Maas warnte zudem vor einem Abzug der Streitkräfte der Anti-IS-Koalition aus dem Irak. Wenn es das Ergebnis der Tötung des iranischen Generals Soleimani sei, dass sich der Irak in seiner Souveränität verletzt fühle und das Parlament ausländische Streitkräfte des Landes verweisen wolle, serviere man „im Ergebnis den Irak Iran auf dem Silbertablett“. Das könne auch nicht im Interesse der Vereinigten Staaten sein, sagte Maas
Archiv: Iraq / Irak
Bundestag: Mehrheit der Fraktionen für einen Verbleib der Bundeswehr im Irak
16.01.2020
Bundesaußenminister Heiko Maas (SPD) und eine Mehrheit der Fraktionen im Bundestag sprechen sich für einen Verbleib der Bundeswehr im Irak aus.
Abdul Mahdi urges Kurds to help rid Iraq of US troops
A source close to the Iraqi government told Al-Monitor, “Abdul Mahdi has told Kurdish officials the Kurdistan region is part of the Iraqi federal state, thus they must abide by the Iraqi parliament’s decision to eject US forces from Iraqi soil once the decision is put into practice.“
The source, speaking on condition of anonymity, added, “Abdul Mahdi also told the Kurds his government soon will try to reach an agreement with the US on how to implement the Iraqi parliament’s decision. Kurds should cooperate with Baghdad in this regard. No foreign forces are allowed to stay in Iraq under any pretexts.“
„Wir werden hier weiter gebraucht und wir wollen bleiben – immer vorausgesetzt, die irakische Regierung hält an ihrer Einladung fest“ – Verteidigungsministerin Kramp-Karrenbauer @akk nach ihrem Besuch bei der #Bundeswehr, die in #Erbil kurdische #Peshmerga-Kämpfer ausbildet.
German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said that Iraqi caretaker Prime Minister Adel Abdel Mahdi is in favour of German forces to remain in Iraq.
Vor dem Hintergrund der Iran-Krise hat sich Bundesverteidigungsministerin Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer für eine Fortsetzung der Bundeswehrmission im Irak ausgesprochen.
Irak warnt vor wirtschaftlichem Zusammenbruch wegen von Trump angedrohten Sanktionen
Siemens hat einen 15 Milliarden Dollar schweren Auftrag für die Entwicklung der Stromversorgung im Irak.
The Iraq War haunts the 2020 vote
Incredibly, Americans will vote this year in the fifth straight presidential election haunted by the Iraq war — proof of the trauma seared on the nation’s psyche.
At CNN’s Democratic debate last night in Iowa, candidates exhumed the decision to topple Saddam Hussein, prompted by fears Donald Trump could plunge the US into another Middle East war — with Iran.
Democrats clash at debate over keeping US troops in Mideast
The United States has about 5,000 troops in Iraq leading the fight against ISIS. There are also about 800 U.S. troops fighting ISIS in Syria. Meanwhile, about 14,000 U.S. troops are in Afghanistan helping Afghan forces fight the Taliban and conducting counterterrorism operations against groups such as ISIS.
Outside of combat zones, the United States has also deployed about 14,000 more troops throughout the Middle East since the summer in an effort to deter Iran.
The Ambassador of Republic of Iraq to Brussels Meets Secretary General of NATO
The two sides also discussed the work of the NATO mission in Iraq, and how to continue cooperation between the two sides in the light of the Iraqi government’s decision to require member states in the international coalition against Daesh to withdraw their forces present in Iraq, noting the importance of increased communication in order to develop a new program of action that accommodates the developments in the situation in Iraq and the region.
US to Iraq: ‘Vote All You Want, We’re Not Leaving!’
On Thursday Iraqi Prime Minister Mahdi phoned Pompeo to urgently request that Washington enact a US troop “withdrawal mechanism” in Iraq. American troops are in Iraq by invitation of the Iraqi government and the Iraqi government had just voted to revoke that invitation.
The State Department responded with a statement titled “The US Continued Partnership with Iraq,” in which it essentially said that the US would not abide by the request of its Iraqi partners because the US military is a “force for good” in the Middle East and that as such it is „our right“ to maintain „appropriate force posture” in the region.
