Friday, January 5, 2024
Washington confirms retaliatory strike on pro-Iran militia in Baghdad—follows over 100 attacks targeting US forces, 5 JAN
Pentagon Press Secretary Air Force Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder, Washington, D.C., Sept. 6, 2022. (Photo: DOD/U.S. Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Alexander Kubitza)
World Pentagon Gen Pat RyderHarakat al-Nujaba PMFMohammed Shia’ Al-Sudani
WASHINGTON DC, United States (Kurdistan24) – At the Pentagon and State Department, officials confirmed on Thursday that the U.S. had responded to repeated attacks from pro-Iranian militias in Iraq with a drone attack that had targeted high-ranking members of Harakat al-Nujaba.
The group was designated by the U.S. as a terrorist organization in 2019, and already eleven years before that, its leader, Akram Abbas al-Kabi, was designated as a terrorist.
That was Sept. 2008, when George W. Bush was president. Over 15 years have passed, and the group, which has particularly close ties to Iran, has not only survived, but maintains the capability to attack U.S. forces.
The Baghdad government protested Thursday’s retaliatory strike, as a spokesmanfor Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani denounced it as “a dangerous escalation and assault on Iraq.”
But as James Jeffrey, who served as U.S. ambassador in Iraq, as well as Turkey, recently explained to Kurdistan 24, Sudani does not control the pro-Iranian militias in Iraq. They “take orders from Tehran, not Baghdad,” he said.
U.S. Strike: First in Baghdad, First Against Harakat al-Nujaba—Despite Austin’s Warning
Thursday’s attack occurred at noon local time. It targeted Mushtaq Jawad Kazim al-Jawari, a.k.a. Abu Taqwa, Pentagon Press Secretary Air Force Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder told reporters later that day.
Jawari, whom Ryder described as “a Harakat al-Nujaba leader,” was “actively involved in planning and carrying out attacks against American personnel.”
Ryder described the U.S. strike as “self-defense” and stressed that no civilians were injured, although a second person, “an associate” of Jawari, was also killed.
Indeed, Harakat al-Nujaba had warning from the Pentagon, but it may well have disregarded the subtle signal, given the Biden administration’s previous inaction.
In early December, Austin spoke with Sudani. The U.S. read-out of their discussion identified Harakat al-Nujaba, along with Kata’ib Hizbollah, as the two militias most responsible for attacking U.S. forces.
Indeed, pro-Iranian militias in Iraq and Syria have targeted troops from the anti-ISIS Coalition over 100 times since mid-October, using the war in Gaza as a pretext for the accelerated rate of their assaults.
As the Institute for the Study of War has said, “Iran and its so-called ‘Axis of Resistance’ are exploiting the Israel-Hamas war to support their objective of expelling US forces from the Middle East.”
But the attacks have met a minimal U.S. response, prompting criticism from various quarters. That includes Amb. Jeffrey in his interview with Kurdistan 24, cited above.
It also includes The Wall Street Journal, which, on Dec. 26, published an editorial entitled, “Biden Endangers U.S. Troops,” and which noted, “Three more American service members are hurt, as U.S. bases became enemy drone catchers.”
Until Thursday, the U.S. had responded only twice to those attacks: one strike on a militia base south of Baghdad on Nov. 22; a second strike in response to a series of attacks, including on Erbil Airport, on Christmas Day.
Both of those strikes were against Kata’ib Hizbollah, even as the Pentagon, by the time of the second attack, had sent Harakat al-Nujaba a subtle warning.
Despite the limited U.S. response to the many attacks, following Thursday’s strike, Defense Department journalists peppered Ryder with questions about whether the Pentagon had a legitimate reason to target Jawari. It was as if they had given little thought to the consequences of not responding to such attacks.
In two very limited respects, Thursday’s strike did mark an increase in the robustness of the Biden administration’s response to the militia attacks.
It was the first U.S. retaliatory strike in Baghdad itself. It was also the first attack that targeted Harakat al-Nujaba.
On Dec. 8, following a flurry of militia assaults—a mortar attack on the U.S. embassy and then other attacks on military bases hosting troops from the anti-ISIS Coalition, including in Erbil—Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin spoke with Sudani.
Austin welcomed Sudani’s statement, expressed earlier that day, in which he denounced the attacks and vowed “to pursue the perpetrators.”
Read More: U.S. Cites Iran, as Militias Attack Numerous Sites in the Kurdistan Region, Iraq, and Syria
But, most notably, the U.S. read-out of the discussion between Austin and Sudani included the point that Austin had conveyed the conclusion from U.S. intelligence that “the Iranian-backed militant groups Kata’ib Hizbollah and Harakat al-Nujaba, both designated terrorist organizations, are responsible for most of the attacks against Coalition personnel,” while he had affirmed “that the United States reserves the right to respond decisively against those groups.”
