Soleimani Death

[HighPriest]

Im done with this. You think that’s why their government is against the US government? Or could it be because of repeated interventionism in the region?

I think it’s both things. The US has certainly not done itself any favors in the sense of making friends in the Middle East. And the friends it has are probably not the guys it should be hanging out with.
But Iran is also a totalitarian theocracy who would prefer it is the world were run by an Islamic state. And even that is simplifying things to a large extent.

And in terms of Soleimani being the enemy: he was. Period. He was an enemy of the United States. I don’t know how you could argue otherwise. You could argue whether he might have some good points with regards to where the US has overstepped its bounds, but he was the enemy. And the US, just like Iran, has a vested interest in protecting itself.

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[Peterluger]

I think it’s both things. The US has certainly not done itself any favors in the sense of making friends in the Middle East. And the friends it has are probably not the guys it should be hanging out with.
But Iran is also a totalitarian theocracy who would prefer it is the world were run by an Islamic state. And even that is simplifying things to a large extent.

Authoritarian yes, totalitarian no. That would be trump’s buddies, saudi and north korea. Iran is at least nominally a republic, with a secular judiciary that is in addition to the islamic courts, as well as a parliament and a president (but yes the supreme leader has strong control)

 

[HighPriest]

Authoritarian yes, totalitarian no. That would be trump’s buddies, saudi and north korea. Iran is at least nominally a republic, with a secular judiciary that is in addition to the islamic courts, as well as a parliament and a president (but yes the supreme leader has strong control)

The first French Republic was also nominally a republic. But practically it wasn’t. I mean, $#!t man, the DPRK calls itself a republic.

 

[HighPriest]

Also the Saudis have unfortunately been every president’s friend. Not just Trump.

 

[Apollyon]

Im done with this.

OK.

Authoritarian yes, totalitarian no. That would be trump’s buddies, saudi and north korea. Iran is at least nominally a republic, with a secular judiciary that is in addition to the islamic courts, as well as a parliament and a president (but yes the supreme leader has strong control)

Or, maybe not.

 

[Angus Avagadro]

I just heard on the news that Iran just attacked our airbase in Iraq with missiles. I believe Iran is now about to experience Climate Change

 

[deleted573262]

We’re hitting the war path. Everyone feeling safe? Anyone getting sick of winning? Is America great again? Vote with your feet 2020

 

[deleted126335]

One of them committed genocidal acts against certain ethnic groups and used chemical weapons against said ethnic groups. And made it official policy to actually destroy certain ethnic groups. I mean two wrongs don’t make a right, but there’s just no comparison.

So without the benefit of hindsight you supported gulf war 1 and 2 to remove Saddam Hussein on humanitarian grounds? You would have supported deliberate targeting of Saddam Hussein-despite the international law issues?


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[Peterluger]

So without the benefit of hindsight you supported gulf war 1 and 2 to remove Saddam Hussein on humanitarian grounds? You would have supported deliberate targeting of Saddam Hussein-despite the international law issues?


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I wouldn’t have supported anything. The point is it’s preposterous and tinged in racism to create some moral equivalency between Iran and ISIS or Saddam or Saudi Arabia for that matter

 

[zero0]

High oil prices: China loses, Russia/Iran/USA/SA/UAE all "win"

Strait of Hormuz blockade: China/Iran/UAE/SA lose, USA/Russia "win"

Anti-Iran sanctions: Iran loses, everyone else wins


I think Trump is figuring Iran might try to blockade the Strait, but if Iran did then the USA wouldn't do anything militarily (unless directly attacked, but that would be limited to self defense).

Iran gets the smackdown from Iraq/SA/UAE/China in the UN.

Iran theocracy implodes when their only last step alienates the entire world against them and the economy completely collapsed.



In summary: Trump wants Iran to try to blockade because that turns the entire world against the Ayatollah and his regime, and the USA doesn't have to engage in war.

If Iran blocks of the Strait of Hormuz without further agitating the US militarily, then the US has no reason to attack. However, that's not happening.

Iran has already threatened to retaliate to the US assassination of Soleimani with an act of "severe revenge" (I forget the exact words used). The missile strike on the US base in Iraq earlier today is likely just the beginning. Blocking the Strait won't incite the US to go to war by itself, but pair that with ongoing aggression and we have all of the usual boxes for the "prelude to the war" chapter in the history books checked off.

