Dear friends,
Looks like Round 1 is over. Let’s begin with a small recap of events:
- Iran fired a relatively small number of short range missiles at one, possibly two, US bases
- The IRGC indicated that if Iran is attacked, then so will Israel
- Trump tweeted “so far, so good”
- The US reported no casualties
In plain English this means that the strike was intended to be both highly visible AND symbolic (Iran has MANY more missiles, including longer ranged ones, which, if Iran wanted to, could strike every single US base in the Middle-East simultaneously.
So what happened?
I think that Iran wanted to humiliate the US but in a manner which would be under the threshold which would guarantee a US/Israeli counter-strike.
Next, I forced myself to listen to Esper and the Idiot-in-Chief. Here are the salient points:
- Esper reiterated that the US does not want war with Iran
- The US does not want to leave Iraq because, unlike the Iraq MPs, many/most Iraqis want the US to stay
- The US armed forces are THE BEST in the history of the galaxy
- Trump will never allow Iran to have nukes
- Iran appears to be “standing down”
- Europe needs to ditch the JPCOA
- NATO needs to get further involved in the Middle-East
- Iran bad bad bad, USA good good good
- The US armed forces are THE BEST in this history of the galaxy
- USA! USA! USA! (etc.)
Okay, to these idiots apparently think that’s it is over. Or maybe they hope it is?
I can tell you for sure that it ain’t. The goal of Iran and its allies is to get the USA out of the Middle-East.
Thus these symbolic strikes appear to have given the US/Israeli a sense of relief which might bring them to let their guard down, making it much easier for Iran and its allies to strike again.
It is rather funny to see how the Iranian PR machine “packaged” this one: if you dare hit us, we will hit you in your most holy and sacred, i.e. Israel. So far this “we get to shoot at you but you don’t get to shoot back” has worked, but only because the Iranian strike was so symbolic.
Conclusion: this is far, FAR veeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeerrrrrrrry far from over.
Still, I have to downgrade the likelihood of a massive and imminent war back from 90% to 80%.
Finally, Putin traveled to Damascus to attend a Nativity celebration with Bashar al-Assad. Then he visited a mosque (I can imagine how pissed Alt-Righters are at Putin’s care for Muslims, both in Russia and abroad).
Is Assad an Orthodox Christian?
Nope, he is a Muslim.
But he is a friend of the Orthodox Church.
The Saker
He is an Alawi, a very different arm of Shia. They don’t pray 5 times a day, they don’t fast in Ramadan, they don’t even go to mosques but have their own temples where both men and women pray (and dance and sing) together. They drink wine and sing in these prayers very much like in black churches in the US.
Most religious sunnis consider them infidels, even supposedly moderate ones.
All shia are Alawi, the followers of Imam Ali. The correct and scholarly name for Assad and is “Aliallahi”, meaning those who believe Imam Ali to have been the personification of God, the same way, that christians believe Jesus too be God. These were once true shia but through the last 1400 years had to hide their identity from the muslim sunni rulers. In order to save their lives they did try to adapt and hid their shia faith by doing things in order to throw suspicion from themselves and their family members. In time they changed into what they are today. Anybody who knows the life of Imam Ali, knows that in the history of mankind, there has never been another like him in every aspect of life, so much so much so, that when he was assassinated by a jew with a poisonous sword, some shia elevated him to godhood!
Maybe you will find this story interesting with regards to the love us shia for Imam Ali: I had a lucid dream once, where I found myself in a hall with doors to both side. At every door stood a prophet of God. I recognized Moses and greeted him in awe. At the next door I greeted Jesus and at the next door I saw Mohammad. He invited me in. I shook his hand and was shaken by his presence. Behind him I saw Ali and jumped and hugged him and whispered in his ears: “Do you know how much I love you?” Then a fear took over as if I had done something wrong. I took a step back and asked our Prophet; “Is it ok, that I love him more?” Our prophet laughed and said, that he loved him too. I could see Imam Hussein behind them, but I woke up from the dream. According to us shia God created everything and all life for the sake our prophet, his daughter Fatima, Imam Ali and their sons Imam Hassan and Imam Hussein. And even when Adam repented, he was only forgiven after saying their names before God for forgiveness. If you are interested you can read the book “Imam Ali the voice of human justice” by the great late lebanese christian George Jordac. Very interesting story about the love of the lebanese christians for Imam Ali and him spending his life studying Imam Ali.
Well, one thing the last year has given me is a great respect for the Syrian people, no matter their creed. And a great respect for Shia religion in Iran.
And the reason I do not particularly give respect to Shia or Alawite religion in Syria. Is because Syria resisted the Jihadis by being Syrian, not by being sectarian.
A good vision – a “lucid dream” is another name for a vision.
You were granted a brief tour of the inhabitants of the “The Green Island in the White Sea”. A great favour.
Next time, perhaps you’ll see and hear more… and perhaps also ask why you were so favoured.
Sir as per my understanding Imam Ali was not killed by a Jew it was khawarij they also prayed and read Quran
Not all ShIa are Alawi, you are born alawi, cannot become.
I have read on other sites 80 US dead and 200 wounded, planes, helicopters, infrastructure destroyed, all missals hit their targets, Patriots were jammed electronically, possibly Keshe Technology. Hezbollah Lebanon up to bat next.
I read the same last night. Possible scenario? This was no symbolic attack. Trump had enuf time to realize the world was against his actions and Rouhani assured him of an Israeli hit if another tit came after the Iranian justified tat. The hit was worse than Trump is saying. How could he admit our troops were killed and do nothing? After all, 10,000 non-Jews are not worth a Jewish fingernail. He had to protect Israel, had to trust the Iranians were serious, had to save face to the world. Personally, I don’t believe for a second this hit was symbolic and there were no casualties. Doesn’t add up no matter how I play it.
No, this is a military battle, nothing any politician says makes any difference until the military(s) agrees. And those military’s dont like each other either. Either the U.S. troops start packing up the plantation and leave in rather short order, then make a settlement over the assets, or you can pretty much kiss the israel’s day goodbye by the time it over.
This was a region where the human race was meant to grow from seed, not settle overdue adult human race problems.
“10,000 non-Jews are not worth a Jewish fingernail”.
Or, as Muslims might think, the entire US government and armed forces are not worth General Soleimani’s shoes.
@ Tom Welsh
Yes.
You painted good picture of relations.
… ” entire us government… “…
But there is another picture behind one you painted.
There is no usa government. USA is just private property of world masters.
Just paid clerks acting as politicians , government.
Those actors as government are just acting , pretending to rule .
They are just obediant slaves to world masters , world deep state.
So called ” armed forces” are also private army of world deep state , by no means of usa citizens.
I agree with you. But someday this too shall pass. How? First Americans will have to realize that the MSM they unquestionably trust for information is their mortal enemy. Then things will get interesting.
When you accept that gangsters are ruling our country then it all makes perfect sense.
US-MIL is mercenary army cultivated by the ANZ (angle-nazi-zionism) , hell the entire pentagon is plastered of photos of “Israel First”, this has been in your face since the Bush (Zionist) days.
The USA has been a Corporation since the US Civil War 1860’s Lincoln had to borrow to financed the war, that the ANZ had engineered in the first place, old story get two teams to fight each other, then either way ANZ wins the outcome. Lincoln had to sign DC, and the entire USA corporation over to the city of london for finance. Think “East India Company”, USA began as a UK prison colony, and post slavery became a private corporation, where the citizens were chattel. Today the ANZ wants a 90% reduction in USA population, as 330M are not needed the plan is 50M with Trumps Wall, Just like Israel.
ANZ knows that the USA (JUSA) is almost dead, in debt, drugged out people, breeding going to zero because of the LGBT push, morality & marriage destroyed decades ago. USA is to be sacrificed and China&Russia know this fact, they only need to wait this out.
Iran is smart, when they say “Destroy Israel”, they mean destroy tel-aviv, and say all the google/intel plants, they don’t mean to destroy the 100’s of Billions of US-Dollar investments (China&Russia) in Israel say the Ashdod Port.
There is only one battle here, the fight over “Greater Israel” by the two Jew Teams, one the Soros team, the other the Adelson team ( owner of netanyahu ); There is a fine balance here for China-Israel to control the muslims, and somehow manage the Sunni-Shia conflict, main problem is that Israel support the Sunni. If Putin&Xi could somehow get Israel & the Shia on the same boat, e.g. paid whores to the ANZ then all would be fine & dandy. Many would argue that the Saudi-Wahabi are ANZ.
ANZ setup modern Russia & China, but the culling in the 1940’s & 1950’s in both country’s 30M non-ANZ perished, forever eliminating their enemy’s, just like ANZ did in the USA during the civil war.
The USA is kaput, the only question outstanding is, “How big is Greater Israel going to be??”
Here’s another idea, given the USA population to be reduced by 90% by 2025 (ANZ planning since 1950’s), why not say destroyed Israel (Tel-Aviv) ship all the Jews to the USA once the Goy are reduced 90%, then Jews become a majority, the Sunnis would be happy. All would be good for the MENA.
also – at about 1pm PST another two missiles hit Iraq Green Zone – which is where the parliament buildings are – Israel probably in my own thinking…
The problem is that they did not do significant damage to the base(s). Warning the Americans ahead to protect lives was fine, but the damage had to be significant for the Americans to take them seriously, especially, since the Americans did not seem to try to take out the incoming missiles.
The US will continue to provoke, possibly assasinating more officials. They are unlikely to leave. They have the Iraqi president on their side.
I think the Americans definitely DID take them seriously, are you kidding, a day or so ago, 52 targets were going to be destroyed to now “no war”?
Also, I think there is a kind of cultural thing going on in America whereby you really have to SHOW that you are winning by the amount of damage you done.
I think the fact that sooo many people are saying that Iran is weak, they shouldn’t have notified the swiss embassy, they should have done more damage, etc. this is a good sign for Iran and Iraq. The US is thinking they have overcome their enemy.
Just no way! I suspect that keeping your eye on the red flag will show us when it is really over.
