While the world is consumed with the terrifying coronavirus pandemic, on March 19 the Trump administration will be marking the 17th anniversary of the U.S. invasion of Iraq by

ramping up

the conflict there. After an Iran-aligned militia allegedly struck a U.S. base near Baghdad on March 11, the U.S. military carried out retaliatory strikes against five of the militia’s weapons factories and announced it is sending two more aircraft carriers to the region, as well as new Patriot missile systems and

hundreds more troops

to operate them. This contradicts the

January vote

of the Iraqi Parliament that called for U.S. troops to leave the country. It also goes against the sentiment of most Americans, who

think

the Iraq war was not worth fighting, and against the campaign promise of Donald Trump to end the endless wars.