USA an Irak: ‚Stimmt ab, was ihr wollt, wir gehen nicht!‘
Das Außenministerium antwortete mit einer Erklärung unter dem Titel „Die fortgesetzte Partnerschaft der USA mit dem Irak“, in der es im Wesentlichen sagte, dass die Vereinigten Staaten von Amerika dem Wunsch ihrer irakischen Partner nicht nachkommen würden, weil das US-Militär eine „Kraft für das Gute“ im Nahen Osten sei und dass es daher „unser Recht“ sei, eine „angemessene Truppenstärke“ in der Region beizubehalten.
Maas in Jordanien – Welche Zukunft hat der deutsche Einsatz?
Das Land ist Teil der Anti-IS-Koalition, von Jordanien aus beteiligt sich auch die Bundeswehr im Kampf gegen den IS, etwa mit Aufklärungstornados und einem Airbus-Tankflugzeug.
Aber ob die deutschen Soldaten in der Region bleiben werden?
Jordanien: Bundeswehr fliegt wieder
Die »Tornados« seien bereits seit Sonnabend wieder im Einsatz, sagte der Kommandeur des deutschen Kontingents der Operation »Inherent Resolve«, Oberst Markus Kleinbauer, am Montag der Deutschen Presseagentur im jordanischen Al-Asrak.
Iraqis react to US-Iran tensions: Leave this country in peace
After decades of an enduring cycle of violence, Iraqis are hardened to conflict. But many say they have little vested interest in the latest tit-for-tat between the US and Iran.
The Long Run: Joe Biden’s Vote for War
In October 2002, he was one of 77 senators who gave President George W. Bush the authority to use force in Iraq. He is still trying to explain that choice.
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.
The Iraq Death Toll 15 Years After the US Invasion
(15.03.2018)
Taking ORB’s estimate of 1.033 million killed by June 2007, then applying a variation of Just Foreign Policy’s methodology from July 2007 to the present using revised figures from Iraq Body Count, we estimate that 2.4 million Iraqis have been killed since 2003 as a result of our country’s illegal invasion, with a minimum of 1.5 million and a maximum of 3.4 million.
U.S. Warns Iraq It Risks Losing Access to Key Bank Account if Troops Told to Leave
The State Department warned that the U.S. could shut down Iraq’s access to the country’s central bank account held at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, a move that could jolt Iraq’s already shaky economy, the officials said.
US troops knew Al-Asad air base would be attacked and sheltered in bunkers, exclusive tour reveals
Iraqi Prime Minister Adil Abdul Mahdi previously said Iran sent Iraq an official verbal message that an attack „had begun or would begin shortly,“ on unspecified US military locations.
An Arab diplomatic source also told CNN that Iraq gave advance warning to the US on „which bases would be hit“ after Iranian officials passed on the information.
Seven Days in January: How Trump Pushed U.S. and Iran to the Brink of War
But the United States also sent secret messages through Swiss intermediaries urging Iran not to respond so forcefully that Mr. Trump would feel compelled to go even further. After it did respond, firing 16 missiles at bases housing American troops without hurting anyone as a relatively harmless show of force, a message came back through the Swiss saying that would be the end of its reprisal for now. The message, forwarded to Washington within five minutes after it was received, persuaded the president to stand down.
Kerry defends Biden on Iraq War vote: Bush administration ‚broke their word‘
“The fact is that we were promised by a president, by an administration, that they were going to do it as a last resort after exhausting diplomacy, that if they have to go to war it would be with a coalition that they built broadly, and that they would do it only in conjunction with our allies,“ Kerry said Friday, according to NBC News.
“It was a mistake to have trusted them, I guess, and we paid a high price for it,” Kerry continued. “But that was not voting for the war.”
Sanders campaign: ‚Appalling‘ that Biden ‚refuses to admit he was dead wrong on the Iraq War‘
„It is appalling that after 18 years Joe Biden still refuses to admit he was dead wrong on the Iraq War, the worst foreign policy blunder in modern American history,“ Jeff Weaver, a senior adviser to the Sanders campaign, said in a statement late Saturday. „Unlike 23 of his Senate colleagues who got it right, Biden made explicitly clear that he was voting for war, and even after the war started, he boasted that he didn’t regret it.“
On the day U.S. forces killed Soleimani, they targeted a senior Iranian official in Yemen
The unsuccessful operation may indicate that the Trump administration’s killing of Maj. Gen. Qasem Soleimani last week was part of a broader operation than previously explained, raising questions about whether the mission was designed to cripple the leadership of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps or solely to prevent an imminent attack on Americans as originally stated.
