This Is Not 1979, And Donald Trump Is Not Jimmy Carter

January 1, 2020 by Michael Snyder


Iran has just made a tragic mistake. When Iranian proxies directly attacked the U.S. embassy in Baghdad on Tuesday, it sent shockwaves across the entire planet. Of course it immediately reminded many of us of the Iranian hostage crisis, and that episode turned out great for the Iranians. In November 1979, a group of Iranian militants stormed the U.S. embassy in Tehran, and they took 52 American citizens hostage. For the next 444 days, the United States was absolutely humiliated by the Iranians. President Jimmy Carter looked like a pathetic weakling in the eyes of the rest of the world, and his inability to get the hostages back helped to pave the way for the election of Ronald Reagan in 1980.

Perhaps the Iranians were attempting to recapture that magic by having their proxies storm the U.S. embassy in Baghdad, but it is not 1979 anymore, and Donald Trump is not Jimmy Carter.

The Iranians appear to think that they can intimidate Trump the same way that they have intimidated other U.S. presidents, and they also seem to believe that if they put enough pressure on him that the U.S. will eventually relent and leave the region.

But anyone that knows Trump understands that he never backs down.

Throughout his life, he has had a personal rule that when someone hits him, he hits back even harder.

And even though Iran is attempting to claim that they had nothing to do with the embassy attack, everyone knows that their proxies never do anything like this without permission from Tehran, and President Trump is promising that the Iranians “will be held fully responsible”…

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!

In a subsequent tweet, Trump declared that Iran will pay a “very big price” for what they have done…

….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!

So what does that mean?

It means that we should soon expect U.S. military action, and it will most likely target Iran directly.

In the immediate aftermath of the attack, Secretary of Defense Mark Esper ordered 750 soldiers from the 82nd Airborne Division to immediately deploy to the Middle East…

Esper said that at President Trump’s direction, “I have authorized the deployment of an infantry battalion from the Immediate Response Force (IRF) of the 82nd Airborne Division to the U.S. Central Command area of operations in response to recent events in Iraq. Approximately 750 soldiers will deploy to the region immediately, and additional forces from the IRF are prepared to deploy over the next several days. This deployment is an appropriate and precautionary action taken in response to increased threat levels against U.S. personnel and facilities, such as we witnessed in Baghdad today. The United States will protect our people and interests anywhere they are found around the world.”

And it is being reported that the total number of paratroopers being deployed from that unit could soon reach 4,000.

Of course we already have tens of thousands of troops in the region. In fact, Fox News says that there are already “roughly 60,000 U.S. troops” deployed in the Middle East…

There are roughly 5,000 U.S. troops currently deployed to Iraq now, among the roughly 60,000 U.S. troops currently deployed to the region. According to the Pentagon, 14,000 have been added since May as the threat from Iran increased.

The aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman has been in the Gulf of Oman, its strike group armed with hundreds of Tomahawk cruise missiles in addition to the dozens of strike aircraft aboard Truman.

But those troops will not be used against Iran right away.

Instead, I would expect to see airstrikes or cruise missiles used to send a message to Tehran.

Ultimately, I don’t think that President Trump wants a war with Iran. A war could seriously mess up his chances of winning again in 2020, and Trump is deeply obsessed with winning next November.

But the whole world has now seen images of Shiite militants smashing their way into the U.S. embassy, vandalizing U.S. property, and setting a reception area on fire.

Trump cannot let that go without a response, because if he allows the Iranians and their proxies to get away with this, they will just be emboldened to conduct more attacks.

So Trump is going to hit Iran, and then the Iranians and their proxies will almost certainly retaliate. And unless one side decides to back down, a series of escalations could very easily lead us into a cataclysmic war that would not benefit anyone.

This is a very tough test for Trump.

If he does nothing, he will look weak, indecisive, and the comparisons to Jimmy Carter will begin.

But if he hits Iran too hard, we could literally find ourselves in the middle of World War 3.

2020 was shaping up to be a chaotic year anyway, but this crisis threatens to start it with a real bang.

To most people, life in America seems pretty stable right now, but things are about to start changing in a major way. Global events are already starting to accelerate significantly, and many believe that they will start to reach a crescendo during the coming year.

Let us hope and pray that a war with Iran can be avoided. Because if the U.S. and Iran go to war, a whole bunch of others will be dragged into the conflict as well, and that includes Israel.

For the Iranians and their allies, the conflict would literally be a matter of life or death, and they would throw everything they have at us.

But how are we going to avoid such a war?

Iranian proxies invaded U.S. soil on Tuesday and they set our embassy on fire. Are we supposed to just do nothing and allow them to intimidate us like that?

I don’t know what the solution is, but what I do know is that President Trump is fuming right now.

And Iran should not want to mess with a pissed off Trump.

I think Trump really is boxed in. Remember, in 2016, he actually ran against Hillary as the "peace candidate." He really doesn't want to see more bloodshed, especially dead U.S. troops. But at the same time, as the article said, he can't let this go without appearing weak. - like Carter did.

The ideal solution would be to take out 60,000 troops out of the Middle East and let the region fend for itself. Since that's not going to happen, and since Trump doesn't want a wider war, I'm just not sure what his options are. My guess is, he'll bluster about it a bit and hope his upcoming impeachment trial takes everyone's mind off it.

