The Pentagon issued a statement:
“The United States took necessary, appropriate, and deliberate action designed to limit the risk of escalation – but also to send a clear and unambiguous deterrent message.”
The Hashd al-Shabi militia has vowed open war with America.
This latest attack is the second time the Biden administration has “ordered retaliatory attacks against Iran-backed militia since taking office.” Yet in other important matters pertaining to Iran, the Biden administration has to date steered clear of confronting the mullahs, and has relentlessly pursued reinstatement of the disastrous Iran deal. In doing this, the Biden administration has positioned itself as irrelevant amid Iranian’s escalation in the region.
A day after the attack, “thousands of members of Iraq’s Hashd al-Shabi paramilitary alliance gathered in Baghdad” to mourn their comrades shouting “death to America” and “vengeance for the martyrs.“ “Others carried pictures of Iranian General Qassem Soleimani and Hashd second-in-command Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis who were killed in a US drone strike near Baghdad airport last year.”
“US raids slammed as ‘blatant violation’ of Iraq’s sovereignty,” Al Jazeera, June 28, 2021:
Iraq’s Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhemi has condemned the overnight US air attack on Iran-backed armed groups in Iraq and Syria which a monitor said killed at least seven fighters.
In a statement on Sunday, the US military said it targeted operational and weapons storage facilities at two locations in Syria and one location in Iraq in response to drone attacks against the US personnel and facilities in Iraq.
The attacks came at the direction of US President Joe Biden, the second time he has ordered retaliatory attacks against Iran-backed militia since taking office five months ago.
“We condemn the US air attack that targeted a site last night on the Iraqi-Syrian border, which represents a blatant and unacceptable violation of Iraqi sovereignty and Iraqi national security,” said a statement from the Iraqi PM’s office.
John Kirby, a spokesman for the Pentagon, said in a statement that the Kataib Hezbollah and Kataib Sayyid al-Shuhada military factions were among the “several Iran-backed militia groups” that had used the targeted facilities.
“The United States took necessary, appropriate, and deliberate action designed to limit the risk of escalation – but also to send a clear and unambiguous deterrent message,” Kirby said, adding that the targets were selected because “these facilities are utilized by Iran-backed militias that are engaged in unmanned aerial vehicle [UAV] attacks against US personnel and facilities in Iraq”….
DavidR says
Is Biden’s cognitive decline causing him to confuse Iran with Iraq?
“I rant?”.
“No Mr. President. Irannnn.”
“Where did you Ssrun to?”
“Iran, the country”
“I ran America!”
“You still do. But should we bomb Iraq?”
“What?”
“Never mind”4
gravenimage says
David, Shia Iran does indeed have a *huge* presence in Shi’ite-majority Iraq. This has been the case ever since the fall of Saddam Hussein, who was Sunni.
Lion w says
Gravenimage: that’s the thank you yea her from Iraqi Muslims after liberating them from the predator Saddam Hussein !! I told you before never trust Muslims and I am a Canadian Christian guy myself originally from Iraq
Lion heart says
Gravenimage Sorry keyboard error in typing ! I was saying :: that’s the THANK YOU that USA get from Iraqi Muslims after liberating them from the predator Saddam Hussein who was ruining their life for three decades !! I told you before never trust Muslims and I am a Canadian Christian guy myself originally from Iraq
Infidel says
? And I ra…..aaan ??, I ran ?? so far away….
I just ran, I ran ?? all night and day
I couldn’t get away ?
?
Frank Anderson says
Something to ponder: A flight of 30 “big belly” B-52’s could carry about 1200 Tons of “ordinary” bombs.
The MOAB weighs about 10 tons, but because it gets its oxygen from the air instead of the explosive, releases the same energy as about 100 tons. So, 12 MOAB’s which could be carried by TWO C-5’s or C-17’s could place more energy than 30 B-52’s.
Watch some Vietnam film to see what 30 B-52’s could do with UNGUIDED bombs, and remember that MOAB’s are not only large, they are guided.
Daniel Triplett says
You’re right Frank. Excellent analysis.
Frank Anderson says
Think of what 30 could do?
Beneath the Veil of Consciousness says
And the leaders of Iraq believe the presence of Iranian terrorists on their soil is not a violation of their sovereignty? What hypocrisy.