BREAKING: Iran has launched rocket strikes on a U.S. military base north of Baghdad. Evacuations are taking place at the U.S. embassy in Baghdad
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researcher Admin
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Subject: BREAKING: Iran has launched rocket strikes on a U.S. military base north of Baghdad. Evacuations are taking place at the U.S. embassy in Baghdad Sun Dec 29, 2019 2:59 pm
I sure hope this proves to be inaccurate. A drone is one thing, a US base - quite another matter. May the good Lord forgive me for linking to a CNN article? Forgive me father for I have sinned.
CNN)US forces conducted airstrikes in Iraq and Syria against five facilities the Pentagon says are tied to an Iranian-backed militia blamed for a series of attacks on joint US-Iraq military facilities housing American forces.
The strikes occurred at about 11 a.m. ET on Sunday, a source familiar with the matter told CNN. They stand as the first significant military response in retaliation for attacks by the Shia militia group, known as Kataib Hezbollah, that have injured numerous American military personnel, according to US officials.
Pentagon spokesman Jonathan Hoffman described the strikes against the group as "precision defensive strikes" that "will degrade" the group's ability to conduct future attacks against coalition forces.
Defense Secretary Mark Esper briefed President Donald Trump Saturday before carrying them out with the President's approval, according to a US official familiar with the strikes.
[More at link]
Buckle Up peeps - shits about to get real!
!! FOXTROT JULIETBRAVO !!
researcher Admin
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Subject: Re: BREAKING: Iran has launched rocket strikes on a U.S. military base north of Baghdad. Evacuations are taking place at the U.S. embassy in Baghdad Sun Dec 29, 2019 3:02 pm
!! FOXTROT JULIETBRAVO !!
researcher Admin
Posts : 14438 Reputation : 955 Join date : 2011-08-13 Age : 71 Location : San Diego
Subject: Re: BREAKING: Iran has launched rocket strikes on a U.S. military base north of Baghdad. Evacuations are taking place at the U.S. embassy in Baghdad Sun Dec 29, 2019 3:13 pm
Finding more about this. It seems Iran backed militants attacked Friday and the USA retaliated Sunday (today) Still doesn't bode well if Iran is really behind this.
My question: If this attack happened Friday why haven't I heard about it until today? None of my RSS news feeds have had it reported.
Oh - and-tweet in the first post says they struck a US base, but it was really an Iraqi base. Fog of war shit happens and someone jumped the gun reporting? I can maybe see how that could happen. It happens a lot.
U.S. forces struck five Hezbollah targets on Sunday, according to a Pentagon news release, in retaliation for a Friday attack on a Iraqi coalition base that killed one U.S. civilian.
The locations — three in Iraq and two in Syria — included storage facilities and command-and-control centers the Iran-backed group uses to carry out attacks, Pentagon spokesman Jonathan Hoffman said in the release.
“Iran and their [Hezbollah] proxy forces must cease their attacks on U.S. and coalition forces, and respect Iraq’s sovereignty, to prevent additional defensive actions by U.S. forces,” he said.
[More at link]
!! FOXTROT JULIETBRAVO !!
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Subject: Re: BREAKING: Iran has launched rocket strikes on a U.S. military base north of Baghdad. Evacuations are taking place at the U.S. embassy in Baghdad Mon Dec 30, 2019 8:26 am
[link to publicpool.kinja.com (secure)] Subject: Press Briefing by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Secretary of Defense Mark Esper
| Palm Beach, FL
SECRETARY POMPEO: Good evening. Myself, with Secretary Esper, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Milley, came here to Florida today to brief the President on the activities that have taken place in the Middle East over the course of the last 72 hours.
I will leave to Secretary Esper to talk about the military activity, but I want to put it in the context of our policy with respect to the Islamic Republic of Iran. The attacks that took place against an Iraqi facility threatened American forces. This has been going on now for weeks and weeks and weeks. This wasn’t the first set of attacks against this particular Iraqi facility and others where there were American lives at risk.
And today, what we did was take a decisive response that makes clear what President Trump has said for months and months and months, which is that we will not stand for the Islamic Republic of Iran to take actions that put American men and women in jeopardy.
We will — we will always honor that commitment to take decisive action when that takes place, and we continue to demand that the Islamic Republic of Iran act in a way that is consistent with what I laid out, back in May of 2018, for what it is that we expect Iran to do so that it can rejoin the community of nations.
