Iraq

[angelburst29]

'Mission Accomplished" - no sense in sticking around?

NATO suspends training activities in Iraq after Soleimani killing
NATO has suspended a training mission in Iraq following the killing of Iranian Revolutionary Guards commander Qassem Soleimani by a U.S. airstrike at Baghdad airport, an alliance spokesman said on Saturday.

Iranian commander Soleimani had been in Pompeo's sights for years

Long before U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo went on television and Twitter on Friday to make the case for the U.S. decision to kill top Iranian general Qassem Soleimani, he had the powerful military commander squarely in his sights.

Mike, as a former Attorney, you should know ... your forward omission - throws the "self-defense" claim ... out the window? What's your views on "accessory to pre-mediated murder"? Oh, that's right ... you don't practice "LAW" any more.

U.S. 'self-defense' argument for killing Soleimani meets skepticism

The Trump administration on Friday justified its killing of a top Iranian general as an act of self-defense, trying to deflect accusations that it violated international law and concerns raised by legal experts and a senior U.N. rights investigator.

U.S. says 'terminated' top Iran general to thwart attack on Americans
Iran promised vengeance after a U.S. air strike in Baghdad on Friday killed Qassem Soleimani, Tehran's most prominent military commander and the architect of its growing influence in the Middle East.

Mourners have gathering in the streets of Iraq, Iran and in Palestine.

Tens of thousands march in Baghdad to mourn Soleimani, others killed in U.S. air strike

Tens of thousands of people marched in Baghdad on Saturday to mourn Iran's military chief Qassem Soleimani and Iraqi militia leader Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, killed in a U.S. air strike that has raised the specter of wider conflict in the Middle East.

Sorrow mixed with fear as Iran mourns Soleimani's death
Iranians young and old have thronged the streets across Iran, waving national flags and breaking into mass chants of “I am Soleimani” as they mourn the country's top military commander, Qassem Soleimani.

Palestinians in Gaza mourn Iran's Soleimani

Hundreds of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip on Saturday mourned the death of Iranian Revolutionary Guards commander Qassem Soleimani, killed by a U.S. air strike in Iraq.

Russia's Lavrov, Iran's Zarif discuss Soleimani killing: statement
Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov spoke with his Iranian counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif over the phone on Friday to discuss the killing of Iran's military chief Qassem Soleimani, the Russian foreign ministry said in a statement.

“Lavrov expressed his condolences over the killing,” the statement said. “The ministers stressed that such actions by the United States grossly violate the norms of international law.”

China tells Iran foreign minister that U.S. should stop 'abusing' use of force
The United States should stop abusing the use of force and seek solutions via dialogue, China's foreign minister said, after a U.S. air strike in Baghdad on Friday killed Iran's most prominent military commander.

France discusses Middle East tensions with Germany and China
French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said he had discussed the situation in the Middle East on Saturday with his German and Chinese counterparts, and added that all three had agreed on the need to avoid any escalation in tensions.

France's Macron discusses Middle East crisis with Iraqi, UAE leaders
French President Emmanuel Macron agreed with his Iraqi counterpart on Saturday to make efforts to dampen tensions in the Middle East after Iranian military commander Qassem Soleimani was killed in a U.S. air strike.

Britain warns nationals against travel to Iraq and Iran
Britain warned its nationals to avoid all travel to Iraq, outside the Kurdistan region, and to avoid all but essential travel to Iran following the death of Qassem Soleimani.

Conflicting reports?

U.S. air strike targets Iraqi militia north of Baghdad: state TV
A United States air strike targeted an Iraqi militia late on Friday on Taji road north of Baghdad, state TV said. It did not name the militia or provide further details.

Iraq military denies air strike took place on Saturday in Taji
Iraq's military denied on Saturday an air strike had taken place on a medical convoy in Taji, north of Baghdad.

 

[Nachtweide]

Something is bothering me about the story. Assuming that the deep state has an interest in eliminating Trump, the incident would make sense. What if the deep state created a situation with the Israelis where Iran would ask Trump's head. Perhaps the Mossad will do it itself, blame it on the Iranians and thus spark World War III.
Or does Trump create a situation to pull the troops out of Iraq? Iraq wants that. The Americans would disappear from the Iranian border, which in turn would not please the Israelis.
Was the uprising in the embassy created for precisely this purpose?
For me there is no understandable reason why Trump simply stabs a bee's nest without considering the consequences.

