Head of Iran's Quds Force Killed at Baghdad Airport

[Fox3WheresMyBanana]

I think they may wait for darkness, tomorrow night.
If you're right, I imagine they'll use B-2s tomorrow daytime, but I think a multi-platform strike tomorrow night makes more sense. Especially as it will minimise possible civilian casualties.

[prospector]

Has anybody heard yet what the deceased general was planning that was the reason for taking him out? It would appear Pompeo does not know, or will not tell. Perhaps another case of Weapons of mass destruction???

https://www.rt.com/usa/477663-pomepo-no ... aign=Email


Evidence? What evidence? Pompeo shows no proof of ‘imminent’ Soleimani attacks
The US says that Iranian General Qassem Soleimani was plotting “imminent and sinister” attacks against its diplomats and military personnel. But when Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was pressed for evidence of this, he gave none.

[Slasher]

The Fog of War. Cry havoc! and all that nonsense.

Latest from a coupla Iranian blokes I know in the Gulf is a few missiles here and there in Iraq possibly to deflect attention from what might be going on in Yemen. They didn’t elaborate even though Telegram is relatively safe. But they all agreed It’ll take a lot more than bumping off a few RG bigshots to affect any kind of regime change in Tehran. The masses are all behind what the US is doing, and added no one will hear anything about that in the popular media.

That’s all they told me.

[BenThere]

I haven't a clue about the conversations at the National Security conference after the 2nd wave of Iranian missile attacks, but I'm pretty sure there were divergent views abounding. Some would want to respond immediately with punishing attacks on Iran. Others would argue for proportionate attacks, perhaps not even on Iran but its proxy bridge to the Mediterranean.

For what it's worth my strategic strategy would be to let things lie for a few weeks, perhaps adding to economic sanctions up to a blockade of Iranian ports. It would keep Iran on high alert, allow it to dial back on its aggressive actions and settle into the mostly rhetorical war it is accustomed to. Should more attacks occur, President Trump can raise the tab to inflict more damage on the Iranian regime.

My guess, based on my own operational experience, is that it would take two weeks or so for the US to gain air supremacy, neutralize Iranian air defenses, and lay open its ports, oil refineries, nuclear facilities, Revolutionary Guard facilities, etc. - a smorgasbord of targets. Selecting of targets should be considerate to not hurt the Iranian citizenry which is mostly hostile to the regime and surprisingly pro-American according to Zogby polls. It's the oppressive Mullahs who need a shave and dressing down, maybe even a rope drag down a dusty street - can't wait.

The Persians I've come to know, mostly exiles, are generally refined, perceptive, and successful people. My wife's good Persian friend, educated in France, sings opera in the Sacramento symphony. Iran, which is now about 1/2 Persian, is a proud, ancient culture, victimized by Islam, but I'm convinced that ultimately Islam will disappear, given its hateful basis.

[prospector]

'For what it's worth my strategic strategy would be to let things lie for a few weeks,'

It is obvious that the Iranians with this little flurry of missiles, not doing any real harm to anybody, it was only a face saving exercise. President Trump would gain a lot of kudos by not doing anything more to incite any more repercussions. His point has been made.


'Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi claimed on Sunday that Soleimani was in Iraq to discuss a possible peace agreement between Iran and Saudi Arabia. When asked about this on Tuesday, Pompeo laughed and delivered a sarcastic response.'

Is that statement of a possible peace agreement with Saudi's not possible? and whose nose would be put out of joint if such a thing happened?

As is being made more obvious to the rest of the world populations, the only people to benefit from these wars are the munitions manufacturers from you know where.

Perhaps if a bit more money was spent on infrastructure at home we would not be seeing all these horrible video's of homeless people having to live on the streets of America's largest cities that were once showcases to the world of benefits of not having to live in a welfare society..

[Boac]

Whatever the rights and wrongs of the assassination of Solemani on another country's soil, I have seen no credit given to the intelligence folk and the drone operators for the conduct of the killing. Anyone would think the Chump did it!

[prospector]

"I have seen no credit given to the intelligence folk "

What? the ones that are still searching for the weapons of mass destruction?? Or perhaps trying to get over the fiasco of the Mueller report? Or perhaps trying to get out of sight from the Durham report in the making.

[Boac]

No, prospector, those who were involved in this strike.

[Fliegenmong]

Mad Mullahs had to be seen doing something I suppose..

