US Embassy compound in Baghdad targeted by mob protesting air strikes
US soldiers will be sent to Iraq after angry crowds stormed and breached an embassy in Baghdad, infuriating Donald Trump.
American President Donald Trump has tweeted that Iran “will pay a very big price” after crowds of angry Iraqis protesting America’s recent air strikes against an Iran-backed militia laid siege to the US Embassy compound in Baghdad.
More troops, along with “the most lethal military equipment in the world”, will be rushed to the site, according to the President.
Mr Trump said Iran would be held “fully responsible” for the attack, though it was unclear whether that meant military retaliation.
“They will pay a very BIG PRICE! This is not a Warning, it is a Threat. Happy New Year!” the President tweeted.
....Iran will be held fully responsible for lives lost, or damage incurred, at any of our facilities. They will pay a very BIG PRICE! This is not a Warning, it is a Threat. Happy New Year!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 31, 2019
Defence Secretary Mark Esper later announced that “in response to recent events” in Iraq, and at Mr Trump’s direction, he had authorised the immediate deployment of an infantry battalion of about 750 soldiers to the Middle East.
In addition, 4000 soldiers from the 82nd Airborne’s Deployment Ready Brigade have been put on notice for imminent deployment in the next 96 hours, defense officials told Fox News.
Mr Esper said additional soldiers were prepared to be deployed over the next several days.
“This deployment is an appropriate and precautionary action taken in response to increased threat levels against US personnel and facilities, such as we witnessed in Baghdad today,” Mr Esper said in a written statement.
The breach of the embassy compound followed American air strikes on Sunday that killed 25 fighters of an Iran-backed militia in Iraq, the Katai’b Hezbollah.
Chanting “Down, Down USA!”, the mob stormed through a main gate, prompting US guards to fire back tear gas in response.
Trump administration officials and US politicians turned up pressure on Iraq’s government to keep American personnel in the country safe after the stunning assault on the embassy in Baghdad renewed concerns about the influence of Iran.
Dozens of Iraqi Shi'ite militiamen and their supporters breached the compound (US time), smashing a main door and setting fire to a reception area as protests raged over US air strikes over the weekend that killed members of the Iran-backed militia. President Trump accused Iran of “orchestrating” the attack while defending the air strikes as a response to an attack that killed an American contractor.
A US defence official told Fox News that 100 Marines were being sent to the embassy to bolster security.
A US Apache helicopter gunship also flew over the embassy and dropped flares in a “show of force”, attempting to disperse the crowd. Mr Esper later confirmed additional forces were being sent.
The storming of the compound represented a grave new challenge to the Iraq-US relationship, as Iran competes for influence.
Iraq has long sought to balance ties with both countries, but reports from the scene indicated Iraqi security forces did not initially stop protesters as they marched to the heavily fortified Green Zone following a funeral held for those killed in the US air strikes.
A US official later told Fox News that “Iraqi security forces did participate” in protecting the embassy – and Mr Trump made clear he expected Iraq to protect US personnel.
“(W)e expect Iraq to use its forces to protect the Embassy, and so notified!” Mr Trump said in his tweet blaming Iran.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo had separate phone calls with Iraqi Prime Minister Adil Abdul-Mahdi and President Barham Salih on Tuesday in which he “made clear the United States will protect and defend its people, who are there to support a sovereign and independent Iraq”, State Department spokesman Morgan Ortagus said in a statement.
Mr Ortagus added that both Iraqi leaders “assured the secretary that they took seriously their responsibility and would guarantee the safety and security of US personnel and property”.
Yet as news of the embassy clashes spread, the Iraqi National Security Council put out a statement instead, condemning the US air strikes that preceded them.
“The Iraqi Government condemns this act and considers it a violation of Iraq’s sovereignty,” the statement said.
“This is a serious violation of the rules of engagement of the Coalition forces, including the US forces, in carrying out operations without the approval of the Iraqi Government.”
The statement went on to say that the US “relied on their own conclusions and political priorities, not the priorities as assessed by the Government and people of Iraq”.
Mr Pompeo defended American actions on social media on Tuesday, stating the US “responded defensively to the Iranian proxy attack that killed an American citizen” and wounded Americans and Iraqis.
Senator Lindsey Graham backed Mr Trump in a Twitter thread, crediting the President for “acting decisively” and saying he had put the world on notice “there will be no Benghazis on his watch”.
This referred to the 2012 attack on the US compound in Libya in which four Americans were killed.
The Obama administration faced heavy criticism both for the embassy’s vulnerability as well as conflicting statements regarding the nature of the attack and what led to it.
In his Twitter thread, Mr Graham laid down the gauntlet, challenging Iraq to continue working with the US, insisting that it would be in their best interest.
“To our Iraqi allies: This is your moment to convince the American people the US-Iraq relationship is meaningful to you and worth protecting,” Mr Graham said.
“Protect our American personnel. You will not regret it.”
Both sides of the aisle called on Iraq to co-operate.
Frequent Trump critic Adam Schiff called the storming of the embassy “deeply disturbing” and urged Iraq to do its part.
“The first priority is the safety of our personnel. Iraq has an obligation to protect them,” Mr Schiff said.
The situation remains fluid in Baghdad. By early evening, protesters had set up tents outside the embassy where they said they intended to stage a sit-in.
Dozens of yellow flags belonging to Iran-backed Shi’ite militias fluttered atop the reception area and were plastered on the embassy’s concrete wall along with anti-US graffiti.
A State Department official said in a statement later on Tuesday that US personnel were “secure” and affirmed there were no plans to evacuate the embassy while disputing that there had been a “breach”.
The official also confirmed US Ambassador Matt Tueller was not evacuated, despite “false” reports to the contrary, but was on previously scheduled “personal travel.”
“He is returning to the embassy,” the official said.
Calling on Iraq to protect facilities, the official said these “Iranian backed demonstrations in front of the US Embassy should not be confused with the Iraqi protesters who have been in the streets since October to decry the corruption exported to Iraq by the Iranian regime”.
Mr Esper said in a statement that the Pentagon and the State Department were working closely to ensure the safety of those at the embassy, confirming they are sending “additional forces” to support personnel at the scene.
He added: “As in all countries, we rely on host nation forces to assist in the protection of our personnel in country, and we call on the Government of Iraq to fulfil its international responsibilities to do so. The United States continues to support the Iraqi people and a free, sovereign and prosperous Iraq.”
– Fox News’ Trey Yingst, Rich Edson and Judson Berger and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
This article originally appeared on Fox News and was reproduced with permission
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