War

In Just A Few Days, Biden Has Brought The U.S. Much Closer To A War With China

The warmongers are back in control in Washington, but this time the wild-eyed lunatics that Joe Biden has surrounded himself with won’t just be starting wars in the Middle East.  Relations with China are already taking a turn for the worse, and the Chinese are warning that actions that the Biden administration is taking could soon push us to the brink of military conflict.  I know that this may surprise many of my readers, because a major Republican talking point has been that Joe Biden and his family have been way too friendly with the Chinese in the past.  Many had assumed that Biden would have a very cozy relationship with China now that he is in the White House, but it looks like the opposite is going to be true.  The Biden administration is taking a very aggressive posture, and the Chinese are not happy about that at all.

Shortly after Biden was inaugurated, the USS Theodore Roosevelt and its battle group entered the South China Sea.  It is being called a “Freedom of Navigation Operation”, but the Chinese are viewing this aircraft carrier battle group as a major provocation…

CHINA has angrily accused the US of “flexing its muscles” in the South China Sea after new President Joe Biden sent an aircraft carrier group into the disputed waterway in a move which Beijing warned could trigger a disastrous war.

Meanwhile state-run Chinese media has claimed the new administration is seeing how far it could push China, both with regard to the South China Sea and Taiwan.

In addition, the U.S. State Department issued a very blunt statement on January 23rd which greatly alarmed the Chinese…

The United States notes with concern the pattern of ongoing PRC attempts to intimidate its neighbors, including Taiwan. We urge Beijing to cease its military, diplomatic, and economic pressure against Taiwan and instead engage in meaningful dialogue with Taiwan’s democratically elected representatives.

We will stand with friends and allies to advance our shared prosperity, security, and values in the Indo-Pacific region — and that includes deepening our ties with democratic Taiwan. The United States will continue to support a peaceful resolution of cross-strait issues, consistent with the wishes and best interests of the people on Taiwan. The United States maintains its longstanding commitments as outlined in the Three Communiqués, the Taiwan Relations Act, and the Six Assurances. We will continue to assist Taiwan in maintaining a sufficient self-defense capability. Our commitment to Taiwan is rock-solid and contributes to the maintenance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and within the region.

China considers Taiwan to be Chinese territory, and any suggestion otherwise is considered to be extremely offensive.

So for the Biden administration to say that Taiwan is China’s “neighbor” is a really big deal in Beijing.

And I guarantee you that the phrase “deepening our ties with democratic Taiwan” really pissed off Xi Jinping and other top Chinese officials.

If all of that wasn’t enough, the Biden administration actually invited the de facto ambassador from Taiwan to the inauguration.  That is something that hadn’t been done since the 1970s.

As much as Trump liked to anger the Chinese, not even he went that far.

China has responded to these moves by sending military aircraft into Taiwanese airspace on a daily basis.  The following is from a news report that was posted on January 23rd…

CHINA has breached Taiwan’s Air Defence Zone with eight bombers and four fighter jets in a blatant provocation against the autonomous island, sending a clear signal to new US President Joe Biden in the process.

CNN’s Aditya Raj Kaul tweeted: “Taiwan’s Defence Ministry says that 8 Chinese PLA Bombers and 4 Fighters have Breached Island’s Air Defence Zone. Airborne alert sorties had been tasked, radio warnings issued and air defense missile systems deployed to monitor the activity.”

And then on Saturday and Sunday, China sent more planes than ever toward Taiwan…

China sent 13 warplanes into Taiwan’s ADIZ on Saturday and 15 on Sunday. The first incursion included nuclear-capable bombers, fighter jets, and an anti-submarine aircraft. The second incursion featured more anti-sub planes, advanced fighters capable of using stealth technology, and a reconnaissance aircraft.

On both days, Taiwan scrambled fighter jets, activated its surface-to-air missile defenses, and broadcast radio warnings to the Chinese planes.

I don’t think that military action is imminent, but it is important to remember that the Chinese have been rehearsing an invasion of Taiwan for a very long time.

In addition to the saber rattling by the Chinese military, China’s state-run Global Times published a very strongly worded editorial on Monday…

If the tension across the Taiwan Straits is to be eased, we must return to its deteriorating starting point, which is the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities in Taiwan refusing to recognize the 1992 Consensus and opposing the one-China principle. All tensions across the Taiwan Straits originate from the DPP authorities’ perverse act. And this is in contradiction with the US establishment’s general direction in controlling the situation in the Taiwan Straits, and is also incompatible with the three China-US joint communiqués. If the US places its China policy on the basis of the DPP authorities’ reckless moves, which obviously have a trend of Taiwan secessionism, then it will bear long-term and cumulative strategic risks.

The easing of the tension in the Taiwan Straits should start from the political point of view. It cannot reach a breakthrough through strategy. The interaction among the Chinese mainland, the US and the island of Taiwan has been broken in all directions and is difficult to repair. In the later period of the Trump administration, the situation across the Taiwan Straits actually reached the edge of collapse. If the Biden administration does not want the situation to get out of control or get itself seriously involved, they should sent out a clear political signal to distinguish themselves from the previous administration’s mischief, and restore the controllability of the Taiwan Straits on the basis of the one-China principle.

As far as the Chinese government is concerned, the status of Taiwan, the status of Hong Kong, and the status of the South China Sea are non-negotiable issues.

If the Biden administration continues to push the envelope on those issues, it will inevitably bring us closer and closer to a future military conflict with China.

Of course many would argue that we need to be tough on bullies such as China, and it is hard to argue with that reasoning.

But foreign policy takes finesse, because if you push the other side too fast or too hard they could snap and do something irrational.

President Reagan understood this very well, and his patience was one of the reasons why we were able to win the Cold War.

Now a new Cold War is here, and the warmongers that Biden has put in charge of our foreign policy could end up starting a war with China that nobody wants.

***Michael’s new book entitled “Lost Prophecies Of The Future Of America” is now available in paperback and for the Kindle on Amazon.***

About the Author: My name is Michael Snyder and my brand new book entitled “Lost Prophecies Of The Future Of America” is now available on Amazon.com.  In addition to my new book, I have written four others that are available on Amazon.com including The Beginning Of The End, Get Prepared Now, and Living A Life That Really Matters. (#CommissionsEarned)  By purchasing the books you help to support the work that my wife and I are doing, and by giving it to others you help to multiply the impact that we are having on people all over the globe.  I have published thousands of articles on The Economic Collapse Blog, End Of The American Dream and The Most Important News, and the articles that I publish on those sites are republished on dozens of other prominent websites all over the globe.  I always freely and happily allow others to republish my articles on their own websites, but I also ask that they include this “About the Author” section with each article.  The material contained in this article is for general information purposes only, and readers should consult licensed professionals before making any legal, business, financial or health decisions.  I encourage you to follow me on social media on Facebook, Twitter and Parler, and any way that you can share these articles with others is a great help.  During these very challenging times, people will need hope more than ever before, and it is our goal to share the gospel of Jesus Christ with as many people as we possibly can.