I agree 100%. They did take them seriously, especially in Israel.
On another note, my feeling is Iranians scored well by apparently eliminating number if ‘ABC” operatives in those bases, plus, someone suggested previous post that Ukie Boeing leaving Teheran was full of them as well. If true, they did get hurt badly.
Red flag is stil on!
The Ukie Boeing was carrying students to Canada and other people to other places. It most likely was a problem with the Boeing. https://torontosun.com/news/world/boeing-737-with-180-aboard-crashes-in-iran-report/wcm/d7e472ad-20ce-481e-9391-7dad8ad4c2af
Do you think the British or Israelis or Americans would ever admit to having lost a number of their agents on that plane?
I suspect the Iranians did it. For them, 160+ Iranians sacrificed for a handful of Western agents is not such a bad deal! They have another value system. They are prepared for sacrifice – even if their own brethren and relatives are on board. They are not a bunch of sissies.
Not sissies but manifestly Godless. An Orthodox adherent would know this, right?
@ Alfred
…. ” i suspect iranians did it … ” ….
” highely likely “… as most of passangers were jews , but all of them were cia/mossad spies , in process of evacuating territory of future war actions.
Therefore iranians possibly could not let them leave away. Escape justice.
Even iranians mentioned as sacrifised , were jews , as there are many jews in iran , just pretending to be iranians , but jews in origin. So those iranians were jews.
Indicative is that plane belonged to top and only real oligarh in ukraina , ruler of ukraina , also jew. So jew network was in process of rescue mission.
Also , boeing planes are prepared to have remote control device that could fly a plane without pilots inside plane cabin could even know about it, not to mention auto_pilot.
If iranians were able to control usa military drone that is ten times more complicated to override , taking control of civilian boeing is child game.
It’s a difficult time for everyone, with conflicting news and disinformation flying in all directions. What are we to believe?
Luckily we have the Toronto Sun, that unfailing source of absolute truth, to rely on.
There are allegations that the Boeing was shot down by an IRGC missile. https://twitter.com/BabakTaghvaee/status/1214974920263979009
Actually it was western liberals that took Trump serious, they believed he was crazy and would take the world on the brink of Armageddon. Result is liberals/globalists now suddenly want the USA out of the Atlantic Empire which is what Trump’s goal was all along.
I am hoping the red flag does mean something. So far the Iranians have not done anything. The US already knew Iranian missiles can hit targets. Unfortunately, they haven’t shown that they can carry through on a threat. They have demonstrated weakness from a US point of view. And it is the US point of view that matters. They are the opposition. The message needs to clear, not ambiguous.
Yes, let’s hope the red flag is still flying.
Good point about the 52 targets!
thank you
I will mention it in my next update.
The Saker
This “cultural thing” about american military success I think goes back to Vietnam – prior to which the focus was on “hearts & minds”, replaced now by “Body count”.
“a day or so ago, 52 targets were going to be destroyed to now “no war” ” – I was going to make the same point but you nailed it nicely. Incredible 180 degree turn even for Trump.
As I’ve said before it is the threat to Israel (chemical plants, Dimona, etc) that has the effect. Israel knows its “iron dome” will be useless and Iran doesn’t need nukes to effect huge lasting damage to Israel.
Iran knows who gives Trump is marching orders and it is Israel. Tens of thousands of dead Israelis is not something the Zionists want. They will fight to the last American.
It put the scare into everyone. US senators were praying on Twitter. European leaders were probably shitting bricks. The European military and EU foreign policy is coming. They didn’t like the feeling that they had last night. I guarantee you.
Europe did not like this. Some idiots think this will draw Europe closer to the US in the short term. No. It will do the opposite.
I dont believe there was zero casualties but it doesnt matter. This put the scare in all the right people.
Damage report by TheWarZone says that Iran has very good accuracy
http://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/31769/satellite-images-show-the-aftermath-of-irans-missile-strikes-on-al-assad-air-base-in-iraq
Now it really depends on what the Empire of Rats and its vassels do. If they show deescalation then it is a good sign. If they double down, and increase the pressure on Iran and for example increase the sanctions (which is also a form of warfare to which Iran has not an appropriate answer) then…
The trolling is strong on this blog today.
Whats with the airliner disaster killing 176 people in Iran? Coincidence?
What about Trumps promise to commit ISIS-like war crime (52 cultural sites)? He will pretend it never happened?
Also I disagree Iran wanted to humiliate US, they warned Iraqis (i.e. US) beforehand, hence no causalities. It was a wise and responsible act by actual statesmen compared to clowns in US.
Most likely MH17 3.0
Just like MH17 and the Russia/Egypt flight bombing. The timing was toooo perfect. Makes Iran look bad. CIA sleepers bugged it to crash after takeoff at the perfect time. Ukraine airline is an easy target
There may be an element to blame Iran whatever…..”expert” !interviewed sky re perhaps Iran EW weapons defences and things flying around might have bugged affected the planes systems. I suspect other airplanes took off landed without any problems though.
Lots of boohooing in Swedish MSM stating 10 Swedes were among the passengers. Someone supposedly killing innocent air travellers ”by BUK or by crook” again.
We should all be alert for Bellingcat and its “photographs” showing the route by which a BUK launcher was driven from Irkutsk to Tehran just in time to shoot down the 737.
Yet another reason for independent sovereign countries and their airlines not to buy American aircraft, computers or equipment.
Never say never, but I fail to see the rationale for either the Empire or, for that matter, Iran wanting to hurt a Ukie civilian liner.
Sometimes the simplest explanation makes most sense, no?
Kind regards
The Saker
Part of information war.
I see the rationale for the empire to do this. Imagine the information agenda today without this. The main story would be that for the first time probably in the last 30 years somebody dared to bomb US base. What a humiliation. It does not matter how branded, it looks catastrophic from informational point of view. So, another story was needed.
Probably, inside job from Iran. Bad image for Iran. Also, Ukrainian because fantastic presumptions that evil Russians may be behind it sounds desirable.
Possible prove – just look on today’s highlights in Ziomedia. The main topic is not messianic’s PR disaster in Iraq, but dropping airplane story. If that would happen (arranged) anywhere else it would be very easily debunked, but here it is in dirty water and easier to sell.
Cheers.
Neither do I. My question comes from the timing and circumstances of this catastrophe. Pure speculation: could be either Iranian mistake (they were prepared for US retaliatory air attack and made a mistake in a tense situation) or some Saudi terrorist/Israel sleeper cell hoping to bring some oil into so much desired war.
@The Saker: what was the rationale to kill Suleimani (not for Trump, but for the warhawks around Pompeo & Bolton)? To force Iranian retaliation which then leads to war.
Downing an airplane near Tehran with mostly Iranians aboard could follow the same logic. Of course, they wouldn’t publicly own up to it, unlike when murdered Suleimani. They would pretend it was by “accident”. Nobody in Iran would believe them, of course and people would demand more retaliation, spoling Iran’s masterfully executed de-escalation of last night.
That’s why we are unlikely to hear the truth about that plane crash anytime soon, IF it was shot down.
I regard a shot down higly unlikely, though. Perhaps a bomb aboard? Or , indeed, engine falure? But then why no call from the pilots to air control?
In any case, be prepared for false flags by interested parties. Not of the kind that Iran will be blamed foer. But of the kind that would force Iran’s hand to retaliate.
Apparently Mr. Contractor was really an undercover general who most likely was the center of private operations, a very necessary person to keep the offensive up to speed. So basically it was an eye and for an eye, one a private eye and the other a public eye.
This story says the contractor was a recently naturalized Iraqi who worked as an interpreter: Nawres Hamid, 33, an interpreter who was born in Iraq and lived in Sacramento, was naturalized in 2017. His wife was interviewed…
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/contractor-whose-death-trump-cited-was-a-naturalized-us-citizen-born-in-iraq/ar-BBYIWiO?ocid=spartandhp
The crash of a Ukraine International Airlines flight does seem a strange coincidence. The “experts” are saying it was an accidental shoot down and Iran isn’t releasing the black box to Boeing, as they don’t trust that the findings wouldn’t be manipulated to falsely implicate them (and fair enough, really).
The timing is oddly coincidental, though. And, not to be too foily, but Trump threatened “52 targets” in Iran, Rouhani then tweeted in response, “Those who refer to the number 52 should also remember the number 290. #IR655” (i.e., referring to the 290 victims of Iran Air Flight 655), and then the flight that goes down in the middle of this latest crisis is Ukraine Air PS752. So, Ukraine and 52, again?
However, there are other factors which point to a mechanical failure. According to the StarTribune, the flight was delayed from take-off for nearly an hour and had just received routine maintenance two days before. What prompted the delay? Were there issues with the plane? And a recent maintenance seems suspicious. It wouldn’t be the first time a mechanic inadvertently damaged something, compromising the aircraft. The article also mentioned that while PS752 was a 737-800, and the 737-800 is not a 737 MAX, “The 737-800s have been the subject of inspections and repairs since last year, after airlines started reporting cracks in a part that keeps the wings attached to the fuselage.”
Since this raises the spectre of the MH17 crash, I’ll add that a new documentary film has emerged that includes testimony and evidence from former Lieutenant Colonel Vasily Prozorov of the Ukrainian Security Services, who fled to Russia and points the finger squarely at Poroshenko and the British Secret Service.
Hmmm. “[C]racks in a part that keeps the wings attached to the fuselage” – AND Ukrainian maintenance.
I wouldn’t go within a mile of it.
it does not compute that the Iranians would take out a civilian aircraft…sich behaviour appears to be outside the orientation of the Iranian Islamic regime
also to engage in such behavior would be the most massive incredible and devastating hypocrissy if the world ever found out. Iran would have been cursing the great satan as satan, and is satan itself.
this appears to me to be just what the Ukies have indicated when I read of it..mechanical failure. dont buy american planes. theiur technology and workmanship is now now far from as good as it used to be
Mojo…your last comment about the involvement of the British squares perfectly with a comment i read at the time in the British media, where a journalist mentioned that he asked a British Government Minister to clarify some issues about the Russian airliner that crashed in the Sinai – the journalist was more-or-less told “you had better keep your nose out of this, or else you may regret it” ….