U.S. Unsuccessfully Tried Killing a Second Iranian Military Official
Mr. Shahlai was based in Yemen, where Iran is supporting the Houthi rebels, who are fighting a coalition led by Saudi Arabia and that gets logistical help, intelligence and weapons from the American military and American arms makers. The attempted strike on Mr. Shahlai was first reported by The Washington Post.
On Friday, Mr. Trump expanded his description of the threat from Iran that he said prompted the strike on General Suleimani, saying Iran had planned to attack multiple embassies across the Middle East, including the American Embassy in Baghdad.
Assassination and International Law
The United States most likely committed an act of aggression against Iran and killed Soleimani in violation of human rights law. Here is why:
Aggression was originally defined at the Nuremberg Tribunal and was then later codified in part by General Assembly Resolution 3314 as well as by the International Criminal Court (ICC). The ICC uses a definition of aggression derived from international customary law, which generally prohibits the invasion or attack with a state’s armed forces against the territory of another state — including through bombing a state, blockading its ports and coasts, or sending irregular/partisan/paramilitary forces to accomplish the same.
Nach US-Drohnenangriff: Irak fordert Plan für US-Truppenabzug
Mahdi habe Pompeo gegenüber zudem erklärt, dass es einige US-Truppen gebe, die ohne Erlaubnis der Regierung ins Land gekommen seien. Auch US-Drohnen seien ohne Zustimmung der Regierung im Irak aktiv. Das stelle einen Verstoß gegen die Abkommen dar, hieß es weiter.
Die US-Truppen sind auf der Grundlage einer Vereinbarung mit der irakischen Regierung aus dem Jahr 2014 im Land, bei der es um den internationalen Kampf gegen die Dschihadistenmiliz „Islamischer Staat“ geht.
Iraq asks United States to set up mechanism for troop withdrawal
In a phone call with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi asked the United States to send a delegation to Iraq to set up a mechanism for U.S. troop withdrawal from the country, a statement from the prime minister’s office said Friday.
The request followed a vote by the Iraqi parliament to expel thousands of U.S. troops, a direct consequence of a U.S. drone attack that killed senior Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani and nine companions in Baghdad a week ago.
Auf Antrag @Linksfraktion sollte der Bundesnachrichtendienst im Ausschuss id Sondersitzung vortragen. Alle Oppositionsfraktionen dafür, die #GroKo aber ist dagegen, dass #BND das Parlament unterrichtet über Erkenntnisse in der Region. -Fehlender Aufklärungswille? #Iran #Irak #USA
Paul fires back at Graham over Iran criticism: ‚He insults the Constitution‘
Graham told reporters on Wednesday that he thought Paul and Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) were „overreacting“ by criticizing comments made during a closed-door Iran briefing.
„They’re libertarians,“ Graham said. „I think they’re overreacting, quite frankly. Go debate all you want to. I’m going to debate you. Trust me, I’m going to let people know that at this moment in time to play this game with the war powers act … whether you mean to or not, you’re empowering the enemy.“
Wadephul: Keine besondere Gefährdung für Jagel-Tornados
Die Flugzeuge fliegen von Jordanien aus Aufklärungseinsätze über dem Irak. „Ich hoffe natürlich, dass alle Piloten heil zurückkommen. Aber auch dieser Einsatz ist dringend notwendig, um den IS wirksam bekämpfen zu können“, erläuterte Wadephul dem NDR Schleswig-Holstein. Sie beobachten IS-Nester und geben Daten an die Soldaten weiter, die die Bekämpfung durchführen.
Nach iranischen Angriffen im Irak: Trump verzichtet auf Militärschlag
Die USA würden Irans Aggressionen nicht unbeantwortet lassen, sagte er bei einer Ansprache im Weißen Haus. Zugleich erklärte er, die USA wollten ihre militärische Stärke nicht anwenden. „Die Tatsache, dass wir dieses großartige Militär und die Ausrüstung haben, bedeutet allerdings nicht, dass wir es einsetzen müssen“, so Trump. „Wir wollen es nicht einsetzen.“
Commentary: When it comes to Iran, Trump wants it to be 2003. In media terms, that’s eons ago
Now the reality TV showman who used new media to bypass conventional campaign channels, rally a fan base and win the White House must confront those very same factors in a complicated world theater, and this time, they may turn against him.