Onward and upward,
airforce

Never underestimate a NYC street fighter. I suspect that he learned from the Peanut farmer.

4,000 US Troop Surge To Middle East Could Be Imminent Amid Baghdad Chaos
Fox News sources claim Army's alert brigade has been given orders to deploy to Kuwait amid the social unrest in Baghdad


By Zero Hedge Wednesday, January 01, 2020

Three U.S. defense officials told Fox News on Tuesday that the U.S. Army’s 82nd Airborne Division’s alert brigade has been given orders to deploy to Kuwait amid the social unrest in Baghdad.

Even though all supporters of Iran-backed militias have withdrawn from the heavily fortified U.S. Embassy in Baghdad on Wednesday, the reinforcement of U.S. troops could be imminent.

Defense Secretary Mark Esper said in a statement on Tuesday that 750 troops are immediately deploying to the Middle East because of the attack on the U.S. embassy.

The US says it’s sending 750 troops to Iraq after its embassy in Baghdad was stormed by protesters.

Read more: https://t.co/iqHquUIrsA pic.twitter.com/14RUzxTYWD

— Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) January 1, 2020

Esper said he had authorized the deployment of an infantry battalion from the Immediate Response Force (IRF) of the 82nd Airborne Division.

“This deployment is an appropriate and precautionary action taken in response to increased threat levels against U.S. personnel and facilities, such as we witnessed in Baghdad today,” Esper said in a statement.

Apart from the rapid deployment, the three sources told Fox that approximately 4,000 paratroopers could be deployed to the region in the coming days.

There are 5,000 US troops currently stationed in Iraq supporting local forces, among the more than 60,000 troops positioned in military bases across the Middle East.

President Trump blamed Iran for the attack on the U.S. embassy in Baghdad in a tweetstorm on Tuesday.

“Iran killed an American contractor, wounding many. We strongly responded, and always will,” tweeted Trump. “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!” he added.

Trump said, “….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!”

It appears that Trump isn’t pulling out of the Middle East after all, but rather a massive surge in troops into the region could be seen in the coming days. Is conflict with Iran nearing?

Iranian General Soleimani and Abu M...strike at Baghdad International Airport. Here we go.

Onward and upward,
airforce

Iran, It’s Your Move – Trump’s Takedown Of Iranian General Qassim Suleimani Is Likely To Start A Global War

This is a major victory for President Trump and the U.S. military, but it also makes it much, much less likely that we are going to be able to avoid a full-blown war with Iran

By Michael Snyder | Economic Collapse Friday, January 03, 2020

We just witnessed one of the most important deaths in the Middle East in decades.

Just hours ago, President Trump ordered the drone strike on Baghdad International Airport that killed Iranian Major General Qassim Suleimani and several other key officials.

Suleimani was the head of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Quds Force, but even more importantly he was a huge national hero in Iran.

To describe this killing as “seismic” would not do it justice. U.S. Senator Chris Murphy says that Suleimani was “the second most powerful person in Iran”, and elsewhere he is being described as “the most influential Middle East military official for decades”.

This is a major victory for President Trump and the U.S. military, but it also makes it much, much less likely that we are going to be able to avoid a full-blown war with Iran.

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Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, the deputy commander of the Popular Mobilization Forces, was also killed in the strike. But it is Suleimani’s death that changes everything. In the U.S., our generals are not national celebrities, but in Iran Suleimani was one of the most recognizable faces in the entire country. In fact, he was so deeply loved that Iranian state television literally interrupted their programming to announce his death…

In Iran, state television interrupted its programing to announce General Suleimani’s death.

The news anchor recited the Islamic prayer for the dead — “From God we came and to God we return” — beside a picture of General Suleimani.

For more than two decades, Suleimani has essentially been running the show for Iran in the Middle East. If you doubt this, just check out the message that he sent to U.S. General David Petraeus in 2008…

In 2008, Soleimani wrote in a letter to David Petraeus, “Dear General Petraeus: You should be aware that I, Qassem Soleimani, control Iran’s policy for Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Gaza, and Afghanistan.”

Of course since 2008 Suleimani became even more powerful both inside and outside of Iran. He was the one at the top of the food chain giving Iran’s proxies their marching orders, and there is no way that the U.S. embassy would have been attacked earlier this week without his direct approval.

So Trump definitely picked a target that was directly responsible for the damage to our embassy, but what happens next?

Ultimately, that is going to be up to Iran.

The Iranians could put their tails between their legs and cower in fear now that this has happened, but that probably isn’t likely.

It would be difficult to put into words the extreme rage that the Iranians are feeling right now. Their deeply hated enemy, the United States, has just killed a greatly beloved national hero. They are going to want revenge, and they are going to want it to be as painful as possible.

Needless to say, there will probably be attacks against U.S. targets in the region, and Defense Secretary Mark Esper has stated that the U.S. military may even take “pre-emptive action” to prevent that from happening…

“There are some indications out there that they may be planning additional attacks. That’s nothing new,” Esper said. “If that happens, then we will act and, by the way, if we get word of an attack of some kind of indication, we would take pre-emptive action as well to protect American forces, American lives — the game has changed.”