Now we can add “a major war” to the list of things that have happened in 2020

While almost everyone’s attention was diverted, a major war erupted on the other side of the world.  It has been more than a week since Azerbaijan launched their invasion of Nagorno-Karabakh, although the mainstream media in the western world will never use the word “invasion” to describe what is happening.  At most, they will use terms such as “attack” or “offensive”, but without a doubt what is taking place is an invasion.  The population of Nagorno-Karabakh is primarily made up of Armenians, and the region has been self-governing since separatists won an extremely violent war against Azerbaijan in 1994 in which tens of thousands of people died.  Now Azerbaijan is attempting to reassert control over Nagorno-Karabakh, and neighboring Armenia has stepped up to help defend Nagorno-Karabakh.  Unfortunately, this could easily escalate into a much wider war.  Russia has a defense pact with Armenia and a military base inside their territory, Iran has threatened to get involved in the conflict, and Turkey has already sent proxy forces into the region to aid the offensive by Azerbaijan.

Following days of vicious fighting, over the weekend the president of Azerbaijan claimed that his forces had captured the critically important town of Madagiz…

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said late Saturday that his forces “raised the flag” over the strategic town of Madagiz and had taken several villages.

The Armenian Defense Ministry said separatist forces in Karabakh had fended off a large Azerbaijani attack, and spokesperson Shushan Stepanian pointed to intense fighting “along the entire front line” and said Armenian forces had shot down three Azerbaijani planes.

And it is also being reported that Azerbaijan is using cluster munitions to bomb the Nagorno-Karabakh capital of Stepanakert…

The separatists’ foreign ministry said on Monday that shelling of Stepanakert had resumed at 6.30am (0230 GMT), with four shells hitting the city. Residents had spent the weekend cramming into underground shelters and many are leaving.

It released video footage of repeated bursts of heavy shelling and debris from seriously damaged blocks of flats, claiming Azerbaijan had used cluster munitions, which are banned by international humanitarian law.

In response, several towns in Azerbaijan have been getting shelled by Armenian forces…

Azerbaijan’s defence ministry said Armenian forces were shelling three of its towns on Monday, after hitting the country’s second-largest city, Ganja, the day before in what Nagorno-Karabakh’s leader said was an act of retaliation and a “warning” against targeting civilian settlements in the breakaway region. Baku said one person had been killed and four injured in the attack on Ganja.

Hundreds have already died on both sides, and the fighting just seems to get worse with each passing day.

A report from CBS News says that there has been “an unprecedented use of heavy artillery, tanks, missiles, and even kamikaze drones”…

Videos posted online from the battleground show an unprecedented use of heavy artillery, tanks, missiles, and even kamikaze drones as the fighting has escalated. Both countries accuse the other of refusing to agree to cease fire, and neither has shown any willingness yet to reengage in stalled peace talks.

Azerbaijan is wealthier and more powerful than Armenia, and so the Armenians are ultimately going to have a very difficult time trying to stop Azerbaijan from taking quite a bit of territory from Nagorno-Karabakh.

But what happens if other parties start to join the conflict?

One analyst that spoke with CBS News says that Russia and Turkey could both potentially get involved…

“All the signals were in place, everything was telling that escalation was coming. And there was diplomatic silence,” Olesya Vartanyan, senior analyst for the South Caucasus region at the International Crisis Group, told CBS News.

“We are definitely one step away from a large-scale war in the region,” she said, noting that such a conflict could embroil Russia, Turkey, or both.

And actually we know that Turkey is already flying proxy fighters into the region to help Azerbaijan with the invasion.  In fact, dozens of those fighters have already died…

Early Sunday morning, the bodies of more than 50 Syrians killed in a conflict raging far from their own borders—in a land many had barely heard of a few months ago—were returned home for funeral preparations.

They were members of militias that had fought previously in northern Syria, then Libya, and now in the disputed enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh—but always on behalf of Turkey.

As I mentioned above, the Russians have a defense pact with Armenia, and they also have a military base located in the country.

Russia and Turkey were on opposite sides in the war in Syria, and they have increasingly irritated each other in recent years.  It would seem to be unthinkable that the Russians would just stand aside and allow Turkey to have their way in this new conflict, but so far the Russians haven’t made a major move.

When they do, however, it will probably be a big one.

On top of everything else, the Iranians are warning that they may take “reciprocal measures” if the fighting continues to spill over into their territory…

Iran warned that it would take reciprocal measures if fighting between its neighbors Armenia and Azerbaijan spills over and endangers security across their borders with Iran.

Iran’s Interior Minister Rahmani Fazli urged the two countries to contain the fighting after clashes over their long-standing war over the Nagorno-Karabagh region erupted last month, according to a statement shown on Iranian state TV.

This is yet another example that demonstrates that we are living during a time of “wars and rumors of wars”, and experts agree that this new war has the potential to eventually become a much larger conflict.

Unfortunately, the vast majority of Americans have never even heard of Nagorno-Karabakh, and most of the population would not be able to locate Armenia or Azerbaijan on a blank map of the world.

And the mainstream media in the United States is so obsessed with covering President Trump’s every move 24 hours a day that they are almost entirely ignoring this conflict.

But this war is a really big deal, and we should all be paying close attention to it.

Whoever wins the presidential election in November is going to have to deal with this crisis, and if things are not handled very, very carefully events could spiral out of control very rapidly.

***Michael’s new book entitled “Lost Prophecies Of The Future Of America” is now available in paperback and for the Kindle on Amazon.com.***

About the Author: My name is Michael Snyder and my brand new book entitled “Lost Prophecies Of The Future Of America” is now available on Amazon.com.  In addition to my new book, I have written four others that are available on Amazon.com including The Beginning Of The End, Get Prepared Now, and Living A Life That Really Matters. (#CommissionsEarned)  By purchasing the books you help to support the work that my wife and I are doing, and by giving it to others you help to multiply the impact that we are having on people all over the globe.  I have published thousands of articles on The Economic Collapse Blog, End Of The American Dream and The Most Important News, and the articles that I publish on those sites are republished on dozens of other prominent websites all over the globe.  I always freely and happily allow others to republish my articles on their own websites, but I also ask that they include this “About the Author” section with each article.  The material contained in this article is for general information purposes only, and readers should consult licensed professionals before making any legal, business, financial or health decisions.  I encourage you to follow me on social media on Facebook and Twitter, and any way that you can share these articles with others is a great help.  During these very challenging times, people will need hope more than ever before, and it is our goal to share the gospel of Jesus Christ with as many people as we possibly can.

