Archiv: Iraq / Irak


20.11.2025 - 17:20 [ Nicolas J.S. Davies / Mintpress.com ]

Libya, Syria, Somalia and Yemen: Calculating the Millions-High Death Toll of America’s Post-9/11 Wars

(26.4.2018)

As Barbara Lee presciently warned her colleagues before she cast her lone dissenting vote in 2001, we have “become the evil we deplore.” But these wars have not been accompanied by fearsome military parades (not yet) or speeches about conquering the world. Instead they have been politically justified by “information warfare” to demonize enemies and fabricate crises, and then waged in a “disguised, quiet, media free” way, to hide their cost in human blood from the American public and the world.

After 16 years of war, about 6 million violent deaths, 6 countries utterly destroyed and many more destabilized, it is urgent that the American public come to terms with the true human cost of our country’s wars and how we have been manipulated and misled into turning a blind eye to them – before they go on even longer, destroy more countries, further undermine the rule of international law and kill millions more of our fellow human beings.

23.10.2025 - 20:04 [ TurkishMinute.com ]

Turkey extends Iraq, Syria operations for 3 years, renews UN mission in Lebanon

UNIFIL, established by the United Nations in 1978, operates in southern Lebanon to monitor the withdrawal of Israeli forces, maintain peace and security along the Lebanon–Israel border and support the Lebanese government in extending its authority in the region. Turkey has contributed troops and naval units to the mission since 2006 as part of its broader commitment to UN peacekeeping operations.

11.09.2025 - 20:41 [ Nicolas J.S. Davies / Mintpress.com ]

Libya, Syria, Somalia and Yemen: Calculating the Millions-High Death Toll of America’s Post-9/11 Wars

(26.4.2018)

As Barbara Lee presciently warned her colleagues before she cast her lone dissenting vote in 2001, we have “become the evil we deplore.” But these wars have not been accompanied by fearsome military parades (not yet) or speeches about conquering the world. Instead they have been politically justified by “information warfare” to demonize enemies and fabricate crises, and then waged in a “disguised, quiet, media free” way, to hide their cost in human blood from the American public and the world.

After 16 years of war, about 6 million violent deaths, 6 countries utterly destroyed and many more destabilized, it is urgent that the American public come to terms with the true human cost of our country’s wars and how we have been manipulated and misled into turning a blind eye to them – before they go on even longer, destroy more countries, further undermine the rule of international law and kill millions more of our fellow human beings.

27.07.2025 - 00:07 [ Freedom Flotilla ]

2025 Handala Participants

Ange Sahuquet (France)

Ange Sahuquet is a French activist and engineer currently serving aboard the MV Handala, a ship sailing in solidarity with

Antonio La Picirella (Italy)

Antonio La Picirella was born in Bari in 1990 and raised within the social justice movements of Southern Italy.

Antonio Mazzeo (Italy)

Teacher, peace researcher, and journalist committed to peace, militarization, the environment, human rights, and the fight against mafia crime.

Bob Suberi (United States)

First generation Palestinian Jew, I was born in Los Angeles in 1948. My parents immigrated in 1938/39.

Braedon Peluso (United States)

Braedon Peluso is a seasoned sailor with over a decade of experience at sea, much of it dedicated to activism

Chloé Fiona Ludden (United Kingdom – France)

Chloé is a former United Nations staff member and scientist. She resigned from the UN to join the Freedom Flotilla

Christian Smalls (United States)

Christian Smalls is the founder of the Amazon Labor Union, the first independent, democratic, worker-led labor union in American History

Emma Fourreau (France – Sweden)

Emma Fourreau (born 1999 in France) is a French-Swedish politician, environmental activist and member of La France Insoumise (LFI).

Frank Romano (United States – France)

DR. FRANK ROMANO earned a PhD at University of Paris I, Panthéon Sorbonne, and a JD at Golden Gate University,

Gabrielle Cathala (France)

My name is Gabrielle Cathala, I am 33 years old. I was elected as a Member of Parliament

Hatem Aouini (Tunisia)

Hatem Aouini, 50 years old, Tunisian, Father of Nidhal 20 years and to Yasmine 13 years, is an Internationalist activist;

Huwaida Arraf (United States)

Huwaida Arraf is a Palestinian-American civil/human rights attorney and social justice activist. She has been involved in legal, political, …

Jacob Berger (United States)

Jacob Berger is a 40 year old tv/film actor, viral content creator and Jewish-American activist very active in the Palestinian..