 

[angelburst29]

I'm getting a distinct feeling, after reviewing countless news reports, that this situation is NOT going down "exactly" as the Pentagon had envisioned it? There's noticeable signs of heavy blow-back, which is to be expected, when you do something "totally stupid" like this!

Could it be - while the hive was gathered in their "War Room - Man-Pad" brain storming this high profile assassination hit, they failed to take fully into account "all the ramifications" and evidently, set in motion - forces they hadn't anticipated and the situation is no longer in their control? The hunter - is now - the hunted! Pompeo and Esper canceled trips out side of the United States. Have they received death threats? Even Netanyahu "in an apparent stumble" (scare tactic) is trying to protect himself? I imagine, Netanyahu's reaction is in response to this statement earlier today, "former chief of Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guards said the Israeli city of Haifa and Israeli military centers would be included in Tehran's retaliation over the killing of Iran's pre-eminent military commander Qassem Soleimani."

Which brings up another serious matter ... the Nuclear INF Peace Treaty that Trump stepped back from and is no longer in force! Russia and the U.S. are still negotiating the New START Treaty (the Measures for the Further Reduction and Elimination of Strategic Offensive Arms).

Secretary of State Pompeo postpones Ukraine trip to focus on Iraq
U.S. defense secretary cancels vacation amid Iran crisis

Netanyahu, in apparent stumble, calls Israel 'nuclear power'

In an apparent slip of the tongue on Sunday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described Israel as a nuclear power before correcting himself with a bashful nod and an embarrassed smile.

Iran's retaliation for Soleimani death to include Haifa, Israeli military centers: ex-commander
A former chief of Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guards said on Sunday the Israeli city of Haifa and Israeli military centers would be included in Tehran's retaliation over the killing of Iran's pre-eminent military commander Qassem Soleimani.

Iran steps back further from nuclear deal, says no limits on enrichment: TV
Iran said on Sunday it would further roll back its commitments to a 2015 nuclear deal with six major powers, by enriching uranium without restrictions, but Tehran will continue to cooperate with the U.N. nuclear watchdog.

~~~
Iran might be holding all the "Ace's in the deck" - if the Pentagon/NATO are stupid enough to even attempt to hit Iran with one missile - Iran has given Israel forewarning where it's Nuclear Warheads are destined? "Correct that" - Netanyahu!

U.S. lacks courage for military confrontation with Iran: Iran army chief
The United States lacks the courage for military confrontation with Iran, the Islamic Republic's army chief said on Sunday, according to state TV.

NATO to hold urgent meeting on Monday over Iraq-Iran crisis
NATO ambassadors will gather on Monday in Brussels for an urgent meeting convened by the head of the military alliance to discuss the situation in the Middle East after a U.S. drone strike in Baghdad killed a top Iranian general, a NATO official said.

~~~
Pompeo has a lot of explaining to do - the Democrat's were left in the dark, as to, the pre-planning and execution of this high level assassination. The claim - the assassination was to protect American Troops - has turned out to be the opposite - now subjected to retaliation from the Foreign Countries, U.S. Forces are occupying! At a U.S. Military Base in Kenya, one service member was killed and two Contractors. U.S. Troops are now facing reprisals in Iraq.

Pompeo defends U.S. killing of Iranian as Democrats ask 'Why now?'
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Sunday defended President Donald Trump's decision to kill Iranian military commander Qassem Soleimani, as Democratic lawmakers questioned whether the action was justified and the United States braced for retaliation.

White House gives lawmakers formal notice of Iraq strike amid complaints from Democrats
The White House sent to Congress on Saturday formal notification of Friday's U.S. drone strike that killed a top Iranian general, amid complaints from Democrats that President Donald Trump did not notify lawmakers or seek advance approval for the attack.

U.S. Democratic contenders condemn Iran strike, warn of war
Democratic presidential contenders on Friday condemned the air strike that killed Iranian military commander Qassem Soleimani, saying President Donald Trump's decision was reckless and could lead the United States to another war in the Middle East.

Trump does not have authority to go to war with Iran: Schumer
The top Democrat in the U.S. Senate said on Friday that President Donald Trump does not have the authority to go to war with Iran without congressional authorization, and said he should have consulted with top congressional leaders before the U.S. killed a top Iranian commander.