Beyond that, the Iranians may decide that an “eye for an eye” approach is justified in this case.

In other words, now that we have killed one of their key leaders, they may decide to kill one or more of our key leaders.

As I have previously detailed, Hezbollah is the strongest and most well funded terror organization on the entire planet. They have a very strong presence in North America, and they certainly have the capability to strike just about anywhere on U.S. soil.

If I was a prominent military official, a member of Congress or a top politician, I would be carefully “watching my six” in the coming days.

Some members of Congress are already realizing the implications of what just happened. For example, here is what U.S. Senator Cory Gardner just said…

Sen. Cory Gardner, R-Colo.. a member of the Foreign Relations Committee, applauded the Trump administration’s decision to target Soleimani. But, he added, “I now urge the administration to be prepared for possible retaliation, including against U.S. troops stationed in the region, and to consult closely with Congress on any next steps should the situation escalate.”

And U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal has told the press that the killing of Qassim Suleimani could lead us directly into a full-blown war with Iran…

Sen. Richard Blumenthal, Connecticut Democrat and member of the Armed Services Committee, said the attack that killed Soleimani could trigger a major military escalation with Iran.

“There’s no question Soleimani had American blood on his hands,” Blumenthal said Thursday night. “He was an enemy. But this step could lead to the most consequential military confrontation in decades.”

In 1914, the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand was the spark that started World War 1.

Could it be possible that we just witnessed the spark that will start World War 3?

Only time will tell, but at this moment more U.S. troops are being deployed to the Middle East…

The first wave of hundreds of U.S. Army paratroopers from a rapid reaction force has deployed to Kuwait in response to the assault on the U.S. embassy in Baghdad by pro-Iran militiamen, with thousands more soldiers on alert for snap deployment.

On Wednesday at Fort Bragg in North Carolina, paratroopers from the 2nd Battalion, 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division boarded C-17 Globemaster aircraft transports bound for Kuwait.

These are the days of “the perfect storm”, and many are anticipating that 2020 will be the most tumultuous year in modern history.

By killing Suleimani, Trump has essentially “crossed the Rubicon”, and there will be no going back.

So now it is up to Iran to make the next move.

They can roll over and give up now that Suleimani is dead, or they can choose to escalate matters even further and push the entire region to the brink of war.

Politically, the Democrats put themselves in a tough position. They voted overwhelmingly for the NDAA, and to defeat a measure that would have denied the Trump administration any money for offensive actions against Iran.

Khamenei is promising a "harsh retaliation." What that may be, I don't know. They can't defeat Israel, or Saudi Arabia, and they can't seriously challenge our Air Force or Navy. Yesterday, i thought Trump was in a tough spot; today, it's Khamenei. He has to do something, but his options are pretty limited.

Onward and upward,
airforce

Statement from Sen. Rand Paul:



Onward and upward,
airforce

6 Killed in Airstrike North of Baghdad Targeting Convoy Carrying Shia Militia Leaders – Report
Three-car convoy struck in northern outskirts of Iraqi capital in district of al-Taji


By RT.com Friday, January 03, 2020

A convoy carrying high-profile members of the Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), an umbrella group of Iran-backed militias, was hit by an airstrike while traveling in Baghdad, according to multiple reports.

The three-car convoy was struck in the northern outskirts of the Iraqi capital in the district of al-Taji, according to an Iraqi military source cited by Reuters. Six militiamen were reported killed in the attack, with three others critically injured. It remains unclear who carried out the strike.

Reports of an airstrike targeted a vehicle carrying important Iraqi (Hashd al-Shaabi) figures near Taji northern Baghdad.#Iraq pic.twitter.com/zjOD0zmt7k

— Baxtiyar Goran (@BaxtiyarGoran) January 3, 2020

An unconfirmed photo of the aftermath of the attack emerged on social media, showing three burning vehicles, two of them overturned.

BREAKING:

US MQ-9 Reaper drone targeted a convoy carrying several high ranking officials of Iranian-intelligence backed paramilitary forces in Taji, North of Baghdad. pic.twitter.com/m1weIltX3p

— Michael Coudrey 🇺🇸 (@MichaelCoudrey) January 3, 2020

#BREAKING #NOW
Image of the targeted convoy moments ago.#Iraq #Iran #IRGC #PMU #USA pic.twitter.com/ZNcj0BUXMm

— Eva J. Koulouriotis – إيفا كولوريوتي (@evacool_) January 3, 2020

The six killed in the strike have yet to be named, but early reports suggest two paramilitary commanders – Shibl al-Zaydi, secretary general of the Kataib al-Imam militia, as well as Qais Khazali, leader of Asaib Ahl al-Haq – might be among the dead.