Justine Kempf (France)

Justine Kempf worked as a nurse for Doctors Without Borders during a mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo, …

Mohamed El Bakkali (Morocco)

Mohamed El Bakkali is a journalist with Al Jazeera, originally from Morocco and currently based in Paris.

Robert Martin (Australia)

Robert Martin knew the only way to uncover the truth was to go to Palestine and see it for himself.

Santiago González Vallejo (Spain)

Born, Madrid, 1956. Economist by profession, former trade unionist, now retired. Co-founder of the Committee for Solidarity with the Arab …

Tan Safi (Australia)

Tan was born in Gadigal country to parents who fled Lebanon after surviving the Israeli invasions in the 70s …

Vigdis Bjorvand (Norway)

Vigdis Bjorvand is a 70-year-old activist from Norway whose unwavering commitment to justice has spanned nearly five decades.

Waad Al Musa (United States – Iraq)

Waad Aal Musa is an Iraqi-American journalist and accomplished cameraman currently working with Al Jazeera.

22.07.2025 - 03:23 [ Freedom Flotilla ]

2025 Handala Participants

Ange Sahuquet (France)

Ange Sahuquet is a French activist and engineer currently serving aboard the MV Handala, a ship sailing in solidarity with

Antonio La Picirella (Italy)

Antonio La Picirella was born in Bari in 1990 and raised within the social justice movements of Southern Italy.

Antonio Mazzeo (Italy)

Teacher, peace researcher, and journalist committed to peace, militarization, the environment, human rights, and the fight against mafia crime.

Bob Suberi (United States)

First generation Palestinian Jew, I was born in Los Angeles in 1948. My parents immigrated in 1938/39.

Braedon Peluso (United States)

Braedon Peluso is a seasoned sailor with over a decade of experience at sea, much of it dedicated to activism

Chloé Fiona Ludden (United Kingdom – France)

Chloé is a former United Nations staff member and scientist. She resigned from the UN to join the Freedom Flotilla

Christian Smalls (United States)

Christian Smalls is the founder of the Amazon Labor Union, the first independent, democratic, worker-led labor union in American History

Emma Fourreau (France – Sweden)

Emma Fourreau (born 1999 in France) is a French-Swedish politician, environmental activist and member of La France Insoumise (LFI).

Frank Romano (United States – France)

DR. FRANK ROMANO earned a PhD at University of Paris I, Panthéon Sorbonne, and a JD at Golden Gate University,

Gabrielle Cathala (France)

My name is Gabrielle Cathala, I am 33 years old. I was elected as a Member of Parliament

Hatem Aouini (Tunisia)

Hatem Aouini, 50 years old, Tunisian, Father of Nidhal 20 years and to Yasmine 13 years, is an Internationalist activist;

Huwaida Arraf (United States)

Huwaida Arraf is a Palestinian-American civil/human rights attorney and social justice activist. She has been involved in legal, political, …

Jacob Berger (United States)

Jacob Berger is a 40 year old tv/film actor, viral content creator and Jewish-American activist very active in the Palestinian..

Justine Kempf (France)

Justine Kempf worked as a nurse for Doctors Without Borders during a mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo, …

Mohamed El Bakkali (Morocco)

Mohamed El Bakkali is a journalist with Al Jazeera, originally from Morocco and currently based in Paris.

Robert Martin (Australia)

Robert Martin knew the only way to uncover the truth was to go to Palestine and see it for himself.

Santiago González Vallejo (Spain)

Born, Madrid, 1956. Economist by profession, former trade unionist, now retired. Co-founder of the Committee for Solidarity with the Arab …

Tan Safi (Australia)

Tan was born in Gadigal country to parents who fled Lebanon after surviving the Israeli invasions in the 70s …

Vigdis Bjorvand (Norway)

Vigdis Bjorvand is a 70-year-old activist from Norway whose unwavering commitment to justice has spanned nearly five decades.

