction of President Donald Trump aje.io/kyasf
Who is General Qassem Soleimani, Iran's elite Quds force leader? aje.io/9azyu
Read 29 tweets

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