The Pentagon said Thursday night that it launched airstrikes in eastern Syria that targeted two facilities “used by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and affiliated groups,” a significant escalation that makes a regional war more likely amid Israel’s bombardment of Gaza.
Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said in a statement that the strikes were in response to the series of rocket and drone attacks that have targeted US bases in Iraq and Syria in recent weeks, which the US is blaming on “Iranian-backed militias,” referring to Shia militias that operate in the region.
“These precision self-defense strikes are a response to a series of ongoing and mostly unsuccessful attacks against US personnel in Iraq and Syria by Iranian-backed militia groups that began on October 17,” Austin said.
The US has said Iran is responsible for the attacks on US troops, although the Pentagon acknowledged it has no evidence Iran directed them. The Shia militias are also known to act independently. A US official recently told CNN that how willing those groups are to act independently is a “persistent intelligence gap” for the US.
The spate of attacks on US forces in Iraq and Syria was due to President Biden’s full-throated support for Israel’s onslaught on Gaza. Earlier on Thursday, the Pentagon said it was deploying an additional 900 troops to the Middle East as part of its plans to bolster air defenses in the region.
US troops based in Iraq and Syria have come under rocket and drone attacks over a dozen times since last week, resulting in at least 21 injuries. Pentagon spokesman Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder said 19 troops had been diagnosed with traumatic brain injuries.
Ah yes, the classic “self defense” strikes while we occupy and attack Syria, on the other damn side of the planet.
The negativity towards being called occupiers while occupying is really bewildering. Luckily the money and power explanation is clearly and presently there, just like Gavin Newsom occupying the seat of the French Laundry.
Defending our illegal occupation of Syria? Do most Americans even know that the USA is still occupying Syria? Does anyone remember when Trump ordered our troops out of Syria and the MIC told him to get fucked?
That little item never made the news.If it did I did not see it. Plausable deniability
It was widely reported at the time:
https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/trump-announce-us-withdraw-troops-syria-official/story?id=59906876
But yeah the media wasn’t harping on about it for months at a time so it’s understandable most people don’t remember this episode.
google suggests that Trump actually did remove the US troops from Syria but, surprise! they are still there
How can they steal Syrian oil without protection of the oilfields by US troops?
OMG do you see that my avatar is literally the strongest guy who has ever lived on the entire planet? get behind his giant middle finger into the safety-zone!
what
Did you see that miserable motherfucker throw out the first ball at the World Series? A war criminal is the best Texas could come up with? Not really surprising, I guess.
It’s not surprising to me considering what lengths Mark Milley went to.
damnit Rizzo you made me actually look stuff up on the google – f*ckin kudos to you for a job well done
Trump did a lot of things in Syria including a massive artillery barrage, an increase in troops, a couple of missile strikes based on bullsh*t, imposing the brutal Caesars sanctions and finally bragging about sitting on their oil fields. But wouldn’t it be nice if Trump was still constantly bitching about his order being ignored like he is constantly bitching about the 2020 election being rigged 3 years later?
maybe Trump wrote those orders to withdraw in invisible ink
Maybe Iran is responsible for the attacks on US troops but US is responsible for the massacre in Palestine. Also US is responsible for the massacres in Ukraine, Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria and many other countries.
Well old buddy when you put it like that who am I to argue.
Anyone is free to argue but, I think, what I say is true.
Of course you are right with your portrayal of American arms abroad. If push comes to shove those same arms will be utilized here.
It seems Iran is guilty of everything much like Russia was last year.
We are supposed to believe that Iran operates these militias in Syria and Iraq and that they would I assume not exist without Iran?
Anyone who believes one single thing the Government says is in the market for an broken bridge.
thems the facts.
Yes.
Cowards…!
Interesting. Who is the cowards? The persons who fired the rockets and sent in the drones, or persons who dropped a bomb from an airplane? Both used indirect means to attack someone.
“U.S. military forces”
->
” persons who dropped a bomb from an airplane”
😏
So it is brave act to fire a rocket from miles away, but one is a coward if you drop a bomb from an airplane? Interesting. Would the US military still be a coward if they fired MLRS rockets at the target instead of bombing it?
The bigger question is who is invited and who is illegally squatting on Syrian land.