Frankly speaking, I am surprised Iran launched an attack on Iraqi soil. If the Iraqi government did not approve of the attack, then Iran has violated Iraqi sovereignty, just like the US. If Iraq approved, then it is now an enemy of the US. This is a very foolish move.
Zusammenfassung: iranische Raketen auf U.S.-Militärbasen im Irak – Vorwarnung, keine Toten
Das U.S.-Aussenministerium und das U.S.-Verteidigungsministerium haben was sie wollten: eine weitere Eskalation. Mike Pompeo und Mark Esper eilten sofort zu Donald Trump, der im U.S.-Wahlkampfjahr 2020 den starken republikanischen Präsidenten demonstrieren wird.
No casualties: US and Iraqi sources said there were no known casualties as a result of the strikes
Live Updates: Iran attacks bases housing US troops
Ballistic missile strike: Iran launched more than a dozen ballistic missiles at two Iraqi military bases that house US troops, after a US killing of its top military commander last week.
No casualties: US and Iraqi sources said there were no known casualties as a result of the strikes.
Trump says „All is well!“: US President Donald Trump has yet to address the nation Wednesday morning US time, but on Twitter he said that „all is well!“
US official: Military had early warning of missile attack
Iran feuert Raketen auf US-Truppen
Die US-Luftfahrtbehörde FAA sperrte nach den Angriffen für US-Fluggesellschaften vorübergehend den Luftraum über dem Irak, dem Iran, dem Persischen Golf und dem Golf von Oman.
Mike Prysner Speech: No War on Iran! Troops Out of Iraq!
(04.01.2019)
Mike Prysner gives a powerful anti-war speech at the demonstration against Trump’s bombing of Iraq and potential war against Iran on January 4 in downtown Los Angeles at Answer Coalition’s National Day of Action.
Mike Prysner Protests Obama’s Wars
Iraq War Vet Mike Prysner
Protests Obama’s Wars
Veterans for Peace
White House
December 16, 2010, 10 am
Presidential candidate @BernieSanders hammers Joe Biden for his Iraq War, NAFTA votes. “I just don’t think that that kind of record is going to bring forth the kind energy we need to defeat Trump.”
After 16 years of war in Iraq, trillions of dollars, the deaths of 4,500 U.S. troops and hundreds of thousands of Iraqis, the Iraqi government is now trying to throw us out of their country. All that suffering, all that death, all that huge expenditure of money, for what?
It’s no laughing matter 😞
(05.01.2020)
George Carlin: „We Like War!“
(recorded 1992)
Song: Rockets and Penises in the Persian Gulf
Artist: George Carlin
Album: Jammin‘ in New York
George Carlin: We Like War
(1992)
I’d like to talk a little bit about the war in the Persian Gulf… biiiiiig doings in the Persian Gulf. You know my favourite part of that war? It’s the first war we ever had that was on every channel plus cable… and the war got good ratings too, didn’t it? Got good ratings! Well, we like war!!! We like war! We’re a war-like people! We like war because we’re good at it! You know why we’re good at it? Cause we get a lot of practice. This country’s only 200 years old and already, we’ve had 10 major wars. We average a major war every 20 years in this country so we’re good at it! And it’s a good thing we are; we’re not very good at anything else anymore! Huh? Can’t build a decent car, can’t make a TV set or a VCR worth a fuck, got no steel industry left, can’t educate our young people, can’t get health care to our old people, but we can bomb the shit out of your country all right! Huh? Especially if your country is full of brown people; oh we like that don’t we? That’s our hobby! That’s our new job in the world: bombing brown people. Iraq, Panama, Grenada, Libya, you got some brown people in your country, tell them to watch the fuck out or we’ll goddamn bomb them! Well when’s the last white people you can remember that we bombed? Can you remember the last white— can you remember ANY white people we’ve ever bombed? The Germans, those are the only ones and that’s only because they were trying to cut in on our action. They wanted to dominate the world! BULLSHIT! THAT’S OUR FUCKING JOB!!!
“I was supposed to meet Soleimani at the morning the day he was killed, he came to deliver me a message from Iran responding to the message we delivered from Saudi to Iran” Iraqi PM said.
(05.01.2019)
Iraqi PM reveals Soleimani was on peace mission when assassinated, exploding Trump’s lie of ‘imminent attacks’
According to Abdul-Mahdi, he had planned to meet Soleimani on the morning the general was killed to discuss a diplomatic rapproachment that Iraq was brokering between Iran and Saudi Arabia.