All that's left to do is involve the Strait of Hormuz and parts of the Russian and Chinese navy. Suddenly, dragging multiple superpowers into the war becomes a real possibility.

If this was just another Middle Eastern-US petrodollar conflict I wouldn't blink twice, but China and Russia getting involved has me wondering just how bad can it get this time.

 

[sevoflurane]

I really did not want to head down this road. Now we are going to have our own troops suffering casualties... again. Sucks. I am wondering what our retaliation is going to be. Everyone posturing isn’t good when you want to deescalate.

Trump should divulge the “imminant” attack on the US. If true, this would gather support. If not, it may look like the search of non-existent weapons of mass destruction.

Ugh...

 

[deleted126335]

I wouldn’t have supported anything. The point is it’s preposterous and tinged in racism to create some moral equivalency between Iran and ISIS or Saddam or Saudi Arabia for that matter

That answer is full of


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[Peterluger]

That answer is full of


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Sorry if I hurt your feelings

 

[drmwvr]

Irony of all of this is that Soleimani would have said "eh....good hit...."

 

[Lawpy]

Still trying to understand why Europe is a lot more sympathetic to Iran than to US. Europe is usually pushing very strongly for sanctions relief in Iran in hopes for Iran complying with the nuclear deal. And Europe has been fairly toxic towards the US for several rather unfair reasons (defense, tech etc.)

 

[pgg]

Authoritarian yes, totalitarian no. That would be trump’s buddies, saudi and north korea. Iran is at least nominally a republic, with a secular judiciary that is in addition to the islamic courts, as well as a parliament and a president (but yes the supreme leader has strong control)

Are you from Iran? Just curious. You're working awfully hard to defend them, for someone without a personal interest or tie there.

 

[sevoflurane]

Thanks for all the responses but let’s try and keep it a discussion and please don’t make it personal. The “corn-fed-farm boys” response was really not needed and offensive to those who serve. I think we have a poster here on our forum that is actually in Iraq and from Iraq. He may be an interesting addition to this thread.

Glad to hear that our soldiers were not killed and am saddened to hear that some Iraq military personnel were.

Maybe we can not retaliate. I think we have a chance to deescalate. Wishful thinking?

 

[sevoflurane]

"Iran took & concluded proportionate measures in self-defense under Article 51 of UN Charter targeting base from which cowardly armed attack against our citizens & senior officials were launched," Zarif tweeted. "We do not seek escalation or war, but will defend ourselves against any aggression."

Took and concluded....

 

[OnePunchBiopsy]

Can't wait to vote this year

 

[sevoflurane]

Can't wait to vote this year

Agree. I never thought Trump would win. I am in a largely conservative state (passionate about guns and property rights...which I personally like even though the guns in my house are owned and used by my wife).... our State went the other way this past election.

Trump has done some good things, but he is far from presidential and is a visceral/impulsive individual that can be dangerous.

Just wish we had stronger candidates out there. Biden seems to me as an individual who is at the early stages of dementia. But I digress... Iran.

 

[pgg]

Thanks for all the responses but let’s try and keep it a discussion and please don’t make it personal. The “corn-fed-farm boys” response was really not needed and offensive to those who serve. I think we have a poster here on our forum that is actually in Iraq and from Iraq. He may be an interesting addition to this thread.

Glad to hear that our soldiers were not killed and am saddened to hear that some Iraq military personnel were.

Maybe we can not retaliate. I think we have a chance to deescalate. Wishful thinking?

I think that's what cooler heads would do. At this point all I can do is have faith that rational decisions will be made.

Iran had to know that a rocket attack on Al Asad would be completely ineffective. It looks like a symbolic gesture to show they did something, but didn't want to risk something that would make another response certain. It's been their MO for a long time. Push, push, push, get burned a little, back off ... wait ... push, push ...

The peak of this cycle is higher than usual but let's hope we're on the downslope again.


I hope our forum's Iraqi anesthesia resident is well and safe. I don't recall if he ever told us which city he was in.

 

[pgg]

Agree. I never thought Trump would win. I am in a largely conservative state (passionate about guns and property rights...which I personally like even though the guns in my house are owned and used by my wife).... our State went the other way this past election.

Trump has done some good things, but he is far from presidential and is a visceral/impulsive individual that can be dangerous.