Not confirmed yet, but it is reported Shibl al-Zaydi, secretary general of #IRGC backed Kata’ib al-Imam Ali (#PMU‘s 40th Brigade) is among whom are targeted by the #USAF in this airstrike at #Taji, North of #Baghdad tonight! pic.twitter.com/SteN0vg5iB

— Babak Taghvaee (@BabakTaghvaee) January 3, 2020

Looking increasingly likely that Qais Khazali and his brother were killed in the strike. #Baghdad #Iran #Iraq

— Aurora Intel (@AuroraIntel) January 3, 2020

The bombing comes on the heels of a US air raid near the Baghdad International Airport, which killed Iran’s powerful Quds Force commander Qassem Soleimani and several top officials in the PMF. Washington argued the strike was “aimed at deterring future Iranian attack plans,” while Tehran slammed the move as an act of “international terrorism” and threatened “crushing revenge.”

Though US President Donald Trump insisted the decision was taken “to stop a war,” stressing that he didn’t seek “regime change” in Tehran, that interpretation was clearly not shared by Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who warned “revenge awaits the criminals who have stained their hands in [Soleimani’s] blood.”

Iran protest in DC comprised mainly of fringe groups. "No war but class war" seemed to be the main message. It's telling that none of the Democratic presidential candidates showed up.



Onward and upward,
airforce

The Iranian mullahs have put an $80 million bounty on Trump's head.



Onward and upward,
airforce

Why Is Iran Flying A Blood Red Flag Over A Famous Mosque That Is Directly Associated With The Mahdi?

Clearly, the Iranians want blood

By Michael Snyder | End Of The American Dream Monday, January 06, 2020


For the first time ever, a blood red flag is being flown over the famous Jamkaran Mosque in the Iranian “holy city” of Qom.

If you have not see it yet, you can watch it being raised right here.

And as I will explain below, the fact that this mosque is directly associated with the Mahdi makes this symbolic gesture doubly significant.

The hoisting of this flag was broadcast on Iranian state television, and it was obviously intended to send a message to Shiites all over the globe.

So precisely what was that message?

Well, we are being told that according to Shiite tradition a red flag represents both “blood spilled unjustly” and a call for revenge…

Red flags in Shiite tradition symbolise both blood spilled unjustly and serve as a call to avenge a person who is slain.

It is the first time in history that the red flag has been hoisted on top of the Jamkaran mosque in the Iranian city and comes after warnings of harsh retaliation against the US.

Alex Jones discusses why Trump struck Iran and what’s to happen moving forward.

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Red flags have also been spotted flying at anti-U.S. demonstrations in Tehran over the past few days.

Clearly, the Iranians want blood. They will never, ever forgive us for the killing of Qassem Soleimani, and their faith requires that he be avenged.

There is also a message inscribed on the blood red flag that is now flying above the Jamkaran Mosque, and apparently it is a reference to the death of the grandson of Muhammad…

The flag, inscribed with the words “Those who want to avenge the blood of Hussein,” was hoisted above the mosque’s shrine for what local reports claimed was the first time in history, according to the Daily Mail.

The grandson of Muhammad, Hussein was decapitated in A.D. 680 during the Second Islamic Civil War, when Muslims were fighting over who was the proper successor to their prophet. The act was met with bloody retaliation from Muslims who considered Hussein’s death unjust and sought to avenge him.

Obviously the Iranians are viewing this as something much bigger than simply extracting sufficient revenge for the death of a deeply loved national leader.

Rather, they seem to be using this moment as a call to wage jihad against all of the enemies of Shia Islam.

And as I mentioned above, the fact that this flag was raised over this particular mosque is a very big deal.

The Jamarkaran Mosque is considered to be one of the holiest sites in Shia Islam, and it is also associated with the future reappearance of the Mahdi. In fact, as the flag was being hoisted there was a direct reference to the Mahdi…

As the flag was raised in Qom, the mosque speakers called, ‘O Allah, hasten your custodian reappearance,’ a reference to the end-times reappearance of the Mahdi.

In Iran today, most of the national leaders believe that the 12th imam, Muhammad al-Mahdi, was born in Iraq in 869 and never died. Just before judgement day, the Mahdi is supposed to reappear along with Jesus during a time of war and chaos “to bring peace to the world and establish Islam as the ruling faith across the globe”. It is also commonly believed that the Mahdi is coming very soon, and so that explains why so many top Iranians seem to relish the thought that war could be coming. They need war to come first in order for the Mahdi to appear, and since the Mahdi is supposed to return during the coming apocalyptic war and establish Shia Islam as the faith of the entire planet, they aren’t exactly too concerned about the threats that President Trump is making.

It is so important to understand the mindset of these radical Shiites.

If they die as martyrs, they will be rewarded as such in the afterlife.

If they live through the coming holy war, they will get to see the coming of the Mahdi, and they will help to institute the global rule of Shia Islam.

So in either case, they believe that they can’t lose.

At this point, what they want is blood. In fact, even the daughter of Qassem Soleimani is asking for vengeance. Just check out what she just asked Iranian President Hassan Rouhani…

‘Who is going to avenge my father’s blood?’ One of the commander’s daughters asked.

In response, Rouhani promised her that ‘everyone will take revenge’ and assured her as she wept, ‘we will, we will avenge his blood, you don’t worry.’

There is no question that Iran is going to strike back.

And it won’t just be a one time deal. They are going to hit us repeatedly, and they have already identified 35 potential targets…

IRAN today pinpointed 35 “key US targets” for revenge after its top general was assassinated – with America expecting retaliation “within weeks”.