Now The Iranians Are Promising More Military Action Against U.S. Forces, And That Would Definitely Start World War 3

What in the world are the Iranians thinking?  After President Trump decided not to respond militarily to the rockets that the Iranians fired at U.S. bases in Iraq, it appeared that a major war had been averted.  People all over the world celebrated this unexpected turn of events, and global stock markets soared.  But now the Iranians are changing their tune again.  Instead of “standing down”, top Iranian leaders are warning that “harsher revenge” is on the way and that there will be more attacks against U.S. forces.  I think that Iran correctly perceives that Trump does not want a war, but if Trump gets pushed too far he will hit the Iranians extremely hard.  And once the Iranian homeland starts getting pummeled by U.S. missiles, the Iranians will start firing some of the 200,000 missiles that they have stockpiled at Israel, and needless to say the Israelis will respond with even greater force.  In other words, any escalation of this conflict at this point has the potential to spark World War 3.

So the Iranians would be wise to stop this nonsense while they still can, but apparently they have no intention of doing so.

On Thursday, the commander of the Revolutionary Guard’s Aerospace Force claimed that the missile attacks the other night were just “the first stage of a major regional operation aimed at expelling U.S. forces from the Middle East”…

Iran’s missile strikes on Iraqi bases housing U.S. troops were the first stage of a major regional operation aimed at expelling U.S. forces from the Middle East, the Iranian commander responsible for the attack said Thursday.

Brig. Gen. Amir Ali Hajizadeh, who as commander of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard’s Aerospace Force oversees most of Iran’s missile arsenal, stopped short of threatening further concrete military action. He also said Iran hadn’t intended to kill anyone in Wednesday’s attack but only to cause material damage.

And Revolutionary Guard commander Abdollah Araghi is promising that “harsher revenge” is coming soon…

A senior Iranian military commander has promised further action against the United States, a day after Tehran launched missiles at two bases housing US troops in Iraq.

Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) commander Abdollah Araghi said that Iran would take “harsher revenge soon,” without specifying what that might entail, Tasnim news agency reported on Thursday.

Do they actually believe that Trump will allow them to repeatedly attack our forces without responding?

If any American had been killed during the missile strikes the other night, it is quite likely that Trump would have responded already.

And when Trump acts, he likes to make a major statement.

Iran is playing a very dangerous game, and if they miscalculate just a little bit there will be disastrous consequences.

Unfortunately, they are so blinded by rage that they don’t appear to be thinking rationally.  At this point, the Iranian media is reporting that the recent missile attacks were “only the beginning of the strikes”…

Tasnim News Agency reported on Thursday that the missiles that hit U.S. interests in Iraq were only the beginning of the strikes.  The deputy head of the IRGC, Ali Fadavi, described Iran’s missile attacks on US forces as a display of the Islamic Republic’s military capabilities, claiming that the Americans “couldn’t do a damn thing” about the strikes.

Many of us had been hoping that cooler heads would prevail, but at least on the Iranian side that does not appear to be happening.

And Iranian proxies are already lobbing rockets at U.S. targets.  For example, on Wednesday a couple of “small rockets” were launched toward the Green Zone in Baghdad…

Small rockets hit the area in or around the Green Zone in Iraq’s capital of Baghdad late Wednesday, a day after Iran launched missiles at bases housing U.S. and other coalition forces in Iraq, American military officials said.

There was no casualties to U.S. or other coalition forces in the area, and no damage to facilities in the Green Zone, which contains the American embassy and other Western diplomatic posts, officials said.

Subsequently, there was a rocket attack on Balad Air Base in Iraq on Thursday…

Another day, another rocket (alleged) rocket attack on a US airbase in Iraq.

Al-Sumaria reports that rockets hit the Balad Air Base, about 40 miles north of Baghdad, where US troops are stationed.

The source said in an interview with Alsumaria News, “A missile, whose type was not specified, fell this evening, to the Fadlan area of ​​the Dujail district near Balad Air Base,” without giving further details.

Iranian proxies would not be doing this if they did not have permission from Tehran.

Perhaps President Trump is waiting until there are American casualties to respond, and he certainly is not eager to get the U.S. involved in a major war during an election year, but at some point his patience is going to run out.

Meanwhile, the IDF has just conducted a stunning attack on Iranian-backed militia targets “on the border between Syria and Iraq”…

According to reports by domestic and western media, the Israeli air force carried out an attack against an Iran-backed militia reportedly headquartered on the border between Syria and Iraq.

Tribal sources in Iraq apparently told reporters that the Israeli shelling targeted trucks and individuals associated with Iranian-backed militias near the Iraqi-Syria border. Artillery and shelling was also reported, though it’s unclear who fired those shots. The weapons are believed to have been destined for Hezbollah.

In the end, even if President Trump is absolutely determined to keep the U.S. out of a major conflict there will still be a war between Israel and Iran.

The Iranians have restarted their nuclear program, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has pledged that Iran will never be allowed to finish it.

The clock is ticking, and Israel is going to do whatever it takes to keep the psychopaths in Iran from being able to build their own nuclear weapons.

So one way or another, war is definitely coming, and it will change all of our lives in a major way.

But many were hoping that World War 3 was at least delayed for a while after Trump showed such great restraint on Wednesday.

Unfortunately, the Iranians seem determined to press their luck, and we are all going to pay a great price for their complete and utter recklessness.

About the Author: I am a voice crying out for change in a society that generally seems content to stay asleep. My name is Michael Snyder and I am the publisher of The Economic Collapse Blog, End Of The American Dream and The Most Important News, and the articles that I publish on those sites are republished on dozens of other prominent websites all over the globe. I have written four books that are available on Amazon.com including The Beginning Of The End, Get Prepared Now, and Living A Life That Really Matters. (#CommissionsEarned) By purchasing those books you help to support my work. I always freely and happily allow others to republish my articles on their own websites, but due to government regulations I need those that republish my articles to include this “About the Author” section with each article. In order to comply with those government regulations, I need to tell you that the controversial opinions in this article are mine alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of the websites where my work is republished. This article may contain opinions on political matters, but it is not intended to promote the candidacy of any particular political candidate. The material contained in this article is for general information purposes only, and readers should consult licensed professionals before making any legal, business, financial or health decisions. Those responding to this article by making comments are solely responsible for their viewpoints, and those viewpoints do not necessarily represent the viewpoints of Michael Snyder or the operators of the websites where my work is republished. I encourage you to follow me on social media on Facebook and Twitter, and any way that you can share these articles with others is a great help.

Everybody In America Should Stand Up And Applaud President Trump, Because He Just Changed The Course Of History

If someone else had been in the White House, this crisis could have easily turned out much differently.  Sadly, most Americans have no idea that we were literally on the brink of the beginning of World War 3 this week.  In fact, our population is so clueless about the rest of the world that 75 percent of all registered voters can’t even find Iran “on an unlabeled map of the globe”.  We literally live in an “idiocracy” where a third of the country can’t even name a single branch of government.  For most Americans, the alarming headlines about Iran will soon fade from memory, and they will just go on with their lives as if nothing really happened.  But the truth is that we were right on the precipice of a cataclysmic war that could have resulted in millions upon millions of deaths.  And a major war in the Middle East could still start at literally any time, but President Trump’s brave decision has at least delayed it for now.