Just wish we had stronger candidates out there. Biden seems to me as an individual who is at the early stages of dementia. But I digress... Iran.

It seems every 4 years our presidential elections get crazier and crazier.

I thought Sarah Palin was going to be the absolute high water mark for election nuttiness in my lifetime. And then 2016 ... wow. But 2020 is going to be a carnival where the cotton candy was spun from LSD.

 

[deleted162650]

I don't recall if he ever told us which city he was in.

I’m pretty sure in his more recent threads he said he’s now at the main hospital in Baghdad.

 

[sevoflurane]

1). Iran had to know that a rocket attack on Al Asad would be completely ineffective.....

2). Push, push, push, get burned a little, back off ... wait ... push, push ...

3). I hope our forum's Iraqi anesthesia resident is well and safe.

1). I am not military, but that is a strong comment considering collateral damage. I am out of my league here but glad that you have confidence in our defenses with this particular type of attack. That being said, now there is a lot of blood on the ground from a Ukrainian airplaine that is down. This is not coincidence IMO.

2). Yes

3). Absolutely

 

[dhb]

Still trying to understand why Europe is a lot more sympathetic to Iran than to US.

People from outside the US have different views regarding US interventionalism.
The US will fund one militia then turn against them calling terrorism the tactiques that it once promoted (Afghanistan, Syria..), often creating more problems that solving them.

 

[HalO'Thane]

Still trying to understand why Europe is a lot more sympathetic to Iran than to US. Europe is usually pushing very strongly for sanctions relief in Iran in hopes for Iran complying with the nuclear deal. And Europe has been fairly toxic towards the US for several rather unfair reasons (defense, tech etc.)

I wouldn’t say that Europe is more sympathetic to Iran than they are to the United States but they have to deal with a lot more ramifications if there is greater instability in the Middle East as a whole, so they probably have a greater tendency towards de-escalation. They are much more dependent on oil imports than we are. They also already have a massive refugee crisis on their hands that will only get worse with climate change, so I’m sure the last thing that they need is more war leading to more displacement of citizens in that region.

 

[pgg]

Compared to Europeans, Americans are a lot more ... disconnected? remote? ... from the day-to-day impacts of chaos in the middle east. I think it's easier for us to be philosophical about things, think abstractly, take moral stands. When, as noted by HalO'Thane, we're not totally dependent on Russian gas and Gulf oil, and we don't have refugees hiking to and across our borders.

Look how spun up and freaked out 40% of the people in the USA are about economic migrants (not even war refugees) crossing our southern border.

I totally get why the average European is more wary and anxious.

 

[pgg]

1). I am not military, but that is a strong comment considering collateral damage. I am out of my league here but glad that you have confidence in our defenses with this particular type of attack. That being said, now there is a lot of blood on the ground from a Ukrainian airplaine that is down. This is not coincidence IMO.

I haven't seen any reporting on what kind of ballistic missiles they were, but if they're short range ones like the old Scuds, they're not super accurate. I don't know what ABM defenses we still have around Al Asad these days. Anyway, less confidence in defenses but pessimism regarding their accuracy.

They probably would've been more effective using locals with smaller rockets or mortars. Even then most, say 90%+, rocket attacks by locals on our air bases in the middle east miss them completely and we're talking swaths of land big enough to contain runways and airports. Mortar attacks are scarier.

Not saying it's not dangerous to be throwing around explosives, but this never had any real chance of being operationally impactful. They're claiming 80 Americans killed on state TV now, which is laughable. All taken together, it suggests to me that it was symbolic and they're keen on declaring their revenge a success, so they can save some face as they back off for a while. It makes me hope that deescalation can commence. If they'd done something real, like toss some antiship missiles at something in the Gulf, or another attack on Saudi Arabia, I'd be more inclined to believe they really want to kick something big off.


As for the Boeing airliner bound for Ukraine crashing, it's certainly not anything we would do (of course). I don't think even this despotic Iranian regime would go so far as to down their own airliner. So that leaves coincidence.

 

[sevoflurane]

Someone mentioned Venezuela earlier. I have generations (probably 100’s of generations) of family members that have lived there. Some from high up in the Andes mountains. I lived there in the 70’s during it’s golden age. Beautiful place. Happening place. Rich, growing, industrial.

What is going on there right now...
despite it being one of the richest oil producing countries in the world is beyond me.... faaak.

Corruption has a long history in South America and Venezuela is no exception.