There was also the spontaneous comment by Philip Hammond who crowed jubilantly “THIS will teach the Russians a lesson”…i heard him say it on national TV…
Thirdly, David Cameron – as Prime Minister – was asked about the crash and his response implied that he knew exactly where the bomb had been placed (and this was even before it was confirmed that it WAS a bomb)…
so…in the financial world, the art of triangulation of data is now the norm in using algorithms…
…that makes three comments by British government ministers who seemed to know a lot more about the issue – and even seemed to delight in the Russian deaths…
One would have to be extremely naive (which is not, however, uncommon) to believe that the timing of the Boeing 737 crash in Teheran was coincidental.
The one doubt I had was because of the high number of Canadian nationals on board. Would Uncle Sam deliberately murder a large number of Canadians just to punish Iran? Russians, Germans, Spaniards – no problem. But Canadians? No, he wouldn’t.
But I have now heard on CNN what should have appeared to be the likely scenario anyway, that the bulk of them or maybe all of them were Iranian students having been granted Canadian citizenship, so dual nationals.
I assume the rest of the victims (Brits, Swedes, etc) were mostly of Iranian descent as well. Maybe going back to study after the christmas holiday break.
An effective way to destroy an airliner mid-air is to asymmetrically activate thrust inversion. The airframe is not built to withstand the resulting shear forces. Mid-air disintegration ensues, which can easily lead to fire before impact.
» On 26 May 1991, the thrust reverser on the No.1 engine of the Boeing 767-300ER operating the flight deployed in flight without being commanded, causing the aircraft to spiral out of control, break up, and crash, killing all 213 passengers and the 10 crew members on board. «
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lauda_Air_Flight_004
Few people have inside knowledge of avionics (= airplane electronics), but to the average tech dude, two ways to issue the command to trigger thrust inversion should be immediately apparent: (1) a software update prior to take-off, involving, for example, an altitude trigger, or (2) a crypted command & control radio link. The second option is more flexible, but both would do the job. The fact stands that there is nothing magic about it, and the tech to make this work is around us all the time.
The manufacturers Boeing and GE Aviation/Safran for the engine would have to be complicit in this in one way or another. Not in the particular execution, but in providing the capability. Many years ago Boeing even advertised the “Boeing Uninterruptible autopilot”.
Chances are the Ukrainian airline’s owner is also complicit in one way or another. His name is Igor Kolomoiski, a Jewish Ukrainian oligarch.
For me, there is reason to believe that this is the latest instalment in a series of airliner terrorism committed by Uncle Sam. Such terrorism is used “to send a message” to some national leadership not to meddle with Uncle Sam or, in the case of Germany, not to disobey, or, as Obama put it: “We occasionally have to twist the arms of countries that wouldn’t do what we need them to do.”
Germanwings 9525, 3/24/15, Airbus A320-211, French Alpes, “co-pilot suicide”
Metrojet/Kogalymavia 9268, 10/31/15 (Halloween), Airbus A321, Sinai, “most likely onboard explosive device”
FlyDubai 981, 3/19/16, Boeing 737-800, Rostov/Don, “aircraft configuration and pilot error”
UIA PS752, 1/7/20, Boeing 737-800, Tehran, “???”
I have read on other sites 80 US dead and 200 wounded, planes, helicopters, infrastructure destroyed, all missals hit their targets, Patriots were jammed electronically, possibly Keshe Technology. Hezbollah Lebanon up to bat next. Iran states this is not over until all US Military vacates the ME.
I think the war will continue inside the US. Not by Iran nor anyone else but the Americans themselves. It’ll be a painful process to adapt to their new reality after so much fantasy. I hope they can walk that path safely for them and for others.
Saker,
if all is well and everybody is content for Iran to have delivered something merely symbolic, why still 80%?
You obviously imply there is more to come down the pike, right?
I wonder if Iran only wanted to win some time to prepare for a strike that REALLY hurts.
I am quite certain that there is MUCH more to come.
The Axis of Resistance has made it quite clear: they want Uncle Shmuel to leave the ME.
It WILL happen.
The only known is how long that will take.
At least this is my (provisional) conclusion.
Kind regards
The Saker
The red flag over the mosque is still flying.
Therefore all is NOT well.
It a strategic cessation of fire.
“I can imagine how pissed Alt-Righters are at Putin’s care for Muslims, both in Russia and abroad”
A statement like this proves beyond shadow of a doubt that Saker doesn’t actually know very much about the Alt Right and that he takes his cues on what to think about it from the globalist media. That’s a shame. The Alt Right is 4-square against all these wars and is 4-square on the side of Iran, Syria and the resistance. The Saker is not usually intellectually lazy, but to claim the Alt Right would be mad about Russia building relations with the Shia just is a massive, massive display of misinformed/disinformed ignorance.
https://russia-insider.com/en/putin-may-look-ethno-nationalist-hes-too-cozy-russias-muslim-minority/ri26942
QED
The Saker
i seem to agree with you dear saker that this is verrrrry far from over. why? soleimani’s death kick started his hero worship. blood for blood. the persian zealots will soon spread out around the globe and commence acts to humiliate trump before his coming re-election. the stupid murderer didn’t understand that he has become a marked man by the fanatics. i won’t be surprised if pretty female suicide bombers will try to penetrate his security and harm him or his family.
Suicide bombes are not the modus operandi if Iran. It is predominantly a salafist/whabist phenomen.
Lagopus- with that 80 million dollar bounty on Trump’s head, there may be a change in the modus operandi of quite a few folks.
I like the show of “attitude”, definitely.
Trump talked about how the Iraqis must “pay” the US for the air bases in Iraq should the US leave. (!) ~~ (what part of “leave and get out” do the Yanks fail to understand?) Let’s see, now, Mr Trump, big real estate man — how much is a wrecked air base really worth these days, especially with the wrecked aircraft and toxic residues from the “burn pits” factored in?
“Trump talked about how the Iraqis must “pay” the US for the air bases in Iraq should the US leave”.
The legal agreements governing the US occupation state clearly that all bases and permanent infrastructure built by the USA in Iraq remains Iraqi property.
All that has to be done is to pry the Yanks out of it. Which will be done, one way or another. The easy way or the hard way.
I don’t see an Iranian retaliation happening in US soil. Everyone is on high alert about those “damned iranians” and is open season to spy/infringe on everyone’s privacy. 0 Chance of any iranians doing anything on US soil.
Having said that I have a bit of a prediction as to what will happen in the very near future. I base my prediction on the fact that 1) those who lay down with dogs get up with fleas. 2) The anglo zionists/deep state still despise Trump for trying to usurp their power.
So with the new threat of “Iranian retaliation” in the midst, the deep state has perfect cover to literally take out Trump or even their less obedient stooges at any time they want and no one (in the controlled media) will bat an eye because it can be conveniently blamed on the Iranians. Sucks for Trump, but he walked right into a trap. He has given the CIA/Mossad the perfect cover to deal with him if he ever gets out of line or better yet: to get their much coveted war with iran.
Tragic but I am sure Zion Don is fine with such a fate.
If there is retaliation on US soil (unlikely, since the US strike was not on Iranian soil), then it will be aimed at some kind of top official, not tourists in Disneyland.
The Saker
This US withdrawal is under pressure from Russian forces who are trying to prevent Trump and Saudi-Aramco from exploiting Syria’s 12 new oil and gas fields discovered by American SAR satellites. Aramco has set up operations south of this area and expects, with the help of US Army as mercenaries, aided by ISIS, to tap into this massive reserves. You just can’t make stuff like this up. We didn’t. It is 100% true.
Hasaka, SANA- U.S. occupation forces have evacuated their illegitimate base in al-Malikiya area near the Syrian-Iraqi-Turkish borders after about six months of their presence at the base, northeast of Hasaka. From Veterans Today.
I appreciate the time you are taking in keeping us up to date. Thank you!
Iran’s goal is to get the United States out of the region. They have yet to achieve their goal, which is the price Iran expects America to pay for killing their general. No blood was “believed” to have been spilled during the attacks, yet the red flag of revenge still flies over Iran. I agree that this event is far from over.
I wonder who was hidden amongst the passengers on the plane that crashed? It’s kind of strange that they were allowed in the sky when missiles were flying towards Iraq.
Doubt that the US will take the hint of any ‘symbolic’ strikes. Neither will they leave over any non-binding Iraqi resolution. Paul Craig Roberts assessment of the US mentality is probably right. This will be interpreted as Iranian weakness and ineffectual. Iran is damned if they do or don’t. Unless there has been any behind the scenes arrangement for a dog and pony show to deescalate things for both sides to thump their chests for their gullible public and declare victory, this just icentivizes the US to carry out casual strikes again when the winds die down and repeat the pattern.
I think we can be pretty much sure that behind the scenes something was worked out between the Iranians and Trump. I mean, seriously: Trump was tweeting likea mad man and when the reports about Iran’s missile attack came in, he instantly tweeted “all is well”. He was prepared for the event, its magnitude and his response.
I think more than ever before that Trump had no idea what he was doing when he ordered to murder Suleimani. (Just listening to his speech today was utterly painful. So many outlandish lies in there and I am sure that Trump genuinely believed everyone of them) Imho saner people in D.C. and the Russians, Chinese and Iranians behind the scenes explained to Trump what mess he had created.
Trump’s #1 priority is re-election, followed by #2 pleasing his zio masters (Adelson, AIPAC, Bibi…).
Heaven knows, what the orange fuehrer will do once he gets a second term (a 50:50 affair, imho).
Lindsey Graham and Pompeo are pissed mightily. I could imagine that Pompeo’s days as secretary of state are numbered.
“Lindsey Graham and Pompeo are pissed mightily”.
Good! I hope they explode (seriously).
Agreed. If Trump wasn’t careful, he could’ve tanked his re-election chances.
Soleimani isn’t some ISIS leader like Al-Baghdadi who everyone on every side hates and wouldn’t care if the US dropped an anvil on his head.