When Iran fired more than a dozen ballistic missiles at U.S. bases in Iraq, it would have been so easy for President Trump to order an immediate military response.

But he didn’t.

Instead, he waited for an accurate damage assessment to be completed, and it turned out that no Americans had been killed or injured.

The Iranians possess very accurate weapons, and so at first a lot of people were quite puzzled by this.  But then later on it started to become obvious that the Iranians “may have intentionally missed” their targets.  In other words, this attack was essentially the equivalent of “a warning shot”…

Iran may have intentionally missed targets on bases in Iraq to avoid significant U.S. casualties and damage to infrastructure, according to U.S. government sources.

Iran appears to have fired the missiles into vacant areas where they were unlikely to cause significant harm, according to a U.S. official who was not authorized to speak publicly. The attack, the official said, was designed mainly for a domestic audience to show Iranians that the regime was responding to the killing last week of Iranian Gen. Qasem Soleimani.

Iranian leadership had to show the Iranian people that they were “taking revenge” for the death of Soleimani.

But by choosing not to spill any American blood, they presented Donald Trump with an opportunity to walk away without escalating the conflict into a full-blown war.

And the Iranians made doubly sure that no American blood would be spilled by issuing a warning in advance…

PM Adel Abdul Mahdi received a call from Tehran warning him an attack was imminent in retaliation for the US killing of its highest ranking general, his spokesman said.

CNN, citing an Arab diplomatic source, said that Iraqi officials then passed the information on to US troops before the attack began.

Subsequently, when the missile strikes were over the Iranians notified the U.S. government “through at least three back channels” that there would be no more attacks…

Iran initiated contact through at least three back channels starting late Tuesday, including through Switzerland and other countries. There were “multiple messages and they were all the same,” a person familiar with the matter said. Iran wanted to convey their retaliatory action had ended — and was waiting to see how the US would respond.

If Hillary Clinton had been in the Oval Office during these very tense moments, we would probably be at war with Iran right now.

But Donald Trump is not Hillary Clinton.

In both of my articles yesterday, I explained that this was a golden opportunity for President Trump to avert a major war, and I was hoping that his advisers were telling him this.  Since no American blood was spilled, both sides could still walk away and claim victory, and that is precisely what happened on Wedensday…

President Donald Trump announced Wednesday that there would be increased sanctions but no retaliatory strikes for Iran’s ballistic missile assault on U.S. bases in Iraq. Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said, “For the time being, the Americans have been given a slap,” but no other attacks were coming soon. Both sides have relaxed tensions, and the threat of war has receded.

In the end, President Trump is coming out of this looking really good.  Soleimani is dead, and Iran’s “revenge” did not take a single American life.

But if Trump had recklessly ordered a retaliatory strike against Iran, the Iranians had already warned that they were going to launch missiles at Israel.

And once the first missile landed in an Israeli city, the Israelis would have responded with overwhelming force.  Just check out what Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Wednesday…

Israel will strike back hard if Iran attacks, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned at the Kohelet Policy Forum’s conference on Wednesday.

“The state of Israel is the stable anchor in the stormy [Middle East] waters,” Netanyahu said. “We stand firm in the face of those who seek to destroy us. Anyone who tries to attack us will suffer the most overwhelming blow.”

When we get to the point where missiles are flying back and forth between Iran and Israel, nobody is going to be able to stop the madness.

And we are still on the brink of global chaos, but at least President Trump has given us a chance to avoid a worst case scenario.

In the aftermath of the events of the past two days, Franklin Graham posted the following message of gratitude to President Trump on Facebook…

Thank you Mr. President for addressing our nation today and for giving peace a chance. I’m sure there are millions of Iranians who would like to thank you too, if they could. The Islamic Republic of Iran is a dangerous government and is responsible for exporting the Islamic revolution to many countries around the world. They have also repeatedly vowed to wipe Israel off the face of the earth. I know you probably had lot of pressure from some to respond quickly and with a heavy hand; but thank you for showing restraint. A former premier of France once said, “It is far easier to make war than peace.” I also appreciate the fact that you made it clear that as long as you are president, Iran will not have a nuclear weapon. Please be assured of my prayers and those of many Christians across the country and around the world.

You know, for once it would be nice for the Democrats to also acknowledge that President Trump has done something right.

Yes, we understand that this is an election season and that the Democrats are going to look for every opportunity to criticize Trump.

But we are all Americans, and this week we were just moments away from the start of a cataclysmic war with Iran.

President Trump’s wise decision has kept us out of such a war for now, and for that he should be greatly applauded.

About the Author: I am a voice crying out for change in a society that generally seems content to stay asleep. My name is Michael Snyder and I am the publisher of The Economic Collapse Blog, End Of The American Dream and The Most Important News, and the articles that I publish on those sites are republished on dozens of other prominent websites all over the globe. I have written four books that are available on Amazon.com including The Beginning Of The End, Get Prepared Now, and Living A Life That Really Matters. (#CommissionsEarned) By purchasing those books you help to support my work. I always freely and happily allow others to republish my articles on their own websites, but due to government regulations I need those that republish my articles to include this “About the Author” section with each article. In order to comply with those government regulations, I need to tell you that the controversial opinions in this article are mine alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of the websites where my work is republished. This article may contain opinions on political matters, but it is not intended to promote the candidacy of any particular political candidate. The material contained in this article is for general information purposes only, and readers should consult licensed professionals before making any legal, business, financial or health decisions. Those responding to this article by making comments are solely responsible for their viewpoints, and those viewpoints do not necessarily represent the viewpoints of Michael Snyder or the operators of the websites where my work is republished. I encourage you to follow me on social media on Facebook and Twitter, and any way that you can share these articles with others is a great help.

Welcome To World War 3 – Just Pray That You Will Be Able To Survive It

It certainly didn’t take long for the missiles to start flying.  Just hours after Qassem Soleimani’s funeral proceedings ended, the Iranian military fired more than a dozen ballistic missiles at two U.S. bases in Iraq.  President Trump will be making a statement about this attack on Wednesday, U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham is calling the attack “an act of war”, and the top headline on the Drudge Report at this hour consists of just two words: “It’s War!”  Of course the Iranians were already calling this conflict a “war” even before they decided to start firing missiles at us, but this definitely escalates matters.

The Iranians warned us that this was coming, but it was still absolutely stunning to see it actually play out.  Ayatollah Khamenei had mandated that any retaliation must be “proportional” and carried out by the Iranian military directly, and that is precisely what happened.

And according to the Daily Mail, Khamenei “was personally in the control center coordinating the attacks”.