Hezbollah: U.S. forces in Middle East to go home in coffins
Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah said on Sunday the U.S. military in the Middle East would pay the price for the killing of Iranian Major General Qassem Soleimani, warning that U.S. soldiers and officers would return home in coffins.

U.S. service member, contractors killed in militant attack in Kenya
One U.S. military service member and two contractors were killed on Sunday during an attack by Somalia's al Shabaab militant group on a military base in Kenya the U.S. military said in a statement.

Islamist group al Shabaab attack Kenya base used by Kenyan, U.S. forces
Somalia's al Shabaab militant group on Sunday attacked a military base in Kenya used by both U.S. and Kenyan forces, and a police report seen by Reuters said the Islamists had destroyed two planes, two helicopters and multiple vehicles.

U.S.-led coalition confirms attacks on Iraqi bases housing its troops
The United States-led military coalition fighting Islamic State said early on Sunday that there were two attacks near Iraqi bases housing its troops on Saturday night but that none of its troops were harmed.

~~~
Iraqi Government have ordered "all foreign Troops" to withdrawal from Iraq, if they stay - they will be labeled "occupiers". British foreign minister Dominic Raab has asked the Iraqi Government to allow the U.K.'s Troops to stay but on the other hand, welcomed the U.S. assassination of the Iranian Top Military Commander? (Brains and common sense - do not apply?)

Iraqi parliament backs government push to expel foreign troops

Iraq's parliament on Sunday backed a recommendation by the prime minister that all foreign troops should be ordered out,
responding to the U.S. killing of a top Iranian military commander and an Iraqi militia leader in Baghdad.

Iraq militia leader says if U.S. troops stay they will be occupiers
Iran-backed Iraqi militia commander Qais al-Khazali said on Sunday if U.S. troops do not leave Iraq, they would be considered an occupying force.

UK urges Iraq to let its soldiers remain in Iraq: PA Media

Britain has urged Iraq to allow its soldiers to remain and continue to fight against Islamic State after Iraq's parliament backed a government proposal to end the presence of foreign troops in Iraq, the PA Media agency reported.

UK's Raab calls for de-escalation of tensions after killing of 'menace' Soleimani
British foreign minister Dominic Raab said on Sunday he understood why the United States had killed a top Iranian military commander but urged a de-escalation of tensions in the Middle East to avoid war in the region.

UK's Raab says U.S. had right of self defense in Soleimani killing
The United States had a right to self defense in killing Iranian military commander Qassem Soleimani, British foreign minister Dominic Raab said on Sunday.

 

[angelburst29]

Pompeo defends U.S. killing of Iranian as Democrats ask 'Why now?'

This may be one of the reasons, as to "Why NOW"?

China-Iran-Russia Alliance Ending US Unilateral Global Hegemony
China-Iran-Russia Alliance Ending US Unilateral Global Hegemony

December 31 ,2019 - The “maritime security belt” trilateral four-day drill between Iran, China and Russia in the Sea of Oman and the Indian Ocean will mark the Middle East for decades to come. It signals the end of US absolute hegemony and control of the Middle East- and of the world. The joint drills are being carried out at the heart of the zone of US maritime influence. The drills are tactical exercises simulating the rescue of frigates under attack by a mutual enemy over a 17,000 km area. They are not strategic, because China and Russia will not have access to Iranian harbors on an ongoing basis. No common adversary is expected to face Russia, China or Iran together in these waters. The aim of these exercises is for all three countries to send a common message to the US. The maritime ‘message’ addressed to the world this December 2019 realistically is that the period of the global dominance of the USA as the sole and self-elected “policeman of the world” is coming to an end.

 

[sToRmR1dR]

'Justifying permanent presence.'

Expert: US Plotting for Extensive Terrorist Attacks on Key Iraqi Cities
Jan 12, 2020

Iraqi Forces Seize 65 IS Explosive Devices in Kirkuk
12/01/2020

Nearly 20 Federal Policemen Killed, Injured in Car Accident near Kirkuk
12/01/2020

 

[sToRmR1dR]

'The 'democracy' under US boots is in full swing.'

PENTAGON: 'US Made Iraq More Secure and Prosperous' (PHOTOS) - Fort Russ

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The United States Department of Defense claims that its military presence makes Iraq more “secure and prosperous”, despite calls by Iraqi lawmakers for the removal of all foreign troops from the country and growing tensions with Iran. “At this time, there are no plans by the...

www.fort-russ.com

By Drago Bosnic - Jan 19, 2020

Pompeo, Iraqi President Discuss Coalition Troops, Regional Tensions
19/01/2020

Iraqi Protesters’ Ultimatum for Designation of New PM Expires Tomorrow