Waad Al Musa (United States – Iraq)

Waad Aal Musa is an Iraqi-American journalist and accomplished cameraman currently working with Al Jazeera.

18.07.2025 - 20:57 [ Deshabhimani.com ]

Global South States Take Unified Stand on Gaza at Bogota Conference

(July 17, 2025)

Countries from the Global South came together in Bogota, Colombia, on July 15 and 16 for an Emergency Ministerial Conference on Palestine organised by The Hague Group. Representatives from 30 nations—including Algeria, Bangladesh, Brazil, China, Egypt, Indonesia, South Africa, Turkey, and Venezuela—expressed their solidarity with the Palestinian people amid escalating violence in Gaza.

18.07.2025 - 05:10 [ Progressive International ]

Joint Statement on the Conclusion of the Emergency Conference on Palestine

We hereby announce the following measures, to be adopted based on states’ domestic legal and
legislative frameworks:

1. Prevent the provision or transfer of arms, munitions, military fuel, related military equipment, and dual-use items to Israel, as appropriate, to ensure that our industry does not contribute the tools to enable or facilitate genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity, and other violations of international law.

2. Prevent the transit, docking, and servicing of vessels at any port, if applicable, within our territorial jurisdiction, while being fully compliant with applicable international law, including UNCLOS, in all cases where there is a clear risk of the vessel being used to carry arms, munitions, military fuel, related military equipment, and dual- use items to Israel, to ensure that our territorial waters and ports do not serve as conduits for activities that enable or facilitate genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity, and other violations of international law.

3. Prevent the carriage of arms, munitions, military fuel, related military equipment, and dual-use items to Israel on vessels bearing our flag, while being fully compliant with applicable international law, including UNCLOS, ensuring full accountability, including de-flagging, for non-compliance with this prohibition, not to render aid or assistance in maintaining the situation created by Israel’s illegal presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.

4. Commence an urgent review of all public contracts, in order to prevent public institutions and public funds, where applicable, from supporting Israel’s illegal occupation of the Palestinian Territory which may entrench its unlawful presence in the territory, to ensure that our nationals, and companies and entities under our jurisdiction, as well as our authorities, do not act in any way that would entail recognition or provide aid or assistance in maintaining the situation created by Israel’s illegal presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.

5. Comply with our obligations to ensure accountability for the most serious crimes under international law through robust, impartial and independent investigations and prosecutions at national or international levels, in compliance with our obligation to ensure justice for all victims and the prevention of
future crimes.

6. Support universal jurisdiction mandates, as and where applicable in our legal constitutional frameworks and judiciaries, to ensure justice for all victims and the prevention of future crimes in the Occupied Palestine Territory.

18.07.2025 - 04:12 [ The Hague Group ]

States announce unprecedented measures to halt the Gaza genocide at Bogotá conference

16 July 2025 – In the most ambitious multilateral action since the start of Gaza genocide 21 months ago, a coalition of cross-regional states gathered in Bogotá has agreed to six coordinated diplomatic, legal and economic measures to restrain Israel’s assault on the Occupied Palestinian Territories and defend international law at large.

Jointly convened by the governments of Colombia and South Africa as co-chairs, the Emergency Conference of The Hague Group, brought together 30 states from Africa, Asia, Europe, as well as North America and South America to move beyond words of condemnation — and to take collective action grounded in international law.

In the deliberations at the Bogotá conference, all 30 participating states unanimously agreed that the era of impunity must end— and that international law must be enforced without fear or favour through immediate domestic policies and legislation — along with a unified call for an immediate ceasefire.

To kickstart that process, 12 states from across the world — Bolivia, Colombia, Cuba, Indonesia, Iraq, Libya, Malaysia, Namibia, Nicaragua, Oman, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and South Africa — committed to implementing the six measures immediately through their domestic legal and administrative systems to break the ties of complicity with Israel’s campaign of devastation in Palestine — and set a date of 20th September, to coincide with the 80th UN General Assembly, for additional states to join them. Consultations with capitals across the world are now ongoing.

