The New Jersey National Guard is preparing to deploy 1,500 troops to Iraq and Syria amid a spate of attacks on US bases in the two countries that started in mid-October over President Biden’s full-throated support of Israel’s onslaught in Gaza.
It’s unclear if the deployment is part of a scheduled troop rotation or if they’re being sent to reinforce the US military presence in the region. According to the latest figures, there are about 2,500 US troops stationed in Iraq and 900 in Syria, where they back the Kurdish-led SDF, allowing the US to occupy and control about one-third of Syrian territory.
According to the Pentagon, US troops in Iraq and Syria have come under at least 130 rocket, drone, and mortar attacks since October 17, and the attacks have injured 69 American soldiers. An umbrella group of Shia militias that calls itself the Islamic Resistance of Iraq has taken credit for most attacks.
The US has launched several rounds of airstrikes against Shia militias since October, enraging the Iraqi government, which is now calling for an end to the US presence. In response to the news of 1,500 US troops being prepared to deploy, Iraq denied that the US was sending reinforcements. “Iraq does not need any foreign troops,” said Tahseen al-Khafaji, a spokesman for the Iraqi Operations Command.
The US leads an international coalition in Iraq, known as Operation Inherent Resolve, that helps fight ISIS, although these days it’s clear the US presence is more about countering Iran. The US military is still involved in anti-ISIS operations in Iraq, but the Iraqi government has said its forces can handle the remnants of the terror group.
CBS News reported on the New Jersey National Guard being deployed to the region and portrayed it only as a deployment against ISIS. The report did not mention the recent spate of attacks against US forces. The deployment will be the largest of New Jersey National Guard soldiers since 2008.
Protect New Jersey well, heros.
I use to live in New Jersey, lol.
CBS News is neoconservative. But this is obviously not a good development.
“Ay-oh, oh-ay, pally ! Read close – when you signed up, they never said WHICH Nation you’d be Guarding.”
Fight for Zionism, … oops, “Liberty and Justice for all!”
What happened to “two weekends a month” ?
Just as Iraq is asking for US to leave.
It was one weekend a month, and two weeks during the summer.
But that pretty much ended in 1991. After my Marine Corps reserve unit was activated for Desert Storm, then returned, there were constant “volunteer” opportunities for additional active duty, at least until the mid-1990s (between 1991 and 1995 I went on several “volunteer” missions, and attended several schools, domestically, and volunteered for a foreign assignment that ended up getting canceled). And from what I’ve heard since then (from old friends who remained in after I got out), the same thing has been going on fairly continuously since the post-9/11 deployments to Afghanistan and Iraq.
What do you think? Is this more troops or replacements?
Yeah they will be all Gungho until the bullets and bombs start flying then it will be running and screaming calling for their moma`s .
Iraqis, Syrians, know that the USA hates them, wants to destroy them and they do NOT want a US presence in their countries, so why are we there? The USA needs to decide what kind of country we are, are we a Republic, are we Communist, are we Zionist? We are not behaving like a Republic, we are not following our Constitution, we only ARM the world to start WARS, which means we have become Sadist. The endless Human suffering we have inflicted on those who are defenseless, means as Citizens of America, we are not safe from these Sadist.
Unfortunately, the powers have decided what country we are, and it’s not a Republic or Democracy, more like an Empire, heading quickly towards Totalitarianism.
I guess the 900 souls we have over there now doesn’t make an adequate sacrifice to the War God.
Operation Tripwire is a GO!
To do what…?! To prevent resistance attacks…?!
January 6, 2020: Iraq parliament and government called for the withdrawal of USA troops: passage of the Iraqi parliament was signed by 169 delegates on basis for expulsion of foreign troops.
January 6, 2020
Nobody noticed because they were too busy shooting Ashi Babbitt in the face while she was defending our Country.
So the NJ National Guard is going to a war zone for ISRAEL…. isn’t that nice of us ?
Army and Marines having trouble recruiting? No problem, we’ll just use National Guard troops that are meant to be deployed here in the states. What happens when they can’t get people to sign up for the National Guard when they realize they are just pawns to be used to fight wars in other countries. Not exactly what they signed up for.
It’s best to start the game with expendable pawns.