The wording, “self-defense”, permits the Prez to use military force on his own authority, here in defense of illegal troops, typifying the specious wordsmithing of the highest level of ‘Law’ in The Swamp.
One must always remember that Alligators and poisonous snakes reside in most swamps. The US is no different whether the swamp is in DC or Florida.
We have to start calling them “The Cesspool”. Swamps are good.
war crime
“these precision self-defense strikes….”
LMAO
Translation: Donkeys, camels, shepherds, weddings, funerals, beware!
Your comment would be funny if it were not true and tragic.
Funny? Never intended it to be funny.
‘War is the health of the State’. https://www.lewrockwell.com/2023/10/eric-margolis/jolly-little-wars/
War is also the wealth of the State.
If you didn’t have troops there, none of this would be happening. Peace is better than war…Make some deals, pack your bags and come home. WWIII is not something any of us should care to try.
US has said Iran is responsible for the attacks on US troops, although the Pentagon acknowledged it has no evidence Iran directed them
oh don’t let a silly thing like lack of evidence slow you down
They never let a little thing like lack of evidence stop them. If none exists they just make one up like Iraqs WMDs.
They are slowed down not by the lack of evidence but by the understanding that it could end up in a worldwide economic disaster.
I wish they had that understanding, or that it slowed them. That is not what I see.
they would not care if the world is in economic pain as long as it does not cross our shores and the captive citizens arec quiet.
It never has before.
Everything points to an attack on Iran. If Iran puts up a fight, look for Israel to use tactical nukes. If we don’t first. The Pentagon Papers exposed plans, thankfully not carried out, to use tactical nukes in Vietnam. Didn’t need to. We managed to kill 2 million. Fact: it has been 500 years since Iran last attacked another country.
” Fact: it has been 500 years since Iran last attacked another country” On Jan 8, 2020, Iran fired 12 ballistic missile at Al-Asad airbase in Iraq. Military people consider a missile strike an attack.
right then. Iraq, laboring under uncle sam’s direction, works out some aggression against their neighbor Iran who manages to lash-out in retaliation and then becomes the picture of what we call “terrorism” against western oil industry interests.
give it up Burns
What are you taking about? Did Iran fire those missiles? Yes. Thus it is an attack. These reasons for the attack do not change the fact that it was an attack. And thus the 500 year statement is invalid.
I think the differentiation involved is whether it was an initial attack or a response to someone else’s attack. The US regime conducted an attack for the express purpose of assassinating an Iranian general, and the Iranian regime retaliated.
Why? An attack is an attack regardless of the reason? Did US attack Japan on April 18, 1942 with 16 B-25s? Yes they did. Does it matter that it was in response to Pearl Harbor? No, It was an attack. Retaliation is still an attack.
I don’t disagree. I was just exploring the intended meaning of what you responded to versus your response.
Express purpose? Hah!
“did Iran fire those missiles?”
if there actually were any missiles fired then i guess we should thank ABCBS and NBC for telling us how the world actually is.
You really like leaving important facts out of your comments. How about, when was the last time Iran attacked someone without it being a reaction to them being attacked? Maybe if Trump didn’t decide to off the Iranian general on a diplomatic mission in Iraq, Iran wouldn’t have fired those missiles?
Edit: I hadn’t seen Knapp’s comment before making mine.
The reason for the attack is not important to the fact is was an attack. It was an attack. Thus the 500 year statement is invalid. If you have a flat tire does not matter if you ran over a nail or a person slashed your tire. You have flat and you not claim that you have never had a flat tire.
Of course it is. It’s real self-defense. But if it would make you feel better, let’s just say Iran hasn’t attacked anyone without justification for hundreds of years.
Iran attacked the Israeli embassy in Argentina-act of war. Its Hezboallha has attacked Israel, and it denies the Kurds a country.
hilarious that the western world would “acknowledge” that Israel has an embassy in Argentina = isn’t that where the nazis fled to ?
Argentina did accept Jewish refugees after WW2,while most countries did not. Not very funny..
really. as far back as when i was a little boy it was ‘common knowledge’ that Hitler & associates fled to Argentina, thereby escaping retribution.
