Dueling protests at the White House over new Iraq intervention
On the 21st of June, antiwar protesters showed up at the White House for the 2nd time in 6 days, demanding that Obama cancel plans new US intervention in Iraq. One speaker pointed out that Vietnam started exactly the same way-with just a few US military advisers, the camel's nose under the tent. If those advisers get in trouble, next up is a security element for them, then more troops to reinforce that position, airstrikes, soon you get a full-on US war.
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There were also opposing protesters who appeared to be Iraqi Shiites, the group fighting against ISIS. Organizers said they wanted intelligence sharing and arms, not occupation troops, but at least one of them claimed troops would not occupy the country. Well, You can't blame anyone for seeking allies in a war they are stuck with, but Machivelli warned hundreds of years ago that alliances with those stronger than yourself risk forfeiting control of your own country. It is also worth remembering that during the occupation of Iraq by US troops, the Madhi Army based out of Sadr City quite often had to fight against US troops and was known for firing rockets into the "Green Zone."
The pro-intervention protesters had signs that (correctly in my opinion) protrayed ISIS (The Islamic State of Iraq and Syria) as a puppet of US ally and oil supplier Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia is notorious for seeking to export the Wahabbi branch of strict Sunni belief and practice to all other places where Islam exists. One of the Iraqis repeatedly struck the Saudi in one of the posters with his shoe, a very Iraqi way to tell the Saudis to stop funding war in their country. In this way, ISIS is ultimately funded by US oil consumers. For that matter, the US is unofficially allied with ISIS in Syria yet proposes to ally with Iran against ISIS in Iraq!