It’s possible that Trump was being set up, and the deep state may have seen an opportunity to kill two birds with one stone.
I also assumed that Trump wouldn’t do anything rash until a 2nd term where he doesn’t have to worry about re-election. Though I’m starting to believe that the US Presidency is just a figurehead, and that it’s possible that neither Bush, nor Obama, nor Trump were aware of the full extent of anything that was going on, and just sign off on whatever the military puts in front of them with copious amounts of BS ketchup that doing so will make them look good. But I believe in the case of Bush and Obama, the two knew their place and were more ready to play ball than Trump, which is likely why they’re so desperate to get rid of him as he’s the wild card in the deck.
Thanks for reporting dear Saker.
All of official statements of the west are of no value as they are addressing well indoctrinated audience and the results show it, Rambo syndrome of sort is prevalent.
We witnessed back pedaling more than once “attacking cultural sites” etc. There is no firm plan in place and a party to the conflict with a sound doctrine is a horse I would bet my money.
As it was observed before, none of the missiles were intercepted, that fact is very important and I am sure it is discussed by GIs on ground and operators of iron dome as well.
Western public opinion is certainly a lost cause. So it’s fortunate that it doesn’t matter.
In the past, it was important to get public opinion behind any planned war. But today everything is automated, it all happens very quickly, and if necessary the public can simply be lied to. (As we have seen the US government and MSM do today as regards the damage to US bases).
Even if enough citizens got angry and wanted to change government policy, they couldn’t. Letters to representatives and senators will meet with soothing replies and inaction. The punters can vote only for candidates who support the official policies – there are no other choices. They can’t even riot: Homeland Security alone has several bullets for every single US man, woman and child.
“Western public opinion is certainly a lost cause. So it’s fortunate that it doesn’t matter”
So is western public itself. we devolved into mentality of single cell organism.
I strongly support draft as a temporary ephedrine pill to the masses topped by mandatory reading of All Quiet on the Western Front by Remarque.
And let me throw this one in just for good measure;
“There are none more hopelessly enslaved than those who falsely believe they are free.”
Goethe
Just saying
It mostly showed that US military power is bloated, fictional, Hollywood made. They are good in fighting some African tribes with sticks but they can’t pair with Iranians, to say nothing about Russians who have superior missiles. Americans simply got scared as Iranians did what they said would do.
“African tribe with sticks” you mean like the Somalis in Blackhawk down? Or the other dead American soldiers in Kenya, Niger and just now Kenya again.
Racism and white nationalism is why anti-zionist movements will never gain any traction and will remain an online ghetto of white male fantasists.
Zionism’s greatest allies have always been white racists and the discourse of “war against Empire“ simply must be moved from the neonazi/altright space if it has any chance of succeeding.
Curiosity, totally on my part, what colour are Zionists? There is only one evil power, Zionism, colour be damned!
Funny how the MSM and the Joe sixpacks will even believe this crap. The commander in Tweet wants us to get rid of the JCPOA, and declares that Iran ‘may’ never possess nuclear weapons, while the JCPOA was exactly designed and negotiated for that (and the posession of those by Pakistan is not so much of a problem?).
This is all about Israel and the Shia crescent, which they have created themselves by destroying Iraq.
I’ve read a lot of excellent articles and ditto comments the last days, and first absorbed it to let the dust settle down a bit (There will be a lot of dust, though, the coming time). I agree that Iran will try to get the US out of Iraq, which makes their presence in Syria then also impossible.
What I think the US (on orders from Tel Aviv) want, is an extended JCPOA whereby Iran also gets rid of all its missiles. This is NEVER going to happen. So, we have a Mexican standoff again. Developing…
Btw Saker, hadn’t said it yet, but thanks for your efforts the last days and a happy Christmas and all the best for your family.
Cheers, Rob
Iran victorious!
It seems like it has dawned on Trump what he was about to do! Someone must have given him a brief on the cost in lives, dollars and prestige if they go to war against Iran. And maybe someone explained to him what “exit strategy” actually means.
I commend the Iranian leadership for their restrain and ability for long-term thinking. They have performed a very limited retaliation, in accordance with international laws (a limited attack, striking military targets). And it seems like it is limited enough to avoid an escalation, which would not play in their favour. Now, they may have a space where they might develop the new forged unity into a long-term cooperation. They will not be able to throw out USA from West Asia tomorrow, but over time, they will.
But, notice, Iran struck US military installations in a direct attack, and the world seems to accept it as a restrained retaliation. There are some weak condemnations that cannot be consider more than lip service to the hegemon.
So, the US assassination of a Iranian hero-general resulted in a unification of Shiite forces, a pronounced determination of working together to throw USA out of West-Asia, barely hidden sympathy for the Iranian government even from staunch allies of USA, acceptance of a direct military confrontation with US forces and unuttered commendations for restrain in their retaliations!
How this is going to play out for USA and Trump in the days to follow is not clear to me, but they now face a united opposition from the Shiite community, they have alienated Iraq to the point where I doubt there will be a return, and they have experienced that Iran are able to reach their bases. The latter would be a shock to many if they were able to understand the difference between missile attacks and IEDs. (They both explode, so it may be too much to ask that they are able to differ between them.)
The only concern I have is that the power-behind, having been thwarted their war with Iran, set their sights on Russia again.
This is not over until US forces leave the Middle East. Not at all. The final demand from Iran and Iraq is for the US to leave the ME. Final, over. Before that, not over.
Trump called for NATO to get involved, in other words he wants to try and create a quagmire and a continual war. (What about the ‘strongest military in the world’ now crying for NATO? – somehow the ‘coalitions’ are just not working for the US any longer.)
Europe can leave the JPCOA – in fact they are now only a pita. The alternative arrangements have been made and I don’t think even one transaction went through the alternative financial mechanism that was set up .. too little, too late.
I usually watch Tump’s major speeches and usually he is admirably energetic, but for this one the man looks clapped out, tired, short of breath and there was very little conviction in his speech, excepting the first sentence. “As long as I am president, Iran will not have nuclear weapons.” That is not even the issue and is just for his internal audience.
Mr Putin exemplified Strength through Peace. Imagine, going into the ME at this time when the missiles are flying .. and not running home. (I must admit, I wanted him to run home for his own safety!)
This here is a beautiful piece. https://www.stalkerzone.org/iranian-symphony/
Amarynth, thanks for that Link to Alexandr Rodgers piece. As you say, beautiful; a finely honed blade of glittering Damascus steel.
What a shame . Proportional retaliation for the death of a real hero, beloved son of Khameny ……destruction of a few wooden shack ! Let’s hoop that the US agreed to leave Iraq and Syria in the deal : We kill nobody but you’ll leave. If it’s not that, Iran will be cover with shame.
Don’t make such provocative statements. Iranian military might is absolutely no match to US. Sitting in cozy chair, in safety, and hoping for thousands of people to die for the sake of your entertainment – that’s absolutely sickening. We must hope and we will be glad if there won’t be any further escalation.
Anon,
I agree with that. No one should want blood. The way to bring down the Empire is to let it collapse. That is ongoing.
For instance, in the United States right now, the “repurchase market” for overnight loans to banks has been in trouble since September. No one seems to know what the problem is.
But it might be that trillion-a-year deficits are soaking up so much financial capital that there is not enough money left to fund overnight lending.
On the other hand, it might be that hedge funds are engaging in so much speculative leveraged finance that it is soaking up too much capital.
It might be that a major financial institution is about to go down – as happened with Bear Stearns in 2008.
Who knows?
What we do know is that the Federal Government is running unsustainable deficits. We do know that a good deal of the financial markets – rather than engaging in productive lending – are engaging in what can only be called casino capitalism. We do know that many Western banks are in serious trouble including most of the major banks in Italy and Deutsche Bank in Germany. And we do know that if the overnight lending system goes down, it is 2008 all over again.
That is just one sector – the financial system – that is so riddled with corruption that it could go any day. The same is true in almost every sector in the West – politics, government, education, medicine, media and so on.
The collapse of the empire is only a matter of time. We don’t need to “oil it with blood” to bring it down. We just have to wait.
The money is going to past promises and actually could last quite a while (the bernake inflate your way out), or at least until the citizens of said country’s get tired of being taxed to death.
And they seem rather content at present, more worried about a war that most likely wont take place, or an impeachment that most likely wont take place.
Remember too the Chinese are also in the mode of this same monetary inflation effect since the $/yuan rate has not changed much over the years, but they then are accused of manipulating their currency, so the world is awash in liquidity making me skeptable about too many collapses other than politically moral ones.
Alabama,
There is a huge difference between American spending and Chinese spending. In America the money is (well over 5 trillion) is being completely wasted on senseless wars and on weaponry. In China (which I have been to three times in the past 10 years) they have rebuilt and improved infrastructure, housing and industry on a monumental scale.
In short, there will be no positive return on the money spent by America. However, there will be enormous positive return on the money spent by China. And a “positive return” that is the only legitimate use of debt. If debt cannot make a positive return to be used to pay off interest and principal, it will eventually bring down the system. That is what the US is doing.
Accordingly, I don’t think that the comparison is valid.
On the other hand, China does indeed has demographic problems. The population is simply not sustainable. It has to be brought down and that will entail generational conflict. But that problem also exists in the Western World, as well as China. It is simply that China is building up infrastructure and industry and will thus have a cushion to fall back on. By contradistinction, the United States is not only wasting capital, they are allowing their infrastructure and industry to waste into collapse.
I agree but why boasting that much ! You must agree that they lost some creditibility even if they had probably no other possibility.
You sound like a kid who played too much computer games. Do you realize lives of thousands, potentially millions of people, are on stake? Nobody gives a damn about your or someone else’s take on their supposed “credibility”. This is not a schoolyard to look “tough”! What we care about is lives of Iranians and people elsewhere. Iranians, as a wise statesmen, did what they could with their limited options, without actually starting a war: they responded militarily and publicly, yet without killing anyone – *that* is a true humanism and care for human life. Compare this to routine bombings of weddings or hospitals like US murder machine does.
