Meanwhile Back In Iraq...

[BansheeOne]

What, because of al-Sadr winning the recent elections? He's just as anti-Iran as anti-US these days, which seems to have been his appeal between the contenders who would tie Iraq to either power; Hadi al-Amiri was the Teheranian candidate. Al-Sadr seems to have become pissed off with Iran during his 2008-2011 stay there, and former Iranian foreign minister Ali Akbar Velayati, now Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei's foreign policy advisor, stated that "we will not allow liberals and communists to govern in Iraq" during a visit to Baghdad earlier this year in obvious reference to al-Sadr's alliance, which includes both. Them coming up ahead in the elections was widely considered a blow to Teheran's efforts for regional dominance.

Edited May 21, 2018 by BansheeOne

[Adam Peter]

31 times more

[Josh]

What, because of al-Sadr winning the recent elections? He's just as anti-Iran as anti-US these days, which seems to have been his appeal between the contenders who would tie Iraq to either power; Hadi al-Amiri was the Teheranian candidate. Al-Sadr seems to have become pissed off with Iran during his 2008-2011 stay there, and former Iranian foreign minister Ali Akbar Velayati, now Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei's foreign policy advisor, stated that "we will not allow liberals and communists to govern in Iraq" during a visit to Baghdad earlier this year in obvious reference to al-Sadr's alliance, which includes both. Them coming up ahead in the elections was widely considered a blow to Teheran's efforts for regional dominance.

The entire Sadr family has always been fairly anti-Iran. They always felt the Iranians were trying to displace the Arab Shia movement. Sadr is not remotely pro-Iranian, in fact in a weird turn of events he's probably about the best candidate the US could hope for in that country. His actual politics are far more inclusive than most other Shia politicians.

[Stuart Galbraith]

Incidentally, there was a very good British Parliamentary Defence Committee grilling of senior RAF and Army officers over the Raqa and Mosul campaign that probably warrants study before we get into the grounds of respective body counts.

https://www.parliamentlive.tv/Event/Index/a9f54be0-0464-45eb-9aba-011b5540ad86

[Dark_Falcon]

Things in Basra have gotten quite hot as of late:

 

 

Iraqi protesters set fire to Iranian consulate in Basra

 

Angry protesters have stormed the Iranian consulate in the southern Iraqi city of Basra, setting a fire inside as part of ongoing demonstrations against lack of services and jobs that have turned deadly in recent days.

Demonstrators on Friday attacked the building, which is located in the southern part of Basra, prompting security forces to open fire to quell the protests.

At least two protesters have died over the past two days, taking the death toll to 11 since the weeks-long unrest escalated on September 3.

The southern city has been the epicentre of protests that have rocked Iraq since July, with anger fuelled by pollution of the water supply that left 30,000 people in hospital.

Crowds have attacked the offices of the state-run Iraqiya TV and set fire to the headquarters of the ruling Dawa Party, the Supreme Islamic Council and the Badr Organisation, whose leaders are all vying to form Iraq's ruling coalition.

Protesters also torched the offices of a powerful Shia armed group, Asaib Ahl al-Haq, and those of the Hikma Movement, and stormed the house of the acting head of the provincial council.

Rights activists have accused security forces of opening fire on the demonstrators, while the government has blamed provocateurs in the crowds and say the troops were ordered not to use live rounds.

Public anger has grown at a time when politicians are struggling to form a new government after an inconclusive parliamentary election in May.

Residents of the south complain of decades of neglect in the region that produces the bulk of Iraq's oil wealth.

Edited September 7, 2018 by Dark_Falcon

[Roman Alymov]

 

 

[Simon Tan]

NATO to deploy reinforcements.

[Dark_Falcon]

NATO to deploy reinforcements.

 

I doubt the rest of NATO will react but Erdogan is liable to deliver a sharp reply.

[Dark_Falcon]

Iraq is the scene of the F-35A's first bombing of terrorist dirtbags:

 

 

U.S. Air Force F-35As conduct first combat employment

 

SOUTHWEST ASIA --

Two U.S. Air Force F-35A Lightning II aircraft conducted an air strike at Wadi Ashai, Iraq, in support of Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve on April 30.

This strike marked the F-35A’s first combat employment.

The F-35As conducted the airstrike using a Joint Direct Attack Munition to strike an entrenched Daesh tunnel network and weapons cache deep in the Hamrin Mountains, a location able to threaten friendly forces.

“We have the ability to gather, fuse and pass so much information, that we make every friendly aircraft more survivable and lethal,” said Lt. Col. Yosef Morris, 4th Fighter Squadron commander and F-35A pilot. “That, combined with low-observable technology, allows us to really complement any combined force package and be ready to support AOR contingencies.”

The F-35As, recently deployed from Hill Air Force Base, Utah, joined the Combined Forces Air Component team in the U.S. Central Command area of operations on April 15. This marks the F-35A’s third deployment and first to the CENTCOM AOR. In preparation for deployment, crews prepared and trained on the aircraft for the AFCENT mission.

“We have been successful in two Red Flag exercises, and we’ve deployed to Europe and Asia,” said Morris. “Our Airmen are ready and we’re excited to be here.” Red Flag is the U.S. Air Force’s premier air-to-air combat training exercise which includes U.S. and allied nations’ combat air forces.

