Bases housing US troops in Iraq and Syria came under fire on Wednesday. No casualties were reported, but the incidents marked an uptick in attacks on US forces in the region.
In Iraq, five Katyusha rockets were fired at the Ain al-Asad airbase, located west of Baghdad. According to Iraq’s military, there was no damage or casualties, and the closest rocket fell within 1.2 miles of the base. Earlier in the day, a rocket was fired towards a base hosting US troops near Baghdad’s international airport.
The incidents in Iraq marked the third day in a row that bases hosting US troops came under fire in the country. Attacks on Monday and Tuesday were launched with drones, which were shot down by air defenses.
In Syria, the US said eight rounds of indirect fire hit the Green Village base near the Iraq border. Again, no casualties were reported, but there was minor damage. The US-led coalition in Syria said it fired back with “six rounds of artillery towards the point of origin of the attack just outside Mayadin, Syria.”
The attacks came after the US formally changed its combat mission in Iraq to an advisory one. The move was an effort to placate elements in Iraq that are opposed to the US presence, but no US troops actually left. Since there was no real withdrawal, an uptick in attacks on US forces was expected.
Some of Iraq’s Shia militias that also operate in eastern Syria had threatened to renew attacks on the US. The Pentagon didn’t attribute blame for this week’s incidents but said there are threats in Iraq and Syria from forces “backed by Iran.” But Iran’s influence over the Shia militias is exaggerated and varies by each group. Iran also doesn’t have a reason to escalate tensions with the US at this time since it is seeking sanctions relief in the nuclear deal talks that are ongoing in Vienna.
Attacks every day now, from every direction. Solemani’s revenge. Expect more “brain injuries” and eventually one h*ll of a blow that’ll make the barrack bombings (over 300 US marines) in Beirut look like a walk in the park. I think it’s safe to say that they’re fed up with US and it’s isis proxies now…
More insanity as result of WAR OF LIES!! MORE signs, time for U.S. to go. Another war constructed solely on LIE’S. WHEN WI’LL THEY EVER LEARN…???? WHEN THESE WARS BUILT ON LIES BECUM NOT UNPROFITANLE… Not BEFORE..!!!
The drone attacks are the most interesting part of this report. Who’s launching them, and how sophisticated is the technology? Like nuclear weapons in the Cold War, it seems that the technology is proliferating, to the US’s detriment.
Military hardware of this kind has always filtered into black markets hence I believe that such drones, complete with a “how to do” book, can be bought somewhere.
An interesting fact is that our military claims that they shot these down which means that, as I would have expected, drone-defense is on the ascendancy.
Or some troops are really crack shots.
So why are we there – we are not going to fix what we broke there – so why be there? We don’t give a damn about the Iraqis or the Syrians – all we care about are the Israeli Jews, so why don’t we go and be in Israel, if we must be in the Mid East?
To steal oil. That’s the reason.
I don’t think we give a damn about Israeli Jews. We use them as much as they use us.
You are both right.
“Care about them?” Genuine caring about nobody anywhere. Purely selfish.
Pander to interest groups and use them? Never ending.
It is not equal. A few of our elite self promote at the expense of the rest of us, and the right wing in Israel gets everything it wants.
Illegal us troops in a foreign land that doesnt want us there and they are getting shot at by the people who live there? How ungrateful and unamerican.
A bank robber when asked why he robs banks replies, THAT IS WHERE THE MONEY IS! Same for questions on attacksof this nature on U.S. forces, WE ARE THERE!
Most of the reports miss, likely deliberately, the General Soleimani connection.
Observers who cite Soliemani are right; its no accident the attacks are spiking on the anniversary of his assassination.
The message is, status quo is not sustainable.
The US wants to drift on like this, while blustering but doing nothing. Won’t work. Other people get a say.