19/01/2020

Iraqi Protesters Solder Government Office Doors in Najaf
19/01/2020

 

[sToRmR1dR]

'Permission' means that the attack on Iran would be legitimate.'

US Working With Baghdad to Deploy Patriots in Iraq After Iran Missile Strike - Pentagon

Iran launched retaliatory strikes targeting US military bases in Iraq on January 8 in response to the US drone strike assassination of Revolutionary Guard Quds Force Commander Qasem Soleimani in Baghdad on January 3.

sputniknews.com

30.01.2020

 

[angelburst29]

Instead of the U.S. pulling out Iraq, the Pentagon plans on setting up 3 new bases, one of which, is only a short distance from the Iranian Border? The three sites chosen for the news bases, Erbin, Sulimania and Halabja are all extremely close to Iran, with Halabja just eight miles from its border.

US Announces Three New Bases in Iraq After Iraqis Demand Full Withdrawal
January 29th, 2020 - Less than a week after millions of Iraqis took to the streets demanding the U.S. military leave for good, the United States announced that is planning to build three new military bases in Iraq.

The U.S. Air Force recently unveiled its newest recruitment tool, an online video game that lets you carry out targeted killings by drone in places like Iraq and Afghanistan.

A New US Air Force Video Game Lets You Drone Bomb Iraqis and Afghans
A New US Air Force Video Game Lets You Drone Bomb Iraqis and Afghans

Two U.S. Air Force drone operators fly an MQ-9 Reaper drone from a ground control station on Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico. Michael Shoemaker | USAF

January 31st, 2020 - The United States Air Force has a new recruitment tool: a realistic drone operator video game you can play on its website. Called the Airman Challenge, it features 16 missions to complete, interspersed with facts and recruitment information about how to become a drone operator yourself. In its latest attempts to market active service to young people, players move through missions escorting U.S. vehicles through countries like Iraq and Afghanistan, serving up death from above to all those designated “insurgents” by the game. Players earn medals and achievements for most effectively destroying moving targets. All the while there is a prominent “apply now” button on screen if players would like to enlist and conduct real drone strikes all over the Middle East.

The game has failed to win over David Swanson, director of the anti-war movement World Beyond War, and the author of War is a Lie.

“It is truly disgusting, immoral, and arguably illegal in that it is recruitment or pre-recruitment of underage children to participate in murder. It is part of the normalization of murder that we have been living through,” he told MintPress News.

Tom Secker, a journalist and researcher into the influence of the military on popular culture was similarly unimpressed by the latest U.S.A.F. recruitment strategy, telling us,

The drone game struck me as sick and demented… On the other hand, many drone pilots have described how piloting drones and killing random brown people is a lot like playing a video game, because you’re sat in a bunker in Nevada pushing buttons, detached from the consequences. So I guess it accurately reflects the miserable, traumatised, serial killing life of a drone pilot, we can’t accuse it of inaccuracy per se.”

[...] Although the Airman Challenge game is a new attempt at recruitment, the armed forces have a long history being involved in the video game market, and the entertainment industry more generally. Secker’s work has uncovered the depths of collaboration between the military and the entertainment industry. Through Freedom of Information requests, he was able to find that the Department of Defense reviews, edits and writes hundreds of TV and movie scripts every year, subsidizing the entertainment world with free content and equipment in exchange for positive portrayals. “At this point, it’s difficult to effectively summarise the US military’s influence on the industry, because it’s so varied and all-encompassing,” he said.

The US Army spends tens of millions a year on the Institute for Creative Technologies, who develop advanced tech for the film and gaming industries, as well as in-house training games for the Army and – on occasion – the CIA. The Department Of Defense has supported a number of major game franchises (Call of Duty, Tom Clancy games, usually first or third-person shooters). Military-supported games are subject to the same rules of narrative and character as movies and TV, so they can be rejected or modified if they contain elements the Department Of Defense deems controversial.”

 

[sToRmR1dR]

'False excuse: US will bring its air defense systems to Iraq, to attack Iran and to help Turkey in Idlib.'

US bringing missile defense systems to Iraq in bid to protect troops against 'potential Iranian attack' – CENTCOM

Pulling out the ‘Iran threat’ card, the head of the US Central Command has announced that Washington is in the process of installing “air defense systems” and “ballistic missile defense systems" in Iraq.

