Our Embassy in Baghdad - TTG

I could never fully comprehend the logic behind our modern monument to imperialistic hubris that is our outsized Embassy in Baghdad. One would have to be a true believer in our God ordained manifest destiny to admire that monstrosity. Those types do exist. At one time the management coven at Defense HUMINT planned on establishing a massive operating base in that Embassy to control operations throughout the region. It was going to be Defense HUMINT forward... an outpost of the empire.

That embassy compound is once again becoming the focal point of our Mideast empire. Events of the last few days have seen to that. Last weekend, in response to a  rocket attack on a base outside Kirkuk that left one US contractor dead and four US servicemen wounded, we launched drone strikes on five Iraqi PMU outposts in Iraq and Syria near Abukamal killing 25 members and wounding scores more of the Kata’ib Hezbollah brigades of the PMU. 

We blamed Iran and the Kata’ib Hezbollah for the rocket attack near Kirkuk. That may be true, but the Kata’ib Hezbollah is not some rogue militia controlled out of Teheran. It is an integral part of the PMU, its 46th and 47th brigades and has been for years. The PMU is an integral part of the Iraqi military and has been for years. The PMU played a major role in defeating IS in both Iraq and Syria. Our attack on the Kata’ib Hezbollah outposts was an attack on the Iraqi military and government. We informed PM Abdul-Mahdi of our intended attacks. Abdul-Mahadi warned us not to do it, but, of course, we conducted the attacks despite his warning. We were proud of the attacks. The Pentagon even released footage of the attacks. It was supposed to be a clear message to Teheran.

Unfortunately for us, the message was also heard by Iraqis. After the funerals of many of the victims of our attacks on the PMU outposts, a large crowd of protestors headed for the US Embassy in the Green Zone. For weeks prior to this, Iraqi security forces kept protestors from entering the Green Zone and approaching the US Embassy. Not this time. The crowds, including mourners fresh from the funerals of their family members and many PMU soldiers, unarmed but in uniform, poured into the Green Zone right to the gates of the Embassy itself. A reception area was entered and burned. Iraqi security forces of the PrimeMinister’s Counter Terrorism Command were among the protestors. I surmise that PM Abdul-Mahdi was sending his own message back to the US.

Today, the PMU has told its troops to leave the vicinity of the Embassy as directed by the PM. Protests and rock throwings continue, but the Iraqi security forces are keeping a lid on the protestors more aggressive actions. The US sent an additional hundred Marines into the Embassy compound last night and appears to be also sending a battalion from the 82nd Airborne to the Embassy. (That shows just how oversized this Embassy is.)

For weeks, it was Iranian consulates and facilities that bore the brunt of Iraqi popular unrest. Iran reacted with restraint. With our lethal attacks on the Kata’ib Hezbollah, we changed that. Pompeo, Esper and Trump are keeping up the trash talking. Threatening Iran by killing Iraqis… whose ass was that brilliant diplomatic strategy pulled from?

I recommend an essay written by Haidar Sumeri on Sunday, before the protestors descended on the US Embassy, entitled “American Strikes in Iraq Have Just Made a Bad Situation Much Worse.” Sumeri is a long time commentator on regional issues, especially Iraqi security issues. His analysis is especially cogent given the events of the last two days. His writings may be worth following as this situation unfolds. 

TTG

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/31651/u-s-strikes-iranian-proxy-force-bases-in-iraq-and-syria-following-deadly-rocket-attack

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PtRSIl2MAoQ  (Al Jazeera coverage of the protestors at the US Embassy with interesting commentary)

https://1001iraqithoughts.com/2019/12/30/american-strikes-in-iraq-have-just-made-a-bad-situation-much-worse/

Comments

[Leith]

Elora:

I thought the purpose of the Colonel’s Committee of Correspondence was to exchange ideas, not insults. Why would you smear me as a neocon, I detest Pompón and all his neocon, Israel-first buddies? Why use los insultos if you want a dialogue? You apparently missed the first paragraph of my earlier comment where I stated: ”We never should have gone into Iraq in the first place.” And you missed the last paragraph where I stated that our response to the KH attack was a mistake.