There are many Airmen ensuring the planes are ready for their combat missions.

“This jet is smarter, a lot smarter, and so it can do more, and it helps you out more when loading munitions,” said Staff Sgt. Karl Tesch, 380th Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Squadron weapons technician.

A central tenant to the F-35A’s design is its ability to enhance other battlefield assets. In this case, the aircraft joins the Combined Joint airpower team already in place to maintain air superiority and deliver war-winning airpower.

“The F-35A has sensors everywhere, it has advanced radar, and it is gathering and fusing all this information from the battlespace in real time,” said Morris. “Now it has the ability to take that information and share it with other F-35s or even other fourth generation aircraft in the same package that can also see the integrated picture.”

[Adam Peter]

Iranian drone attack on Kurdish positions

 

Iranian IRGC showed footage of artillery and air strikes from UAV Mohajer-6 on position of kurdish militants in Northern Iraq after three IRGC servicemen lost their lives as result of the attack of kurdish militants near Iranian border city Piranshahr on Tuesday

[Josh]

The Kurds in Syria have it a lot better. The other Kurds are between Iraq and a hard place.

[BansheeOne]

I think this belongs here rather than the protests thread.

 

Date 31.12.2019

 

Iraqi protesters storm US embassy compound in Baghdad

 

The US ambassador to Iraq has been evacuated from the US embassy in Baghdad after pro-government protesters gathered outside to condemn American air strikes. The embassy is inside the high-security Green zone.

 

The US ambassador to Iraq and members of staff were evacuated from the US embassy in Baghdad on Tuesday before dozens protesters broke down the embassy gate and stormed the compound following US airstrikes in Iraq and Syria.

 

A crowd chanting "Death to America," and burning US flags marched through security checkpoints into the high security Green Zone.

 

Security guards had retreated inside the embassy as the protesters smashed security cameras outside the embassy buildings.

 

A correspondent from Jordan-based Al-Hadath reported more than 20,000 people were gathered outside the compound.

 

Unverified footage posted on social media purported to show a group of people marching in front of the embassy, one of whom carried the flag of Kataib Hezbollah.

 

Tuesday's protests came amid anger over US air strikes in Iraq and Syria on Sunday against the Kataib Hezbollah militia, which is backed by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard's elite al-Quds force.

 

Led by one of Iraq's most powerful men, Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, the militia is part of the Popular Mobilization Units mobilized to fight against the "Islamic State" group.

 

Retaliation

 

Sunday's US strikes targeted an Iran-backed Iraqi militia blamed for a rocket attack that killed an American defense contractor and wounded four US service members, the Pentagon said.

 

The Kataib Hezbollah militia — a separate force from the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah — vowed on Monday to retaliate for the US strikes that killed 25 of its fighters and wounded dozens of others.

 

The US retaliation and vows for revenge threatened to unleash a dangerous spiral of escalation and backlash against the US military presence in Iraq at a time the country is politically unstable following nearly three months of deadly anti-government protests.

 

The US blamed Kataeb Hezbollah for a rocket barrage on Friday that killed an American defense contractor and wounded four US soldiers at the K1 Iraqi military base in Kirkuk in the north of the country. Several Iraqi soldiers were also wounded.

 

https://www.dw.com/en/iraqi-protesters-storm-us-embassy-compound-in-baghdad/a-51843380

[glenn239]

NATO to deploy reinforcements.

 

Europe does best when doing nothing and blaming Trump for everything.

[Simon Tan]

Qassem soleimani reported kia w khataib hezbollah leadership in missile strike near BIAP. If true will almost certainly result in giant shitfest.

[DKTanker]

Hehe hehe

[Simon Tan]

Of course this guy has been killed more times than Bugs Bunny. It does however seem very likely he got his deserved and desired end this time. They had eyes on all the way from BIAP.

Edited January 3, 2020 by Simon Tan

[Adam Peter]

USAF airstrike in the capital of Freedom and Democracy Example of Middle East again?

[Nobu]

An impressive display of precision. Next move; Iran's, and one it may not be prepared for.

[Daan]

In the same strike the US apparently also killed KH leader Al-Muhandis. Quite a feat, I wonder what will happen next though.

[klahtinen]

Interesting to see what happens in Syria after QS's death. I hope Russia's target to weaken Iran's influence in Syria is now easier to accomplish.

[klahtinen]

Double

Edited January 3, 2020 by klahtinen

[Simon Tan]

They hit every vehicle in the motorcade. Just to be sure. Looks like Hellfire sized, probably from drone.

[Tim the Tank Nut]

very fine shooting.

 

I wonder if all the intelligence that led to this are from US sources or if others helped?

[BansheeOne]

This guy was in charge of a militia that is part of an organization formed by the Iraqi government in 2014 and under its nominal command, has long cooperated with the regular forces in fighting the IS, and lately has been attempted to be more integrated with them. I'm sure there hasn't been a second where the US has been unaware of his location in the country.

Edited January 3, 2020 by BansheeOne

[Adam Peter]

"US citizens should depart via airline while possible, and failing that, to other countries via land."

 

The US embassy in Baghdad urges American citizens in Iraq to "depart immediately", for fear of fallout from US killing of top #Iran and Iraq commanders

 

AFP twitter