But the American airstrikes came at a particularly combustible moment in Iraq, where anger at foreign meddling was already running high. For much of the last 16 years, Iraqis’ ire has been directed at the United States for its invasion and the war and occupation that followed. But Iran has also deeply embedded in Iraq, raising fears that the country would be caught in the rivalry between Tehran and Washington. On Tuesday, protesters stormed the sprawling American Embassy compound in Baghdad. While Iran remains deeply influential in Iraq, it has also been the recent target of anger, and sometimes violence, by Iraqi protesters.

Source: New York Times January 01, 2020 07:52 UTC