18.07.2025 - 03:35 [ Rima Hassan / Youtube ]

6 mesures concrètes pour mettre fin à l’impunité d’Israël

(video)

18.07.2025 - 03:08 [ Iraqi News ]

Iraq among 12 nations in push to halt Gaza genocide

Iraq was among 12 countries that took part in an emergency international conference convened by The Hague Group in Bogotá, Colombia, aimed at halting the ongoing genocide in Gaza.

The participating states—spanning Latin America, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia—committed to implementing six urgent measures through their national legal and administrative systems.

18.07.2025 - 03:00 [ theCradle.co ]

Twelve nations commit to ‚unprecedented measures‘ holding Israel accountable for genocide

(July 16, 2025)

According to the summit‘s final statement, the measures include implementing an arms embargo on weapons to Israel, preventing ships carrying weapons to Israel from docking at ports, reviewing public contracts that support the Israeli occupation of Palestine, fulfilling obligations to ensure accountability for the most serious crimes under international law, and backing prosecutions of Israeli war criminals at national and international levels.

23.06.2025 - 20:33 [ Shafaq.com ]

Iraqi Defense Minister warns of firm response to any threat

On Sunday, Iraqi Defense Minister Thabet Al-Abbasi warned that the country will respond firmly to any external threat or violation of Iraq’s sovereignty when necessary.

During a visit to the 9th Armored Division, Al-Abbasi stated that Iraq is capable of protecting its territory from any external or internal threat. He further noted that plans are underway to equip the armed forces with advanced technologies, while continuing to train and cooperate with international institutions to enhance defense capabilities.

23.06.2025 - 19:28 [ Middle East Eye ]

Iran launches missiles towards US bases in Qatar and Iraq

Iran said it launched a „devastating and powerful“ missile attack at the US‘s Al-Udeid base in Qatar on Saturday in retaliation for the US‘s strikes on their nuclear facilities over the weekend.

Eyewitnesses reported to Middle East Eye blasts across Doha.

Video footage shared with MEE showed missiles flying above the gleaming skyscrapers and marina of the Qatari capital. In another video air defence systems appeared to be engaging the missiles.

22.06.2025 - 21:15 [ Antiwar.com ]

Gabbard Falls in Line, Claims Iran Close to Nukes

(June 20, 2025)

NBC News reports that Gabbard has been sidelined in the White House debate on Iran. In her X post, the intelligence chief appeared to attempt to align her view with the president’s. “Iran is at the point that it can produce a nuclear weapon within weeks to months, if they decide to finalize the assembly,” she wrote. “President Trump has been clear that can’t happen, and I agree.”

Many users on X are comparing Gabbard’s post to former Secretary of State Colin Powell’s 2003 address to the UN Security Council. During the speech, Powell infamously presented false information that hardened beliefs among Americans that Iraq was seeking weapons of mass destruction, and that dictator Saddam Hussein had ties to al-Qaeda.

16.06.2025 - 19:39 [ Shafaq.com ]

Baghdad rejects accusations of Israeli attacks from Iraqi soil

Committee member Yasser Watout told Shafaq News the accusations—made Saturday by Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi—were “baseless and unsupported by evidence.”

“We’ve consulted with all relevant security and air force authorities, and there’s no indication of any Israeli launch or transit from Iraq,” Watout stated, stressing that Iraq prohibits the use of its territory for attacks on neighboring countries.

11.06.2025 - 06:56 [ CNN ]

Trump seizes on Los Angeles protests in contentious use of military amid migrant crackdown

(June 9, 2025)

A threat by the defense secretary to deploy a force whose battle honors include Belleau Wood, Iwo Jima and Fallujah onto American streets does not only offend principles of democratic republican government. It would almost certainly be illegal, unless Trump invokes the Insurrection Act. At this point, the conditions of that legislation look nowhere near being met. Trump said Sunday he was not yet ready to invoke the act.

Still, all this is chilling given his warning last year that he’d be prepared to use the military against “the enemy from within.”