Abdul-Mahdi said that Trump personally thanked him for the efforts, even as he was planning the hit on Soleimani – thus creating the impression that the Iranian general was safe to travel to Baghdad.
US-led coalition temporarily relocates headquarters from Iraq to Kuwait: Report
Iraq’s Arabic-language al-Forat news agency reported that the alliance took the decision on Tuesday to move its command center from the Iraqi capital Baghdad to Kuwait City.
The Qatar-based and Arabic-language al-Jazeera news network, citing a report published by German DPA news agency, later confirmed the account.
„Teilabzug ist international koordiniert“
Die Bundeswehr verlegt einen Teil ihrer Soldaten aus dem Irak nach Jordanien und Kuwait. „Ich halte den Abzug aus Sicherheitsgründen für unsere Soldaten vertretbar“, so der CDU-Außenpolitiker Roderich Kiesewetter.
Iran crisis: Germany to withdraw troops in Iraq over security fears after general Soleimani killed by Trump-ordered airstrike
Germany is moving some of its military personnel from Iraq to neighbouring countries over security concerns, the government told lawmakers, days after the killing of a top Iranian military commander in a US drone strike.
About 30 of the 120 German soldiers in Iraq who mainly train Iraqi security forces will be redeployed to Jordan and Kuwait, the government told parliament in a letter on Monday.
Letter saying US troops will pull out of Baghdad was ‚an honest mistake‘
Our own sources in Baghdad confirmed that the letter was genuine and that they too had seen it.
One source said their understanding of the US position was that a partial withdrawal or repositioning of some troops to Kuwait was taking place.
Ein Mord und die Folgen
Konflikt um Iran eskaliert. Irakisches Parlament fordert Abzug der Bundeswehr
Democratic leaders urge Trump to declassify formal congressional notification of Iran strike
Two leading Senate Democrats are calling on President Donald Trump to declassify the formal notification given to Congress regarding the US drone strike that killed Iranian military commander Qasem Soleimani.
It’s not publicly known what exactly is in the formal notification, though such messages to Congress typically explain legal justification for military action.
Internationale Krisentreffen: Sondersitzungen von NATO und EU
Video
North Atlantic Council Meeting Monday, 6 January 2020 – NATO Headquarters
The North Atlantic Council at Ambassadorial level will meet this afternoon at NATO Headquarters in Brussels.
After the meeting, the NATO Secretary General will briefly address the Press in the Agora Podium. (Estimated time: ±16:30)
The event will be available live on the NATO Website.
Timeline der Eskalation
03.Dezember 2019 (Dienstag):
5 Raketen trafen die Ain al-Asad Airbase.
Keine Schäden, keine Verletzte, keine Tote.
Niemand bekennt sich zu der Tat.
https://www.presstv.com/Detail/2019/12/03/612765/Iraq-rocket-barrage-United-States-troops-Anbar-Trump-Pence
https://www.garda.com/crisis24/news-alerts/293371/iraq-no-casualties-reported-after-rockets-land-near-military-base-in-anbar-province-december-3
05.Dezember 2019 (Donnerstag):
2 Mörsergranaten oder Katjuscha-Raketen treffen die Balad air base.
Keine Verletzte, keine Tote.
Niemand bekennt sich zu der Tat.
https://www.straitstimes.com/world/middle-east/rockets-hit-base-hosting-us-forces-in-western-iraq
…
Trump says he’ll sanction Iraq if US troops forced to leave
“If they do ask us to leave, if we don’t do it in a very friendly basis, we will charge them sanctions like they’ve never seen before ever. It’ll make Iranian sanctions look somewhat tame,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One on Sunday afternoon when asked about the vote by Iraq’s parliament to end U.S. troop presence in the country.
LINKE beantragt eine Sondersitzung von Bundestagsausschüssen
»Angesichts der sich immer weiter eskalierenden Lage im Nahen Osten ist es dringend geboten, dass der Bundestag von der Bundesregierung informiert wird und über die dortigen Situation und den Einsatz der Bundeswehr debattiert«, sagte Korte der dpa. Als Termin schlug er kommenden Mittwoch vor. Regulär kommt der Bundestag erst in der darauffolgenden Woche wieder zusammen. Vertreter des Auswärtigen Amts, des Verteidigungsministeriums und des Bundesnachrichtendienstes sollten eingeladen werden, schrieb Korte.
