Amanda
25th January 2020, 08:04 PM
They want us to get the hell out of their country!!!
Over a MILLION Iraqis protest against US occupation (https://themindunleashed.com/2020/01/hundreds-of-thousands-of-iraqis-protest-against-us-occupation.html)
The U.S. military is unwelcome in Iraq.
Iraq's parliament voted (https://themindunleashed.com/2020/01/iraq-votes-expel-us-troops-submits-complaint-un-violation-sovereignty.html) last month to expel the U.S. troops who have been occupying the country for nearly twenty years. However, the United States government has refused (https://themindunleashed.com/2020/01/trump-threatens-very-big-sanctions-iraq.html) to comply with the order and has threatened harsh sanctions if they are forced to leave.
The presence of the United States military is unwelcome in Iraq and the rest of the Middle East, but they have shown no signs of slowing down the so-called "war on terror."
On Friday, massive crowds of protesters poured into the streets of Baghdad to protest against U.S. occupation and demanded that western troops to be sent home. Foreign sources including Press TV estimated the crowds at over a million, while CNN suggested (https://www.cnn.com/2020/01/24/middleeast/iraq-protests-us-troops-intl/index.html) that hundreds of thousands were involved in the protests. The Wall Street Journal gave the smallest estimation (https://www.wsj.com/articles/tens-of-thousands-march-in-baghdad-against-u-s-troops-in-iraq-11579860644) at "tens of thousands." However, video and images from the protest show that actual numbers were far higher.
The protest came together after the powerful Shia cleric Muqtada al-Sadr called for a "Million Man March" in response to the ongoing occupation.
"We will exhaust all peaceful, political, economic, social, cultural and popular means to achieve our main goal, which is scheduling the departure of the occupation forces," a representative for Mr. Sadr said during the protest.
The streets were flooded with Iraqis from different age groups and demographics. Children held up signs that said "no, no to America" and "no, no to occupation" as they walked with their families. The crowds were filled with Iraqi flags and signs condemning Donald Trump and the U.S. military.
Iraqi President Barham Salih tweeted an image of the protest with the caption, "Iraqis insist on a state with complete sovereignty that will not be breached, serving its people and expressing their independent national will, free from interference and dictates from abroad, a state that guarantees their security and rights in a free and dignified life, a state in security and peace with its neighbors."
This is just the largest and most recent protest in a series of demonstrations that have taken place on a regular basis since last year against U.S. military occupation and influence in Iraq.
Comment: Fort Russ News gives added details:
Millions of Iraqi people convened in the capital city of Baghdad today to deplore the US military presence in the country.
According to Iraq's local media, people from "all of the Iraqi provinces" have gathered in the ongoing rally to condemn the Americans' illegal presence in the country, after the US assassinated top Iranian commander Lieutenant General Qasem Soleimani and Iraqi commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis in Baghdad earlier this month.
The protesters are carrying banners and chanting slogans calling for the expulsion of US forces.
During the rallies, the Influential Iraqi Shia cleric Muqtada al-Sadr lashed out at the United States for its illegal military presence in Iraq, saying, "If the US government does not agree to leave Iraq, it will be considered and treated as an occupying state and enemy."
Baghdad should revoke all security agreements with the US and ban the US from conducting military operations in its skies, he added.
The demonstrators are planned to gather at the intersection of Baghdad University in the Jadriyah neighborhood.
Iraqis in Karbala city, south of Baghdad, were also seen boarding buses heading towards the capital.
The rally comes after influential Iraqi Shia cleric Muqtada al-Sadr called on Iraqis to stage "a million-strong, peaceful, unified demonstration to condemn the American presence and its violations" last week.
On January 5, the Iraqi parliament voted overwhelmingly in favor of a resolution calling for the expulsion of all US-led forces in the country two days after Washington assassinated Soleimani and Muhandis.
Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council praised the Iraqi people's massive turnout to the anti-US rallies that were held in Baghdad on Friday, saying Washington should await new displays of regional power.
Shamkhani hailed epic rallies in Baghdad against US illegal presence. Rear Admiral Ali Shamkhani, in a statement, commended the Iraqi government, parliament, and nation for the epic demonstrations to deplore the US' illegal military presence in the country.
He described the rally as a sign of Iraqis' pioneering role in the expulsion of the Americans from the region.
Shamkhani said the Iraqis rallying in million showed that the US' threat of sanctions has become nothing but a fruitless effort, which cannot undermine the will and unity of the nations that pursue their national sovereignty and independence.
"The countdown to the US' expulsion from the region started on the early hours of Friday, January 3, and Washington is getting closer to the end of its presence in the region day by day," he added.