Yes,they did.Argentina was quite pro-Nazi-however,they also accepted many Jewish refugees. Ireland did not:Poland murdered them en mass.
did you just suggest that “Poland murdered Jews en mass” ?
half of Poland was Catholic and the other half was Jewish and Hitler hated both of those religions but you blame Poland ?
WTF is wrong with you ?
stop removing my comment Knapp!
I don’t remove your comments myself unless they violate our guidelines. Our automated filters hold comments that they conclude MAY violate our guidelines until I have a look at them. And I don’t take orders from you.
well i wasn’t trying to order you around.
just expressing my displeasure.
“”Fact: it has been 500 years since Iran last attacked another country””
son of bitch that is actually in reality an accurate comment.
ok WTF are we supposed to do with this fact ? it is obvious that nobody in our western media gives a sh*t ….
wow i just said “actually in reality…” …. is that even legitimate english language ?
again, WTF are supposed to do with that fact ?
It has not been 500 years since the 1970s, when Iran invaded, and briefly occupied parts of, Iraq.
I guess they invaded Iran without attacking. Maybe Iraq invited them to occupied part of their country. LOL
They sent a battalion or two into a Kurdish border area and kept them there for about 18 months, IIRC. The Iraqi regime objected but didn’t make much of an effort to forcibly eject them.
Like the US regime, the Iranian regime prefers to use proxies for its wars when possible.
And who invaded who in 1980?
“since the 1970s,…” ….. i recall that Iraq attacked Iran and Iran said “i don’t think so”, and then proceeded to hand Iraq their hat on Iraq’s way out the door. that is my recollection of the event, no matter what ABCBS and their little brother NBC had to say about it.
Was that before or after Iraq invaded Iran?
We have no business keeping troops in Syria. We are invaders who have sent troops there only to sit on Syrian oil fields. That’s it.
I’m about to light a joint and I’m lighting it for you and for Peace!!!
P.S. I’m gonna need a lot of weed…!
Curious, do you smoke as much as you claim or do you use it as a metaphor in your comments? I not judging you if do smoke the dope, that is your right.
No, not really. I’ve got too much to do…
;-‘
too much to do = hey barefoot pregnant in the kitchen, what ?
LOL what
hey man even a tiny bit is a sh*t-load = and it is obvious to me that she is not effing around. who else would place an effing sunflower as their avatar ? – -> Burns, you mess with her and you mess with me = bottom line right there.
edit) = almost every US state has legalized that devil weed and a very big percentage of us are going straight to hell as a consequence. wait, i just spelled the word “consequence” and i don’t even smoke that stupid BS.
what
edit) = what
hey did i just do a double what! ?
what
just keep in mind that Girly has exemplary status around here and all of the rest of us are just big-brothers waiting to defend her girly honor.
what
i’ll be damned if i didn’t just bust out a Quintuple what.
what
what
I would not mess with Donna, I like her. You on the other hand are a joke, who can not even write a decent sentence much less a paragraph.
yeah i’m the dummy around here, not you
I like her too.
hey dear maybe ease up on that sh*t just a little bit
Imagine China, uninvited , is occupying the state of Texas and siphoning out oil and gas back to their own country. Build permanent military bases there and enlarges from time to time. When US attacks them to drive them out after exhausting every other peaceful means, China retaliates by bombing the surrounding area and every source that attacked them, send in more of their troops and hardware, claiming it’s their right to self defense because they have the right to defend themselves. And if you complain, you’re a filthy anti-sinotic.
Maybe something like that will happen when WW III is over.
The global turmoil is leading us nowhere fast.
https://youtu.be/uOrb0G0tw08?si=k5S0BYPMIjvCAiR9
Screw the purveyors of war and suffering.
The “US Intelligence gap” is the difference between “truth” and “what they report”. Basically, having been wrong about everything, they continue to be wrong, yet expect us to believe them.
“According to US Intelligence”, Iran has been responsible for everything, including global warming, the assassination of Kennedy, acid rain, male pattern baldness, and obesity in american children.
Never mentioned is the endless stream of US aggressive actions towards Iran, going back to the imposition of the Shah.
I think the Mullahs have been a tragedy for Iran, but if I have to choose who to believe about a particular issue, it WON’T be anyone connected with the Pentagon, US Starte Department, White House or “Intelligence Agencies”. Iranian spokespeople MAY be liars, but US spokespeople DEFINITELY are.