Tag Archives: Iraq

Another War in Iraq?

29 Sunday Mar 2020

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Could this be the source of all the war talk of late?

The Pentagon has issued a secret directive, as of last week, calling on the military commanders in Iraq to plan a massive campaign against Iraqi Shi’ite militias, with an eye toward totally wiping one or more of the factions out.

The offensive is being advocated by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who believes they can destroy Iran’s proxies while the country is distracted by the coronavirus pandemic. Some commanders, particularly Lt. Gen. Robert White, are opposing the idea.

The general warns that the new campaign would take thousands more US troops, divert resources from existing missions, and risk blowing up into a full-scale war with Iran. Escalating a war with Iran, however, probably isn’t going to deter Pompeo from advocating the effort.

I had the feeling they were planning something larger and even more stupid. But, who knows? At least there’s a little opposition to the madness.

More About Those “Headaches” in Iraq

21 Friday Feb 2020

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Will we ever get the full number? O. 10. 12s. 100. 109. And counting.

Keltz, who said he had concussion symptoms for days, is among 109 soldiers diagnosed with traumatic brain injuries in the wake of last month’s attack, a figure that has steadily risen as more troops report symptoms and get medical screening.

414,000 TBI cases in the past two decades. The very high cost of Empire.

Math in Washington

11 Tuesday Feb 2020

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Never adds up. After Iran dealt the Empire a crimpling pinpoint blow in Iraq, the initial lie was that there were no casualties. 0

Then it started creeping up, with brain injuries from the concussions being reported. That number now stands at 100. In DC, 0 = 100. The same government pushes math education, with similar results. Vote harder this November!

What Lies Will Come Out of This?

27 Monday Jan 2020

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Assuming this latest embassy story isn’t a lie too.

Three rockets slammed into the US embassy in Iraq’s capital on Sunday in the first direct hit reported after months of close calls, as thousands kept up anti-government sit-ins across the country.

The attack marked a dangerous escalation in the spree of rocket attacks in recent months that have targeted the embassy or Iraqi military bases where American troops are deployed.

None of the attacks has been claimed but Washington has repeatedly blamed Iran-backed military factions in Iraq.

On Sunday, one rocket hit an embassy cafeteria at dinner time while two others landed nearby, a security source told AFP.

A senior Iraqi official told AFP at least one person was wounded, but it was not immediately clear how serious the injuries were and whether the person was an American national or an Iraqi staff member working at the mission.

The US embassy did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Yeah, I’d imagine not. Probably crafting the first of several tall tales while being admonished that the drones still haven’t been replaced and can be easily hit again (along with the embassy and the carriers). The empire’s over folks. Time to come home.

Is TBI TMI?

25 Saturday Jan 2020

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No straight story ever emerges from Washington, at least as told or retold by the government. Pentagon says no injuries 11 injuries 34 injuries related to the Iranian missile strike in Iraq.

The Pentagon said on Friday that 34 service members had been diagnosed with traumatic brain injury following missile strikes by Iran on a base in Iraq earlier this month, a number higher than the military had previously announced.

President Donald Trump and other top officials initially said Iran’s attack had not killed or injured any U.S. service members.

Last week the U.S. military said 11 U.S. troops had been treated for concussion symptoms after the attack on the Ain al-Asad air base in western Iraq and this week said additional troops had been moved out of Iraq for potential injuries.

Still no word on the hardware lost. Or, any rational explanation for why our troops were there in the first place.

Traumatic Brain Injury: Believe Nothing from DC

18 Saturday Jan 2020

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Putting aside the semantics of “American” v. “US” troops, we have yet another lie alteration to the ever-shifting narrative out of Iraq, in re the Iranian missile strike.

Nearly a dozen American troops were injured in the Iranian missile attack on two bases in Iraq last week, Defense Department officials said, after initially stating that there were no casualties in the strikes.

Eleven individuals are being screened for traumatic brain injuries following the attacks on two bases in Iraq that house American troops. Iran fired a dozen rockets total at Erbil in northern Iraq and the sprawling Al Asad air base in the west in retaliation for the American killing of Maj. Gen. Qassem Soleimani days before. Pentagon officials at the time said there were no casualties.