And with that, I’ll turn it over to the Secretary of Defense.
SECRETARY ESPER: Thank you. As we reported earlier today, the Department of Defense took offensive actions in defense of our personnel and interests in Iraq by launching F-15 Strike Eagles against five targets associated with Kata'ib Hezbollah, which is an Iranian-sponsored Shiite militia group. The targets we attacked included three targets in Western Iraq and two targets in Eastern Syria that were either command and control facilities or weapons caches for Kata'ib Hezbollah.
The strikes were successful. The pilots and aircraft returned back to base safely. I would add that, in our discussion today with the President, we discussed with him other options that are available. And I would note also that we will take additional actions as necessary to ensure that we act in our own self-defense and we deter further bad behavior from militia groups or from Iran. Thank you.
END 6:51 P.M. EST 12/29/19
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Subject: additional info? Mon Dec 30, 2019 10:11 am
U.S. Military Strikes Iranian Militia in Iraq and Northern Syria – Secretary Pompeo and Esper Briefing…
December 30, 2019
from The Conservative Treehouse: Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Defense Secretary Mark Esper and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Mike Miley traveled to Mar-a-Lago today to brief President Trump on issues around the middle-east. The three leaders also held a press briefing this evening about U.S. military strikes that took place earlier today. At the beginning of his remarks Secretary Pompeo stated “we came to Florida today to brief the president on activities that have taken place in the Middle East over the course of the last 72 hours.” Additionally Pompeo said he would let Esper discuss “the military aspects but I wanted to put into context our policy with respect to the Islamic Republic of Iran.”
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Secretary Pompeo: “The attack that took place against the Iraqi facility threatened American forces. This has been going on now for weeks and weeks and weeks. This wasn’t the first set of attacks against this particular Iraqi facility and others where there were American lives at risk. And today what we did is take a decisive response that makes clear what President Trump has said for months and months and months, which is that we will not stand for the Islamic Republic of Iran to take actions that put American men and women in jeopardy.”
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“We will always honor that commitment to take decisive actions when that takes place. We continue to demand the Islamic Republic of Iran act in a way that is consistent with what I laid out back in May 2018, for what it is that we expect Iran to do so that it can rejoin the community of nations.” Secretary Esper: “DoD took offensive actions in defense of our personnel and interests in Iraq by launching F-15 Strike Eagles against five targets associated with Kata’ib Hezbollah, which is an Iranian-sponsored Shiite militia group. The targets we attacked included three targets in Western Iraq and two targets in Eastern Syria, that were either command and control facilities or weapons caches for Kata’ib Hezbollah.” “The strikes were successful. The pilots and aircraft returned back to base safely. I would add that in our discussion today with the president, we discussed with him other options that are available. And I would note also that we will take additional actions as necessary to ensure that we act in our own self-defense and we deter further bad behavior from militia groups or from Iran. Thank you.”
General Milley, in uniform, did not speak. The men left without taking questions. Hogan Gidley from the WH press office presided. Reporting by David Martosko. Personal and cynical note: The absence of a visible President Trump on the issue is noted; neither is there a tweet or a citation for a comment therein. Additionally, I wouldn’t trust that trio (Pompeo, Esper and Milley) as far as I could spit. With strong indications that President Trump is working earnestly to remove U.S. troops from Afghanistan, the tail of the war machine is predisposed to wag the dog.
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The Associated Press
:heavy_check_mark:@AP
[ltr]BREAKING: The Taliban ruling council has agreed to a cease-fire in Afghanistan to allow for signing of a peace deal with the United States. A peace deal would allow Washington to bring home troops and end its 18-year military engagement there. http://apne.ws/1rBSFuq [/ltr]
Taliban council agrees to cease-fire in Afghanistan
KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — The Taliban said Sunday they have agreed to a temporary cease-fire nationwide. It provides a window during which a peace agreement with the United States could be signed.... apnews.com
7,876 9:12 AM - Dec 29, 2019 Twitter Ads info and privacy
[ltr]
5,128 people are talking about this
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Subject: WILL IT BE WAR? U.S. AIRSTRIKES HIT IRANIAN-BACKED MILITIAS AS THE PENTAGON WARNS MORE MILITARY ACTION MAY BE COMING Mon Dec 30, 2019 10:46 am
WILL IT BE WAR? U.S. AIRSTRIKES HIT IRANIAN-BACKED MILITIAS AS THE PENTAGON WARNS MORE MILITARY ACTION MAY BE COMING Michael Snyder December 30th, 2019 The Economic Collapse Blog
This article was originally published by Michael Snyder at The Economic Collapse Blog.
