US compared to Nazis, Isis after Trump tweets about destroying cultural sites in Iran

While already infamous for his tweets, US President Donald Trump has been met with outrage after revealing that the US is purposefully targeting cultural sites in Iran.

“We have targeted 52 Iranian sites (representing the 52 American hostages taken by Iran many years ago), some at a very high level [and] important to Iran [and] the Iranian culture, and those targets, and Iran itself, WILL BE HIT VERY FAST AND VERY HARD” he tweeted in the early hours of Sunday morning.

Some have responded with comparisons to Nazi Germany. During World War II the Germans under Hitler often destroyed or looted sites of cultural significance. Others have added a comparison to Isis and other Islamist terrorist groups. Isis is known for the deliberate destruction and theft of cultural sites or items belonging to their religious or ideological enemies.

Later on Sunday morning, another tweet in which the US president boast’s about his country’s military might has also been met with outrage.

“The United States just spent Two Trillion Dollars on Military Equipment. We are the biggest and by far the BEST in the World! If Iran attacks an American Base, or any American, we will be sending some of that brand new beautiful equipment their way… and without hesitation!” he tweeted.

Many on Twitter responded negatively to what was seen as a lack of diplomacy or sensitivity on the part of the US president.

Trump has long warned that he would pull US troops out of what he called the “endless wars” in the Middle East.

But there are fears Trump may have just laid the groundwork for a new conflict, after ordering the assassination of Qassem Soleimani, head of Iran’s elite Quds Force.

A US air strike near Baghdad airport on Friday killed Soleimani, the deputy commander of an Iran-backed Iraqi paramilitary group and several others.

Now, armed groups have pledged to avenge the deaths and all US citizens are being urged to leave Iraq immediately.

The Pentagon is sending an extra 3,000 troops to the Middle East in case of reprisal attacks.

The United States just spent Two Trillion Dollars on Military Equipment. We are the biggest and by far the BEST in the World! If Iran attacks an American Base, or any American, we will be sending some of that brand new beautiful equipment their way…and without hesitation!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 5, 2020

Iran is talking very boldly about targeting certain USA assets as revenge for our ridding the world of their terrorist leader who had just killed an American, & badly wounded many others, not to mention all of the people he had killed over his lifetime, including recently….

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 4, 2020

….hundreds of Iranian protesters. He was already attacking our Embassy, and preparing for additional hits in other locations. Iran has been nothing but problems for many years. Let this serve as a WARNING that if Iran strikes any Americans, or American assets, we have…..

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 4, 2020

….targeted 52 Iranian sites (representing the 52 American hostages taken by Iran many years ago), some at a very high level & important to Iran & the Iranian culture, and those targets, and Iran itself, WILL BE HIT VERY FAST AND VERY HARD. The USA wants no more threats!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 4, 2020

What do you think about targeting 52 cultural monuments and facilities? @LindseyGrahamSC

Or are you going to say Trump was just joking?

Have fun practicing your sucking technique. https://t.co/4fju3e3OxI

— Jeffrey Hammond (@ProudCADad) January 5, 2020

Nazi, this is literally what ISIS and terror groups do, wipe out cultural sites. This moron is going to go blow up some sacred Shia site and all hell will break loose. https://t.co/kSR6AENWeT

— A. Pirzada 🇵🇸 (@PseudoPir) January 5, 2020

Destroying cultural sites is going full blown Nazi.

— Ricky (@RudeRicky) January 5, 2020

https://twitter.com/chrisisknitting/status/1213699294081028098

https://twitter.com/BanzaiJo/status/1213685495114485760

(Background reporting, Al Jazeera)

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