06.06.2025 - 22:23 [ THE WHY / Youtube ]

Taxi to the Dark Side⎜WHY DEMOCRACY?⎜(Documentary)

Sign in to confirm your age

06.06.2025 - 22:20 [ DailyMotion.com ]

Taxi to the Dark Side | movie | 2009 | Official Trailer

An in-depth look at the torture practices of the United States in Afghanistan, Iraq and Guantanamo Bay

19.04.2025 - 01:43 [ Nicolas J.S. Davies / Mintpress.com ]

Libya, Syria, Somalia and Yemen: Calculating the Millions-High Death Toll of America’s Post-9/11 Wars

(26.4.2018)

As Barbara Lee presciently warned her colleagues before she cast her lone dissenting vote in 2001, we have “become the evil we deplore.” But these wars have not been accompanied by fearsome military parades (not yet) or speeches about conquering the world. Instead they have been politically justified by “information warfare” to demonize enemies and fabricate crises, and then waged in a “disguised, quiet, media free” way, to hide their cost in human blood from the American public and the world.

After 16 years of war, about 6 million violent deaths, 6 countries utterly destroyed and many more destabilized, it is urgent that the American public come to terms with the true human cost of our country’s wars and how we have been manipulated and misled into turning a blind eye to them – before they go on even longer, destroy more countries, further undermine the rule of international law and kill millions more of our fellow human beings.

03.03.2025 - 12:19 [ New York Times ]

Europe Races to Repair a Split Between the U.S. and Ukraine

Gathering in London at the invitation of Prime Minister Keir Starmer of Britain, the leaders vowed to bolster support for President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine after his bitter clash with Mr. Trump last week. But several also expressed hope that the two could repair their breach, underscoring Europe’s reluctance to cast off a trans-Atlantic alliance that has kept the peace for 80 years.

15.02.2025 - 19:17 [ Nicolas J.S. Davies / Mintpress.com ]

Libya, Syria, Somalia and Yemen: Calculating the Millions-High Death Toll of America’s Post-9/11 Wars

(26.4.2018)

As Barbara Lee presciently warned her colleagues before she cast her lone dissenting vote in 2001, we have “become the evil we deplore.” But these wars have not been accompanied by fearsome military parades (not yet) or speeches about conquering the world. Instead they have been politically justified by “information warfare” to demonize enemies and fabricate crises, and then waged in a “disguised, quiet, media free” way, to hide their cost in human blood from the American public and the world.

After 16 years of war, about 6 million violent deaths, 6 countries utterly destroyed and many more destabilized, it is urgent that the American public come to terms with the true human cost of our country’s wars and how we have been manipulated and misled into turning a blind eye to them – before they go on even longer, destroy more countries, further undermine the rule of international law and kill millions more of our fellow human beings.

04.02.2025 - 17:56 [ Daniel Neun / Radio Utopie ]

U.S.-Imperium will „globale Koalition“ für Terrorkrieg 2.0 und bastelt an „Nachrüstung“ der Kriegsvollmacht aus 2001

(September 2, 2014)

Auf dem Gipfel des Nordatlantikpakts in Wales wird es weniger um Russland als um die Frage gehen, mit welcher schwachsinnigen Ausrede nun die N.A.T.O. den am 4. Oktober 2001 ausgerufenen „kollektiven Verteidigungsfall“ aufrechterhalten will.

Eine Option: Noch mehr Eroberungen islamischer Staaten, wegen dem „Islamischen Staat“.

04.02.2025 - 17:34 [ Rudaw.net ]

President Barzani, anti-ISIS coalition commander discuss ISIS ‘dangers’

When ISIS seized swathes of Iraqi land in 2014, Peshmerga played a key role in driving the extremist group out of the areas disputed between Erbil and Baghdad, especially Kirkuk. The US-led global coalition provided Peshmerga and Iraqi forces with military assistance to defeat ISIS territorially, which was completed in 2017.

Barzani and Leahy also discussed the latest developments in Syria and their impact on neighboring countries.