It is hard to get toilet paper, basic meds for the elsderly and 8 hour lines to get a loaf of bread or milk when at the end of that time there is nothing left.

Inflation so ridiculous that we take our bills and turn them into purses and wallets and hats. Worthless.

I have so many good memories in VZ as a kid and dang... such a beautiful country and culture.
Best beaches ever. Good people.

Now, it is oppressive and a real loss to us. Sad.

Many still there. We have a long history with Colombia and they have oppened their arms to us as we have to them (Research Grand Colombia and Simon Bolivar if you want some history). George Washington of South America was born in Caracas.

I have few family members left there. Their homes are being taken over by the jungle or can’t be sold. They are all in exile or here or in Europe or in the Caribbean searching for their identity.

It is sad. Oppressive. We are dismantled.

I wish that the US would intervene.

I know it is not Iraq... but my background may fit in this thread somewhat.

World is messed up in a lot of places. I guess it’s the way it’s always been.

The line is hard to delineate that is for sure.

Shortages in Venezuela - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

Attached are goods made from our worthless currency.

 

[sevoflurane]

I haven't seen any reporting on what kind of ballistic missiles they were, but if they're short range ones like the old Scuds, they're not super accurate. I don't know what ABM defenses we still have around Al Asad these days. Anyway, less confidence in defenses but pessimism regarding their accuracy.

They probably would've been more effective using locals with smaller rockets or mortars. Even then most, say 90%+, rocket attacks by locals on our air bases in the middle east miss them completely and we're talking swaths of land big enough to contain runways and airports. Mortar attacks are scarier.

Not saying it's not dangerous to be throwing around explosives, but this never had any real chance of being operationally impactful. They're claiming 80 Americans killed on state TV now, which is laughable. All taken together, it suggests to me that it was symbolic and they're keen on declaring their revenge a success, so they can save some face as they back off for a while. It makes me hope that deescalation can commence. If they'd done something real, like toss some antiship missiles at something in the Gulf, or another attack on Saudi Arabia, I'd be more inclined to believe they really want to kick something big off.


As for the Boeing airliner bound for Ukraine crashing, it's certainly not anything we would do (of course). I don't think even this despotic Iranian regime would go so far as to down their own airliner. So that leaves coincidence.

Thx for the post PGG. Gives me some clarity as to the military impact there.

I am not jumping to conclusions, but a Ukranian flight down in Iran sounds very coincidental.

 

[pgg]

Someone mentioned Venezuela earlier. I have generations (probably 100’s of generations) of family members that have lived there. Some from high up in the Andes mountains. I lived there in the 70’s during it’s golden age. Beautiful place. Happening place. Rich, growing, industrial.

What is going on there right now...
despite it being one of the richest oil producing countries in the world is beyond me.... faaak.

Corruption has a long history in South America and Venezuela is no exception.

It is hard to get toilet paper, basic meds for the elsderly and 8 hour lines to get a loaf of bread or milk when at the end of that time there is nothing left.

Inflation so ridiculous that we take our bills and turn them into purses and wallets and hats. Worthless.

I have so many good memories in VZ as a kid and dang... such a beautiful country and culture.
Best beaches ever. Good people.

Now, it is oppressive and a real loss to us. Sad.

Many still there. We have a long history with Columbia and they have oppened their arms to us as we have to them (Research Grand Colombia and Simon Bolivar if you want some history). George Washington of South America was born in Caracas.

I have few family members left there. Their homes are being taken over by the jungle or can’t be sold. They are all in exile or here or in Europe or in the Caribbean searching for their identity.

It is sad. Oppressive. We are dismantled.

I wish that the US would intervene.

I know it is not Iraq... but my background may fit in this thread somewhat.

World is messed up in a lot of places. I guess it’s the way it’s always been.

The line is hard to delineate that is for sure.

Shortages in Venezuela - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

Attached are goods made of our worthless currency.


View attachment 292116

The stories of Venezuela and Argentina are pretty sad. At least they don't have an Iran-equivalent neighbor actively working to destabilize them. I think Venezuela will turn it around in our lifetime, hopefully soon. I have less confidence in the middle east. Too many nations there that want their neighbors to fail. I thought the green spring was their moment, but no.