Auch Bundeswehr betroffen: Iraks Parlament will Abzug aller Truppen
Zudem solle die Regierung ihr Hilfsersuchen im Rahmen der Anti-IS-Koalition widerrufen.
Das wäre faktisch sowohl das Ende der US-Präsenz im Land als auch das Ende des Antiterrorkampfes gegen den IS im Irak. Die USA haben derzeit rund 5000 Soldaten im Irak stationiert. Auch die Bundeswehr ist in dem Land präsent.
Anti-Isis coalition suspends operations as Iraqi MPs vote to expel US troops
A statement on Sunday from Operation Inherent Resolve said the US-led coalition was “fully committed” to protecting its bases in the light of “repeated rocket attacks” from pro-Iranian militias over the past two months.
“This has limited our capacity to conduct training with partners and to support their operations against Daesh [Isis], and we have therefore paused these activities, subject to continuous review,” the coalition said.
Iraqi parliament asks gov’t to end presence of foreign forces in Iraq
In an extraordinary session, the lawmakers voted with majority in favor of passing a law requiring the government to cancel the request for assistance from the international coalition to fight Islamic State (IS) group due to the end of military operations and war in Iraq.
Iraqi Parliament Calls For US Troops to Leave
Parliamentary resolutions are nonbinding to the government, but Abdul-Mahdi had earlier urged parliament to take urgent measures and end the presence of foreign troops as soon as possible.
Madison protest joins thousands across the country against potential war with Iran
„Maybe they won’t change the government’s mind but it will help organize the working class here in America and make them realize that they should be treated better and when we work together we can make a difference,“ Lee said.
The Memo: Iran crisis reverberates for Trump, Democrats
Clinton’s vote became a major vulnerability when she ran against then-Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2008. Biden’s backing for the war remains a sore point for some on the left even now.
“The elites and the establishment are going to try to say that because Joe Biden sat next to Barack Obama he has the most ‘foreign policy credentials,’ but that is insane,” said progressive strategist Jonathan Tasini, who supports Sanders. “Joe Biden made one of the worst foreign policy blunders ever by voting for the Iraq War, which shows he is completely without judgment.”
Bundesregierung hält an Irak-Einsatz fest
„Der Irak darf nicht im Chaos versinken. TerrorkriegUnd schon gar nicht darf der Irak unter die Kontrolle von Extremisten geraten“, sagte Verteidigungsministerin Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer am Samstagabend nach Regierungsberatungen und einer Unterrichtung der Obleute im Bundestag zur Lage.
German foreign minister will seek direct talks with Iran: newspaper
Despite the heightened tension in the region, Maas said he wanted to continue Germany’s deployment of around 120 troops in Iraq under the U.S.-led Operation Inherent Resolve.
Two rockets fall inside Iraqi air base housing U.S. troops: security sources
Two Katyusha rockets fell inside Iraq’s Balad air base, 80 km (50 miles) north of Baghdad, which houses U.S. forces on Saturday but caused no casualties, two security sources told Reuters.
Airstrike Pushes National Security to Forefront of 2020 Race
Mr. Sanders’s speech on Friday also indicated how he might use foreign policy to separate himself from other senators who are running for president: He pointed out that he has voted against all of Mr. Trump’s military budgets, a distinction that Ms. Warren and Ms. Klobuchar cannot claim.
.@Netanyahu and I had a productive call today. We discussed U.S. defensive strikes in Iraq and Syria to counter Iran’s threats. The U.S. will take decisive action to defend its citizens and interests.
(30.12.2019)
A Shocked Iraq Reconsiders Its Relationship With the U.S.
The killing of General Suleimani, intended as a shot against Iran, could accelerate an Iranian objective: pushing the United States military out of Iraq.
Der Staat verlängert seine Teilnahme an der Internationalen Kriegskoalition
(25.10.2019)
Parlament ermächtigt Militär und Geheimdienst u.a. erneut zu Einsätzen im Krieg in Syrien und Irak, sowie zur Teilnahme an N.A.T.O.-Einsätzen zwecks „See- und Luftraumüberwachung“ auch im Persischen Golf.
US denies role in new airstrike that killed six members of Iraqi militia as tension rises in Middle East – latest news
The Iraqi army told Reuters that airstrikes targeting Iraq’s Popular Mobilisation Forces – an umbrella grouping of Iran-backed Shia militias – struck near Taji, north of Baghdad, killing six people and critically wounded three, an Iraqi army source said late on Friday. A US official denied that the attack was carried out by the Americans.