I feel your disappointment, kid, but this is not a computer game, you chickenhawk.
People who never saw WHAT is a war, but cheer for it, drive me mad.
“Iranian military might is absolutely no match to US.”
Are you sure about that ?
@Harry_Red: When it comes to courage, sacrifice and determination, the US military will is no match for the Iranians.
When it comes to the capability of destroying and inflicting damage on the opponent, then the US rank vastly higher. Not even a contest.
Unfortunately, the latter factor is the more important one in the initial stages and can wipe out a lot of the former, before courage and determination start to matter.
The US will never dare to conquer Iran. Unfortunately, they don’t need to in order to destroy it.
We are not witnessing opening overture, barely coat check chimes while opponent is trumpeting at fools parade.
Longer GIs stay longer the satisfaction of revenge, administered cold headed.
Sort of like, I don’t kick you out of my bar for throwing your shoe at my bottle rack before you do my dishes for a while.
Just saying
Precious metaphorical jewels from a gifted wordsmith. Appreciated.
Emile. This is over when the red flag comes down. That will happen when the US and allies are out of the Middle East. Until then expect a lot more attacks or various types.
Mr. Saker
I want to express my sincere and deep condolences to you, that you had to sit and listen to Mark Esper and the idiot-in-chief! It is truly nauseating!
Their lies and arrogance know no bounds and are relentless. And it has thoroughly washed over and infected large parts of the Alt-media and social media. I’ve been getting vilified by these arrogant pions for days now. Sadly, some of the worst come from oath keepers organization. For them it is Boo-Rah, U.S.A., U.S.A., Soleimani was a terrorist blah, blah, blah. Wake me up when a real missile hits.
I think your assessment is exactly correct, though I’m not sure about the 80% scale back. That will be up to the empire. No, it isn’t over and they have no intention of leaving.
It was great to see Mr. Putin and Mr. Shoigu at the Orthodox temple on Christmas with Mr. Assad. This is how peace is pursued. The greatest military in the history of the galaxy, from the greatest country in history, with the greatest economy ever seen only knows how to make demands and make deals by stomping on someone’s throat with a gun to their head and how to destroy nations. But here was the leader of Russia and Turkey, through mutual understanding and cooperation for the benefit of both, launching the Turkstream pipeline! They are proving that it can be done. There can be peace and prosperity. The empire tried to stop it. I’m sure they hate it and will continue to demonize Russia. Be sure, this evil does not rest. I have no doubt they are cooking something up as I type.
I didn’t see Shoigu. The fellow on the left in the uniform didn’t look to me like Shoigu.
Thanks for that video. Great to see it.
Yes, that is one of the ways that peace is made and promises can be made and kept.
The alternative is blasphemous.
Katherine
When I first looked at the picture I said ‘Oh Sergei Shoigu is there also. Now you have me second-guessing. The article doesn’t name who the other officials are so maybe someone with younger eyes has an opinion. He was taking in the iconography above him. It was a comforting image to see in the midst of a possible inferno.
Hi Katherine,
Not a big deal. Just a diversion and curiosity. Here is another picture I stumbled upon. It is certainly Sergey Shoigu with Vladimir Putin in Damascus. Take a look.
https://russian-faith.com/news/putins-orthodox-christmas-visit-damascus-syria-peaceful-while-rest-middle-east-burns-n2670
I agree with the Saker.
This attack was symbolic but this is far from over.
However, from the American side, I’ll add these comments.
There are people in the US State Department and the Pentagon who are smart enough to know that this was only a symbolic strike and meant to save face. These people probably ran frantically to the White House to explain to the Idiot-in-Chief that this was his only hope of getting out of the mess he had created. It was probably explained to him that a US counter attack would eventually end up shutting down Middle East oil supplies and collapsing the Western World’s economy.
Goodbye re-election.
Accordingly, Trump gave a flag waving speech, declared victory and went back to working on his Super Bowl re-election ads.
Where it goes from here, I have no idea.
Agree with you Mike.
This was essentially a face-saving operation by the Iranians. That the Iranian threat was taken seriously is evidenced by some Nato nations, significantly Germany but also others eg Aus, NZ, Norway, Spain, pulling their forces out of harm’s way. The US of course had to stay put and take it on the chin. It would be a PR (and strategic) disaster to do otherwise.
You raise an oft-forgotten point: the ME is a huge source of energy, thus it’s of interest to everyone dependent on it around the globe. Apart from the energy-starved Europeans, other large powers — China and Japan come to mind — are probably working overtime behind the scenes on both sides to cool things down. An all out war would be a disaster for them too. In the meantime, Russia and Turkey have just inaugurated Turkstream and saying to the Europeans, “Hey look what we’ve got”. Merkel has been invited to Russia and after the usual diplomatic niceties, Putin will probably say ‘Now, Frau Merkel, about Nord Stream 2 …’
Pepe Escobar
1 h ·
BOMBSHELL: 242 INJURED US SOLDIERS
Now THAT’s an explanation for those stone-faced military behind Trump.
Haaretz has published that a US aircraft carrying US soldiers wounded by the – very successful – Iranian missile strike landed in Tel Aviv hours ago. Apparently there are as many as 242 INJURED US SOLDIERS – which were taken to Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center Hospital.
Now I’ve got a Patriot missile system to sell you – great price, superb performance.
Hmm. I saw that Marwan Osman had posted something about this number of deaths, also, along with the report from the Israeli reporter, whose account was later blocked. I’m suspicious of anything of Israeli provenance. I still would like to see some analysis of whether or not US engaged AD or tried to and failed.
Frankly this does not make sense at all. All they needed to do was to move their soldiers a few hundred meters away from their comfortable huts. I mean, that is not so very difficult to organize. The Iranians even warned them that they were about to attack.
Are their officers that stupid and arrogant? Heck, I would have just gone out and slept away from the huts even if it meant a court martial.
I do think the Iranian attack on US military bases in Iraq and the destruction of the Ukrainian airplane are linked. If Moon of Alabama is correct and the Iranians had foolishly informed the Swiss Embassy of their plan to hit the Americans in Iraq then that gave the US time to plot the destruction of the civilian aircraft with a heavy loss of Iranian lives. How was that possible? You needed to have a solid presence in Iran to achieve it and the Americans clearly do not have it.
In my book, the finger of suspicion is pointing towards the Indians who masquerade as “friends” of Iran but they have entered into a defence alliance with the US. Indians do have a solid presence in Iran and, under Modi, India is fast becoming a colony of US. If Iran doesn’t kick out its Indians it is going to have its nose bloodied again and again. An ally of US and Israel will only end up stabbing Iran in the back.
A detail posted by Patrick Lang (https://turcopolier.typepad.com/sic_semper_tyrannis/2020/01/trump-moves-to-unite-the-middle-east-irony.html) – interesting but who knows whether it can be taken serious. He is an insider, however, with access to quite some info via his network of ol’boys, and he knows the region well:
“to kill an Iranian general engaged in a diplomatic mission […] in fact some idiot in the DoD included this option in the list of possibilities that was briefed to the CinC in Florida. The decision process in such matters requires that when options are demanded by the CinC the JCS prepares a list supported for each option by fully formulated documentation that enables the president to approve one (or none) and then sign the required operational order. Trump himself chose the death option. I would hold General Milley (CJCS) personally responsible for not striking this option from the list before it reached the CinC.”
IMHO, a very important development is the veto by Russia and China against the UNSC resolution demanded by US on condemning the protests in the Bagdad Green Zone, requiring the protection of their embassy confirmed. The veto is a bold signal, also referring to the bombing of the Chinese embassy in Begrade and the sacking of the SanFran Russian consulte. Basically, it says, you’ve choosen to ignore all rules, now face the consequences.
“I would hold General Milley (CJCS) personally responsible for not striking this option from the list before it reached the CinC.””
This is absolutely my view, which I expanded upon elsewhere.
It simply doesn’t wash for the JCs to have presented a “poison” option and then be “aghast” when Trump chooses that option and push the blame on him.
Particularly when a leak was splashed all over the MSM a year or so ago to the effect that Trump’s closest advisers were regularly neutralizing his decisions because they though that what Trump wanted to do was so out to lunch.
If that is the case and the leak was genuine, wtf happend on January 2? “We regularly stop Trump from doing stuff” does not parse with the advisors’ latest story of being “aghast” when Trump chose the poisoned apple.
Off with their heads!
Katherine
I think the sapience of Mother Russia is carefully guiding Tehran to stay calm and not overreact too soon. President Putin is at work here along with Foreign Minster Lavrov to craft a longer-term plan using firm diplomatic skills and military intelligence advisors that will provide a more robust defensive platform for the Iranians.
In 2015, Turkey deliberately shot down a Russian SU-24M and the pilot was ultimately murdered by U.S. supported thugs on the ground. In 2018, Israeli fighter pilots intentionally drew Syrian anti-missile fire that resulted in the shoot down a Russian IL-20 killing 15 of the aircrew. The Russian reaction to both incidents was a threat of military response veiled in sternly worded diplomacy.
The head of the Saker Intelligence Coalition believes the initial Iranian military counterattack is the beginning of a prolonged and sustained effort to expel the U.S. Military forces from Iraq, Syria and possibly Afghanistan. At some point Iran will use overt military force again because of the loss of its significant asset in General Qasem Soleimani who was a remarkable military strategist as well as skilled in resolving conflict between belligerent parties.
The amount of reaction to a wrong and the interval of time between can be measured against what was lost and timing is crucial in many endeavors including military strategy. Soleimani was murdered on January 3, 2020. Five days later, Iran initiated Operation Martyr Soleimani and counterattacked U.S. assets in Iraq. The longer Iran waits to use military force again, the greater the negative perception will be for the world quickly forgets about the pain suffered by Iran at the hands of the murders in Washington, DC.
“The longer Iran waits to use military force again, the greater the negative perception will be for the world quickly forgets about the pain suffered by Iran at the hands of the murders in Washington, DC.”
