President Trump took decisive action after a series of incidents in Iraq committed against America by Iranian-backed militias. Last week, they killed an American contractor and on New Year’s Eve, Iran-backed protestors stormed the US Embassy in Baghdad, setting it on fire. Friday morning, a US military strike killed the head of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ Quds Force, General Qassim Soleimani, and some of his subordinates at the Baghdad International Airport.
The timeline of events is listed below; the men pictured are Soleimani and Abu Mahdi Muhandis, a deputy commander, also dead.
- Soleimani ordered the actions against US troops during the Iraq War in which 608 US troops died.
- He was responsible for 17 percent of all death of US personnel in Iraq from 2003 to 2011
- He and his deputy commander of Kataeb Hezbollah, Abu Mahdi Muhandis, were responsible for a deadly strike in Kirkuk that killed a US civilian contractor last week.
- Soleimani was actively developing plans to attack American diplomats and service members in Iraq and throughout the region.
- He was blamed as being the mastermind behind the attack on the US consulate in Benghazi in which four Americans died, according to a book published in 2014 by Kenneth Timmerman.
US Marines have captured and arrested two other militia leaders, including the head of the Badr Corps, Hadi al-Amiri. He was the transportation minister of Iran that was invited to the Obama White House.
Authorization for the Strike
The US drone strike was authorized under 10 US Code § 127e: support of special operations to combat terrorism.
The State Department has warned Americans to leave Iraq.
Under President Obama, the US worked with Qassem Soleimani. The stated reason for the alliance was for the defeat of ISIS, al Qaeda, al Nusrah, and other groups. The Washington Post issued a tweet, calling him “Iraq’s most revered military leader.” The Post later deleted their statement. Other media personalities, Democrat lawmakers, and Hollywood headliners have criticized the President’s actions.
One Republican lawmaker publicly warned this was a mistake. Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) believes the Iranians will escalate the situation and the door of diplomacy is shut.
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) says the role of the US is not to promote war, as President Trump is doing.
Former VP Biden released the statement (right.) But according to Rudy Giuliani, Biden may have divided loyalties, calling Biden “Obama’s point man for Iraq.”
Giuliani tweeted:
“[Biden] was unsuccessful and failed to get a status of force agreement so some troops could remain, but again the Biden Family (brother James) did well and got one third of a $1.5 billion housing deal.”
Why this Matters: President Trump announced the overwhelming defeat of ISIS in Syria in 2019. Unlike President Obama, he did not need the help of Soleimani. This next chapter with Iran has the potential to be one of peace.
How to Pray: God gives us the right to protect ourselves! Pray for our troops in the area, for President Trump, Secretary Pompeo, and military leaders as they show a strong face to our enemies. Pray for the regime in Iran to back down and for the freedom of the Iranian and Iraqi people. Pray for the gospel to spread in the Middle East.
Esther 8: 11 – By these letters the king permitted the Jews who were in every city to gather together and protect their lives—to destroy, kill, and annihilate all the forces of any people or province that would assault them, both little children and women, and to plunder their possessions
Praying Citizen 
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