Alex Christoforou
The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of this site. This site does not give financial, investment or medical advice.
The Duran’s Alex Christoforou and Editor-in-Chief Alexander Mercouris examine the geopolitical blowback from the US State Department’s decision to classify Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organization.
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Geopolitical Blowback From U.S. Decision Targeting Iran’s Revolutionary Guard by The Duran
The Duran Quick Take: Episode 139. The Duran’s Alex Christoforou and Editor-in-Chief Alexander Mercouris examine the geopolitical blowback from the US State Department’s decision to classify Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organization.
Via Zerohedge…
During remarks early this week in a Fox News interview following Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) being formally designated by the United States as a foreign terrorist organization, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo confirmed that the US will view Iran’s elite force just as it does ISIS.
Specifically Pompeo agreed that the commander of Iran’s elite Quds Force, Maj Gen Qassem Soleimani, is a “terrorist” on the level of ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi during a Fox News interview on Monday.
Fox’s Bret Baier posed the question to the Secretary of State: The head of the IRGC, this man Qasem Soleimani, is by all accounts a bad character and has led all kinds of attacks. But are you saying that he now is equated to, let’s say, the head of ISIS, al-Baghdadi, in U.S. policy perspective?
Responding to whether Suleimani is now “equated” to notorious “caliphate head” Baghdadi, Pompeo affirmed, “Yeah. He is a terrorist.”
This introduced the next obvious question which has no doubt been on the minds of Pentagon planners since the designation was announced: will the US military now target Soleimani and other IRGC commanders the way it does ISIS, with airstrikes and targeted assassination and/or invasion of territory held?
Baier asked: “So we as a country have a policy to target him or capture him?”
Pompeo explained, “Qassem Soleimani has the blood of Americans on his hands, as do the forces he leads,” according to the State Dept. read out of the interview.
Rania Khalek on Twitter: “This is insane. Mike Pompeo equates Iranian IRGC general Qasem Soleimani with the leader of ISIS. Pompeo’s thinking is pure lunacy and propaganda https://t.co/gTObYbFes7 pic.twitter.com/7p0S7UxsDB / Twitter”
This is insane. Mike Pompeo equates Iranian IRGC general Qasem Soleimani with the leader of ISIS. Pompeo’s thinking is pure lunacy and propaganda https://t.co/gTObYbFes7 pic.twitter.com/7p0S7UxsDB
“Each time we find an organization, institution, or an individual that has taken the lives of Americans, it is our responsibility – it’s indeed President Trump’s duty, and we have made tremendous progress in this administration’s first two years – to reduce the riskthat any American will be killed by Qasem Soleimani and his merry band of brothers ever again,” Pompeo responded.
Whether the Pentagon will actually be given the order to go after Quds force and other IRGC officers is perhaps a different matter, given such action would spark a direct war which would necessarily lead to US invasion and occupation of Tehran.
But legally it remains that US forces would be required to go after IRGC members wherever they are encountered in a foreign theater, which means the Persian Gulf and especially the narrow Strait of Hormuz — where IRGC speed boats are known to operate with regularity not far from US Navy ships (currently the US aircraft carrier John C. Stennis is deployed in the gulf) — is now a major flash point where exchange of fire between Iran and the US could erupt at any moment.
The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of this site. This site does not give financial, investment or medical advice.
Who cares why and what is targeted, Iran goes its own way.
The USA sends its warships worldwide to provoke Sovereign Countries to start a fight. Or, The USA will lie and say, that they(the USA) were attacked) in order to start another never-ending war. I will be 78 years old in May 2019. I just hope I live long enough to see the warmongering USA getting dragged into a court and being found guilty and executed! Pompeo is a flaming warmonger! It is nauseating to watch and listen to him lie!
I do so feel the same way.
Israel’s trying to start a war with Iran is going to fall into the “Be careful what you wish for” category. It has come to the point where though I try to be even handed about things and people, I have to say that the Jewish mindset may be clever but it is also stupid. IYIs (Intellectuals Yet Idiots) as Taleb terms them. Israel’s short term faith (though faith is a very flawed word for this idiocy) in delusional America, perfidious Albion and the feckless French is going to start a big war. This will not be confined to the… Read more »
BTW, I saw something about a “Red Button” that Assange could trigger.
I’m putting on my tinfoil hat here but I’d bet money it is that book that he was holding as he was dragged out of the embassy. That was the signal to drop the hammer……….
Cry havoc and loose the dogs of war……. I think I’m feeling vengeful. LOL
Here is a series of interviews with Gore Vidal in his last days with us :
https://therealnews.com/series/gore-vidal-history-of-the-national-security-state
“such action would spark a direct war which would necessarily lead to US invasion and occupation of Tehran.”
Now that would make Netanyahu and his merry group very happy wound’t it .Another war for Israel with America’s sons and daughters doing the fighting and dying for them .Same old, same old .Pompus does his lying very well .And with a straight face no less.
Iran meanwhile designated Centcom and all its soldiers as terrorists too. If they too go after these US terrorists who have way more blood on their hands than the IRCG, then a long and bloody ME war will come. And there is no certainty that the US wii win such a war. The IRCG is battle hardened and likely better versed in guerilla war than the US. Nor does it give the US a right to attack Iran. What is desperately needed is for Teump to fire Pompeo and Bolton and install more intelligent and responsible people who can keep… Read more »
If ISIS leader. Al Bagdadi was a terrorist, why was John McCain photographed in a meeting with him in Syria? If the head of the IRGC has American blood on his hands, it is only because Americans have the bad habit of assisting Israel and Saudi Arabia in all the bloodshed in the Middle East.
Mr. Mercouris, Your assessment of geo political shift in the area and what Israel should be doing, excellent. Please consider opportunities with Brit Europe, this affords opportunities for shift out of Reiteration with this country and into what appears is appointed Reiteration WW1 2 Korea..Israel. The more that your capatable with Europe the better Reiteration stability is. If your reiterated with this country, then Reiteration Israel can act accordingly, provoking regional powers wars.. Now should you be successful, I’m born D.R.C to Christian continium, which states that the moon sun will stop shining, darkness as we realize today, however with… Read more »
It’s evident that the two paths of totality X across this country is relevent to Christian warnings of darkness. Makanda Star of Eygpt where two paths approx 7 years apart intersect, because this platform can successfully utilize what a Christian platform cannot, it has been appropriated to Eygptian position. Christian position is then well attended to w the Language of the Father’s. Tiger born of 2ndary form of Tigrovaya Balka, Hu Shen. last to first expresses Heru-sa-Aset. This should provide better reciprocity with your position and Sputnik USSR position. Hu Shen, Marshall