Fresh US air strike hits north of Baghdad
A new United States air strike targetted an Iraqi militia late on Taji road north of Baghdad on Saturday, Australian time, state TV said. It did not name the militia or provide further details.
Bundesregierung vermeidet Bewertung von tödlichem US-Angriff auf iranischen General (Nachtrag: Transkript)
3.1.2020
Frage: Die USA haben, so meine ich, das Sicherheitsabkommen zwischen Bagdad und Washington verletzt. Sie haben zwei Offiziere, zwei Militärangehörige aus zwei Ländern, gezielt getötet.
Welche Stellung nehmen Sie zu diesen beiden Schritten? Meinen Sie, dass der Iran ein Anrecht auf Verteidigung hat, oder nicht?
Burger: Wir, Frau Demmer für die Bundesregierung und auch ich, haben zu unserer Bewertung der Vorgänge ja gerade Stellung genommen.
U.S. and allies suspend training of Iraqi forces: Germany
In the letter to German lawmakers, a senior German officer said U.S. Lieutenant General Pat White had decided to further increase the level of protection for the forces deployed in Iraq under Operation Inherent Resolve (OIR), which he commands.
Iran summons Swiss envoy, condemns US ’state terrorism‘
Iran has summoned the Swiss charge d’affaires, whose country represents US interests in Iran, over Washington’s assassination of Gen. Qassem Soleimani, decrying the attack as a „blatant instance of state terrorism“.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi said on Friday that the Swiss envoy was notified of Tehran’s „strong protest“.
Nach US-Tötung Soleimanis: Bundeswehr setzt Ausbildung im Irak aus
Die Bundeswehr setzt die Ausbildung von Sicherheitskräften der Kurden und der Zentralregierung im Irak nach der Tötung des iranischen Generals Kassem Soleimani durch einen US-Luftangriff aus. Eine entsprechende Entscheidung habe das Hauptquartier der Koalition gegen die Terrormiliz IS zum Schutz der eigenen Kräfte getroffen, teilte das Einsatzführungskommando der Bundeswehr den Obleuten im Verteidigungsausschuss des Bundestages mit.
UN Security Council meeting on the Middle East following General Soleimani’s assassination: stakeout
Live from UN headquarters in New York on Friday, January 3 as UN Security Council holds a closed-door meeting on the situation in Syria and the Middle East. The meeting, which had been requested by France and the UK in order to discuss the humanitarian situation in Idlib, is expected to be overshadowed by the news of the targeted assassination of Maj. Gen. Qassem Soleimani, the leader of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
Wow, it’s the New York Times, the newspaper that helped launder the case for the Iraq War, warning that Trump isn’t doing enough war in the Middle East.
(01.01.2020)
13-jähriger Terrorkrieg: Die „Authorization For Use of Military Force“ vom 14. September 2001 im Wortlaut
(29. August 2014)
Die nach den Attentaten vom 11. September in den Vereinigten Staaten von Amerika dem Präsidenten vom Kongress persönlich ausgestellte Vollmacht, der ein nun fast dreizehn Jahre andauernder weltweiter Terrorkrieg a.k.a. „war on terror“ folgte, ist in Deutschland immer noch weithin unbekannt.
Radio Utopie dokumentiert dieses in jeder Hinsicht verheerende historische Ermächtigungsgesetz im Wortlaut.
Trump’s dangerous escalation brings us closer to another disastrous war in the Middle East that could cost countless lives and trillions more dollars. Trump promised to end endless wars, but this action puts us on the path to another one.
Oil prices jump after Iran military leader killed in US strike
Futures for Brent crude, a global benchmark, jumped 2.9% to $68.16 per barrel during Asian trading hours on Friday. US oil futures gained 2.8%, reaching $62.86 per barrel. That puts both on pace right now for their biggest daily gains in about a month, according to Refinitiv data.
I still can’t believe Hajji Qassem and Muhandis were riding in the same convoy within a couple hundred meters of a major US facility, with a huge US ISR stack overhead days after airstrikes killed two dozen KH guys.
Incredible overconfidence and sloppiness.
Gefährliche Eskalation: US-Militär tötet hohen iranischen General
Die Tötung des Generals wurde in der Nacht von den iranischen Revolutionsgarden bestätigt. Soleimani war Chef der iranischen Al-Kuds-Einheit, einer Division der iranischen Revolutionsgarden, die Spezialeinsätze außerhalb des Iran durchführt. Sarif bezeichnete den Raketenangriff als „extrem gefährliche“ und „dumme Eskalation“.