www.rt.com

10 Mar, 2020

 

[youlik]

МОЛНИЯ: ракетный удар по базе США в Ираке — убиты и ранены американцы и британцы (ФОТО, ВИДЕО)
11.03.2020 - 23:32


LIGHTNING: missile strike on US base in Iraq-Americans and British killed and wounded (PHOTOS, VIDEOS)
11.03.2020-23: 32

In Iraq, the Taji camp was shelled , where Iraqi security forces are being trained by international coalition instructors.

In total, about 10 rockets were fired at the camp.

Two American and one British soldier were killed in the attack. Eleven people were injured.

МОЛНИЯ: ракетный удар по базе США в Ираке — убиты и ранены американцы и британцы (ФОТО, ВИДЕО)

 

[angelburst29]

LIGHTNING: missile strike on US base in Iraq-Americans and British killed and wounded (PHOTOS, VIDEOS)
11.03.2020-23: 32

I feel they are over-reacting ... blowing this situation way out of proportion? The day of the attack, U.S. House of Representatives passed legislation to limit President Donald Trump's ability to wage war against Iran. There is a report and short video below that suggests the American's might be behind the air strike and not Iran.

U.S. House votes to limit Iran warmaking ability, heads to veto fight

The U.S. House of Representatives passed legislation on Wednesday to limit President Donald Trump's ability to wage war against Iran, amid continuing concern about broader conflict after a January strike killed an Iranian commander,

Trump authorizes military to respond after deadly attack blamed on Iran-backed militia

President Donald Trump has authorized the U.S. military to respond to Wednesday's rocket attack in Iraq that killed two American troops and a British service member, the Pentagon said on Thursday, blaming Iran-backed militia.

Iraq's presidency condemns attack on Taji military camp
Iraq's presidency has condemned an attack that targeted Iraqi Taji military camp north of Baghdad on Wednesday, that killed three personnel from U.S.-led coalition, state news agency said on early Thursday.

Trump gives Pentagon authority for potential response after deadly Iraq attack

U.S. President Donald Trump has given the Pentagon the authority to potentially respond to Wednesday's rocket attack by Iran-backed militia in Iraq that killed two American troops and a British service member, Defense Secretary Mark Esper said on Thursday.

Pentagon chief says all options on table after Iraq rocket attack
U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper said on Thursday that all options were on the table after a rocket attack in Iraq killed one British and two American troops, an attack he said was by Iranian-backed Shia militia groups.

France calls on Iraq to prevent future attacks on coalition bases
France said on Thursday that Iraq needed to find those behind an attack on an international coalition military base that killed American and British troops and do everything to stop it happening again.

U.S. wages retaliatory strikes against Iran-backed militia in Iraq after deadly attack
The United States waged a series of precision air strikes on Thursday against an Iran-backed militia in Iraq that it blamed for a major rocket attack a day earlier that killed two American troops and a 26-year-old British soldier.

U.S. air strike hits four Iraqi positions: Iraqi military statement
The United States flew air strikes against four locations of Iraqi paramilitary forces, police and army in Iraq, an Iraqi military statement said on Friday.

Pentagon confirms strikes against five Iran-backed militia group facilities in Iraq
The Pentagon on Thursday confirmed that the United States had carried out strikes against five Iran-backed militia weapons storage facilities in Iraq, a day after a deadly rocket attack killed two American and one British service member.

Syrian state media says unidentified jets hit border town with Iraq
Unidentified jets hit targets south east of the Syrian town of Albukamal along a strategic border crossing with Iraq with only material damage, state media said late on Wednesday.

New video shows suspected US warplanes attacking Iraqi and Iranian forces...
Footage, depicting an alleged air raid in Syria appeared on social media. The short and shaky video shows some explosions in the distance and suggests that bombs detonated in the night. The clip, however, does not allow a precise conclusion about the region and the circumstances of the alleged air attack.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1237850633346019332

 

[angelburst29]

Three U.S. troops wounded in renewed rocket attacks on Iraq's Taji base

Three American troops and several Iraqi forces were wounded on Saturday in the second major rocket attack in the past week on an Iraqi base north of Baghdad, U.S. and Iraqi officials said, raising the stakes in an escalating cycle of attacks and reprisals.

Two seriously injured U.S. troops being treated in Baghdad: Pentagon
Two of the three U.S. troops wounded in the latest rocket attack in Iraq are seriously injured and are being treated at a military hospital in Baghdad, the Pentagon said on Saturday, in its first confirmation that Americans were injured.