A lot of people seem to have forgotten that we were literally on the brink of war with Iran earlier this year. Back in June, President Trump canceled a major U.S. bombing mission against Iran at the last minute, and things seemed to settle down quite a bit since that time. But now tensions are rising once again. On Sunday, U.S. airstrikes targeted Iranian-backed militias in Iraq and Syria that U.S. officials believe have been behind recent rocket attacks against U.S. forces. Of course, those Iranian-backed forces never would have launched such attacks in the first place if they did not have permission from Tehran itself. The Iranians love to hide behind proxies, and for now, the U.S. is only conducting airstrikes against those proxies. But at some point, President Trump’s patience is likely to run out, and at that point, we could start hitting Iran itself. Over the past six months, the U.S. has sent 14,000 more troops to the Middle East, and it is being reported that “the Pentagon is considering deploying additional forces to the region”. The drumbeats of war are starting to get louder again, and many believe that eventually, one side is likely to push the other side a bit too far. The attacks that we just witnessed were supposed to send a very strong message to Tehran. According to the Daily Mail, five separate targets were hit, and at least 19 people were killed…
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US air strikes left 19 people dead in Iraq and Syria on Sunday in retaliation against an Iranian-backed militia group blamed for a rocket attack two days earlier that killed an American contractor. F-15 Strike Eagles hit five targets associated with Kataib Hezbollah, the Iranian-sponsored Shiite militia group, said Defense Secretary Mark Esper.
These airstrikes were launched to directly retaliate for the casualties that U.S. forces suffered from a rocket attack on one of their bases in Iraq on Friday…
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Officials with the U.S.-led mission to defeat ISIS said Friday that a U.S. civilian contractor was killed and several American troops were wounded in a rocket attack targeting an Iraqi base in Kirkuk. The attack, which occurred Friday around 7:20 p.m. local time in Iraq, also wounded several Iraqi personnel, officials with Operation Inherent Resolve told Military Times in an emailed statement.
But of course, that attack was just the latest in a series of rocket attacks that have targeted U.S. forces lately…
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U.S. officials believe Iranian-backed militias are behind a recent spate of rocket attacks that have targeted U.S. bases and interests in Iraq over the last couple months. A U.S. official told Military Times that Iran-backed militias are now using more lethal and longer range 122 mm rockets in their attacks. Friday’s attack on Kirkuk is at least the eleventh rocket attack targeting an outpost housing American forces in the last two months.
I am certainly not a fan of military conflict, but if I am sitting in the White House and someone keeps lobbing rockets at my troops I wouldn’t wait two months to hit them back. So why did President Trump wait so long? As I noted earlier, these Iranian-backed militias wouldn’t be doing anything without approval from Tehran. If Trump really wants these rocket attacks to stop, Iranian leaders need to be sent a message that will be clear and unmistakable. And it appears that U.S. officials may be starting to lean in that direction. In fact, Secretary of Defense Mark Esper told the press on Sunday that more military action “could be warranted”…
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Pompeo, Defense Secretary Mark Esper and General Mark Milley, chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, appeared briefly in a club ballroom to comment on the airstrikes. Esper termed the offensive “successful,” but said that Trump was informed that a further military response could be warranted.
Personally, I don’t know what the Iranians are thinking. Perhaps they believe that if they use their proxies to make things uncomfortable enough for U.S. forces that Trump will eventually pull them out of the region. But if that is what they are really thinking, they have badly miscalculated. Meanwhile, Iran continues to get cozy with Russia and China. In fact, the three nations are currently conducting “their first-ever joint naval drills”…
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This weekend, China, Iran, and Russia began their first-ever joint naval drills in the Indian Ocean and the Gulf of Oman. The training exercises were announced by China’s defense ministry on Thursday, as all three nations continue to have strained relations with the United States and its allies.