I do agree with your great question regarding the Khmeimim Russian Air Base Grad rocket attack on New Year´s Eve by pro-Turkish militias. If they could stop it with the Pantsir, then why couldn’t the K1 base in Iraq stop the rocket attack by Kata’ib Hezbollah? Russian air defense systems (and Soviet ones before that) have always ranked world class. We should have done better. But out of the 30 rockets targeted at K1 that day, it appears that only one or two were effective. Did the other 28 or 29 get destroyed before impact? It will be good to get more details.

I also agree with you about Turkish participation in oil smuggling. There are credible reports that state Erdogan’s son-in-law was the guy profiting off of contraband Syrian oil that he bought from ISIS terrorists back when they controlled NE Syria. It is undoubtedly still going on now but probably on a much smaller scale. The clan in Raqqa that did the earlier smuggling is apparently still in business.

10 or 12 Spanish Nationals were KIA in Iraq early on, 2003/2004 timeframe. And there are still 400 to 500 Spanish troops in Iraq as part of the Global Coalition. I hope they and all US troops return home soon, safe and without injury. It is long past time to leave Iraq to the Iraqis.

As for Pompón, I would not put it past him to bomb Kata'ib Hezbollah to do Netanyahu’s dirty work for him, and use the excuse of the rocket attack on K1. But Esper is the Secretary of Defense and I do not believe he would go along with that. And neither would the Joint Chiefs, or the CENTCOM Commander, or the General commanding CJTF-OIR, or the AF General commanding air assets within CJTF-OIR. There are too many people involved to hide such a conspiracy. You need to give up on Opriska’s ramblings.

[Terry]

Most basically, just that we have reached the maximum extent of the US Empire and the Middle East and Near East engagements show that while we can win military victories we don't have any clear idea what winning looks like. Perhaps it is incorporation into US economic/Corporate business flows.

Iraq is a good example. They aren't exactly brimming with enthusiasm for the US for freeing them from Hussein. Libya - another mess.

We would win a military battle with Iran in the short term but at a cost that could more quickly bring about the multi-polar world.

As for the analogy, the germanic tribes learned quite a bit through service/trade/warfare with Rome which ultimately worked against the Romans.

Iran would be a stretch too far.

[oldman22]

Some pictures of USA embassy in Baghdad that I have not seen elsewhere, very interesting, BUT, one picture shows a V-22 Osprey and the caption says it is an Apache AH-64. (Notice to warriors, please correct me if I am wrong on that.) Also, article is in Spanish.

https://www.hispantv.com/noticias/irak/445803/fotos-embajada-eeuu-protestas-fuerzas-populares

[The Twisted Genius]

Oldman22, The Apaches flew over the Embassy the first night firing off flares, probably for illumination. Additional Marines were brought in from Kuwait by Ospreys. I think 100 or so came in that first night.

[elaine]

ABC news reported a rocket attack on the Baghdad airport, civilian injuries. The
report included threats made by Iran to continue to attack U.S. interests.

Please excuse the following statement as sometimes it's near impossible for me to hold back my astrological observations: transiting Saturn & Pluto moving in close conjunction @ 23 degrees of Capricorn for the remainder of January & into the first
2 weeks of February don't bode well for peaceful resolution in the near term IMHO,
at the least long term grudge holding. This conjunction is exact on January 12th.

[The Beaver]

TTG

Check what is happening in Baghdad

Suleimani has been killed

[Clueless Joe]

Ok, and now they killed Qasem Soleimani and Muhandis (pretty much military leader of the PMU). Current US leadership (in both parties) is batshit crazy, and it's sad that the rest of the country, specially the US armed forces, will have to pay the heavy price...

[Mac]

Colonel,

They assassinated General Soleimani...