Hours later, rockets were fired near the US Embassy in Baghdad and at an airbase housing American troops, according to reports.

Unfortunately, we didn’t have to wait long for the violence to begin. In fact, the Green Zone in Baghdad has been targeted by rockets for two days in a row…

At least three explosions were reported Sunday inside the heavily-fortified Green Zone — which houses the U.S. Embassy, Balad Air Base and Iraqi government buildings — in the second attack of its kind after the U.S.-led airstrike that killed Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani.

A total of six Katyusha rockets — three inside the Green Zone and three in the nearby Jadriya area — hit Baghdad, according to a statement by Iraq’s military, as Reuters reported.

Of course President Trump is not going to put up with this, and he has warned the Iranians that he has identified 52 Iranian targets that could potentially be hit…

Showing no signs of seeking to ease tensions raised by the strike he ordered that killed Soleimani and Iranian-backed Iraqi militia leader Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis at Baghdad airport on Friday, Trump issued a threat to Iran on Twitter. The strike has raised the specter of wider conflict in the Middle East.

Iran, Trump wrote, “is talking very boldly about targeting certain USA assets” in revenge for Soleimani’s death. Trump said the United States has “targeted 52 Iranian sites” and that some were “at a very high level & important to Iran & the Iranian culture, and those targets, and Iran itself, WILL BE HIT VERY FAST AND VERY HARD.”

Following that tweet, many on the left harshly criticized Trump for potentially targeting cultural sites, but Trump subsequently doubled down on that threat…

“They’re allowed to kill our people, they’re allowed to torture and maim our people, they’re allowed to use roadside bombs and blow up our people and we’re not allowed to touch their cultural site? It doesn’t work that way,” Trump told reporters.

“If they do anything there will be major retaliation.”

Does anyone see a way that war with Iran can be avoided at this point?

Because I certainly don’t.

The Trump administration and the Iranians will both keep escalating things until a full-blown cataclysmic war erupts in the Middle East, and it will be a war that will inevitably involve Israel as well. This Middle East war will greatly accelerate the development of “the perfect storm” that I keep talking about, and none of our lives will ever be the same again.

Those that think that this is a crisis that will blow over in a few days or a few weeks are not being rational.

The Iranians will never, ever, ever forgive what Trump has done, and Soleimani’s successor is assuring everyone that we will soon “see the bodies of Americans all over the Middle East”…

Esmail Ghaani, the successor to slain Iranian general Qassem Soleimani, threatened the US Friday following his appointment to head the Revolutionary Guards’ foreign operations arm.

“Be patient, and you will see the bodies of Americans all over the Middle East,” Ghaani said.

There is no stopping this now.

War is coming, and the death and destruction it will bring will shock the entire planet.

There really isn't a whole lot that Iran can do. Seriously, they can't even support Iraq kicking out the U.S. troops. If they did that, Kurdish and Sunni groups would push for independence, and Iran would end up in a weaker position in Iraq. And Iran is not likely to form an alliance with what's left of Al Qaeda or the Taliban.

They're proxy groups can launch a few more rocket and mortar attacks, I suppose, and maybe play cat and mouse with the U.S. in the Gulf of Hormuz. But unless they have something I don't know about, that's about it for their options.

Onward and upward,
airforce

US Deploys Six B-52 Bombers to Indian Ocean Base
Long-range bombers mobilized amid spike in Iran tensions

By RT Tuesday, January 07, 2020

The US Air Force is sending six B-52 Stratofortress long-range bombers to Diego Garcia, a secretive military outpost in the Indian Ocean, as tension soars in the wake of a US assassination strike on a top Iranian general.

The bombers will be “available for operations against Iran if ordered,” CNN’s Barbara Starr reported Monday, citing an unnamed US official, though the reporter noted the new deployment “does not signal that operations have been ordered.”

Pentagon to begin sending 6 B-52s to Diego Garcia: US official. B-52s will be available for operations against Iran if ordered, the official said. But the deployment does not signal that operations have been ordered. #Iran #Solemani

— Barbara Starr (@barbarastarrcnn) January 6, 2020

The deployment also appears to have been corroborated by military aviation watchers, who tracked at least two bombers as they departed from Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana.

JAN 06: USAF B-52Hs MYTEE51 & 52 departed Barksdale AFB for Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean due to #Iran tensions. pic.twitter.com/2PgkMMnAXw

— Aircraft Spots (@AircraftSpots) January 7, 2020

The six bombers will follow nearly 4,000 US troops deployed to the region since last week, sent as hostilities with Iran reached new heights.

Following a heated demonstration at the American Embassy in Baghdad which Washington portrayed as an “Iranian attack,” the US launched a kill strike on the commander of Iran’s elite Quds Force, Qassem Soleimani, as he arrived to Baghdad for a meeting, also taking out several allied Iraqi militia leaders along with him.

While the US maintains the general was involved in plots to attack American forces, Tehran insists the assassination – of a top official on a diplomatic trip, no less – was an act of “international terrorism” and has vowed to retaliate.

Monday’s B-52 deployment is not the only one in recent months, with four more of the long-range heavy bombers sent to Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar last May, also for the purpose of countering the so-called “Iranian threat.”