The top Iranian security official was referring to the US assassination of top Iranian anti-terror commander Lieutenant General Qasem Soleimani and Iraqi commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandes on January 3.
On January 5, the Iraqi parliament voted overwhelmingly in favor of a resolution calling for the expulsion of all foreign forces after the US assassination of Iran's senior Iranian and Iraqi commanders.
On January 7, Iran's IRGC targeted the US airbase of Ain al-Assad in Anbar province in western Iraq after launching a wave of attacks to retaliate the terrorist move.
Today's massive rally came after influential cleric Muqtada al-Sadr called on Iraqis to stage "a million-strong, peaceful, unified demonstration to condemn the American presence and its violations".
Sadr issued a statement on Friday calling for US bases to be shut down and Iraqi airspace closed to US warplanes and surveillance aircraft.
He warned that US presence in the country will be dealt with as an occupying force if Washington does not agree with Iraqi demands to withdraw for the country. Moon of Alabama tracked the West's coverage of the event (https://www.moonofalabama.org/2020/01/associated-press-sees-hundreds-where-pictures-show-millions.html):
At 10:01 UTC today the Associated Press tweeted (https://twitter.com/AP/status/1220647701391532033) that "hundreds" gather in central Baghdad to demand that American troops leave the country.
https://www.sott.net/image/s27/554360/large/hundreds_s.jpg (https://www.sott.net/image/s27/554360/full/hundreds_s.jpg)
Thirty eight minutes earlier CNN had already reported (https://edition.cnn.com/2020/01/24/middleeast/iraq-protests-us-troops-intl/index.html) that "hundreds of thousands" are protesting in Baghdad against the U.S. troop presence in Iraq.
https://www.sott.net/image/s27/554362/large/hundreds2_s.jpg (https://www.sott.net/image/s27/554362/full/hundreds2_s.jpg)
When AP sent the misleading tweet the commander of the Iraqi Federal Police Forces Jaffar al-Batat had already announced (https://twitter.com/AlMayadeenNews/status/1220629372144685056) that the number of demonstrators exceeds one million.
That number may well be correct. Reports said that the column of protesters was already eight kilometers long even while many were still arriving.
https://www.sott.net/image/s27/554364/large/hundreds3_s.jpg (https://www.sott.net/image/s27/554364/full/hundreds3_s.jpg)
Over a MILLION Iraqis protest against US occupation (https://themindunleashed.com/2020/01/hundreds-of-thousands-of-iraqis-protest-against-us-occupation.html)
The U.S. military is unwelcome in Iraq.
Iraq's parliament voted (https://themindunleashed.com/2020/01/iraq-votes-expel-us-troops-submits-complaint-un-violation-sovereignty.html) last month to expel the U.S. troops who have been occupying the country for nearly twenty years. However, the United States government has refused (https://themindunleashed.com/2020/01/trump-threatens-very-big-sanctions-iraq.html) to comply with the order and has threatened harsh sanctions if they are forced to leave.
The presence of the United States military is unwelcome in Iraq and the rest of the Middle East, but they have shown no signs of slowing down the so-called "war on terror."
On Friday, massive crowds of protesters poured into the streets of Baghdad to protest against U.S. occupation and demanded that western troops to be sent home. Foreign sources including Press TV estimated the crowds at over a million, while CNN suggested (https://www.cnn.com/2020/01/24/middleeast/iraq-protests-us-troops-intl/index.html) that hundreds of thousands were involved in the protests. The Wall Street Journal gave the smallest estimation (https://www.wsj.com/articles/tens-of-thousands-march-in-baghdad-against-u-s-troops-in-iraq-11579860644) at "tens of thousands." However, video and images from the protest show that actual numbers were far higher.
The protest came together after the powerful Shia cleric Muqtada al-Sadr called for a "Million Man March" in response to the ongoing occupation.
"We will exhaust all peaceful, political, economic, social, cultural and popular means to achieve our main goal, which is scheduling the departure of the occupation forces," a representative for Mr. Sadr said during the protest.
The streets were flooded with Iraqis from different age groups and demographics. Children held up signs that said "no, no to America" and "no, no to occupation" as they walked with their families. The crowds were filled with Iraqi flags and signs condemning Donald Trump and the U.S. military.
Iraqi President Barham Salih tweeted an image of the protest with the caption, "Iraqis insist on a state with complete sovereignty that will not be breached, serving its people and expressing their independent national will, free from interference and dictates from abroad, a state that guarantees their security and rights in a free and dignified life, a state in security and peace with its neighbors."
