INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
About 750 US soldiers are being deployed to the Middle East in response to violent protests at the country's embassy in Iraq, Defence
Secretary Mark Esper has said.Additional forces from the US Army's 82nd Airborne Division are also prepared to deploy in the next several
days.He said: "This deployment is an appropriate and precautionary action taken in response to increased threat levels against US personnel
and facilities, such as we witnessed in Baghdad today."The United States will protect our people and interests anywhere they are found
around the world."Asked about the possibility of war with Iran, US President Donald Trump said: "Do I want to? No
I like peace."And Iran should want to have peace more than anybody
So I don't see (war) happening."Earlier on Tuesday, protesters, many of them in militia uniforms, had marched outside the embassy compound,
shouting slogans against the US, Israel and President Trump.Image:Smoke billows from the US embassy in Baghdad after protesters tried to
break into the buildingThey pelted the entrance with stones and set fire to a reception area after forcing their way into the site.Gunfire
was heard and there were reports of tear gas, with the Reuters news agency saying 12 people involved in the protests were injured.The State
Department has said all American personnel are safe and that there are no plans to evacuate the embassy.Mr Trump blamed Iran for the
protests and called on Iraq to protect the diplomatic mission, tweeting: "Iran is orchestrating an attack on the US Embassy in Iraq."They
will be held fully responsible
In addition, we expect Iraq to use its forces to protect the Embassy, and so notified!":: Listen to Divided States on Apple podcasts, Google
Podcasts, Spotify, and SpreakerIran has rejected accusations it was behind the violent protests.The protests began after Iraq condemned
Washington for the strikes that killed more than two-dozen fighters from an Iran-backed militia over the weekend.US officials said the move
was in response to rocket attacks on a military base in the northern Iraqi city of Kirkuk on Friday, which left a US contractor dead.