Iraqi military says 33 rockets used in Taji base attack
Iraq's military said on Saturday that 33 Katyusha rockets had been launched on Taji base north of Baghdad which houses U.S.-led coalition troops and said the attack critically injured several Iraqi air defense servicemen.

 

[angelburst29]

BAGHDAD: The US-led coalition in Iraq withdrew Sunday from a military base in the country's north that nearly launched Washington into an open war with neighboring Iran.

US-led forces pull out of 3rd Iraqi base this month

US soldiers stand guard before a handover ceremony of K-1 airbase from US-led coalition forces to Iraqi security forces, in Kirkuk governorate, Iraq March 29, 2020.

The K1 Air Base is the third site coalition forces have left this month, in line with US plans to consolidate its troops in two locations in Iraq.

A rocket attack on the base in late December killed one American contractor and lead to a series of tit-for-tat attacks between the US and Iran-backed Iraqi militia groups. The attacks culminated in the US-directed killing of top Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani and a senior Iraqi militia leader, Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis.

Coalition forces handed over the K1 base in the northern Iraqi province of Kirkuk to Iraq's military, according to a coalition statement.
At least $1.1 million of equipment was transferred to the Iraqis as 300 coalition personnel departed. Until last month, there were some 7,500 coalition troops based in Iraq, including 5,000 US forces.

Withdrawals are planned “in the coming days” from two bases in western Iraq, said Col. Myles Caggins, a coalition spokesman. He said troops have so far been relocated to other bases in the country and some will head home in the coming weeks, but did not specify how many.

He said the two bases are the Nineveh Operations Command in Mosul — Iraq’s second-largest city and which was under the Daesh group's control from 2014 until 2017 — and the Taqaddum military airport outside the city of Habbaniya, on the Euphrates River.

K1 has hosted coalition forces since 2017 to launch operations against Daesh in nearby mountainous areas. Areas south of Kirkuk, and north of neighboring provinces of Diyala, Salahuddin and Nineveh remain hotbeds of Daesh activity.

The stretch of territory is also disputed between the federal Iraqi government and the autonomous Kurdish region, which has created security gaps benefiting IS militants. The coalition's presence had at times been a mediating force between the two competing authorities.

A senior coalition official earlier this month claimed Daesh forces weren't as able to exploit the “security gap” between Iraqi and Kurdish forces, as the militants did in the past. “That (gap) doesn’t necessarily mean that Daesh is free to operate in the way that they wish," said the official, using the Arabic acronym for IS. “They’re still pretty constrained.” The coalition official spoke on condition of anonymity in line with regulations.

US-led forces have already withdrawn this month from the Qayara base in Nineveh province followed by the Qaim base near the border with Syria. All the withdrawals were in line with plans to pull out from bases across Iraq and consolidate coalition forces in Baghdad and at the Ain al-Asad Air Base in the country’s western desert.

The plan has been in the works since late last year, the senior coalition military official has said, and accelerated when Iraqi forces proved they were capable of facing the Daesh threat with limited coalition assistance.

Coalition officials said they would still assist Iraqi forces with air support and surveillance, but significantly cut back on training and ground operations, as the limited withdrawal continues.

US military ordered to prepare for 'destruction' campaign against Iranian-backed forces

2020-03-28 - The Pentagon has ordered military commanders to plan for an escalation of American combat resources in Iraq, The New York Times reported on Friday, citing unnamed officials claiming to be familiar with the directive.

According to the report, last week, the US Department of Defence issued a secretive directive to “prepare a campaign to destroy an Iranian-backed militia group that has threatened more attacks against American troops”.

Kataib Hezbollah and “Iranian paramilitary forces – members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps” are named possible targets of planned escalation.

US President Donald Trump, when reportedly made aware of the initiative during a 19 March meeting in the Oval Office, did not immediately greenlight the campaign, but did allow planning to continue.

The United States’ top commander in Iraq, Lt. Gen. Robert P. White, has expressed doubt regarding the feasibility of the Pentagon plans, according to The New York Times.

