Iran - Another step closer to a shooting war - Dec 31

[dan_s]

President Donald Trump sent out a tweet on Tuesday encouraging the Iraqi people to combat Iranian influence in their country.

"To those many millions of people in Iraq who want freedom and who don't want to be dominated and controlled by Iran, this is your time!" the president wrote.

Trump's tweet came on a day of high tensions after Iraqi Shiites and their backers broke into the U.S. Embassy compound in Baghdad in response to American airstrikes targeting the Iran-backed militia that reportedly killed 25 people.

The president's tweet also came a few hours after he sent another message on Twitter blaming Tehran for organizing the embassy attack.

"Iran killed an American contractor, wounding many. We strongly responded, and always will. Now Iran is orchestrating an attack on the U.S. Embassy in Iraq," the president wrote. "They will be held fully responsible. In addition, we expect Iraq to use its forces to protect the Embassy, and so notified!"