Kata'ib Hezbollah isn't a name widely known outside circles interested in Middle Eastern politics and military matters, but they have been thrust into the light by America's killing of both their leader and more than twenty of their rank and file members, as part of its recent efforts to hit Iranian linked military assets and people in Iraq. Fighters against Isis, Iraqis, and close allies of Iran, their position is complex. But they are employees of the state of Iraq, regular, paid military personnel. What does it mean that America attacked and killed them?

Donald Trump vowed "disproportionate" action, inherently de-legitimising any response by America, assuring us that at least some part of it would be and unnecessarily violent overreaction. And that reaction could come agains the people of Iraq.

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