The good news is that the initial damage reports seem to indicate that there were no U.S. casualties.  The following comes from Fox News…

Iran fired as many as 15 ballistic missiles into Iraq, targeting U.S. military and coalition forces early Wednesday, officials said, in a major retaliation by the rogue regime after the U.S. airstrike that killed Iranian Quds Force Gen. Qassem Soleimani last week.

Ten missiles hit Al-Assad Air Base, one missile hit a military base in Erbil and four missiles failed to hit their targets, according to a U.S. military spokesman for Central Command, responsible for American forces in the Middle East. The attacks unfolded in two waves, each about an hour apart.

Initial assessments showed “no U.S. casualties,” a U.S. military official in Baghdad told Fox News.

However, it does appear that there were some Iraqi casualties…

A US official told CNN that there were no initial reports of any US casualties, but an assessment of the impact of the strikes is underway. A preliminary report from an Iraqi security source indicated there were Iraqi casualties, but Iraqi security officials later told CNN there were no casualties among Iraqi security forces.

There are casualties among the Iraqis at al-Asad airbase following the attack, an Iraqi security source tells CNN. The number of casualties and whether the individuals were killed or wounded were not immediately clear.

When news of these missile strikes originally broke, just about everyone assumed that Trump would soon hit back really hard.

But if it is true that no Americans were killed or wounded, that gives Trump a potential way out.

According to NBC News Tehran Bureau Chief Ali Arouzi, Iran is not currently planning any more attacks as long as the U.S. does not respond…

Iran’s foreign minister @JZarif says Iran’s response was proportional and does not want this to escalate. State media are reporting that senior officials in country won’t launch anymore attacks as long as America does not attack.

Trump could decide that taking out Soleimani without losing a single American life is a pretty good trade and walk away from this conflict.  He could simply declare victory and start focusing on the upcoming election in November.

Of course that is probably not likely.  There will almost certainly be some sort of U.S. response, and the Iranians are already promising to escalate the conflict even further if that happens…

In a statement, the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, an elite wing of the Iranian military that is also known as the IRGC, said the attacks were “hard revenge” for the death of Soleimani. The IRGC said in the statement that any country housing US troops could be subject to “hostile and aggressive acts” and called on American citizens to demand the government remove US troops from the region.

“To the Great Satan … we warn that if you repeat your wickedness or take any additional movements or make additional aggression, we will respond with more painful and crushing responses,” the statement to the US read.

And without a doubt, the war hawks in Washington will be pushing for the Trump administration to hit Iran with overwhelming force.

In particular, U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham sounds like he is ready to go over to the Middle East and start bombing Iran himself…

On Fox News, Senator Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., stated that he “just got off the phone” with Trump about the situation and that if Iran continues “this crap” they are “going to wake up one day out of the oil business.”

“This was an act of war, Sean, by any reasonable definition,” Graham continued, before declaring that “the President has all the authority he needs under Article II to respond. How he responds is yet to be determined.”

And earlier on Tuesday, U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper told CNN that the U.S. is prepared to “finish” a war if Iran starts one…

US Defense Secretary Mark Esper told CNN Tuesday that the US is not seeking a war with Iran but it is “prepared to finish one.” He also said the US is not withdrawing troops from Iraq following a weekend vote by Iraq’s parliament to expel American forces.

Hopefully cooler heads will prevail.

Perhaps the Iranians were simply incompetent, or maybe it is even possible that they fired at areas of those bases that were not occupied by Americans on purpose, but in any case the fact that there were no U.S. casualties gives everyone a chance to save face and avoid war at the same time.

Yes, I am the same guy that is constantly warning that war is coming, but I am not eager to see it actually happen.

There is still a chance for peace at this late stage, and let us hope that Trump grabs it.

Because if events escalate even further, nobody may be able to control what happens.

At this hour, thousands of additional U.S. troops are headed to the Middle East, and many of them are fully convinced that they are heading into a war…

The 600 mostly young soldiers at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, were headed for the Middle East, part of a group of some 3,500 U.S. paratroopers ordered to the region. Kuwait is the first stop for many. Their final destinations are classified.

“We’re going to war, bro,” one cheered, holding two thumbs up and sporting a grin under close-shorn red hair. He stood among dozens of soldiers loading trucks outside a cinder-block building housing several auditoriums with long benches and tables.

Sadly, if there is a full-blown war many of those troops may never come home again.

We are so close to a cataclysmic conflict with Iran, and it would be far more nightmarish than any other war in the post-World War 2 era.

But at this moment there is a slight chance that it can be averted, and let us pray that President Trump makes the right decisions.

About the Author: I am a voice crying out for change in a society that generally seems content to stay asleep. My name is Michael Snyder and I am the publisher of The Economic Collapse Blog, End Of The American Dream and The Most Important News, and the articles that I publish on those sites are republished on dozens of other prominent websites all over the globe. I have written four books that are available on Amazon.com including The Beginning Of The End, Get Prepared Now, and Living A Life That Really Matters. (#CommissionsEarned) By purchasing those books you help to support my work. I always freely and happily allow others to republish my articles on their own websites, but due to government regulations I need those that republish my articles to include this “About the Author” section with each article. In order to comply with those government regulations, I need to tell you that the controversial opinions in this article are mine alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of the websites where my work is republished. This article may contain opinions on political matters, but it is not intended to promote the candidacy of any particular political candidate. The material contained in this article is for general information purposes only, and readers should consult licensed professionals before making any legal, business, financial or health decisions. Those responding to this article by making comments are solely responsible for their viewpoints, and those viewpoints do not necessarily represent the viewpoints of Michael Snyder or the operators of the websites where my work is republished. I encourage you to follow me on social media on Facebook and Twitter, and any way that you can share these articles with others is a great help.

Americans Are Debating About Whether We Will Go To War With Iran, But The Iranians Say The War Has Already Started

Whether you want it or not, the war with Iran has already begun.  It is kind of sad that the pundits on our cable news channels are so clueless about what has happened.  They seem to think that there is still a debate about whether we will go to war with Iran or not, but meanwhile the Iranians believe that the war has already started.  Of course most Americans don’t want such a war, and President Trump didn’t intend to start one, but we now have one nonetheless.  Over the past few days, vast hordes of Iranians mourning the death of Qassem Soleimani have been literally screaming for “war” and “revenge” at the top of their lungs.  And as you will see below, the top military adviser to Ayatollah Khamenei just told CNN that our two nations are already at war.  So it isn’t our decision to make.  The Iranians are going to be shooting at us whether we shoot back or not.

Perhaps you think that I am exaggerating.

Well, I would like for you to consider some of the statements that Major General Hossein Dehghan made during an exclusive interview with CNN.  Dehghan is the top military adviser to Ayatollah Khamenei, and he is promising that Iran will soon “take direct action against America”…

“It might be argued that there could be proxy operations. We can say America, Mr. Trump, has taken action directly against us — so we take direct action against America.”