Fox News is reporting that Iran is firing missiles at U.S. bases in Iraq. Not much else is known yet.

Here we go.

Onward and upward,
airforce

It looks like there are no casualties, except for Iraqis. There's some speculation that Iran intentionally missed, the whole attack was to save face with their own people. I'm not sure I buy that, but maybe we'll know more in the morning.

Onward and upward,
airforce

A statement from the Department of Defense Tuesday laid blame on the Iranian regime.

At approximately 5:30 p.m. (EST) on January 7, Iran launched more than a dozen ballistic missiles against U.S. military and coalition forces in Iraq. It is clear that these missiles were launched from Iran and targeted at least two Iraqi military bases hosting U.S. military and coalition personnel at Al-Assad and Irbil.

We are working on initial battle damage assessments.

In recent days and in response to Iranian threats and actions, the Department of Defense has taken all appropriate measures to safeguard our personnel and partners. These bases have been on high alert due to indications that the Iranian regime planned to attack our forces and interests in the region.

As we evaluate the situation and our response, we will take all necessary measures to protect and defend U.S. personnel, partners, and allies in the region.

Due to the dynamic nature of the situation, we will continue to provide updates as they become available.

Reports from Fox News claimed missiles hit multiple locations in Iraq early Wednesday, with “tens” of missiles striking near the Al Assad Air Base, which Trump visited in December 2018. A base in Erbil was also reportedly hit, according to ABC News.


From Fox News:

The source told Fox News’ Jennifer Griffin: “Under missile attack from Iran. These are either cruise missiles or short-range ballistic missiles. All over the country.” The missiles struck near Al Assad Air Base in Anbar, among other locations. There was no immediate word on injuries or damage.

Iranian state TV reported the Iranian Revolutionary Guard had taken responsibility for the attack.

#BREAKING #NOW
Iranian state television confirms that the missile attack on the American base of Al-Assad in central Iraq was carried out by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard and that it is the first response to the assassination of #Soleimani.#Iran #USA #IRGC #Trump

— Eva J. Koulouriotis – إيفا كولوريوتي (@evacool_) January 7, 2020

One photo purported to show a missile launch.

🔴فوري///بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
آغاز انتقام
شلیک موشک‌های بالستیک ایرانی به سمت پایگاه عین‌الاسد در عراق که محل استقرار نیروهای آمریکایی است، می‌دهند.#كرمانشاه #قاسم_سليماني pic.twitter.com/N6NLmdvhUl

— Mahdi Bakhtiari (@Mahdiibakhtiari) January 7, 2020

White House Press Secretary Stephanie Grisham confirmed President Donald Trump was aware of and monitoring the situation.

We are aware of the reports of attacks on US facilities in Iraq. The President has been briefed and is monitoring the situation closely and consulting with his national security team.

— Stephanie Grisham (@PressSec) January 7, 2020

The strikes come in the wake of a US strike on an airport in Baghdad which killed the leader of the elite Quds Force Qasem Soleimani.

It looks like cooler heads are prevailing. In the Middle East, that's a rarity. I wouldn't bet on it lasting.

Onward and upward,
airforce

Sarah Sanders can't think of anything dumber than giving only Congress the power to declare war. So much for the Constitution, right, Sarah?



Onward and upward,
airforce

No one complained when other Presidents ordered a strike on a suspected terrorist. But, suddenly it's a constitutional crisis when Trump does it.

The current kongress is too stupid to wipe their own ass let alone declare war. This bunch would have to investigate each other for ten years, form 20 conflicting committees and debate the matter for a decade before deciding that they couldn't reach a consensus.

Robert E. Lee was right...the american empire has become a laughing stock.

Rand Paul, Mike Lee, and Justin Amash did. I'm pretty sure Thomas Massie did too, but I'll have to check. But you're right, Democrats were pretty silent when Obama and Hillary were taking out Khadafy in Libya. Not that they're hypocrites, or anything like that.

Onward and upward,
airforce

Now The Iranians Are Promising More Military Action Against U.S. Forces, And That Would Definitely Start World War 3
Any escalation of this conflict at this point has the potential to spark World War 3


By Michael Snyder | Economic Collapse Friday, January 10, 2020

What in the world are the Iranians thinking?

After President Trump decided not to respond militarily to the rockets that the Iranians fired at U.S. bases in Iraq, it appeared that a major war had been averted.

People all over the world celebrated this unexpected turn of events, and global stock markets soared. But now the Iranians are changing their tune again.

Instead of “standing down”, top Iranian leaders are warning that “harsher revenge” is on the way and that there will be more attacks against U.S. forces.

I think that Iran correctly perceives that Trump does not want a war, but if Trump gets pushed too far he will hit the Iranians extremely hard.

And once the Iranian homeland starts getting pummeled by U.S. missiles, the Iranians will start firing some of the 200,000 missiles that they have stockpiled at Israel, and needless to say the Israelis will respond with even greater force.

In other words, any escalation of this conflict at this point has the potential to spark World War 3.

So the Iranians would be wise to stop this nonsense while they still can, but apparently they have no intention of doing so.