04.02.2025 - 17:24 [ Associated Press ]

Regime change in Syria has Iraqi factions backtracking on push for US withdrawal

(January 31, 2025)

The U.S. and Iraq announced an agreement last year to wind down the military mission in Iraq of an American-led coalition fighting the Islamic State group by September 2025, with U.S. forces departing some bases where they have stationed troops during a two-decade-long military presence in the country. (…)

But the fall of Assad in a lightning offensive led by Sunni Islamist rebels in December led some to reassess that stance, including members of the Coordination Framework, a coalition of mainly Shiite, Iran-allied political parties that brought current Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammad Shia al-Sudani to power in late 2022.

18.01.2025 - 18:04 [ Newsweek ]

Iraq and Yemen Militias to Suspend Attacks on Israel Over Gaza Ceasefire

(January 15, 2025)

Mohammed Abdul Salam, spokesperson for Yemen‘s Ansar Allah, also known as the Houthi movement, declared the group‘s „battle reaching its conclusion with the declaration of a ceasefire in Gaza.“

08.01.2025 - 09:52 [ Daniel Neun / Radio Utopie ]

Doppelagent Putin

(15. April 2018)

Der nun erfolgte erneute Luftangriff gegen Syrien repräsentiert die Wiederholung einer Seifenoper aus dem letzten Jahr (11.04.2017, Wag the Russki). Drehbuch wie folgt:

– U.S. Präsident Donald Trump äußert in etwa “es hat nach Hunderttausenden von Toten keinen Sinn mehr die Invasion in Syrien mit terroristischen Proxy-Truppen und regulären eigenen Einheiten weiter fortzusetzen”,

– im Gebiet der terroristischen Proxies und Invasoren bei Ghouta ereignet sich ein fiktiver oder tatsächlicher Einsatz von Chemiewaffen,

– Trump dreht sich um 180 Grad und kündigt einen Militärschlag auf Syrien an,

– dieser erfolgt, mit Ankündigung und laut der französischen Verteidigungsministerin und einem anonymen Politiker über “Reuters” abermals mit Vorwarnung durch die Westmächte,

– die russische Flugabwehr tut nichts, gibt auch noch damit an und die syrische, die genau wie die russischen Militärs noch jedem Massaker gegen die eigenen und verbündeten Truppen aus Irak, Iran und Libanon zugesehen hat wie die Karnickel auf der Fahrbahn, behauptet dies und das.

Einer der wenigen Unterschiede zum letzten Jahr ist, dass sich neben Donald Trump mit Emmanuel Macron und Theresa May nun zwei weitere in ihrem Land hoch umstrittene Staatsleiter vor die Presse stellen und sagen können, sehet her, das haben sie nun davon, diese Russkis. Und Putin, der arme Putin, zitiert das Völkerrecht.

Dass die russische Staatsführung nie beabsichtigt hat Syrien gegen Luftangriffe zu verteidigen, sagte sie schon im letzten Jahr. Dass der russische Präsident jetzt von einer Verletzung der Souveränität Syriens redet, spricht Bände über dessen auch im Humor zum Ausdruck kommenden Grausamkeit. Der ganze Luftraum Syriens quillt über von irgendwelchen Kampfjets von Vancouver bis Wladivostok, seit Jahren. Noch einmal – hätte die Russische Föderation vor Beginn der Syrien-Invasion oder vor Beginn der Libyen-Invasion den dortigen Regimen eine Garantieerklärung gegeben, wie sie China letzten Sommer unter viel Gewimmer und Gebrumm endlich gegenüber Nordkorea abgab, wären Hunderttausende Menschen heute noch am Leben.

08.01.2025 - 09:48 [ Middle East Eye ]

Assad‘s former aide says deposed Syrian president was ‚tricked‘ by Putin

“But what happened was that the Iranians told Bashar al-Assad, ‘we did not receive any signals to proceed with moving Iranian aircraft to the Hmeimim base [or to] fly through Iraqi airspace to land at the base,’” Saqr told Mazeej.

“The question was relayed to Moscow, but no answer came.”

When asked whether this was a “trick by Putin”, Saqr said there was “no other explanation”.

Saqr said the Iranians told Assad they sent a plane regardless through Iraq, but were warned by the US that the aircraft would be shot down if it continued.