This is just the largest and most recent protest in a series of demonstrations that have taken place on a regular basis since last year against U.S. military occupation and influence in Iraq.
Comment: Fort Russ News gives added details:
Millions of Iraqi people convened in the capital city of Baghdad today to deplore the US military presence in the country.
According to Iraq's local media, people from "all of the Iraqi provinces" have gathered in the ongoing rally to condemn the Americans' illegal presence in the country, after the US assassinated top Iranian commander Lieutenant General Qasem Soleimani and Iraqi commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis in Baghdad earlier this month.
The protesters are carrying banners and chanting slogans calling for the expulsion of US forces.
During the rallies, the Influential Iraqi Shia cleric Muqtada al-Sadr lashed out at the United States for its illegal military presence in Iraq, saying, "If the US government does not agree to leave Iraq, it will be considered and treated as an occupying state and enemy."
Baghdad should revoke all security agreements with the US and ban the US from conducting military operations in its skies, he added.
The demonstrators are planned to gather at the intersection of Baghdad University in the Jadriyah neighborhood.
Iraqis in Karbala city, south of Baghdad, were also seen boarding buses heading towards the capital.
The rally comes after influential Iraqi Shia cleric Muqtada al-Sadr called on Iraqis to stage "a million-strong, peaceful, unified demonstration to condemn the American presence and its violations" last week.
On January 5, the Iraqi parliament voted overwhelmingly in favor of a resolution calling for the expulsion of all US-led forces in the country two days after Washington assassinated Soleimani and Muhandis.
Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council praised the Iraqi people's massive turnout to the anti-US rallies that were held in Baghdad on Friday, saying Washington should await new displays of regional power.
Shamkhani hailed epic rallies in Baghdad against US illegal presence. Rear Admiral Ali Shamkhani, in a statement, commended the Iraqi government, parliament, and nation for the epic demonstrations to deplore the US' illegal military presence in the country.
He described the rally as a sign of Iraqis' pioneering role in the expulsion of the Americans from the region.
Shamkhani said the Iraqis rallying in million showed that the US' threat of sanctions has become nothing but a fruitless effort, which cannot undermine the will and unity of the nations that pursue their national sovereignty and independence.
"The countdown to the US' expulsion from the region started on the early hours of Friday, January 3, and Washington is getting closer to the end of its presence in the region day by day," he added.
The top Iranian security official was referring to the US assassination of top Iranian anti-terror commander Lieutenant General Qasem Soleimani and Iraqi commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandes on January 3.
On January 5, the Iraqi parliament voted overwhelmingly in favor of a resolution calling for the expulsion of all foreign forces after the US assassination of Iran's senior Iranian and Iraqi commanders.
On January 7, Iran's IRGC targeted the US airbase of Ain al-Assad in Anbar province in western Iraq after launching a wave of attacks to retaliate the terrorist move.
Today's massive rally came after influential cleric Muqtada al-Sadr called on Iraqis to stage "a million-strong, peaceful, unified demonstration to condemn the American presence and its violations".
Sadr issued a statement on Friday calling for US bases to be shut down and Iraqi airspace closed to US warplanes and surveillance aircraft.
He warned that US presence in the country will be dealt with as an occupying force if Washington does not agree with Iraqi demands to withdraw for the country. Moon of Alabama tracked the West's coverage of the event (https://www.moonofalabama.org/2020/01/associated-press-sees-hundreds-where-pictures-show-millions.html):
At 10:01 UTC today the Associated Press tweeted (https://twitter.com/AP/status/1220647701391532033) that "hundreds" gather in central Baghdad to demand that American troops leave the country.
https://www.sott.net/image/s27/554360/large/hundreds_s.jpg (https://www.sott.net/image/s27/554360/full/hundreds_s.jpg)
Thirty eight minutes earlier CNN had already reported (https://edition.cnn.com/2020/01/24/middleeast/iraq-protests-us-troops-intl/index.html) that "hundreds of thousands" are protesting in Baghdad against the U.S. troop presence in Iraq.
https://www.sott.net/image/s27/554362/large/hundreds2_s.jpg (https://www.sott.net/image/s27/554362/full/hundreds2_s.jpg)
When AP sent the misleading tweet the commander of the Iraqi Federal Police Forces Jaffar al-Batat had already announced (https://twitter.com/AlMayadeenNews/status/1220629372144685056) that the number of demonstrators exceeds one million.
That number may well be correct. Reports said that the column of protesters was already eight kilometers long even while many were still arriving.
https://www.sott.net/image/s27/554364/large/hundreds3_s.jpg (https://www.sott.net/image/s27/554364/full/hundreds3_s.jpg)