[Boac]

I thought he had threatened 52 air strikes..................?

[prospector]

Hopefully they only remain threats

[om15]

So far (mid morning UK time) there doesn't seem to be any reports of US servicemen fatalities, the Iraqis have said that they have no deaths from the raids.
Is this a very carefully executed "retaliation" to save face but not invoke the full might of the US in retaliation? if so it might just return to a war of words with Iran plotting future revenge when it is in a position to do so, or has Mr Trump got the wind in his sails and we will see more fireworks later today.
The Iranians have said that they don't wish to escalate this crisis, I dare say they don't, much better carrying out assignations and terrorist attacks on civilians than facing up the US in combat.

[Fliegenmong]

A 'prominent Middle Eastern scholar' (has published books etc.) was on the radio for the drive home this afternoon. I have had heard rather a lot in recent days that this Soleimani chap had a lot to do with the fight aginst ISIS but today 'learnt' for a a fair amount of time the US were providing Air cover / support for him (and /or his troops)...whilst batttling ISIS...I guess it not being against the realm of psibility in the complexity in these parts.

[Fliegenmong]

By that I mean as much as the US hate Iran, there was a time when they saw fit to sell them F-14s, so an Iranian force on the ground is helping a US objective, provide air support until such time you can go back to killing those that helped you...

[Rwy in Sight]

Fliegenmong, I am afraid the issue has do with who is the leader the previous state leader felt good about the US the current ones not so, they show it and the US doesn't like their new attitude.

[Fliegenmong]

No just an opprtunistic leader that "had a good feeling about the US" took advantage of an 'Offer you can't refuse' from a US adminstration that suited them. I am of the opinion that no Ayotollah ever really 'felt good about the US'

Hard to believe that in the IRAN IRAQ war of the early 80's, we'd hit the 2020's with Iran exerting so much influeence over Iraq, and appear to do so now that Saddam is gone, massive bastard he was, he didn't suffer fools and kept Iraq under his boot. No religous BS in Saddams world, no dissent....but of course when he was offed, ISIS sprang forth.

The reneging of the 'Iran Deal' simply allowed them to say 'See they can't be trusted'.

My lovely Iranian neighbours seem to be lying low. They txt mee Merry Christmas on Christmas morning. They were here about a month ago for dinner and said how they hated having to pretend to be something they were not in Iran so as they didn't get in trouble, equally they said how their Parents despised the Shah for explioting their natural resources...I get that...but I can stand back and look at it objecti

Asymetric warfare is the only thing they (not the people but the mad mullahs can do), they know they are hopelessly out gunned going toe to toe with the US, and why clowns like trump threaten ruining places of cultural significance because if he does know something of International Law (Doubtful), as evidenced by his now distancing himself from those statements.

[om15]

USA 1. Iran nil.

Mr Trump has trumped, he has removed a military threat, squared up to Iran who took a face saving act and ensured no US citizens were harmed in their response, and will now hopefully watch their p's and q's.
Extreme sanctions are now going to be imposed and the US have made it clear they mean business, compare this to what the EU have failed to achieve.

Donald-Trump-2247998.jpg (35.32 KiB) Viewed 304 times

[boing]

Any compromise now is simply a return to the situation a month ago. Nobody is talking about Iran behaving any better in general, nobody is talking about stopping the Iranian marine interference with shipping in the Gulf, the crowds in Iran are still being whipped up to anger and their calls of "Death to America". The missile attacks appear to have caused little damage but what would have happened if the Iranians had been a little more lucky and they had killed 50 or 100 Americans? Are we saying the missile attacks shouldn't be held against Iran because no one was hurt, what about the intent?

Allowing the Iranians to walk away from these events without, at least, a symbolic bloody nose will let the wily bastards off the hook to revert to their old tricks. The Mullahs haven't changed, the Quds are still in operation, Iran must be taught that there is a price to pay for interfering militarily in other countries or we will just continue the old cycles of proxy wars and death over again and again and again. Sanctions alone only punish the people of Iran who do not deserve it, it is the leaders of Iran that must be humbled and who gives a damn about their pride being hurt.

.

[Boac]

Iran must be taught that there is a price to pay for interfering militarily in other countries

- an interesting idea?

[Boac]

First pictures of damage to Ain al-Assad https://www.airlive.net/breaking-first- ... le-strike/