That’s the key: The red flag may fly, but if it flies too long, it becomes irrelevant, except to Iranians, of course.
Hi Saker
I agree that probably in the medium term the situation for the US in ME will be worse, but in the short term (in an electoral year) the people with some knowledge of the recent history of the ME think:
a) Trump dares to do what at least 3 former administration did not dare to do: kill the first “terrorist” on the list (as ex-admiral William J. Fallon has said Suleimani was the Nº 1 in his list for 12 years), so for the American people is the more resolute and brave POTUS of at least 5 administration (somebody says from Lincoln). Obama was and coward.
b) The fact that Suleimani was a national hero for a nation of 82 million people and also for 150 million of shia around the world, mourned by millions in the streets, make a bigger Trump “victory” over the Iranian “regime”, and it is a powerful advice to the others leaders and commanders in the world that try to fight or oppose to USA.
c) People say that after killing Al-Bagdadi, Suleimani, Muhandis, the next in the list is Nasralah (pure wishful thinking but right now, why not thinking that?)
d) The USA did no use their AA system to shut-down the incoming missiles to not give a clue to the Iranians of their real effectiveness in combat situation and because the Russians have many SIGINT platforms following the events to capture the signals, methods, tactics and technolgy of the US anti-ballistic missiles systems. So now the Iranians are blind of the real effectiveness of their missiles in a real combat situation and the Russians do not have a clue also. For sure USA can take down at least some modified SCUD C missiles, simply it was not worth to do.
e) The fact that Trump did not retaliate is not a symptom of weakness, simply no American was hurt after killing Suleimani (an act of war), only some holes in the sand.
f) In the speech of today Trump is defiant with the killing of Suleimani and with more economic sanctions to Iran, that will be more crippling than now. He does not want to escalate (more). There will be a deal in the future, but much less good for the Iranians than the Obama’s JCPOA (it was an electoral promise).
g) The retaliation of the PMU, they say, “will be similar than that of Iran”, translating it : “lob some katyusha rockets in the backyard of few US bases giving advice to the Americans do not go out”. No risks at all, the se-escalation is complete.
h) Trump is defiant about not leaving Iraq, I think at the end they will go but after they have a very good deal. Of course it is all about the Iraqi oil, in exchange for the American blood and money wasted in Iraq. Iraq has the biggest oil reserves in the world and USA want a good chunk of them, they never ever leave “giving” all of them to the Chinese or Iranians or anybody else. Trump does not want US soldiers in Iraq, but he wants the oil above anything else (it is condition “sine qua non” to maintain the Empire)
i) Trump has now the full enthusiastic support of the AIPAC and all the others powerful Israeli lobby he will have more money than required for the election. He has demonstrated he is the best possible POTUS for Israel
j) In the short term USA will leave Syria and in the medium term Iraq, OK, but they never ever leave “all the region”, they need to be there to maintain the “American Way of Live” (US $ as reserve currency)
If nothing dramatically change, I expect a crushing victory of Trump in the coming US election, he has all the cards now in his hand, and he will not waste them.
Cheers
David
> Trump dares to do what at least 3 former administration did not dare to do
You are missing the point.
The USA has continuously bombed, attacked, instigated coup d’Etat and even plain invasions all around the World.
Almost never has the USA being attacked directly by another sovereign state.
The last time was almost a century ago…
What Iran did as first step (and they aren’t over) is something truly unprecedented.
Even more astonishing is the retreating and full damage control launched by the USA: it went from treaths of complete annihilation, of war crimes and destruction of “52 targets” to a complete inaction;
The USA military was in such a state of awe that they were unable even to shot down some missiles!
Of course, now they try to cover that with narratives; trying to downplay what happened.
And don’t forget the thing about Iran saying “if you strike back, we will strike Israel”, and then after the USA does NOT strike back.
That truth will slowly percolate on the minds of the citizens of the USA;
“d) The USA did no use their AA system to shut-down the incoming missiles to not give a clue to the Iranians of their real effectiveness in combat situation and because the Russians have many SIGINT platforms following the events to capture the signals, methods, tactics and technolgy of the US anti-ballistic missiles systems. So now the Iranians are blind of the real effectiveness of their missiles in a real combat situation and the Russians do not have a clue also. For sure USA can take down at least some modified SCUD C missiles, simply it was not worth to do.”
Salient point. Just as Russia has not used most advanced air defenses to date because a high enough value target has not been attacked to force its use.
But the world did see that Iran has the capability of precision strikes now so U.S. did have to give up ground on world image in order to hide their own capabilities. I would also note that I think if U.S. could have defended the Saudi oil facility that got hit not long ago, they would have. So while U.S. capability is better than what they showed in this last attack, it is also not as good as they wish everyone to believe.
If U.S. would have defended and took out less than 90% of Iranian missiles, that would have been a loss to the U.S. more than not defending at all.
With past record of AA systems, to protect this particular object it would be high risk of further embarrassment which NATO doesn’t need at this particular moment. Better option is to sacrifice few soldiers.
Refer to fairly recent Aramco refinery event and few others.
If the AA system would be so good there would be no talking with North Korea.
Just saying
@DFC
I think you are imputing too much power, astuteness, and cleverness to Trump and the American State Policy system. Allow me to address your points in order:
(a) Dares to kill … shows courage … No, I don’t think even the fools on the hill of hubris are so sure that it was a good idea to kill a top General of a country with whom the US is not officially at war. If Donnie boy could press the undo key on this cowardly and illegal assassination, he might just do so. They clearly did not think it through. Murders and war crimes bring no glory.
(b) Because he was popular with the entire Shia world …. makes it a greater act for the US …. No, precisely not because now it has become clear just how big an error was committed.
(d) The US did not use their AA systems … to avoid giving away info to Iranians/Russians. This is so hard to believe. If you were the base commander and facing an incoming barrage of missiles you would have no way of knowing in advance how deadly they are, how many will be coming, one wave or many waves of missiles, etc. As a military commander you would be obliged to neutralize the threat. The fact that the missiles got through only gives credibility to Iranian prowess and shows (once again) that US anti-missile systems are not as robust as they are made out to be.
(e) The reason Trump did not retaliate…. I think the great thinker has been caught with his pants down. He thought he would kill a senior General, shout some big, big threats (in his childish language) and the Iranians would cry Uncle. Wasn’t to be, sorry Donnie boy!
(f) In his speech of today Trump was defiant … By and large his speech is being considered a climb-down. Of course, given their mendacity and vileness, the Americans can never be expected to be wholly conciliatory.
Possible crushing victory for Trump in upcoming election: That is a matter that is entirely irrelevant. No matter who wins, a Democrat or Republican, it will be the same bag of tricks. Has the US policy ever changed?
@ Disgusted (but not now)
I will answer your points
a) I do not say I think it was an act of bravery or courage, I have said that in the US public opinion (as far as I could see in the past, for example in the way to the attack on Iraq 2003 and others), this kind of actitude of “strong leadership” and “winner” always sell a lot.
b) But for internal consumption and as a threat to other actors that feel “secure”, it could works
d) They have the advice of the Iranians way more than 1 hour before the take off of the missiles, so they could follow the path and see from long distance the information was OK, possibly they have more confirmation through others channels about the real intentions of the Iranians (Russians?), so they were sure they will not suffer any loses. How do you explain then why they did not shot a lot of AA missiles yesterday?
e) Its was a fake Iranian retaliation so he did not retaliate (remember, Suleimani is still dead)
f) He said, more or less, he ordered to kill Suleimani because he was a terrorist that deserve be killed
Well you can think the result of the US election is irrelevant, but is the root cause of all that has happened here, and for sure will have many impacts in the ME (compare the approach of Obama and Trump to Iran or the Golan Heights or Jerusalem, etc…)
WTF is wrong with caring for Muslims? It is the duty of every Christian to treat others the way in which you would like to be treated.
The biggest signal that war would come is Iran, likely purchase of Russia’s S400 system. And expect Hezbollah and the real retaliation to come after.
I don’t think anyone should feel that Iran has made some sort of behind-the-scenes deal, theatre presentation, to “save face.” This was a measured response with a clear message: we can hit your bases with precision, even with these less-than-cutting edge missiles. Your troops are going to die if you don’t pack up and go. You can do it now, without great bloodshed, or we can send you home in bits and pieces. Choose wisely.
Clearly, the US administration is putting on a brave face while they try and figure out what to do next. The real question is, how much control do the really crazy people have over the situation? They must have some, otherwise General Soleimani wouldn’t have been assassinated. Even the crazies must grasp that the only way at this point to achieve their aim of toppling Iran, severing Hezbollah from Tehran, and exposing Russia’s underbelly to Islamist extremism is to go all-out, none of this slow burn stuff will do anymore.
I’ve been musing on some of my own ancient history of late. My conclusion is that cultures are often defeated because they failed to grasp the mind of their opponents. My Gaulish ancestors didn’t understand the nature of the Roman legions. They couldn’t fathom an army of soldiers who would eschew the individual glory of hand-to-hand combat in favour of hiding behind a line of shields and spears. The same mistake was repeated almost 2000 years later by my Highland ancestors, who couldn’t fathom an army that would stand firm and reload their muskets rather than thrown them down and draw swords after the first volley. Here in Canada, the First Nations people couldn’t fathom that Europeans would treat the environment as something to rape and desecrate. By the time they realized that we were going to keep cutting down trees and destroying the land, there were too many of us to stop.
What I’m saying is that it would be our great mistake to fail to fathom the mind of our opponent in this fight. We can’t afford to make assumptions like “they wouldn’t dare go all in, that would trigger WWIII.” Many a war has been lost because the losers couldn’t grasp the mind of the victors.
For this reason, I’m not optimistic about what comes next.
Agree with Mike from Jersey on January 08, 2020 · at 1:59 pm EST/EDT
(sentence removed)
As far as the Eastern game plan is concern – they dont want blood – its bad for history, bad for current and future social contracts, costly and generally all bad. So they pursue the peace plan, while beefing up their defensive military. That explains why they have not gone to war with the party that has been causing war everywhere. As per their strategy, they can afford to wait, while building BRI and all the required NEW systems (monetary, internet, satellites etc).