On Thursday, the commander of the Revolutionary Guard’s Aerospace Force claimed that the missile attacks the other night were just “the first stage of a major regional operation aimed at expelling U.S. forces from the Middle East”…

Iran’s missile strikes on Iraqi bases housing U.S. troops were the first stage of a major regional operation aimed at expelling U.S. forces from the Middle East, the Iranian commander responsible for the attack said Thursday.

Brig. Gen. Amir Ali Hajizadeh, who as commander of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard’s Aerospace Force oversees most of Iran’s missile arsenal, stopped short of threatening further concrete military action. He also said Iran hadn’t intended to kill anyone in Wednesday’s attack but only to cause material damage.

And Revolutionary Guard commander Abdollah Araghi is promising that “harsher revenge” is coming soon…

A senior Iranian military commander has promised further action against the United States, a day after Tehran launched missiles at two bases housing US troops in Iraq.

Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) commander Abdollah Araghi said that Iran would take “harsher revenge soon,”without specifying what that might entail, Tasnim news agency reported on Thursday.

Do they actually believe that Trump will allow them to repeatedly attack our forces without responding?

If any American had been killed during the missile strikes the other night, it is quite likely that Trump would have responded already.

And when Trump acts, he likes to make a major statement.

Iran is playing a very dangerous game, and if they miscalculate just a little bit there will be disastrous consequences.

Unfortunately, they are so blinded by rage that they don’t appear to be thinking rationally. At this point, the Iranian media is reporting that the recent missile attacks were “only the beginning of the strikes”…

Tasnim News Agency reported on Thursday that the missiles that hit U.S. interests in Iraq were only the beginning of the strikes. The deputy head of the IRGC, Ali Fadavi, described Iran’s missile attacks on US forces as a display of the Islamic Republic’s military capabilities, claiming that the Americans “couldn’t do a damn thing” about the strikes.

Many of us had been hoping that cooler heads would prevail, but at least on the Iranian side that does not appear to be happening.

And Iranian proxies are already lobbing rockets at U.S. targets. For example, on Wednesday a couple of “small rockets” were launched toward the Green Zone in Baghdad…

Small rockets hit the area in or around the Green Zone in Iraq’s capital of Baghdad late Wednesday, a day after Iran launched missiles at bases housing U.S. and other coalition forces in Iraq, American military officials said.

There was no casualties to U.S. or other coalition forces in the area, and no damage to facilities in the Green Zone, which contains the American embassy and other Western diplomatic posts, officials said.

Subsequently, there was a rocket attack on Balad Air Base in Iraq on Thursday…

Another day, another rocket (alleged) rocket attack on a US airbase in Iraq.

Al-Sumaria reports that rockets hit the Balad Air Base, about 40 miles north of Baghdad, where US troops are stationed.

The source said in an interview with Alsumaria News, “A missile, whose type was not specified, fell this evening, to the Fadlan area of ​​the Dujail district near Balad Air Base,” without giving further details.

Iranian proxies would not be doing this if they did not have permission from Tehran.

Perhaps President Trump is waiting until there are American casualties to respond, and he certainly is not eager to get the U.S. involved in a major war during an election year, but at some point his patience is going to run out.

Meanwhile, the IDF has just conducted a stunning attack on Iranian-backed militia targets “on the border between Syria and Iraq”…

According to reports by domestic and western media, the Israeli air force carried out an attack against an Iran-backed militia reportedly headquartered on the border between Syria and Iraq.

Tribal sources in Iraq apparently told reporters that the Israeli shelling targeted trucks and individuals associated with Iranian-backed militias near the Iraqi-Syria border. Artillery and shelling was also reported, though it’s unclear who fired those shots. The weapons are believed to have been destined for Hezbollah.

In the end, even if President Trump is absolutely determined to keep the U.S. out of a major conflict there will still be a war between Israel and Iran.

The Iranians have restarted their nuclear program, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has pledged that Iran will never be allowed to finish it.

The clock is ticking, and Israel is going to do whatever it takes to keep the psychopaths in Iran from being able to build their own nuclear weapons.

So one way or another, war is definitely coming, and it will change all of our lives in a major way.

But many were hoping that World War 3 was at least delayed for a while after Trump showed such great restraint on Wednesday.

Unfortunately, the Iranians seem determined to press their luck, and we are all going to pay a great price for their complete and utter recklessness.

Border Patrol Circulates Intel Alert Titled ‘Suspected Suicide Bomber en Route to the U.S.’

Ildefonso Ortiz, Jaeson Jones and Brandon Darby 9 Jan 2020

Authorities along the U.S. border are on alert after receiving a law enforcement intelligence warning about a possible suicide bomber heading north toward the U.S.-Mexico Border. Breitbart obtained an exclusive copy of the leaked official document from a source operating under the umbrella of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The official report was circulated to law enforcement partners along the U.S. border, the intelligence originated from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and the report was circulated by Border Patrol Intelligence. Breitbart confirmed the authenticity of the document with multiple law enforcement sources; however, the details contained within the report have not been verified by Breitbart and the purpose of officials circulating the warning is to alert other authorities and to seek help in verifying the accuracy of the information.

