Clearly the US is looking for escalation in the region. Instability. Chaos.
From yesterday: US Escalation in Iraq: Taking Kirkuk & Further Entrenching the US in the Region
The US Assassinates an Iranian General
"The powerful Iranian general Qassem Soleimani, in charge of Iraqi affairs in the ideological army of Iran, was killed in the bombing by the Americans of a convoy at Baghdad airport early this Friday. At least nine people died during the night of Thursday to Friday during the attack, including another pro-Iranian leader in Iraq. The American raid in Baghdad was launched three days after an unprecedented attack on the embassy US.
Immediately after the death of general Soleimani and Abu Mehdi al-Mouhandis, number two of Hachd al-Chaabi, a coalition of mainly pro-Iran paramilitaries now part of the Iraqi state, the Pentagon has announced that US President Donald Trump has given orders to “kill” Soleimani.Three rockets on the airportBefore that, the Iraqi military command announced that “three rockets hit Baghdad International Airport near the air cargo hall, detonating two cars.” Rockets landed inside the airport. Twelve Iraqi troops are said to be among the casualties.The airport is on lockdown, but still open for landings.
Personally speaking here. I've never been a believer in "the Donald" as the leader of any sort of grassroots/populist movement. Nor do I buy the common presentation of the media being opposed to him. I'm also not a fan of the whole 'deep state' is against Mr Trump. I see the psychology of influence at play.
Trump was no drainer of the swamp or challenger to the deep state. Trump was yet another in a long line of dangerous presidents, carrying on the work of his predecessor. The war criminal Barack Obama- who carried on the work of his predecessor George Bush Jr. That's just the way it is.This photo released by the Iraqi Prime Minister Press Office shows a burning vehicle at the Baghdad International Airport following an airstrike in Baghdad, Iraq, early Friday, Jan. 3, 2020. The Pentagon said Thursday that the U.S. military has killed Gen. Qassem Soleimani, the head of Iran's elite Quds Force, at the direction of President Donald Trump.2- U.S. Embassy Advises Americans to Leave After Qasem Soleimani Assassination
"The State Department is urging American citizens to leave Iraq immediately, citing danger in the aftermath of a U.S. airstrike which killed Qasem Soleimani, one of Iran’s most senior military commanders.American citizens were specifically warned to avoid the U.S. embassy in Baghdad.“Due to heightened tensions in Iraq and the region, the U.S. Embassy urges American citizens to heed the January 2020 Travel Advisory and depart Iraq immediately,” the State Department said in a statement released Friday. “Due to Iranian-backed militia attacks at the U.S. Embassy compound, all public consular operations are suspended until further notice. U.S. citizens should not approach the Embassy.”
Last I’d read most of the protestors had left the US Embassy..3- Oil Prices Jump Almost $3 After US Kills Iran’s Soleimani
"Oil prices jumped nearly $3 on Jan. 3 after a U.S. air strike in Baghdad killed the head of Iran's elite Quds Force, sparking concerns for escalation of regional tensions and disruption of crude supplies.Brent crude hit $69.16 a barrel, its highest since Sept. 17, before easing to $68.54, up $2.29 or 3.4% by 3:47 a.m. CST (9:47 GMT).West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude was up $2.10 or 3.4% at $63.28 a barrel, having earlier spiked to $63.84 a barrel, its highest since May 1."We expect moderate to low-level clashes to last for at least a month and likely be confined to Iraq," Eurasia's Iran analyst, Henry Rome said."
4- Japan SDF mission in focus after U.S. assassination of top Iranian Gen. Qassem SoleimaniJapan was and will most probably still send troops....
"The U.S. assassination Friday of a top Iranian military commander and key player in the country’s proxy conflicts in the Middle East will have grave implications for Japan ahead of a planned dispatch of Self-Defense Forces personnel to the region, according to analysts"
If these are "self- defense" forces why are they deploying to the middle eastern region? 5- A ‘civil war’ in Iraq- That’s what the US is afterBe warned it’s Amy Goodman- who is a limited hang out and has always been, however, sometimes in a limited hangout place there might be nuggets of truth. So, for those of us who questioned the sudden “protests” at the embassy and figured they'd been allowed or encouraged to take place...From yesterday's report: "In my opinion, the protests at the Green Zone had to have been allowed and or encouraged. Cause let’s face it readers, the Green Zone is very heavily fortified, well secured"
"AMY GOODMAN: So, explain now what’s happening with the caretaker Iraqi prime minister, who has already said he’s leaving. But the U.S. troops moving in and tear-gassing, some media outlets have described it, and that’s why the militias pulled out. But others said they had already decided to pull out, once, they say, they got the agreement of the Iraqi prime minister to push in the parliament to pass a bill, that has been there for some time, but this has added strength, to pass a bill to toss the U.S. troops out.GHAITH ABDUL–AHAD: These are all theatrics. I mean, the people who participated in the attack on the embassy were senior security adviser, head of parliamentary bloc. Between them, those pro-Iranian militias and parties, they have more than 160 members of the parliament. They could have called for the removal of U.S. forces, not today, not with this airstrike, long before. So, all of this theatrics is to try to vent some anger in the street. (Manipulate the populace) I mean, the Iraqi government, the Iraqi prime minister, unfortunately, know very well that the Iraqi Army, the Iraqi security forces cannot stand, 16 years after the toppling of Saddam Hussein, on their own without American support, which is a disgrace, with all the billions of dollars spent on them, because of the corruption, mismanagement, you call it"
GHAITH ABDUL–AHAD:
"But then there is another narrative that goes in the Middle East, which is this bigger Iran-versus-America conflict, which, as an Iraqi and as many Iraqis fear, is we fear that Iraq will become the next battleground between Iran and the United States. Where will they fight? The Americans and the Iranians will not fight in Tehran or in New York; they will fight in Basra or in Baghdad or in other places in the Middle East.So, Qasem Soleimani, the considered godfather of all these militias in Iraq — exaggerated one, of course, but this is what — you know, this is what people talk about."
The billions of dollars was not spent to build up the Iraqi army. It was spent to tear Iraq apart.
*Greencrow covered this news as it broke: BREAKING NEWS: US kills Iranian General in Baghdad: EXTREMELY dangerous development in the Middle East
⇉ UPDATE Still more troops to the region: Link
The U.S. military will send about 3,500 additional soldiers to the Middle East following the killing of Iranian Gen. Qasem Soleimani less than a day earlier, NBC News reported Friday, citing three U.S. defense officials and one U.S. military official.
In Washington, a Pentagon official said on Friday that 3,000 to 3,500 troops from the 82nd Airborne Division's Global Response Force will be deployed in the Middle East region.
This follows the 70-75 Navy Seals and 1000 troops deployed the other day. See yesterday's post for reports addressing the likelihood of another nearly 4,000 troops being sent,