The Russians have developed a very strong military presence in the Middle East in recent years, and Russia and China have both warned about what a war between the U.S. and Iran would mean for the entire region. A major war in the Middle East would have very serious implications for the entire globe, and it would risk sparking a much wider conflict. Right now our relations with Russia are already the worst that they have been since the end of the Cold War, and they just continue to deteriorate. Most Americans don’t spend too much time thinking about a potential war with Russia, but over in Russia, there is lots of talk about a possible military confrontation. In fact, Russia’s top general recently warned that the western powers are preparing for “large-scale military conflict”…
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Russia’s top general has warned a big war is coming in a chilling prediction amid ongoing tensions with NATO. Valery Gerasimov, the chief Vladimir Putin’s general staff, has said he believes the West are preparing for a “large-scale military conflict”. He was speaking at a senior briefing for the military – saying that the West has assigned “adversary status” to Russia.
Ultimately, one of the big reasons why Trump may have been so hesitant to be more aggressive with Iran is because he realizes that it could potentially spark World War 3. Because once we go to war with Iran, the Iranians are going to start launching missiles directly at Israel, and Israel would undoubtedly strike back with overwhelming force. Once the dominoes start falling, it could very easily set off a sequence of events that nobody is going to be able to control. We definitely live at a time of wars and rumors of wars, and peace could be taken from the Earth very easily. So let us hope that cooler heads prevail. But if the Iranians keep pushing their luck, it is only a matter of time before Trump gets fed up, and when he decides to hit them directly he is going to hit them exceedingly hard. About the Author: I am a voice crying out for change in a society that generally seems content to stay asleep. My name is Michael Snyder and I am the publisher of The Economic Collapse Blog, End Of The American Dream and The Most Important News, and the articles that I publish on those sites are republished on dozens of other prominent websites all over the globe. I have written four books that are available on Amazon.com including The Beginning Of The End, Get Prepared Now, and Living A Life That Really Matters. (#CommissionsEarned) By purchasing those books you help to support my work. I always freely and happily allow others to republish my articles on their own websites, but due to government regulations, I need those that republish my articles to include this “About the Author” section with each article. In order to comply with those government regulations, I need to tell you that the controversial opinions in this article are mine alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of the websites where my work is republished. This article may contain opinions on political matters, but it is not intended to promote the candidacy of any particular political candidate. The material contained in this article is for general information purposes only, and readers should consult licensed professionals before making any legal, business, financial or health decisions. Those responding to this article by making comments are solely responsible for their viewpoints, and those viewpoints do not necessarily represent the viewpoints of Michael Snyder or the operators of the websites where my work is republished. I encourage you to follow me on social media on Facebook and Twitter, and anyway that you can share these articles with others is a great help. This article contains affiliate links.
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Subject: Re: BREAKING: Iran has launched rocket strikes on a U.S. military base north of Baghdad. Evacuations are taking place at the U.S. embassy in Baghdad Mon Dec 30, 2019 3:51 pm
A member of Iraq's Rapid Response Division is pictured here at an undisclosed location on the morning of Sunday, Dec. 29, 2019, during the early hours of the eighth phase of the government's Will of Victory campaign to ensure the lasting defeat of the Islamic State group in the country. The division was one of several Iraqi security forces units participating in the operations throughout Anbar, Ninevah, Salahuddin, Kirkuk and Diyala provinces. COURTESY OF IRAQ'S DEFENSE MINISTRY
RBIL, Iraq — The U.S. military struck five facilities used by an Iran-backed militia in Iraq and Syria blamed for a rocket attack that killed an American contractor. The Pentagon said Sunday the move was in response to a series of such rocket attacks on Iraqi bases where American troops are deployed as part of the anti-Islamic State coalition Operation Inherent Resolve. “These locations included weapon storage facilities and command and control locations that [Shiite militia Kataeb Hezbollah] uses to plan and execute attacks on OIR coalition forces,” said Jonathan Hoffman, the chief Pentagon spokesman, in a statement. The news comes two days after a barrage of 30 rockets struck the K1 base in Kirkuk, killing a U.S. civilian contractor and wounding four American service members and two Iraqi troops, as forces were preparing for an anti-ISIS operation. Hoffman attributed that strike to Kataeb Hezbollah, using the initials KH. ”KH has a strong linkage with Iran’s Quds Force and has repeatedly received lethal aid and other support from Iran that it has used to attack OIR coalition forces,” Hoffman said calling on the group to cease its attacks or face further strikes. U.S. officials began warning of heightened threat indications from Iran and its proxies this summer, as tensions between Washington and Tehran mounted. The threatened escalation followed harsh sanctions the Trump administration imposed after backing out of an Obama-era nuclear deal with the hard-line Iranian regime. Since then, the two sides have downed each other’s drones and have traded blame over a series of attacks in the region.