The report being authentic does not verify that a suicide bomber is actually headed toward the U.S.-Mexico Border, but rather that such intelligence was received from a credible source or sources.

According to the document, on January 8, 2020, the Yuma Sector Operations Center received information from HSI about a previously deported Guatemalan national named “…” who is allegedly leading a group of four Middle Eastern males and one female to the U.S. from Mexico. The female is described as a “suspected suicide bomber.”

The report stated that according to HSI, the group already traveled through Guatemala, Belize, and is currently in Veracruz, Mexico. The described group is expected to travel to San Luis Rio Colorado in the Mexican state of Sonora, just south of Arizona.

“HSI reported they received information the group will be making entry into the U.S. through the All-American Canal in the next couple of days,” the report revealed. The All-American Canal is located in California.

Breitbart redacted contact information and images from the official report, as well as the name of the alleged individual accused of leading the group.

In Stunning Reversal, Iran Admits Accidentally Shooting Down Ukrainian Passenger Jet
"The Islamic Republic of Iran deeply regrets this disastrous mistake."


By Zero Hedge Saturday, January 11, 2020

After multiple denials, and demands for proof from foreign entities – accusing them of spreading “psychological warfare” lies, President Hassan Rouhani has admitted Iran accidentally shot down the Ukrainian jetliner that took off from Tehran’s international airport amid this week’s tensions.

In a pair of tweets, Rouhani admitted that “Armed Forces’ internal investigation has concluded that regrettably missiles fired due to human error caused the horrific crash of the Ukrainian plane & death of 176 innocent people,” adding that “The Islamic Republic of Iran deeply regrets this disastrous mistake.”

The army said Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752 was flying close to a sensitive Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps military sitewhen it was downed because of “human error,” adding that the “culprits” would be identified and referred to judicial authorities.

“Iran’s armed forces went on high alert following U.S. threats to target Iranian sites,” the army said in the statement.

“Under such highly sensitive and critical circumstances, the Boeing Flight 752 flew close to a sensitive IRGC military site at an altitude and angle that made it appear as a hostile target. The plane was hit due to human error and unintentionally.”

In the aftermath of the incident, Rouhani arranged for “compensation” payments to the victims’ families, and ordered reforms of the country’s air defense system to prevent similar disasters in the future.

Iran will reportedly send the black boxes of the crashed jet to France as it lacks the technology to decode them, the state-run Islamic Republic News Agency reported.

Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif blamed “human error at time of crisis caused by US adventurism” for the disaster.

Military officials will elaborate on the crash on state media on Saturday. There has been no response from The White House yet.

Also see ‘Death to Dictator!’: Protesters Rise Up Against Iranian Regime Over Downed Passenger Jet

I've not hear anyone in the last few days mention Iran Air Flight 655. Granted, it was over thirty years ago, but it shows that this sort of tragedy is hardly unprecedented.

it would be great, though unlikely, if those protesters get their wish. I'd like to see a few mullahs hanging from lamp posts.

Onward and upward,
airforce

Five Nations Affected by Ukrainian Plane Attack to Discuss Legal Action Against Iran

Foreign ministers meeting Jan. 16 to weigh options

By Sputnik Monday, January 13, 2020

Five countries whose nationals died in the downing tragedy in Iran last week will gather for a meeting on Thursday, to discuss possible legal action against Iran, Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Vadym Prystaiko told Reuters.

Iran admitted on Saturday to downing a Ukrainian Airlines Boeing 737 by mistake. The plane earlier crashed, killing all passengers on board.

Prystaiko, who spoke on the sidelines of an official visit to Singapore, said that the issue of compensation and an investigation into the incident would also be addressed at the meeting.

“We have created a group of foreign ministers from the grieving nations. On Jan 16 we will meet in London to discuss the means, including legal, to follow up on this, and how we will move forward in holding Iran responsible,” Reuters quoted the minister as saying.

Hero reporter Cynthia Farahat of CynthiaFarahat.com joins The Alex Jones Show to shed light on the will of the people in the Middle East.

The minister also dismissed Iran’s suggestion that the jet had been flying near a sensitive military installation as ‘nonsense’.
Visit the Infowars Store now before our sale ends!

Prystaiko added that the plane was travelling according to the international route provided by dispatchers.

“This is the Iranian government’s responsibility,” he said. “We have to dig out who gave the order, who pushed the button. Everything, all these people should be punished.”

A Kiev-bound Boeing of the Ukraine International Airlines crashed on 8 January near Tehran’s Imam Khomeini International Airport, killing all 176 people on board.

On Saturday, the Iranian military admitted to unintentionally shooting down the jetliner, having confused it with a hostile cruise missile in anticipation of a retaliatory strike from the US.

Iran has a long history of responding to protesters brutally and bloodily. I suspct they will again, but the protests this time seem a little different from past ones. When the protesters are shouting "Death to Khamenei," it's pretty clear they're not looking for some sort of compromise. I don't think Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi is going to return to Iran any time soon, but I've been wrong before.

Onward and upward,
airforce

The Iranian regime is eroding from within. Iranian news anchors are quitting, and Iran's only medalist from the 2016 Olympic Games is speaking out. I'm beginning to think this wave of protests actually has legs.



Onward and upward,
airforce