The US‘ act of international terrorism, targeting & assassinating General Soleimani—THE most effective force fighting Daesh (ISIS), Al Nusrah, Al Qaeda et al—is extremely dangerous & a foolish escalation. The US bears responsibility for all consequences of its rogue adventurism.
Fear of a Major Mideast War
Fears of a major war in the Middle East exploded Thursday night with the U.S. assassination of arguably the second most powerful man in Iran.
In major escalation, American strike kills top Iranian commander in Baghdad
A U.S. airstrike killed Iranian Quds Force commander Qasem Soleimani in Baghdad late Thursday, the Pentagon said, a dramatic escalation of tensions between the two countries that could lead to widespread violence in the region and beyond.
Shutter the Gigantic US Embassy in Iraq
Eight years later, the embassy remains and rampant US intervention in both Iraq and the larger region persists. Instead of continuing the policy of intervention, President Trump could implement the policy reversal Paul endorsed in his editorial. Paul wrote: “I have long said that we should simply declare victory and come home.” That would be nice. However, escalation appears to be in the cards.
Iraq closes another displacement camp in Kirkuk, evicting 450 families
Iraq closed down yet another displacement camp where 450 families had been seeking shelter in the disputed province of Kirkuk, relocating them to camps that are still open or to other areas across the province.
Iran-backed militia leader reported dead after strike at Baghdad airport
Later, security sources told local media a strike hit two vehicles, killing Mohammed Redha, a senior member of Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Units — an umbrella group that includes Iran-backed Shiite militias with close ties to Iran and other militias that have fought the Islamic State group since 2014.
Security Alert – U.S. Embassy Baghdad, Iraq
1.1.2020
Due to militia attacks at the U.S. Embassy compound, all public consular operations are suspended until further notice. All future appointments are cancelled. U.S. citizens are advised to not approach the Embassy. The U.S. Consulate General in Erbil is open for visa and American Citizen Services appointments.
Secretary of State Pompeo postpones Ukraine trip to focus on Iraq
Pompeo postponed his trip to Ukraine, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Cyprus “due to the need for the Secretary to be in Washington, D.C., to continue monitoring the ongoing situation in Iraq and ensure the safety and security of Americans in the Middle East,” State Department spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus said in a statement.
Iraqi security forces regain control of area around US Embassy after second day of protests
Iraqi security forces have regained control of the area around the US Embassy in Baghdad after the compound was rocked by a second day of mass protests.
Earlier Wednesday security personnel fired tear gas and rubber bullets at hundreds of protesters — some of whom were seen trying to climb the building’s walls — eyewitnesses told CNN.
The US conducted airstrikes in Iraq over the objections of the Iraqi government. Now Iraqi protesters broke into the US Embassy. Trump’s malpractice in the region is making us less safe. Time for Congress to stop this foolish rush to war.
Pompeo calls attack on U.S. Embassy in Baghdad „state-sponsored terror“
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo called the Tuesday attack on the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad „state-sponsored terror“ in an interview with CBS News. But he emphasized that the embassy is „safe“ and that the U.S. „never contemplated“ evacuating the facility.
„This is state-sponsored terror, this is Iranian-backed terrorism that took place,“ Pompeo told CBS News‘ Major Garrett in his first broadcast interview since the attack.
Twin foreign policy crises greet Trump as election year dawns
President Donald Trump is suddenly faced on the first day of election year with hot foreign policy crises with Iran and North Korea that put American lives at risk and could weigh heavily on his own political prospects.
When news arrived early Sunday that President Trump had spoken to his Russian counterpart, it didn’t come from the White House. It came from Moscow.
(30.12.2019)
US readies 4,000 troops for deployment to Middle East amid Baghdad unrest: report
Five thousand U.S. troops are already stationed in Iraq assisting the country’s security forces. U.S. forces in the region number around 60,000 troops.
Esper says 750 soldiers to deploy ‚immediately‘ in response to violent embassy protests in Iraq
„At the direction of the Commander in Chief @POTUS, I have authorized the deployment of an infantry battalion from the Immediate Response Force (IRF) of the @82ndABNDiv to the @CENTCOM area of operations in response to recent events in Iraq,“ Esper tweeted.