 

[Peterluger]

Compared to Europeans, Americans are a lot more ... disconnected? remote? ... from the day-to-day impacts of chaos in the middle east. I think it's easier for us to be philosophical about things, think abstractly, take moral stands. When, as noted by HalO'Thane, we're not totally dependent on Russian gas and Gulf oil, and we don't have refugees hiking to and across our borders.

Look how spun up and freaked out 40% of the people in the USA are about economic migrants (not even war refugees) crossing our southern border.

I totally get why the average European is more wary and anxious.

The rejection of interventionist US foreign policy with regard to the “middle east” is not something by any means limited to Europe, and it predates the current refugee crisis by several decades.

 

[deleted126335]

The rejection of interventionist US foreign policy with regard to the “middle east” is not something by any means limited to Europe, and it predates the current refugee crisis by several decades.

If/when the US disengages in the future, we will see how the world will like Russian and Chinese forms of interventionism. Not to mention an unchecked Iran.


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[Peterluger]

Russia and China will not make the world a better place by any means.

 

[Lawpy]

Ukraine-Bound Boeing Jet Crashes in Iran, Killing All on Board

A Ukraine International Airlines Boeing 737-800 jetliner crashed shortly after takeoff from Tehran, killing all 176 passengers and crew members on board.

www.wsj.com

Online commenters and conspiracy theorists are blaming Boeing and US-Iran tensions as the cause

 

[deleted697535]

Just as an fyi you guys talk about Europeans like were all the same. Were not. The EU is a trade union at best. We dont think the same, share the same values or ideas. Even 5 miles across a border there are vastly different outlooks on life and politics.

 

[HighPriest]

Just as an fyi you guys talk about Europeans like were all the same. Were not. The EU is a trade union at best. We dont think the same, share the same values or ideas. Even 5 miles across a border there are vastly different outlooks on life and politics.

exactly the reply I would expect from a european!!

 

[deleted162650]

Just as an fyi you guys talk about Europeans like were all the same. Were not. The EU is a trade union at best. We dont think the same, share the same values or ideas. Even 5 miles across a border there are vastly different outlooks on life and politics.

Just to alleviate my confusion, you are European but practicing in Canada, correct??

 

[Mikkel]

Obama gave money to Iran, and Iran used that money to attack Americans.

Trump is putting a stop to that.

What a time to be alive!

 

[Peterluger]

Obama gave money to Iran, and Iran used that money to attack Americans.

Trump is putting a stop to that.

What a time to be alive!

No. Obama unfroze their assets. Their own money. As part of the nuclear deal. Nobody “gave” them money. Now as a result, instead of having inspectors overseeing their nuclear program,they will be accountable to no one, and will develop nuclear weapons, and no one will be able to say or do a god damn thing about it.
Oh and trump didnt put a stop to anything, and also, under Obama, Iran never would have dared rain fking ballistic missiles onto US bases. That’s insane

 

[Lawpy]

Just as an fyi you guys talk about Europeans like were all the same. Were not. The EU is a trade union at best. We dont think the same, share the same values or ideas. Even 5 miles across a border there are vastly different outlooks on life and politics.

I'm curious but is EU considered a confederation? Because there were talks of United States of Europe and that bothers me

 

[Mikkel]

No. Obama unfroze their assets. Their own money. As part of the nuclear deal. Nobody “gave” them money. Now as a result, instead of having inspectors overseeing their nuclear program,they will be accountable to no one, and will develop nuclear weapons, and no one will be able to say or do a god damn thing about it.
Oh and trump didnt put a stop to anything, and also, under Obama, Iran never would have dared rain fking ballistic missiles onto US bases. That’s insane

You must be living in an alternate reality.

The Iran deal was conditioned on money being given back to Iran as a payoff, a quid pro quo if you will.

Nuclear inspectors were not allowed into military sites. Iran was free to do anything nuclear related there with no oversight. Thanks, Obama!

US Navy sailors were captured and humiliated by the Iranians while Obama was in office.

The Iranians killed thousands of Muslims while Obama was in office, and Obama didn't say a word.




The ayaltollahs have caved thanks to Trump. I doubt we'll see dead Americans from Iranian terrorist attacks after Trump did a late-term abortion on Soleimani.

 

[pgg]

and also, under Obama, Iran never would have dared rain fking ballistic missiles onto US bases. That’s insane

Iran-backed Shia militia groups directed by a certain now-deceased Iranian ex-general have been firing missiles at US bases in Iraq continuously for about 16 years now. This isn't secret or controversial information.