How should the U.S. respond, if at all, to American soldiers being injured after an Iranian attack? Join the conversation below.

But late Thursday, U.S. Central Command acknowledged that there were injuries and the 11 service members suffered concussions during the attack.

“While no U.S. service members were killed in the Jan. 8 Iranian attack on Al Asad Air base, several were treated for concussion symptoms from the blast and are still being assessed,” according to Capt. Bill Urban, a spokesman for U.S. Central Command in Tampa, Fla. “As a standard procedure, all personnel in the vicinity of a blast are screened for traumatic brain injury, and if deemed appropriate, are transported to a higher level of care.”

They have a lot of traumatic brain injuries in DC. A LOT. This had to be expected. So why hide it for a week? The Fateh-110’s carry 1,400-pound high explosive warheads. That means a hefty concussive blast, especially when multiple rounds hit in close proximity (and with much greater precision than the rated 3 meters).

Any bets on what the next change shall be?

Iran Targets US Airbases in Iraq

07 Tuesday Jan 2020

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Yes, Orange Man, actions have consequences.

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Defense Secretary Mark Esper arrived at the White House late on Tuesday after Iran fired missiles on at least two Iraqi air bases hosting U.S.-led coalition forces.

A White House spokeswoman said President Donald Trump has been briefed on the attacks as is monitoring the situation closely. Vice President Mike Pence has been in contact with congressional leaders, a Pence spokeswoman said.

Hopefully, the adult in the room, Vladimir Putin, is monitoring this too.

UPDATE: Holy Hell, the lies are flying on the CIA MSM. For the record, we haven’t had trouble with Iran since 1979. It was 1953 – when the US started attacking Iran.

The Punch?

06 Monday Jan 2020

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Was this the plan behind the Baghdad attack all along?

BREAKING NEWS: U.S.-led military coalition says it will WITHDRAW from Iraq after country’s parliament voted for anti-ISIS troops to leave in wake of Qassem Soleimani’s death
General in charge of U.S. coalition forces in Iraq tells military counterpart to prepare for helicopter flights as troops pull up stakes
Letter says troops will soon begin flying out in transport helicopters under cover of darkness

A little Saigon 1975 maybe, but we’ll take it if it’s true.

Beat Them to the Punch

05 Sunday Jan 2020

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Get out! That’s the plain message from the Iraqi Parliament to the US Empire.

The Iraqi parliament called on the government on Sunday to work to end all foreign troop presence as a backlash grew after the killing of a top Iranian military commander and an Iraqi militia leader in a U.S. strike in Baghdad.

A resolution passed by a special session of parliament said the government should cancel its request for assistance from a U.S.-led coalition.

Parliament resolutions, unlike laws, are non-binding to the government. But this one is likely to be heeded: Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi had earlier called on parliament to end foreign troop presence as soon as possible.

“Despite the internal and external difficulties that we might face, it remains best for Iraq on principle and practically,” Abdul Mahdi said.

If The Trump has half a brain, he can prove it by going ahead with the total withdrawal with or without Iraqi action. The option also remains best for what’s left of America on principle and practically.

And, did Ivanka cry just before this last utterly idiotic blunder? Maybe over the fate of the ill-placed ISIS trainer?

UPDATE: this coming week’s TPC column will center on the Trump-Iran-WW3 lunacy, in exactly what fashion I do not know; not thrilled about my draft. That, here, later.

Pounding Away

04 Saturday Jan 2020

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The Trump hits more “pro-Iran” targets. He’s propping up the ISIS-Israel Axis (again).

Whether he is eating ice cream or not, Trump appears to be on a rampage to recreate the end of The Godfather.

Less than 24 hours after a US drone shockingly killed the top Iranian military leader, Qasem Soleimani, resulting in equity markets groaning around the globe in fear over Iranian reprisals (and potentially, World War III), the US has gone for round two with Reuters and various other social media sources reporting that US air strikes targeting Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Units umbrella grouping of Iran-backed Shi’ite militias near camp Taji north of Baghdad, have killed six people and critically wounded three, an Iraqi army source said late on Friday.

May have more at TPC next week. Or not.