White responded to the directive with an internal message suggesting that such operations could be “bloody and counterproductive”, and threaten war with Iran. The top commander also noted that a new campaign would require thousands of additional US soldiers be deployed to Iraq,

diverting resources from the primary mission: training the Iraqi army to fight Daesh*, the NYT report said.
The general’s memo also reportedly stressed that such campaigns would break the existing agreement with the Iraqi government that allows American troops to remain in the country.

The urgency to create a plan for an attack against pro-Iranian militia groups was characterized by unnamed American officials as a move to head off what are claimed to be new attacks from Kataib Hezbollah and other Shiite militias against American troops, the report said. Kataib Hezbollah itself allegedly warned its fighters to prepare for possible US attacks and threatened to retaliate.

Israel plans to remove Iran from Syria in next 12 months: MoD

 

[neonix]

Report: Iraq on brink of civil war
April 3rd 2020
TruNews

Meanwhile, OPEC+ Agrees To Meet Monday To Discuss Production Cut.

According to a new analysis, Iraq is now teetering on the brink of all-out civil war among its many different ethnic and religious factions.

In a commentary published by OilPrice.com, MOL Group physical trader Viktor Katona—a member of Russia’s International Affairs Council—notes that oil revenue for the country has evaporated in the midst of the coronavirus-fueled glut and Russo-Saudi price war. The price of oil has collapsed, and by the most conservative of estimates, Baghdad’s oil revenue has been effectively halved.

Katona writes how this affects Iraq’s internal politics:

“Moreover, the oil price drop is just too big for Iraq’s economy to swallow – the 2020 draft budget was assumed to be around $135 billion, with 93 percent of government revenues coming from oil exports. The assumed annual average oil price stood at $56 per barrel in 2019. Should the Saudi-triggered differential cuts become a mainstay, Iraq now stands to garner a mere 30 percent of what it originally expected for this year. In such a case it could burn all its reserves totaling some $62 billion by the end of 2020, leaving it dependent on another IMF package.”

Katona writes that on top of all these problems, Iraq has been paralyzed by the coronavirus pandemic, and its private companies are all on the brink of collapse. While the protests that plagued the country have subsided—it’s only out of fear of contracting the deadly disease at a protest demonstration.

The anger is still there, festering, he added:

“The Iraqi government is running monthly deficits as high as $2 billion and with very little of the nation’s crucial industrial output being in private hands, it should come as no surprise that the federal authorities could only garner less than $50 million in donations with the aim of combatting the spread of coronavirus. Iraq has closed down its borders and the government introduced a 24-hour curfew, strictly enforced by the police, substantially limiting the last remaining lifeline of urban inhabitants—informal trade.”

But the Sunni-Shia divisions aren’t the only problem. Iraq must also deal with its large, semi-autonomous Kurdish region. Baghdad and Kirkuk are at odds with one another over a deal in which Kurdish oil would go to the state-run oil marketer SOMO in exchange for roughly one-eighth of the Iraqi budget—which is now evaporating due to oil revenue losses.

At some point, something is going to have give, or the whole thing could explode into civil war and complete anarchy.

Some relief may be coming soon. Under pressure from President Donald Trump, OPEC+ has agreed to hold a meeting—open to all global producers, including the U.S. and its independent oil companies—at which a global production cut will be discussed. While the 10 million barrel-per-day cut currently being discussed won’t fully address the current glut, it has already led to a 25-percent spike in some market prices.

But, as Katona also noted, several Middle East countries are selling oil contracts at substantially less than market prices. Iraq’s Basrah Light has been selling to European refineries for just $10 a barrel. The understood breakeven price is roughly $60.

 

[angelburst29]

Is This Base Handover Ceremony In Iraq Happening At A Low Budget Shakespeare Festival? (Updated)

April 4, 2020 - I don't think they could have come up with a more random, bizarre-looking, and frankly hilarious backdrop for this serious event.

The Iraqi Ministry of Defense posted the clip on its official Twitter account today, showing a fairly straightforward formal turnover of the massive Al Habbaniyah Air Base—better known by its Saddam-era name, Al Taqaddum Air Base—that had been under the control of Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve (CJTF-OIR). This is another step in America's now accelerated drawdown of forces in the war-torn country.

But what's so weird is the choice of backdrop for the handover ceremony, which looks like some low-budget European castle set complete with turrets, starry-sky backdrop, and twinkling Christmas lights. It's random and tacky. Really, really random and tacky.