[HK Leo Strauss]

BAGHDAD — Iranian official news media confirmed that a powerful commander of its Revolutionary Guards Corps, Maj. Gen. Qassim Suleimani, was killed in a strike on the Baghdad International Airport early Friday.

There Will Be Blood

[Leith]

"Iran’s Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) confirmed that Qasem Soleimani, Commander of Iran’s elite Quds Force, was killed in Baghdad."

Irgc spokesman Claimed he was killed while by US rotary helicopters while in a convoy on Baghdad airport road. Also killed was Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, deputy commander of Hashd al-Shaabi, and high in the Iraqi Government, supposedly he was to be the next, he reportedly was a dual national Iranian and Iraqi. Several other senior members of Hashd al-Shaabi were killed.

[JerseyJeffersonian]

Trump goes neocon. Another idiot Zionist war in the offing, blood in torrents. World economy ruined? Maybe. Trump's reelection? Questionable...

[Jack]

Overt Iranian retaliation is exactly what the neocon Deep State desire.

In my completely non-expert view at best there will be a token response which will be treated quietly by the US. In fact, Khamanei may actually welcome this potential political adversary taken out in this manner, as he can rail about the evil Americans to rally his waning support. The fallout would likely be in Iraqi politics.

https://twitter.com/helenkennedy/status/1212926363847577600?s=21

[aka]

oh f*ck was my reaction.
Unlike bombing some militia, this is big.
Can Iran not respond to this?

[Leith]

Pompom and the neocons have got to his brain. Those neocons remind me of the scifi extraterrestial life forms in Jack Finney's 1954 novel: 'The Body Snatchers'. Wonder if they've got a pod attached at the top of his spine.

[Brian Gray]

It is my understanding that the US drone strike on Abukamal,hundreds of kms removed from Kirkuk just happened to be at the only border crossing between Iraq and Syria that is controlled by PMU and not by the US... the PMU forces are the only military actually fighting and destroying IS terrorist networks...therefore the murder of these PMU once again exposes how the US and proxy forces continue to assist IS. Would be interesting know the name of the "contractor" company.

[LA Sox Fan]

"Iran’s Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) confirmed that Qasem Soleimani, Commander of Iran’s elite Quds Force, was killed in Baghdad. Also killed was Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, deputy commander of Hashd al-Shaabi.”

Trump killing these two was about the stupidest thing he could have possibly done. It was an act of war against both Iran and Iraq. The US is going to be thrown out of Iraq very, very soon as a result. US bases in Syria will not be able to be supplied via Iraq and will also need to be abandoned. There is no telling what Iran will do. Hopefully, a full shooting war won’t break out in the Middle East. Having Trump in charge of anything important, never mind our government during an actual crisis, never mind a war, is frightening.

[vig]

Trump needs to put America First.

Not sure what to say. Ironically, top-of-headwise: Maybe he starts with solid numbers as to what the world owes the US to make America Great Again ... e.g. Considering his use of frozen Iran money/assets. Understand what I mean? That might be helpful to start with.

Otherwise by now it's "Keep America Great".

[Procopius]

I agree Pompeo want war with Iran, although frankly I can't figure out why, because the U.S. might destroy Iran, but they'll never be able to occupy it. Anyway, the thought popped up in my mind, maybe they think this is a way for them to actually pull American troops out of Syria. If American troops are forced (again) to withdraw from Iraq, there is no way the troops in Syria can be supplied. They will have to be withdrawn, too. I am not persuaded Trump or Pompeo are as stupid as they act.

[Bill Hatch]

Our embassy in Baghdad is a relic from a HRC plan to build Crusader Castles across Iraq. The State Department plan was to build a fortress embassy in Baghdad & fortress consulates in major Iraq cities. As US forces pulled out, these fortresses would be defended by 6000-7000 contract security personnel.

CH-46 helos being retired by the Marine Corps were transferred to the State Department & flown by contract crews (Dyn Corps) to provide logistics between the Crusader Castles.

You can't make this madness up.