#Russian minister of foreign affairs Sergei #Lavrov will visit #Baghdad today with a high-level delegation including businessmen politicians and journalists.

The conflict between NATO and Russia has created more space to maneuver in geopolitically speaking for nations like Iraq. We hope this visit will reflect the new multipolar reality of the world. It is time Iraq uses the opportunity to shift out of the US sphere of influence (occupation) and build equitable relations with non alligned nations.

In November 1990, Iraq organized an international Music and Sports Peace Festival to promote that Iraq was against war -despite its occupation of Kuwait. This festival attracted famous and unfamous foreigners from all over the world creating fascinating sights, a thread. Iraq, 1990, Japanese wrestler Antonio Inoki (now calling himself Hussain since he converted to Islam, he is known to also have visited Kerbala) sitting next to former Nicaraguan president Daniel Ortega during a soccer match in Iraq.

Exactly 42 years ago, on July 22, 1979, vice-president of Saddam Hussain staged a coup and took over the reins from President Hassan al-Bakr.

irqnow.com/saddam1979/

A thread

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Saddam justified this purge based on a perceived conspiracy organized by the left military wing of the Baath-Party interested in unifying Iraq with Syria at the expense of Iraq. The pro- Iraq-Syria unity segment of this party was declared as treacherous and they were executed.

The Murder and Rape of Abeer

Exactly 15 years ago  Specialist Paul E. Cortez, James P. Barker, Private First Class Jesse V. Spielman, Private L. Howard, and Private First Class Steven D. Green were manning a checkpoint in Yusfia Iraq as part of the US occupation.

A 🧵 As they were drinking whiskey and playing cards, they were discussing to “rape a girl” and murder Iraqis.

From their checkpoint they could see the house of the 14 year old Abeer Al Janabi. They had been sexually harassing Abeer whenever she passed their checkpoint.

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