It is unexplained what the heck this thing is or why it exists, let alone why, of all places, they chose to do the signing ceremony there. There even is also a very casual dress code for the landmark event, with one dude wearing a t-shirt that reads "HOME" and another in a pastel polo.

Here is the complete statement about the handover from CJTF-OIR:

SOUTHWEST ASIA – Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve (CJTF-OIR) conducted a ceremony with Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) to transfer the Coalition area of Al Taqaddum Air Base (TQ), Iraq, April 4, 2020.

Due to Iraqi Security Forces' success in the campaign against Daesh, the Coalition is adjusting its positioning in Iraq. These military movements are long-planned in coordination with the Government of Iraq. These pre-planned base transfers are not related to recent attacks against Iraqi bases hosting Coalition troops, or the ongoing COVID-19 situation in Iraq.

"The transfer of Taqaddum (Habbaniya) air base is another step forward in the ongoing partnership between Iraqi Security Forces and the anti-ISIS international military Coalition," said Brig. Gen. Vincent Barker, CJTF-OIR director of sustainment. “Over the last month we have transferred four bases to full ISF control. This wouldn’t be possible without the ISF’s proven capability to bring the fight to ISIS. The Coalition will continue to support our partners against the evils of Daesh.”

Since 2015, TQ has hosted U.S. and other Coalition forces who trained Iraqi Security Forces and acted as advisors in the Iraqi operations center in support of the fight against ISIS. TQ was primarily operated by U.S. Marines but also hosted Italian, Canadian, and Spanish forces. In early 2016, Coalition advisors supported the Iraqi Army in its recapture of Ramadi and Fallujah from ISIS control.

CJTF-OIR will relocate and consolidate personnel and equipment from several Iraqi bases throughout 2020. The ISF increasingly conducts independent operations in the fight against Daesh and the defense of their homeland including the 2020 “Heroes of Iraq” and 2019’s “Will of Victory” campaigns. CJTF-OIR remains in Iraq at the invitation of the Government of Iraq and continues anti-ISIS advising. Currently, training operations are temporarily paused due to COVID-19 precautions. The Coalition will operate from fewer locations, but remains committed to supporting our partners in their fight against Daesh.

Coalition troops will depart TQ after the completion of equipment transfers to the ISF, in the coming days.

Although CJTF-OIR says that this base transfer was long-planned, an accelerated drawdown of forces and the move to relocate those still in the country to more defensible positions comes after a spate of nefarious Iranian-backed proxy forces activity, some of which has turned deadly, in recent weeks. Patriot air defense batteries have finally arrived to guard key coalition operating bases that remain in the country as top U.S. officials, including President Donald Trump, have warned of a potential pending offensive by Iranian proxies against U.S. and coalition forces in the region.

Some have found this puzzling as Iran is reeling from the COVID-19 pandemic and even Iranian proxies in Iraq have said they will not attack coalition forces if they continue to drawdown. There have also been reports that the United States has been at least exploring plans for a massive offensive against Iranian-backed Iraqi militias.

Regardless, I have no clue what exactly is going on with this wacky backdrop, or the dude in the 'HOME' t-shirt, but it is pretty damn bizarre and funny looking. I guess it's just another one of the pile of peculiar head-scratchers that have come out of the last 17 years of a near-continuous American military presence in Iraq.

UPDATE:
A reader who has been deployed to the base gave us a great background on this wacky thing:

The ‘winter fortress’, as we called it, covered an entire wall in the dining hall. For context, it was allegedly in the contract with Kellogg Brown and Root (KBR) that they do something elaborate for every holiday—desserts, decorations, etc. As most of the KBR contractors are from Eastern Europe of SE Asia, most of the decorations reflected their best guess on what western countries would have as decorations for said holidays and therefore usually had a gaudy and bizarre flair.

Rumor had it that a few years back, KBR had a monetary surplus from what they were supposed to provide by way of food and decorations, and so, during one Christmas, they used it to construct the winter fortress. Apparently they were very proud of this endeavor, as the fortress stood resolute, in its ten feet of plywood glory, towering over us as we ate in the chow hall, during all seasons and many holidays, a monument to government waste and absurdity.

Thank you for validating precisely how bizarre this is as a backdrop for a deployment to a ‘combat zone.’