Iraq issues arrest warrant for Trump over drone strike that killed Iranian general Qasem Soleimani - CBS News
Category: News & Politics
Via: sister-mary-agnes-ample-bottom • 3 years ago • 25 commentsBy: CBSNews
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
January 8, 2021 / 9:05 AM / CBS/AFP
Baghdad — Iraq issued a warrant for the arrest of U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday as part of a Baghdad court's investigation into the killing of a top Iraqi paramilitary commander. Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, the deputy head of Iraq's largely pro-Iran Hashed al-Shaabi paramilitary network, died in the same U.S. drone strike that killed storied Iranian general Qasem Soleimani at Baghdad airport on January 3 last year.
The strike on their motorcade was ordered by Mr. Trump, who later crowed that it had taken out "two (men) for the price of one."
"An arrest warrant against the outgoing President of the United States of America, Donald Trump, has been issued in accordance with the provisions of Article 406 of the Iraqi Penal Code," Iraq's Supreme Judicial Council confirmed in a statement on Thursday, adding that the investigations would continue "to identify others who participated in committing this crime, whether they are Iraqis or foreigners."
The United Nations special rapporteur for extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, Agnes Callamard, has described the twin killings as "arbitrary" and "illegal."
Iran already issued a warrant for Mr. Trump's arrest in June, and asked Interpol to relay it as a so-called "red notice" to other police forces around the world. Interpol made it clear there was no intention to meet Iran's request.
Unlike adversary Iran, Iraq is a key U.S. ally in the Middle East. While the U.S. military presence in the country has diminished significantly under President Trump's orders, to around 2,500 troops at present, billions of U.S. tax dollars have been spent, and American forces have been killed, shoring the Iraqi government up to defend itself from terrorist groups, and to help it resist the influence of its neighbor to the north, Iran.
A member of Lebanon's Hezbollah stands in front of a picture depicting senior Iranian military commander General Qassem Soleimani (right) and Iraqi militia commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis who were killed in a U.S. attack, during a ceremony marking the first anniversary of their killing in the southern village of Khiam, Lebanon, January 3, 2021. AZIZ TAHER/REUTERS
It was the court for east Baghdad that actually issued the warrant for Mr. Trump's arrest under Article 406 of Iraq's penal code, which provides for the death penalty in all cases of premeditated murder, but the Supreme Judicial Council, which runs all of Iraq's courts much like the U.S. Department of Justice, confirmed the warrant.
While the soon-to-be former U.S. president may be unlikely to visit Iraq any time soon, the order for his arrest highlights the huge resentment against U.S. policy in Iraq, and the deeply entrenched influence of Iran among Iraq's large Shiite Muslim population.
Amid presidential transition, Iraq and Syria ...02:25
The U.S. military had braced for any possible retaliatory attacks by Iran or Iraq's pro-Iran militias, which have fired rockets at American bases many times since the strike last year, but there was no violence on the anniversary of the attack over the weekend.
Iraq's national government has at times struggled to maintain cordial relations with both its biggest global partner, Washington, and its neighbor Iran.
Even as the court issued the arrest warrant on Thursday, U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Matthew Tueller met nearby in Baghdad with President Barham Salih to discuss "the importance of reducing tensions and avoiding escalation, supporting efforts to enhance security, stability and peace in the region, and resolving the outstanding issues through dialogue," according to a statement posted on Salih's Twitter feed (below).
سەرۆك كۆمار پێشوازیکرد لە باڵیۆزی ئەمریكا و گفتوگۆكرا دەبارەی پەیوەندییەکانی نێوان هەردوو وڵاتی دۆست و پەرەپێدانی ئاسۆی هاریكارییەكان لەبوارە جیاجیاكان لەچوارچێوەی دیالۆگی ستراتیژی و ھێنانەدی بەرژەوەندییە هاوبەشەکان وگرنگی كەمكردنەوەی گرژییەكانی ناوچەکە و رەتكردنەوەی ناکۆکییەکان. pic.twitter.com/duOfLMdLr3
— رئاسة جمهورية العراق (@IraqiPresidency) January 7, 2021
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Perhaps Iraq would be willing to keep Trump busy for the next 12 days.
extradite his fat ass and save the US taxpayers billions.
We need to pull all Americans out of Iraq NOW!
We need to do that fifteen years ago.
Bush Jr was a moron for going into Iraq in the first place; containment, no fly zone, embargo, and sanctions were working just fine. Obama was a moron for taking us back in to save an Iraqi government loyal to Iran.
Trump is a moron for not following through on his promise to pull troops out of Afghanistan, Iraq, and Syria.
Want to take bets Biden will be just as big of a moron as the other 3?
I just want to get through the next ten days without the President starting a war against Iran.
Iran can go "F" themselves!
I think the left forgets how many US Presidents have countries they are charged with crimes in.
How about we send Bill Clinton to Serbia for starters? We can then go to Bush Jr and Obama. They all have countries that would love to charge them for extra judicial drone killings; unsanctioned bombings; and deploying US troops in their countries w/o permission.
Of course the left is in bed with Iran, Iran supported Biden in the election strongly; just like China did. US intelligence agencies confirmed it. But the left ignore that as well.
OMG! Mark this on the calendar! We agree!
I don't want him extradited to Iraq or Iran because that sets a dangerous precedent. You're right about Clinton, Bush, and Obama. All of them ordered military strikes that took out key officials and killed countless innocents.
I think we must distinguish between military strikes and assassination. If we endorse assassination, our own leaders will be valid targets for our adversaries.
We are not at war with Iran. If we kill Iranian leaders,why should they not kill ours?
I won't debate this. As much as I despise the man, I would not want to see him handed over to foreign entities. He's an American (and yes that makes me gag as I type it) and he is subject to our laws and afforded all the rights he would not hesitate to take from you and me.
I agree entirely. The "Rule of Law" either is or is not. It cannot be "sometimes".
Really? You should ask the friends and families of all the soldiers who came back in a box because they were killed by Iran's proxies, led and funded by these two. I wonder if you considered that with your "we must distinguish" argument? I wonder how your distinction looks to us who are or were in the military, risking our lives?
I know I couldn't be happier they were taken out. I couldn't imagine how anyone could be against it unless they were so divorced from reality, so against Trump for any and all that he does, can't see what actually happened and why. All they see is another opportunity to bash Trump.
Personally, I couldn't care less what we call it. Perhaps if everyone involved, regardless of how important they may be, were considered fair game, and this happened more often, they'd be less willing to send others out to do the dying. Of fighting in the first place.
No "state of war" exists between the US and Iran.
Really!
People can die in conditions other than war.
Duh...
I think I don't need to say anything to that. I think your own words are condemnation enough.
The asshole directly organized and oversaw training of the Iranian militias that killed US forces in Iraq.
He deserved to die, period.
The emperor of the world has spoken!
So you consider yourself the emperor of the world?
Have you told Xi yet? He might contest you for that title.
No... a person who declares that others, on the other side of the world, deserve to die... that's the emperor...
When did a state of war exist between the US and Pakistan?
And Russia?
Get em IRAN. The US will owe you one if you pull this off.
See comment number 3!
I'm with Trout on this one.