But the other war party does not have time. They have been relying of plunder and murder to survive, thrive and generally exploit everything, everyone so they live another day. Now their almighty CB can no longer promised their ‘tomorrow’ so they got desperate. Now we have the orange character that constantly wish to out-perform (thus is easily manipulated by the master of deceptiveness since the earliest biblical history) so we have all kinds of circus, more and more.
(sentence removed) – If it becomes official that Rus and Chi are in Iraq, that would signify that the plunder and murder does not go spree and free. Thus the oily business will surely be affected – including Saudi dare to begin trading outside USD alone. Therefore I said, “then we will know how much time USSA has time left”. I am not referring to war per say, but as the eastern peace plan, we wait for the collapse, and if Rus and Chi are in town, the acceleration could be way before mid year, seeing there are printing billions on some day to cover ‘the difference’.
Then USSA is likely to act more insane and if they cannot hold it, or get triggered again by some other handlers, and go over the red line, then perhaps we may have the ‘everyone loses’ war. Then, in here, Saker and many has analyse and predicted who will be the winner at the end of that war, so thereafter as someone posted, USSA will go to the ‘yard sale’, just like USSR and QING dynasty when they lost the ‘war’ or more precisely, they lost the ‘country’.
That’s the grand peace plan I see from the east.
Rus and Chi are waiting to see if USSA will declare war of the whole world. And to add abit spice here, I think, the Iran general, may have knowingly sacrifice himself, to push Rus and Chi into the region, so his ppl can have peace earlier. He knows Rus and Chi can wait forever, since they have their toys, but Iran does not have that luxury of time and in constant danger. If Rus and Chi still does not come into the region, then a Holy War will force the inevitable ending anyway. Just a unfounded imagination totally wild controversy.
————————
References to moderation removed – Yhe Mod.
Thanks for your analysis. I am somewhat surprised, that for now, it appears there will be no attack on Iran, especially when you’re talking about frothing psychopaths like Pompeo and Esper. Yes, I’m aware of the consequences of an American retaliation.
And despite what has just happened, more harsh sanctions are to be thrown at Iran.
Something dosn’t fit right – I too saw reports that 80 United States personnel were killed as well. So, there were no casualties?
We wait for Round 2 then.
In my previous post, (deleted), I stressed that Mr. Saker should not resort to the type of inflammatory rhetoric that is mainly used by MSM and sensationalize the current kerfuffle between the U.S. and Iran. The boys had their fun with their toys but this is as far as it goes.
Iran has demonstrated the accuracy of their missile systems to show the hard heads in Washington that their toys will get hurt just as much as Iran’s if they escalate.
Yes, it is unfortunate that Mr. Soleimani had to die. What is encouraging is that Iran used this event to expose how completely useless the U.S. military is when it comes to near peer competitor.
Most military analysts know that a true all out war is impossible without complete destruction of our global economy.
So kids, drink your coffee or tea, spend time with family, go to work, and don’t worry about this drawn out drama that will disappear from the news cycle as fast as the next sensational story to keep you glued to your TV/Computer.
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Reference to moderation deleted – The Mod.
“I stressed that Mr. Saker should not resort to the type of inflammatory rhetoric that is mainly used by MSM” I dont share the impression of this writer. In my opinion I have never considered Sakers articles, reports, etc as inflammatory. All what I have seen is extreme accuracy in many of his predictions sometimes I have to admit a bit frigthening. The quality of most of Sakers articles is unmatched.
Read the NEWS on a couple of mainstream media pages – Australia’s ABC, Al Jazeera and RT before coming to check The Saker out. Apart from my first thoughts (with regard to the ABC and Al jazeera) and their chest thumping for the murder of Qasem Soleimani, was this ain’t over yet. No, not by a long shot. Iran will bide their time and as The Saker has pointed out wham. It will come form out of the blue and where and when the US least expects it. Uncle Sam I’m sad to say is not going to get a black eye, he is going to get both arms and legs mangled.
Alt-righters are not pissed at Putin’s care for Muslims. That’s a classic Leftist Progressive canard, i.e., that nationalists have an irrational hatred of other nations. Hitler was on very good terms with Muslims; the USSR and GB invaded Iran to prevent them from allying with Germany. Hitler also got along well with Zionists, helping them via the transfer agreement. The KKK was on good terms with Marcus Garvey.
Suggest you drop your anti-alt-right bias.
https://russia-insider.com/en/putin-may-look-ethno-nationalist-hes-too-cozy-russias-muslim-minority/ri26942
QED
The Saker
it was all smokescreen. the usa was warned one hour in advance to avoid any real harm. though trump, of course lied, that missiles used came from money the usa ilegally has held on to since the shah. missiles used were old soviet union styled missiles. yes, americans have always thought their military is the best- since the big lie that the usa saved europe in WWII. for all of the money spent, the usa military is not great. so, yes this whole thing was a smokescreen. i guess the real concernis ukrainian jet downed. perhaps problem with plane. perhaps shot down…not the first time this has been an issue .
also, the fact the putin was in syria same time as bombing is another important point
There apparantly were serious damage to the american bases and personell as already mentioned by others.
The assessment here is from farsnews and cites ICRG
http://en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13981018000275
Supreme leader Khameini stresses that this is a slap across the face, revenge is a different issue:
http://en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13981018000411
@max
See the last Trump speech… That was all staged from the start.
Neither Iran nor the US wanna war.
That was “diplomatic” assassination and counter measure to justify detente that was discussed in back channel.
Do you seriously think Trump or the SL wanna the WWIII ?
Just like the NK story or the missile attack on empty hangar in Syria…
Do you see some kind of pattern here ?
Babling and grand standing with empty symbolic gesture. Whereas the US wanna get out of ME. And Iran wanna US out of the ME.
I guess in few weeks a peace meeting will be announced with a new statu quo.
Imam Khamenei has said, that this was just a mere slap in the face!
Iran once more shows how mature and wise it is. It has delivered an effective, forceful message without pushing the enemy into a dangerous corner. The missiles are a clear demonstration that Iran has the ability and the resolve to directly target US bases and that their missiles can break through US defensive barriers. The wisdom lies in not making it into an all-out attack, which would have caused a lot of bloodshed and then forced the US to respond. This was a demonstration of resolve and ability, a proof-of-concept sort of thing.
People in the West commonly badmouth the Iranian leadership with phrases like “the mad mullahs”. The madness and badness (and outright evil) lies in the West, not in countries that the West attacks and destroys. Iran has been showing outstanding wisdom, astuteness, and honesty. Those missiles were an example of how to be forceful and restrained simultaneously. Go huddle with your neocon pals, Donnie boy, and try to figure out what Iran has just said.
It is not over yet. The iraqi Shabi have not yet avenged their leaders death. Imam Khamenei has also said, that this was just a slap in the face!
Sec. General of UN, Antonio Gutteres, has called Sec. of State Mike Pompeo ref UN Daily Press Briefing.
I take it that Pompeo has some vague understanding now of the role of the UN Security Council as the highest body referring warcrimes, and the role of UN Secretary General as well. ICC may consider the assasination of lt. General Qasem Suleimani as a warcrimes independantly as well, Iraq has brought the matter to the higher authorities of UNSC and the Sec. Gen. so far, but it is by now evident that UN are not responding urgently as according to the UN charter of UNSC to prevent wars, and it appears that UN dont pressure the US denial of visa to Iran FM Zarif in connection with talks at UNSC.
http://webtv.un.org/media/watch/daily-press-briefing-ukraine-gulf-appointment-security-council-sahel-sudan-central-african-republic-zambia/6120717825001
Sec. of State Mike Pompeo has produced a fake legal basis for the assasination of lt. gen. Qasem Suleimani, I take it corporate media will not mention it again. But this one is not for the media however.
https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/trump-had-legal-appropriate-basis-to-assassinate-qassem-soleimani-pompeo/
If Iran focussed on striking Israel and no other targets (and the US retaliated for that) then it would make clear to Americans that Israel is a problem for them.
Meanwhile targets in Iraq are they responsibility of Iraqi forces. Importantly Iran has shown its friends that it is not just all talk by striking those bases
What puzzles me:
it is not reported that Iranian missiles have been intercepted by the americans. They knew 2 hours in advance the missiles were coming. For me it is unlikely that the bases the americans use in Iraq are not defended from air raids. In my opinion we have 2 options:
a) The americans could not bring the Iranian missiles down.
b) The americans were not willing to bring the Iranian missiles down.
to a):
– they were too arrogant to place an anti missile shield around their bases, nobody is daring to hurt us…
– in case they have an missile shield around their bases they knew they could not bring down the incoming missiles with their patriots (or whatever weapons they have). In Saudi Arabia their systems were useless too.
to b):
– if they have an anti missile shield around their bases and did not use it, the americans wanted the damage inflicted by the missiles and hope Iran is satisfied and thus the whole mess is over.
– if they have an anti missile sheild around their bases and did not use it, the americans wanted to know the accuracy and capabilities of the incoming missiles from Iran. This seems unlikely to me, based on the knowledge they gained now, it is not a guarantee that Iran is not able to bring down f.i. an aircraft carrier.
To me, in both cases it shows that the americans are still arrogant and think they can bring Iran down without war. The americans still think they can stay in Irak (ME) forever without caring much about their safety, nobody is daring to hurt us……we keep stealing oil.
what is the most likely case, a) or b) or is there a c) ?
There is a third option under b). The didn’t use anti missile shield because they knew in advance for the attack and that it wouldn’t cause any casualties so they didn’t want to give Russians any chances to study their anti missile shield in action.
@Dutch: from what I have read, the US currently have no air defense systems deployed in Iraq. They never regarded it necessary against ISIS and the Shia militia. (Which is telling in itself given ISIS’ growing drone capabilities).
There was no scenario possible in their imagination that Iran would attack them with missiles as that would mean to risk total destruction by the USA. In these scenarios there was no place for a situation like today, when the US would accept a limited strike from Iran without retaliation.