 

[Lawpy]

U.S. and Iran Back Away From Open Conflict

President Trump moved to de-escalate hostilities with Iran, signaling no new U.S. military strikes following an Iranian missile barrage on Iraqi bases housing American and allied military forces that resulted in no casualties.

www.wsj.com

 

[deleted697535]

I'm curious but is EU considered a confederation? Because there were talks of United States of Europe and that bothers me

I don't really know what a conferedation is politically. All I know is we don't vote on who the leaders are, we don't have common laws, no army as yet anyway etc etc...

What we do have is free trade and no borders. That's about it. We have access to the ECB too who has been bailing out countries who are then subject to enforced budget cuts. That's about the most control that Brussels can enact on a country.

It's definitely nothing like the US with an elected president

 

[Peterluger]

Iran-backed Shia militia groups directed by a certain now-deceased Iranian ex-general have been firing missiles at US bases in Iraq continuously for about 16 years now. This isn't secret or controversial information.

Iran itself did it this time. They rained missiles onto a US base. It wasn’t some random militia of gangsters or terrorists. They never would have dared do this under obama

 

[HalO'Thane]

You must be living in an alternate reality.

The Iran deal was conditioned on money being given back to Iran as a payoff, a quid pro quo if you will.

Nuclear inspectors were not allowed into military sites. Iran was free to do anything nuclear related there with no oversight. Thanks, Obama!

US Navy sailors were captured and humiliated by the Iranians while Obama was in office.

The Iranians killed thousands of Muslims while Obama was in office, and Obama didn't say a word.




The ayaltollahs have caved thanks to Trump. I doubt we'll see dead Americans from Iranian terrorist attacks after Trump did a late-term abortion on Soleimani.

Who is caving? Iran fired ballistic missiles at our bases; something they have never done before. It has usually been lower grade rockets at softer targets. Plus they fired it themselves. They did not use a proxy group.

Of course Iran killed Muslims and of course the US did not say a word because they were busy defeating ISIS and were instrumental in doing so. Why would we speak out against that?

While U.S.-Led Forces Dropped Bombs, Iran Waged Its Own Covert Campaign Against the Islamic State

Iran’s spies cheered U.S. bombings in the war against ISIS while covertly arming the Kurdish Peshmerga and penetrating the Islamic State’s leadership.

theintercept.com

 

[Peterluger]

You must be living in an alternate reality.

The Iran deal was conditioned on money being given back to Iran as a payoff, a quid pro quo if you will.

Nuclear inspectors were not allowed into military sites. Iran was free to do anything nuclear related there with no oversight. Thanks, Obama!

US Navy sailors were captured and humiliated by the Iranians while Obama was in office.

The Iranians killed thousands of Muslims while Obama was in office, and Obama didn't say a word.




The ayaltollahs have caved thanks to Trump. I doubt we'll see dead Americans from Iranian terrorist attacks after Trump did a late-term abortion on Soleimani.

Wtf is an “iranian terrorist attack” man? And regarding the nuclear deal, our own CIA was saying that Iran kept it’s side of the deal. Yes, THANKS OBAMA. Yes, the deal had flaws in that it was front-loaded with benefits for Iran, to the extent that the deal would be terrible for the US if they step out of it. It wasn’t a fair deal in that sense for the US. But it was a deal. Now we are in a situation where Iran was emboldened enough to drop fking missiles, and possibly re-start their nuclear weapons work

 

[HighPriest]

possibly re-start their nuclear weapons work

Almost certainly. It's what I would do if I was Iran. The heat is on. Get that MAD in play ASAP.

Maybe not MAD, per say, as they don't have that kind of long range capability. But certainly mutual assurance of mass destruction.

 

[Goro]

Here's a pretty cogent analysis of the situation so far:

ElectoralVote

Track the election with a red/blue map of the US updated daily using the latest state polls.

www.electoral-vote.com

And some very interesting reading on the al-Bagdahdi operation from my go-to military affairs website (which has analyses that are about 3-6 months ahead of the mainstream media):

Counter-Terrorism: Tracking Baghdadi

More details have emerged about the planning and execution of the October 26, 2019, raid that killed ISIL (Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant) leader Abu Bakr al Baghdadi The key to getting Baghdadi was confirming where he was hiding As expected, fin

www.strategypage.com