Thread by @MikeyKayFilms

1. Trump’s thread is ignorant, very simplistic and linear - based on a previous history of blagging, smoke and mirrors, and intimidation used in his real estate business (not to great effect). The reality of war is different, very different. #Solemani

https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1213593965838163968

2. Regarding Trump & family, he’s scared of the horrors of war hence his dodging of the Vietnam draft and that he has kept his naive boys & girl away from serving (Eric Trump’s tweet about opening a can of ‘Whoop ass’ par example/ Trump’s naive little boy couldn’t be more wrong.

3. A brief study of U.S success (or not) in Iraq in the years after the 2003 invasion is all you really need to look at. The U.S spent over $700Bn on defense and operations across 2007. A U.S troop surge in Iraq in 2008 put around 170,000 U.S troops in Iraq. You might argue that

4. 170,000 U.S troops was able to contain a violent landscape in Iraq where 100s and thousands of Iraqi civilians were being killed, but it was never sustainable, or even close to ensuring future long term stability. The emergence of I.S via AQI tells you that. As does the...

5. $5.9Trillion cost to the U.S Taxpayer for wars in Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria and Pakistan since 2001 - see link below).

watson.brown.edu/costsofwar/fil…

#Solemani

6. There isn’t a shred of evidence since 2001 that American politicians understand the Middle East, or care for the people, or have any form of conscience about the cost in life to U.S Troops, or the cost to the U.S taxpayer. There is evidence of American politicians benefiting

7. Either through relationships with major defense based corporate organisations, being paid off by lobbyists (look at Bolton and Giuliani on MEK payments for example) or through perceived political gains. #Solemani

8. But if you think 170,000 U.S troops will create a safer Middle East fighting Iran. You’re woefully mistaken. It will be so much worse than Iraq, in cost to civilian lives, military lives, and financially. 17 years on Iraq isn’t close to being stable. Just think about that.

9. I served in the British military as an assault helicopter pilot and strategic military planner for 20yrs. 2 tours in Afghan, 3 in Iraq (2 Baghdad), 2 Kosovo. Also worked as a director in the British MoD in equipment capability during the Strategic Defence & Security Review.

10. I’ve reported on the Middle East since 2013. And have embedded with U.S Commanders in Iraq, Iraqi forces, and kept very close relations w/ Kurdish intelligence.