And he also told CNN that the Iranian response to the death of Soleimani will have “decisive deterrent effect”…

In common with other Iranian officials, Dehghan suggested that Iran was in no hurry to retaliate and would choose its targets carefully. “Our reaction will be wise, well considered and in time, with decisive deterrent effect.”

But just because Iran plans to hit us back really hard does not mean that a war has begun.

However, this next statement that Dehghan made leaves no doubt about where the Iranians stand…

“The only thing that can end this period of war is for the Americans to receive a blow that is equal to the blow they have inflicted. Afterward they should not seek a new cycle.”

The Iranians clearly believe that a “period of war” has already started.

And we are being told that the only way for this “period of war” to end is for Iran to inflict a blow upon us that is equal to the blow that we inflicted on them.

So what would be equal to the loss of Qassem Soleimani in the eyes of the Iranians?

Soleimani was one of the greatest heroes in the modern history of Iran, and hundreds of thousands of mourners have poured into the streets over the past couple of days to express their grief…

Crowds mourning the death of Iranian general Qassem Soleimani continued to flood the streets of the capital as his funeral procession dragged into the night.

Earlier in the day hundreds of thousands of people swamped central Tehran to express their outpouring of grief at the death of the revered leader of the elite Quds Force, who was assassinated in a US drone strike in Iraq on Friday.

After following his casket through the capital, Soleimani’s body was transported to the holy city of Qom where a ceremony at Masumeh shrine will be held ahead of his burial in his hometown tomorrow.

It is going to take a great deal for the Iranians to feel that they have extracted sufficient vengeance.  And Dehghan foreshadowed what may be coming when he made this statement to CNN…

“No American military staff, no American political center, no American military base, no American vessel will be safe.”

And other key Iranian leaders are saying similar things.

For example, Soleimani’s replacement is warning that the Iranians will “continue down martyr Soleimani’s path”…

Esmail Ghaani, who has replaced Qassem Soleimani as head of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard’s elite Quds Force, has warned the US that Iran will retaliate to last week’s drone attack. He told Iranian state television that “God the Almighty has promised to get his revenge” for the killing of Mr Soleimani. The newly appointed chief said that actions would “certainly” be taken.

Mr Ghaani also pledged to “continue down martyr Soleimani’s path”, after US officials claimed they assassinated the Iranian general because intelligence showed he was plotting “imminent attacks” on US officials.

Even more ominously, the New York Times is reporting that Ayatollah Khamenei himself has mandated that American interests must be attacked directly by Iranian forces…

In the tense hours following the American killing of a top Iranian military commander, the country’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, made a rare appearance at a meeting of the government’s National Security Council to lay down the parameters for any retaliation. It must be a direct and proportional attack on American interests, he said, openly carried out by Iranian forces themselves, three Iranians familiar with the meeting said Monday.

Of course most Americans absolutely do not want a war with Iran.

In fact, I would guess that probably about two-thirds of all U.S. citizens will be against a war with Iran when a national survey is taken.

But that doesn’t matter to the Iranians.  They are going to start shooting at us, and they want to make us hurt as much as possible.

If you can believe it, one member of the Iranian parliament has even suggested attacking the White House…

Iranian MP Abolfazl Abutorabi has reportedly threatened to attack the White House in response to a message from President Trump that promised severe consequences if the Islamic nation escalates hostilities with the U.S.

Abutorabi was responding to a question about how Iran should react to the death of Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani during an American airstrike, The Independent reported.

“We can attack the White House itself, we can respond to them on the American soil. We have the power, and God willing we will respond in an appropriate time,” Abutorabi said according to the UK publication, which cited Iranian news agency ILNA.

So you can debate about whether there will be a war or not all you want, but the truth is that everyone should really be trying to figure out how to end the war that has already started.

And at this point, I don’t know if anything can be done to stop events from spinning wildly out of control.  Every time Iran hits us, Trump is going to hit them back even harder, and neither side is going to back down any time soon.

At this hour, more U.S. troops are headed to the Middle East.  In addition to the deployment of thousands of troops from the 82nd Airborne Division, a couple thousand Marines with the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit have been diverted to the Middle East…

Marines with the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) will now head to Iraq aboard the USS Bataan (LHD-5) amphibious assault ship to join other U.S. troops recently called upon to bolster security measures and military readiness in the country, according to USNI News.

According to the USNI Fleet Tracker, the Bataan Amphibious Ready Group had just arrived off the coast of Morocco this week as tensions have risen with Iran. The Marines aboard had planned to train with Moroccan military members, as part of the joint Exercise African Sea Lion, before the apparent change in plans.

Even more importantly, six B-52 bombers have just been deployed to Diego Garcia…

The U.S. Air Force is deploying six B-52 bombers to Diego Garcia, an island base in the Indian Ocean, amid the rising threat of Iran retaliating after a U.S.-led airstrike killed Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani.

The move, which was first reported by CNN, is the latest in efforts by U.S. military officials to bolster resources near the Middle East after the Iraqi Shia militia Kataib Hezbollah hinted at possible retaliatory attacks to avenge Soleimani’s death.

I wish that it wasn’t true, but war is here.

Will this conflict eventually evolve into World War 3, or can we still be pulled back from the brink somehow?

Only time will tell, but I would definitely encourage everyone to get prepared for a worst case scenario.

About the Author: I am a voice crying out for change in a society that generally seems content to stay asleep. My name is Michael Snyder and I am the publisher of The Economic Collapse Blog, End Of The American Dream and The Most Important News, and the articles that I publish on those sites are republished on dozens of other prominent websites all over the globe. I have written four books that are available on Amazon.com including The Beginning Of The End, Get Prepared Now, and Living A Life That Really Matters. (#CommissionsEarned) By purchasing those books you help to support my work. I always freely and happily allow others to republish my articles on their own websites, but due to government regulations I need those that republish my articles to include this “About the Author” section with each article. In order to comply with those government regulations, I need to tell you that the controversial opinions in this article are mine alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of the websites where my work is republished. This article may contain opinions on political matters, but it is not intended to promote the candidacy of any particular political candidate. The material contained in this article is for general information purposes only, and readers should consult licensed professionals before making any legal, business, financial or health decisions. Those responding to this article by making comments are solely responsible for their viewpoints, and those viewpoints do not necessarily represent the viewpoints of Michael Snyder or the operators of the websites where my work is republished. I encourage you to follow me on social media on Facebook and Twitter, and any way that you can share these articles with others is a great help.

Why Is Iran Flying A Blood Red Flag Over A Famous Mosque That Is Directly Associated With The Mahdi?