07.01.2025 - 19:23 [ MintPressNews.com ]

From ‘Terrorist’ to ‘Freedom Fighter’: How the West Rebranded Al-Qaeda’s Jolani as Syria’s ‘Woke’ New Leader

(December 12, 2024)

In 2003, he went to Iraq to fight against American forces. After three years of war, he was captured by the U.S. military and spent over five years in prison, including a stint at the notorious Abu Ghraib torture center.

While in Iraq, Jolani fought with ISIS and was even a deputy to its founder. Immediately upon release in 2011, ISIS sent him to Syria with a rumored $1 billion to found the Syrian wing of al-Qaeda and participate in the armed protest movement against Assad that arose out of the Arab Spring.

26.12.2024 - 12:22 [ Antiwar.com ]

Pentagon Admits It’s Been Lying About the Number of Troops in Both Iraq and Syria

The Pentagon said on Monday that the US has more troops deployed in Iraq than it has been disclosing, an admission that comes after it revealed there are significantly more US troops in Syria than the US has said.

22.12.2024 - 04:23 [ Antiwar.com ]

US Official Has ‘Good, Productive’ Meeting with al-Qaeda-Linked Julani in Damascus

Julani fought for al-Qaeda in Iraq against American soldiers during the Iraq War. He then founded al-Qaeda’s affiliate in Syria, the al-Nusra Front. In recent years, he has attempted to soften his image by giving friendly interviews to Western journalists, often appearing in a suit and with a trimmed beard to obscure his jihadist ideology.

Leaf said of Julani after the meeting, who is also going by Ahmad al-Sharaa, “I heard him on his priorities, which are very much rooted in getting Syria on the road to economic recovery.”

“We’ve been hearing this for some time, some very pragmatic and moderate statements on various issues, from women’s rights to protection to equal rights for all communities,” she added. “It was a good first meeting. We will judge by deeds, not just by words.”

11.12.2024 - 08:48 [ U.S. Central Command ]

USCENTCOM Commander Visits Syria and Iraq

Syria

Today, Dec. 10, Gen. Kurilla visited U.S. military commanders and servicemembers, as well as our Defeat-ISIS partners, the Syrian Democratic Forces, at several bases in Syria. He received a firsthand assessment of force protection measures, the rapidly evolving situation, and ongoing efforts to prevent ISIS from exploiting the current situation. USCENTCOM remains committed to the enduring defeat of ISIS.

Iraq

After visiting Syria, Gen. Kurilla visited Baghdad where he met with Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia‘ al Sudani, Chief of Staff Gen. Abdul Amir Rashid Yarallah, and Iraqi Joint Operations Deputy Commander Gen. Qais al-Muhammadawai. The leaders discussed strengthening bilateral cooperation and regional security, the rapidly changing situation in Syria, as well as the defeat-ISIS operations in Iraq.

08.12.2024 - 21:34 [ BBC ]

US expands ‚axis of evil‘

(6.5.2002)

The United States has added Cuba, Libya and Syria to the nations it claims are deliberately seeking to obtain chemical or biological weapons.

08.12.2024 - 21:24 [ Washington Post ]

Text of President Bush‘s 2002 State of the Union Address

(Jan. 29, 2002)

Our second goal is to prevent regimes that sponsor terror from threatening America or our friends and allies with weapons of mass destruction.

Some of these regimes have been pretty quiet since September 11, but we know their true nature. North Korea is a regime arming with missiles and weapons of mass destruction, while starving its citizens.

Iran aggressively pursues these weapons and exports terror, while an unelected few repress the Iranian people‘s hope for freedom.

Iraq continues to flaunt its hostility toward America and to support terror. The Iraqi regime has plotted to develop anthrax and nerve gas and nuclear weapons for over a decade.

This is a regime that has already used poison gas to murder thousands of its own citizens, leaving the bodies of mothers huddled over their dead children. This is a regime that agreed to international inspections then kicked out the inspectors. This is a regime that has something to hide from the civilized world.

States like these, and their terrorist allies, constitute an axis of evil, arming to threaten the peace of the world.