I want to know the thoughts of God. Everything else is just details. A Miracle is when God makes His Reality our Experience
Dove Super Elite
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Subject: Re: BREAKING: Iran has launched rocket strikes on a U.S. military base north of Baghdad. Evacuations are taking place at the U.S. embassy in Baghdad Tue Dec 31, 2019 4:07 pm
Donald J. Trump @realDonaldTrump 45m
The U.S. Embassy in Iraq is, & has been for hours, SAFE! Many of our great Warfighters, together with the most lethal military equipment in the world, was immediately rushed to the site. Thank you to the President & Prime Minister of Iraq for their rapid response upon request....
....Iran will be held fully responsible for lives lost, or damage incurred, at any of our facilities. They will pay a very BIG PRICE! This is not a Warning, it is a Threat. Happy New Year!
I want to know the thoughts of God. Everything else is just details. A Miracle is when God makes His Reality our Experience
researcher Admin
Posts : 14438 Reputation : 955 Join date : 2011-08-13 Age : 71 Location : San Diego
Subject: Re: BREAKING: Iran has launched rocket strikes on a U.S. military base north of Baghdad. Evacuations are taking place at the U.S. embassy in Baghdad Tue Dec 31, 2019 4:23 pm
Orange Man Bad wrote:
BIG PRICE! This is not a Warning, it is a Threat.
Looking towards POTUS keeping his promise too, unlike Barry Husein Sotoro's "red line in the sand". Y'all remember that one?
Subject: Trump says Iran 'will pay a very BIG PRICE' after US embassy in Baghdad was attacked by pro-Tehran mob forcing Pentagon to deploy 100 Marines in Chinooks to reinforce the compound Tue Dec 31, 2019 4:27 pm
Trump says Iran 'will pay a very BIG PRICE' after US embassy in Baghdad was attacked by pro-Tehran mob forcing Pentagon to deploy 100 Marines in Chinooks to reinforce the compound
A swarm of protesters attacked the US embassy in Baghdad, Iraq on Tuesday
Militia fighters broke through the compound gate and set fires within the high-security complex
American soldiers inside the embassy have fired tear gas, stun grenades and warning shots at the fighters
The ambassador was on leave at the time of the attack and embassy staff had already been evacuated before the US Marine guard became besieged at the compound
The Pentagon deployed 100 additional Marines to the embassy in Chinook helicopters in wake of attack
Trump has vowed to hold Tehran accountable for the embassy attack, which is in retaliation for US air strikes on the Iran-backed Kataeb Hezbollah on Sunday night
Those USAF strikes were themselves in retaliation for last week's killing of an American contractor in Kirkuk
Trump tweeted Tuesday: 'Iran killed an American contractor, wounding many. We strongly responded, and always will Now Iran is orchestrating an attack on the U.S. Embassy in Iraq. They will be held fully responsible'
The embassy's security team evacuated some local staff through a rear gate while others left by helicopter as the rest remained inside 'safe' areas within the embassy, an employee said
62 protesters have been reported injured in the carnage by the pro-Iran Popular Mobilization Forces
The State Department said that all embassy personnel were safe and that no evacuation was planned
By ROSS IBBETSON FOR MAILONLINE and AFP and MARLENE LENTHANG FOR DAILYMAIL.COM PUBLISHED: 03:52 EST, 31 December 2019 | UPDATED: 17:03 EST, 31 December 2019
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Subject: Re: BREAKING: Iran has launched rocket strikes on a U.S. military base north of Baghdad. Evacuations are taking place at the U.S. embassy in Baghdad Tue Dec 31, 2019 4:37 pm
sheeesh, just looking at another new recurve bow and all this crap pops up!
Subject: “THE ANTI-BENGHAZI”: TRUMP MOCKS HILLARY’S DISASTROUS BENGHAZI MOMENT AFTER SENDING MARINES TO CRUSH JIHADIST UPRISING AT US EMBASSY IN IRAQ Tue Dec 31, 2019 4:53 pm
“THE ANTI-BENGHAZI”: TRUMP MOCKS HILLARY’S DISASTROUS BENGHAZI MOMENT AFTER SENDING MARINES TO CRUSH JIHADIST UPRISING AT US EMBASSY IN IRAQ
Hillary Clinton’s State Department failed to protect US diplomats at Libyan consulate in 2012
Infowars.com - DECEMBER 31, 2019
President Trump mocked Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s disastrous Benghazi debacle from 2011 in a recent tweet after deploying military forces to secure the US embassy in Iraq Tuesday.