For the first time ever, a blood red flag is being flown over the famous Jamkaran Mosque in the Iranian “holy city” of Qom.  If you have not see it yet, you can watch it being raised right here.  And as I will explain below, the fact that this mosque is directly associated with the Mahdi makes this symbolic gesture doubly significant.  The hoisting of this flag was broadcast on Iranian state television, and it was obviously intended to send a message to Shiites all over the globe.  So precisely what was that message?  Well, we are being told that according to Shiite tradition a red flag represents both “blood spilled unjustly” and a call for revenge…

Red flags in Shiite tradition symbolise both blood spilled unjustly and serve as a call to avenge a person who is slain.

It is the first time in history that the red flag has been hoisted on top of the Jamkaran mosque in the Iranian city and comes after warnings of harsh retaliation against the US.

Red flags have also been spotted flying at anti-U.S. demonstrations in Tehran over the past few days.

Clearly, the Iranians want blood.  They will never, ever forgive us for the killing of Qassem Soleimani, and their faith requires that he be avenged.

There is also a message inscribed on the blood red flag that is now flying above the Jamkaran Mosque, and apparently it is a reference to the death of the grandson of Muhammad…

The flag, inscribed with the words “Those who want to avenge the blood of Hussein,” was hoisted above the mosque’s shrine for what local reports claimed was the first time in history, according to the Daily Mail.

The grandson of Muhammad, Hussein was decapitated in A.D. 680 during the Second Islamic Civil War, when Muslims were fighting over who was the proper successor to their prophet. The act was met with bloody retaliation from Muslims who considered Hussein’s death unjust and sought to avenge him.

Obviously the Iranians are viewing this as something much bigger than simply extracting sufficient revenge for the death of a deeply loved national leader.

Rather, they seem to be using this moment as a call to wage jihad against all of the enemies of Shia Islam.

And as I mentioned above, the fact that this flag was raised over this particular mosque is a very big deal.

The Jamarkaran Mosque is considered to be one of the holiest sites in Shia Islam, and it is also associated with the future reappearance of the Mahdi.  In fact, as the flag was being hoisted there was a direct reference to the Mahdi…

As the flag was raised in Qom, the mosque speakers called, ‘O Allah, hasten your custodian reappearance,’ a reference to the end-times reappearance of the Mahdi.

In Iran today, most of the national leaders believe that the 12th imam, Muhammad al-Mahdi, was born in Iraq in 869 and never died.  Just before judgement day, the Mahdi is supposed to reappear along with Jesus during a time of war and chaos “to bring peace to the world and establish Islam as the ruling faith across the globe”.  It is also commonly believed that the Mahdi is coming very soon, and so that explains why so many top Iranians seem to relish the thought that war could be coming.  They need war to come first in order for the Mahdi to appear, and since the Mahdi is supposed to return during the coming apocalyptic war and establish Shia Islam as the faith of the entire planet, they aren’t exactly too concerned about the threats that President Trump is making.

It is so important to understand the mindset of these radical Shiites.

If they die as martyrs, they will be rewarded as such in the afterlife.

If they live through the coming holy war, they will get to see the coming of the Mahdi, and they will help to institute the global rule of Shia Islam.

So in either case, they believe that they can’t lose.

At this point, what they want is blood.  In fact, even the daughter of Qassem Soleimani is asking for vengeance.  Just check out what she just asked Iranian President Hassan Rouhani…

‘Who is going to avenge my father’s blood?’ One of the commander’s daughters asked.

In response, Rouhani promised her that ‘everyone will take revenge’ and assured her as she wept, ‘we will, we will avenge his blood, you don’t worry.’

There is no question that Iran is going to strike back.

And it won’t just be a one time deal.  They are going to hit us repeatedly, and they have already identified 35 potential targets…

IRAN today pinpointed 35 “key US targets” for revenge after its top general was assassinated – with America expecting retaliation “within weeks”.

Hours later, rockets were fired near the US Embassy in Baghdad and at an airbase housing American troops, according to reports.

Unfortunately, we didn’t have to wait long for the violence to begin.  In fact, the Green Zone in Baghdad has been targeted by rockets for two days in a row…

At least three explosions were reported Sunday inside the heavily-fortified Green Zone — which houses the U.S. Embassy, Balad Air Base and Iraqi government buildings — in the second attack of its kind after the U.S.-led airstrike that killed Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani.

A total of six Katyusha rockets — three inside the Green Zone and three in the nearby Jadriya area — hit Baghdad, according to a statement by Iraq’s military, as Reuters reported.

Of course President Trump is not going to put up with this, and he has warned the Iranians that he has identified 52 Iranian targets that could potentially be hit…

Showing no signs of seeking to ease tensions raised by the strike he ordered that killed Soleimani and Iranian-backed Iraqi militia leader Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis at Baghdad airport on Friday, Trump issued a threat to Iran on Twitter. The strike has raised the specter of wider conflict in the Middle East.

Iran, Trump wrote, “is talking very boldly about targeting certain USA assets” in revenge for Soleimani’s death. Trump said the United States has “targeted 52 Iranian sites” and that some were “at a very high level & important to Iran & the Iranian culture, and those targets, and Iran itself, WILL BE HIT VERY FAST AND VERY HARD.”

Following that tweet, many on the left harshly criticized Trump for potentially targeting cultural sites, but Trump subsequently doubled down on that threat…

“They’re allowed to kill our people, they’re allowed to torture and maim our people, they’re allowed to use roadside bombs and blow up our people and we’re not allowed to touch their cultural site? It doesn’t work that way,” Trump told reporters.

“If they do anything there will be major retaliation.”

Does anyone see a way that war with Iran can be avoided at this point?

Because I certainly don’t.

The Trump administration and the Iranians will both keep escalating things until a full-blown cataclysmic war erupts in the Middle East, and it will be a war that will inevitably involve Israel as well.  This Middle East war will greatly accelerate the development of “the perfect storm” that I keep talking about, and none of our lives will ever be the same again.

Those that think that this is a crisis that will blow over in a few days or a few weeks are not being rational.

The Iranians will never, ever, ever forgive what Trump has done, and Soleimani’s successor is assuring everyone that we will soon “see the bodies of Americans all over the Middle East”…

Esmail Ghaani, the successor to slain Iranian general Qassem Soleimani, threatened the US Friday following his appointment to head the Revolutionary Guards’ foreign operations arm.

“Be patient, and you will see the bodies of Americans all over the Middle East,” Ghaani said.

There is no stopping this now.

War is coming, and the death and destruction it will bring will shock the entire planet.