Well, Alt Righters are not Counterjihadis. There is a very clear difference between the two. As an identitarian of a European ethnicity, I do not understand what purpose counterjihadism could ever serve? I already have a national identity. And, yea, my country is not that big. But I also have a European identity, if I need to make bigger action than what I can do just with my national identity. What would be the point of Counter Jihadism? It just seems like a lot of shifty people that want to convince me to hate people and spend resources, concentration, credibility, passion, to hurt people somewhere far away that do not concern me. So no, as a person in the European proximity to the Alt Right sphere, Putin paying respect to the the largest religion in Syria does not bother me at all.
If you have not done so, you should check out Laura Towlers video on this topic. She touches it with a needle, as it were.
https://www.bitchute.com/video/MBcnnUx2pKI/
Saker,
On one hand I agree with you that NOT WAR is always good.
But on the other hand I cant share your ‘begining of the end’ optimism. When you look at the facts, the US went on with a treacherous assassination of the most popular figure in Iran and the response was a ‘conceptual simbolic strike’?
If Iran could ‘erradicate US from the region’, why hasnt it done so before Soleimanis death? I dont see how his assassination will change anything in the military balance. Its not like US allies are changing sides on moral grounds or resistance members didnt already hate the US.
For me letting him die was a major screw up by Iran and now they are trying to save face. I hope Im wrong.
But i really wish someone could explain to me how expelling the US could ever happen without total war? If after an event like this Iran is not willing to have war, then the US will remain in ME for a long time.
On a confrontation you have 3 ways to maintain your integrity:
1. Deter ter enemy
2. Weaken/disarm it
3. Eliminate the enemy.
When you sumup the facts, it is Iran that is weakened with a leaders death and the US is less deterred seeing a major assassinations goes unpunished.
So I say so far its been a disaster.
Bernhardt
If Iran via the well circulated tweet of Javad Zarif, says that “Iran took & concluded proportionate measures in self-defense under Article 51 of UN Charter…”, shows satisfaction, who are we to argue otherwise?
Expelling the US from the region? Many here have mentioned the Vietnam War. I suggest you reacquaint yourself with that conflict.
Vietnam was an allout war. You are just reinforcing my point that the US will never leave the region unless they lose a war there.
And im not saying i want war. I sure dont. Im just saying its completely inconsistent for Iran to say its goal is to expell the US from the region at the same time it talks and acts like it is not willing to flight.
The absolute dumbest thing any young person or HS kid can do now is go sign up to go to War. I downloaded this video way back at the beginning of the current endless wars. Its origin was during the War on Vietnam and I hope all of you will send it far and wide. I just got it uploaded to my you tube channel and it took more than 2 hours to figure out how to do it. “DON’T GO!!!”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OH1LUcNukR8
Thanks Mr Warrick, thanks for the link.
I earlier posted a comment recommending a book “all quiet in western front” , this book was made into less telling movie but still worth watching. It is difficult for most of the couch warriors to comprehend the horrors of the wars, when only few of us gained that permanent experience first hand. Also a movie Day after where the victorious nation is depicted in details at the end of this movie. These silver screen scenes do sink into average person’s mind, unfortunately not for long.
The west screams for more blood and guts while gory scenes are brought to them on TV screen, don’t believe me? Just talk to anybody in my “enlighten” neighborhood.
I didn’t loose Faith in humankind but adjusted my expectations. Just like yeast expires in barrel of fermented wine it is that our kind is approaching it’s expiration date because we as humans don’t have spirituality coupled with brain power to evolve further. Our comoditized souls are taken already.
Yes I did wear uniform once upon time.
Just saying
This was a really good assessment, and part of a mighty fine little essay. No, it isn’t over. I’d say it’s barely started.
****
A piece which complements this one nicely I found at the National Interest site. (of all places!)
“No War With Iran Doesn’t Mean Trump’s Iran Strategy Is a Winner “
The author speaks of Trump’s all-stick, no carrot routine. That wasn’t working before, and it’s not going to work now. Adding more sanctions will mean Iran will increase its own activities which buck the Empire.
https://nationalinterest.org/blog/skeptics/no-war-iran-doesnt-mean-trumps-iran-strategy-winner-111936
Iran remains intact, and the Trump clock is running down. I’ll be expecting the Apartheid state to do something to try to get the US-Iran fight they want so badly. I think we’re definitely into False Flag territory.
If anything happens on Iran territory not just Iraq territory….there will be no turning back the world .
Motto: The Patriots,Sometimes,are doing well Only in the football league !
Round one is over,there is a video about it,with the “President” in the ring:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a2VmLCEistg
USA can not stop the Houthi’s missiles,now the Iranian’s missiles… has anybody in the world thought what gonna happen if Russia lunches first a missile attack against all the military bases in Europe ? ( hypothetical scenario ) .With hypersonic ,Kalibr and other sophisticated ones. And after a few hours,maybe one day the 10.000 tanks,escorted by Tors’s and Pantsir’s would start marching toward Atlantic ?
Shouldn’t West stop bullying and poking the Bear in the eyes ?
USA Department of Defence can not spend 800 billion dollars annually on weapons and network and almost zero on defence weapons or good ones.What if she is the hunted one ?
” Conclusion: this is far, FAR veeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeerrrrrrrry far from over.”
Dear Saker,I have counted all the ” e ” ‘s,you still missing ( skipped ) one.
Waiting for the second round !
So, now we know for sure the american air defense systems are not effective against drones , mortars, cruise or ballistic missiles. Message to the people of the world: USA’s bases can’t defend themselves against any kind of air carried attack.
More one myth about USA army if gone. Soon or later some small contry somewhere will sink a Nmitz class carrier. This will be “the gates of Rome are open” moment….
This is check. Next move is mate.
The US hope was that the Iranian response to the murder of Suleimani would give them a casus belli to attack Iran. Instead they got a show of force demonstrating very clearly that in any conflict Iran could easily kill a few tens of thousands of US soldiers.
Plus it also gave Iran a very good opportunity to demonstrate to US allies in the region what could happen to them if they continued to support the US and provide it with basing facilities. Note Netanyahoo saying that killing Suleimani was nothing to do with Israel and all the US’s doing.
Will US allies in the region be able to put enough pressure on the US to refrain from war???
The US now has to decide whether a few tens of thousand US casualties are worth a war (conventional) with Iran. They may choose the nuclear option to ensure a military victory.
My guess- Yes, the crazies are crazy enough to go for war.
UN arms embargo against Iran ends this year. The next day,we might see SU-35,57 ,helicopters and some Kinzhals with Iranian flag on.From that moment,Nimitz class carrier should patrol Iranian waters some thousand miles away to stay safe .If not,I don’t think the fighter jets have any chance or time to take off before the carrier slowly moves down to Titanic’s Home.
PS. We don’t talk yet about the world war,when Russians will cut off energy supply and global communications…terrible weapons.
Chi is also scheduel to sign several sizeble trade deal with many states in ME in the next few days….
Iran lost the abilities of a brave, tactical proficient officer, so they fired a bunch of missiles at an empty base, causing some damage, and people are saying Iran proved their point?
The Hedgemon loves broken windows. Moar money for the MI complex.
The Hedgemon eliminated another important “insurgent”, while losing exactly what?
More knowledge for the world? Only thing learned is Trump is run by Zionists and you can’t trust the U$A.
That’s common knowledge. Maybe the only thing learned is you must directly threaten Israel to obtain peace.
Addendum: Iran closing the straits to cut off oil isnt the deciding option that people think it is.
Profits would be made by certain people buying/selling oil futures or derivatives or whatever else they created since 2008.
Case in point: large short position in airline stocks was placed in U$A markets prior to 9/11.
Hi Saker,
According to a random guy on the internet (but that is very realible about israeli intelligence/operations)
He says that General Soleimani was killed by Mossad in November but they didn’t brag about it because of the logical consequences. He says that there is another one in a refrigerator.
I don’t know if killing General Soleimani was an accident and all this shit was just a theather to try to solve the problem or there was a plot to start a war. Trump reaction was odd because he normally call his strike before and brag about it later. This time he just put a flag, he didn’t take responsability by himself in the first time (it was the pentagon that said the he took the decision) “We took action last night to stop a war, we did not take action to start a war” Yes, but he did’t said how…
In my opinion the is a plot to drag the united states in war with Iran and all the things that we saw this days was a reaction to try to prevent that. There are two goverments in the united states.
Maybe it was just a test of what they could do…”.As the diplomatic posture of the United States and Iran demonstrate signs of de-escalation, a senior comander in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), Abdollah Araghi, said that his country would take “harsher revenge soon”.
According to Tasnim news agency, he did not specify what that might entail. ”
Southfront article.
“Alawis drink and dance and don’t pray” only ignorance can produce this kind of statement. This is what the late great Edwards Said justifiably called ‘learned ignorance.’ This is what happens when Uber drivers sit in the seat of University professors and theologians!!!
How many Sunnis would you like me to bring to you who drink and dance and don’t go to their place of worship? Or for that matter, Shias, Orthodox Christians, Jews and members of every other religious community.
The garbage written here about the respected Alawi community of Syria is nothing but typical Wahabi/Saudi/Isis propaganda. Have a nice day folks.
Hello my fellow friends, listen to this: Trudea: Jetliner shot down by Iran. US mainstream media on cracked. Imagine this, Iran shooting down a Boeing in their own country maybe “by an accident”. Sure, oh an now also it’s “Russian air defence missile” supplied by Russia that brought down the UKRAINIAN plane. This is an absolute fucking joke! Is there anyone in this world that beleive this bullshit?? Somebody please fund me some money so I can fly to the CNN head quaters and blow up everybody in the building.
Turd’oe has forgotten Air India Flight 182, his beloved brothers act.
NH, I share your urge to wommit
Ps: don’t lower yourself to hating rage, it brings on more degrading violence
Whenever I have a real need to understand the situation
I look for the Saker to clarify. .Very few places one can find factual
Information Thank you Saker and all the other great truth speakers.
God bless you all .