Quote :
Donald J. Trump
:heavy_check_mark:@realDonaldTrump
[ltr]The Anti-Benghazi![/ltr]
1:38 PM - Dec 31, 2019
[ltr][/ltr] “The Anti-Benghazi,” the president bluntly tweeted, referring to the infamous September 11, 2012, event that left Ambassador Chris Stevens and 3 others dead after US compounds in Benghazi, Libya, were attacked by radical jihadists.
https://youtu.be/JFZytEUCXu4
Questions swirling over the Obama administration’s explanation of how the event unfolded forced Hillary before a Senate Foreign Relations Committee, where a frustrated Clinton infamously uttered the phrase “What difference at this point does it make?”
Quote :
Donald J. Trump
:heavy_check_mark:@realDonaldTrump
[ltr]Iran killed an American contractor, wounding many. We strongly responded, and always will. Now Iran is orchestrating an attack on the U.S. 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![/ltr] 4:02 AM - Dec 31, 2019
“With all due respect, the fact is we had four dead Americans,” she said. “Was it because of a protest or was it because of guys out for a walk one night who decided that they’d they go kill some Americans? What difference at this point does it make?”
On Twitter Tuesday, Trump announced the embassy in Iraq was safe after he deployed US forces, and blamed the attacks on the embassy on Iran.
Quote :
Donald J. Trump
:heavy_check_mark:@realDonaldTrump
· 1h
[ltr]The U.S. Embassy in Iraq is, & has been for hours, SAFE! Many of our great Warfighters, together with the most lethal military equipment in the world, was immediately rushed to the site. Thank you to the President & Prime Minister of Iraq for their rapid response upon request....[/ltr]
Quote :
Donald J. Trump
:heavy_check_mark:@realDonaldTrump
[ltr]....Iran will be held fully responsible for lives lost, or damage incurred, at any of our facilities. They will pay a very BIG PRICE! This is not a Warning, it is a Threat. Happy New Year![/ltr] 1:19 PM - Dec 31, 2019
[ltr][/ltr]
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Subject: Watch: Apache Gunships Attempt To Disperse Iraqi Mob As Kataib Hezbollah Flags Erected Over Embassy Walls Tue Dec 31, 2019 5:08 pm
Watch: Apache Gunships Attempt To Disperse Iraqi Mob As Kataib Hezbollah Flags Erected Over Embassy Walls
[size=10]by Tyler Durden Tue, 12/31/2019 - 13:15
update: The Marines have now landed, according to open-source analysis which appears to show the first deployment of the some 100 Marines flown in from Kuwait. Pentagon officials have also confirmed they are now on the ground.
[/size]
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Abraxas Spa@AbraxasSpa
[ltr]Marines from SPMAGTF-CR-CC arriving to US Embassy in Baghdad[/ltr]
116 12:15 PM - Dec 31, 2019 Twitter Ads info and privacy
Contradicting prior reports, US personnel at the embassy have not evacuated, but are "safe" inside the sprawling compound:
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US personnel at the American embassy in Baghdad, which has come under attack by pro-Iran protesters, are safe and there are no plans to evacuate, the State Department said Tuesday. "Our first priority is the safety and security of US personnel," a State Department spokesperson said in a statement. "US personnel are secure and there has been no breach," the spokesperson said. "There are no plans to evacuate Embassy Baghdad."
US Apache gunships are also said to be still encircling the area, attempting to intimidate the rioters on the ground, still encircling the embassy and attempting to set it on fire.
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U.S. Central Command
:heavy_check_mark:@CENTCOM
[ltr]U.S. Marines assigned to Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force-Crisis Response-Central Command deploy to Iraq to bolster security at the US Embassy and ensure the safety of American citizens, Dec. 31.[/ltr]
3,071 10:52 AM - Dec 31, 2019 Twitter Ads info and privacy
Meanwhile, Sen. Lindsey Graham has praised Trump for "acting decisively" and has defended the president, saying “there will be no Benghazis on his watch.” Regardless, none of this looks good for America's prospects in the Middle East moving into 2020.