About the Author: I am a voice crying out for change in a society that generally seems content to stay asleep. My name is Michael Snyder and I am the publisher of The Economic Collapse Blog, End Of The American Dream and The Most Important News, and the articles that I publish on those sites are republished on dozens of other prominent websites all over the globe. I have written four books that are available on Amazon.com including The Beginning Of The End, Get Prepared Now, and Living A Life That Really Matters. (#CommissionsEarned) By purchasing those books you help to support my work. I always freely and happily allow others to republish my articles on their own websites, but due to government regulations I need those that republish my articles to include this “About the Author” section with each article. In order to comply with those government regulations, I need to tell you that the controversial opinions in this article are mine alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of the websites where my work is republished. This article may contain opinions on political matters, but it is not intended to promote the candidacy of any particular political candidate. The material contained in this article is for general information purposes only, and readers should consult licensed professionals before making any legal, business, financial or health decisions. Those responding to this article by making comments are solely responsible for their viewpoints, and those viewpoints do not necessarily represent the viewpoints of Michael Snyder or the operators of the websites where my work is republished. I encourage you to follow me on social media on Facebook and Twitter, and any way that you can share these articles with others is a great help.

Iran, It’s Your Move – Trump’s Takedown Of Iranian General Qassim Suleimani Is Likely To Start A Global War

We just witnessed one of the most important deaths in the Middle East in decades.  Just hours ago, President Trump ordered the drone strike on Baghdad International Airport that killed Iranian Major General Qassim Suleimani and several other key officials.  Suleimani was the head of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Quds Force, but even more importantly he was a huge national hero in Iran.  To describe this killing as “seismic” would not do it justice.  U.S. Senator Chris Murphy says that Suleimani was “the second most powerful person in Iran”, and elsewhere he is being described as “the most influential Middle East military official for decades”.  This is a major victory for President Trump and the U.S. military, but it also makes it much, much less likely that we are going to be able to avoid a full-blown war with Iran.

Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, the deputy commander of the Popular Mobilization Forces, was also killed in the strike.  But it is Suleimani’s death that changes everything.  In the U.S., our generals are not national celebrities, but in Iran Suleimani was one of the most recognizable faces in the entire country.  In fact, he was so deeply loved that Iranian state television literally interrupted their programming to announce his death…

In Iran, state television interrupted its programing to announce General Suleimani’s death.

The news anchor recited the Islamic prayer for the dead — “From God we came and to God we return” — beside a picture of General Suleimani.

For more than two decades, Suleimani has essentially been running the show for Iran in the Middle East.  If you doubt this, just check out the message that he sent to U.S. General David Petraeus in 2008…

In 2008, Soleimani wrote in a letter to David Petraeus, “Dear General Petraeus: You should be aware that I, Qassem Soleimani, control Iran’s policy for Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Gaza, and Afghanistan.”

Of course since 2008 Suleimani became even more powerful both inside and outside of Iran.  He was the one at the top of the food chain giving Iran’s proxies their marching orders, and there is no way that the U.S. embassy would have been attacked earlier this week without his direct approval.

So Trump definitely picked a target that was directly responsible for the damage to our embassy, but what happens next?

Ultimately, that is going to be up to Iran.

The Iranians could put their tails between their legs and cower in fear now that this has happened, but that probably isn’t likely.

It would be difficult to put into words the extreme rage that the Iranians are feeling right now.  Their deeply hated enemy, the United States, has just killed a greatly beloved national hero.  They are going to want revenge, and they are going to want it to be as painful as possible.

Needless to say, there will probably be attacks against U.S. targets in the region, and Defense Secretary Mark Esper has stated that the U.S. military may even take “pre-emptive action” to prevent that from happening…

“There are some indications out there that they may be planning additional attacks. That’s nothing new,” Esper said. “If that happens, then we will act and, by the way, if we get word of an attack of some kind of indication, we would take pre-emptive action as well to protect American forces, American lives — the game has changed.”

Beyond that, the Iranians may decide that an “eye for an eye” approach is justified in this case.

In other words, now that we have killed one of their key leaders, they may decide to kill one or more of our key leaders.

As I have previously detailed, Hezbollah is the strongest and most well funded terror organization on the entire planet.  They have a very strong presence in North America, and they certainly have the capability to strike just about anywhere on U.S. soil.

If I was a prominent military official, a member of Congress or a top politician, I would be carefully “watching my six” in the coming days.

Some members of Congress are already realizing the implications of what just happened.  For example, here is what U.S. Senator Cory Gardner just said…

Sen. Cory Gardner, R-Colo.. a member of the Foreign Relations Committee, applauded the Trump administration’s decision to target Soleimani. But, he added, “I now urge the administration to be prepared for possible retaliation, including against U.S. troops stationed in the region, and to consult closely with Congress on any next steps should the situation escalate.”

And U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal has told the press that the killing of Qassim Suleimani could lead us directly into a full-blown war with Iran…

Sen. Richard Blumenthal, Connecticut Democrat and member of the Armed Services Committee, said the attack that killed Soleimani could trigger a major military escalation with Iran.

“There’s no question Soleimani had American blood on his hands,” Blumenthal said Thursday night. “He was an enemy. But this step could lead to the most consequential military confrontation in decades.”

In 1914, the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand was the spark that started World War 1.

Could it be possible that we just witnessed the spark that will start World War 3?

Only time will tell, but at this moment more U.S. troops are being deployed to the Middle East…

The first wave of hundreds of U.S. Army paratroopers from a rapid reaction force has deployed to Kuwait in response to the assault on the U.S. embassy in Baghdad by pro-Iran militiamen, with thousands more soldiers on alert for snap deployment.

On Wednesday at Fort Bragg in North Carolina, paratroopers from the 2nd Battalion, 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division boarded C-17 Globemaster aircraft transports bound for Kuwait.

These are the days of “the perfect storm”, and many are anticipating that 2020 will be the most tumultuous year in modern history.

By killing Suleimani, Trump has essentially “crossed the Rubicon”, and there will be no going back.

So now it is up to Iran to make the next move.

They can roll over and give up now that Suleimani is dead, or they can choose to escalate matters even further and push the entire region to the brink of war.

About the Author: I am a voice crying out for change in a society that generally seems content to stay asleep. My name is Michael Snyder and I am the publisher of The Economic Collapse Blog, End Of The American Dream and The Most Important News, and the articles that I publish on those sites are republished on dozens of other prominent websites all over the globe. I have written four books that are available on Amazon.com including The Beginning Of The End, Get Prepared Now, and Living A Life That Really Matters. (#CommissionsEarned) By purchasing those books you help to support my work. I always freely and happily allow others to republish my articles on their own websites, but due to government regulations I need those that republish my articles to include this “About the Author” section with each article. In order to comply with those government regulations, I need to tell you that the controversial opinions in this article are mine alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of the websites where my work is republished. This article may contain opinions on political matters, but it is not intended to promote the candidacy of any particular political candidate. The material contained in this article is for general information purposes only, and readers should consult licensed professionals before making any legal, business, financial or health decisions. Those responding to this article by making comments are solely responsible for their viewpoints, and those viewpoints do not necessarily represent the viewpoints of Michael Snyder or the operators of the websites where my work is republished. I encourage you to follow me on social media on Facebook and Twitter, and any way that you can share these articles with others is a great help.

+ More