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Alex Rubinstein
:heavy_check_mark:@RealAlexRubi
[ltr]This is the picture to close out the decade[/ltr]
1,343 1:00 PM - Dec 31, 2019 Twitter Ads info and privacy
* * * Dramatic footage over the US embassy in Baghdad as enraged protesters continue to encircle the compound with US Marines still inside, and reportedly with more Marines on the way from nearby Kuwait:
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OIR Spokesman Col. Myles B. Caggins III
:heavy_check_mark:@OIRSpox
[ltr]VIDEO: AH-64 Apaches protect @USEmbBaghdad. “We have taken appropriate force protection actions to ensure the safety of American citizens...and to ensure our right of self-defense. We are sending additional forces to support our personnel at the Embassy.”~@EsperDoD [/ltr]
14.4K 9:31 AM - Dec 31, 2019 Twitter Ads info and privacy
The Pentagon announced that a pair of AH-64s Apache helicopters would be used to attempt to disrupt and disperse protests. The US coalition in Iraq spokesman released video of low flying Apaches making aggressive maneuvers and releasing flares on the crowds below. “We have taken appropriate force protection actions to ensure the safety of American citizens... and to ensure our right of self-defense. We are sending additional forces to support our personnel at the Embassy,” Col. Myles B. Caggins said in an official statement. This was hours after the Pentagon announced the US will send additional troops to Baghdad specifically to protect the US Embassy in Iraq. According to the statements this is to include about 100 Marines sent from nearby Kuwait. According to one defense official cited by Bloomberg, the Marines will likely fly to the embassy area in V-22 Ospreys. But the tactics don't appear to be working given the mob has set the embassy compound walls on fire, including the main gate and security pass through reception area.
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Baxtiyar Goran
:heavy_check_mark:@BaxtiyarGoran
[ltr]US Embassy in Baghdad now. Main gate and reception on fire. Hezbollah flags raised on the wall. #Iraq #Iran[/ltr]
403 9:38 AM - Dec 31, 2019 Twitter Ads info and privacy
Likely the Apaches will continue encircling the area through the night as things look to get worse before they get better.
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Aris Roussinos
:heavy_check_mark:@arisroussinos
[ltr]From Shock and Awe to Tweet and Flare in 17 long years https://twitter.com/towersight/status/1212065646932103174 …[/ltr]
Harry Boone@towersight
Flares Flares Flares ! U.S Army AH-64 "Apache" launched the "firework" for the "Green Zone New Year Eve Party"
Ok just air support over protest in front of U.S Embassy in Baghdad.
90 9:57 AM - Dec 31, 2019 Twitter Ads info and privacy
A view from among the protests on the ground as Apaches swoop overhead:
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Iraq & Middle East Updates@IraqLiveUpdate
[ltr]US Helicopters fly over #IraqProtests in front of the #USEmbassy in #Baghdad#QaimMassacre #Iraq[/ltr]
33 8:56 AM - Dec 31, 2019 Twitter Ads info and privacy
All of this portends that the potential for even greater escalation and confrontation is in the air as Trump continues to call on Iranian proxies to leave Iraq.
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Subject: Re: BREAKING: Iran has launched rocket strikes on a U.S. military base north of Baghdad. Evacuations are taking place at the U.S. embassy in Baghdad Tue Dec 31, 2019 9:18 pm
Iranian Militia Leader Leading Iraq U.S. Embassy Raid Listed as Obama White House Guest
I want to know the thoughts of God. Everything else is just details. A Miracle is when God makes His Reality our Experience
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Subject: Re: BREAKING: Iran has launched rocket strikes on a U.S. military base north of Baghdad. Evacuations are taking place at the U.S. embassy in Baghdad
BREAKING: Iran has launched rocket strikes on a U.S. military base north of Baghdad. Evacuations are taking place at the U.S. embassy in Baghdad
Subject: BREAKING: Iran has launched rocket strikes on a U.S. military base north of Baghdad. Evacuations are taking place at the U.S. embassy in Baghdad 
Sun Dec 29, 2019 2:59 pm
“We have taken appropriate force protection actions to ensure the safety of American citizens...and to ensure our right of self-defense. We are sending additional forces to support our personnel at the Embassy.”~@EsperDoD 
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