And that is pretty much what the U.S. did on Thursday.
kurdistan24.net
Coffee with Mark and Mr. Cottrell. 01/05/2024
"RV UPDATE" BY WOLVERINE, 5 JAN
Thurs. 4 Jan. Wolverine Call:
“I have had good info. Looks like we are ready. Lots of movement in Reno. I know whales traveling to Reno to get paid and some whales have got paid. These are AAA whales (high level).
Market response to crisis: Accusations point towards 'profiteers' in Kerman bombing, 5 JAN
Shafaq News / An Iranian report on Thursday indicated a significant toll from the terrorist incident in Kerman, where "beneficiaries" leveraged the media to exploit the incident to increase foreign currency rates and deceive people.
According to Fars News Agency "The killing of 95 individuals and injuring of 284 citizens in yesterday's terrorist attack in Kerman has further exacerbated the pains of the entire Iranian people."
The report highlighted amidst citizens' grief, some businessmen and speculators utilized the bloodshed of the victims of yesterday's terrorist incident for currency fluctuations and speculation. It pointed out that "minutes after the news of the terrorist attack on Kerman residents, certain websites and channels raised exchange rates with specific economic ideologies citing the Kerman bombing and the loss of citizens' lives."
It emphasized that "brokers, unable to manipulate people's lives in recent months, saw the terrorist attack and shedding the blood of fellow countrymen as a good opportunity for profit, despite the trend towards decreasing exchange and gold rates, raising the exchange rate by 500 tomans higher than yesterday's prices."
The report clarified that "all these pressures to increase currency rates occurred while these traders faced a problem of low demand and an inability to execute transactions at the new prices." It noted that activists in the foreign exchange market were aware that brokers were attempting to profit from troubled waters through the available media outlets at their disposal.
For this reason, the currency and metal markets were almost empty of customers yesterday afternoon, with only a few channels raising the exchange rate, according to the report.
Before the terrorist attack, the exchange rate was at 50,100 tomans, but after news of the incident, it rose to 50,600 tomans. The price of the dollar also increased to 50,950 tomans.
According to the report, the story becomes more intriguing when everyone realizes that during yesterday and today, global prices for gold and other metals decreased in global markets, while only prices in the gold, currency, and dollar markets in Iran increased due to the presence of brokers and their specific media outlets.
The report quoted Iranian economic expert, Mohammad Bayat, saying, "Financial markets react to increased political and social risks. Following yesterday's terrorist incident, financial markets seemed to react. However, the sudden increase and growth in prices at a time when there is no demand in the market indicate that some people are trying to raise prices under any pretext."
Bayat emphasized that currency and metal prices primarily decrease due to the decline in the price of gold. This price decline has led to market stagnation for some.
The economic expert concluded that the rise in prices in the currency and metal markets comes without any economic justification. Once the inflation subsides, prices will return to levels targeted by market makers. He advised people to be cautious and avoid getting involved in the game of market fluctuations.
"RV UPDATE" BY WOLVERINE, 5 JAN
Sat. 30 Dec. Wolverine’s Chat:
- 1) Pentecostal group is now totally silent, off grid, (Wolverine believes them to be silent due to receiving their blessing);
2) There is mention of the EBS going off before the RV. He does not believe the electricity will be cut.
3) He believes it will begin first week of January. His sources said the gold backed currency needed to be in place, which happened on Jan. 1 2024.
4) A very high source has said all is done. He said he knows how difficult this is for us, and for him, but that the RV is A Trillion percent real and will be happening.
I got in late on Wolverine’s Chat, but these are points I did hear:
1) Pentecostal group is now totally silent, off grid, (Wolverine believes them to be silent due to receiving their blessing).
2) There is mention of the EBS going off before the RV, however, Wolverine hopes this does not happen as many of us are not in a financial position to “stock up” to see us through 10 days of “darkness.” He does not believe the electricity will be cut as we need electricity to see the info on TV and also many rely on electricity for life support and medical care in their homes.
3) In his opinion only (not a fact) he thinks nothing will happen this month of December (well there are only 4 days left). He believes it will begin first week of January. His sources said the gold backed currency needed to be in place ,(but that is obviously in the works IMO).
4) A very high source has said all is done. He said he knows how difficult this is for us, and for him, but that the RV is A Trillion percent real and will be happening. He has not heard from Mauricio and thinks he may be under an NDA.
*****NOTE FROM ME: We all know that by Jan 1, 2024 the dollar is dead in Iraq, and they must revalue. We know Wolverine has been told that all is ready to go. We can see world events lining up for this. We are truly right on the very edge of this. We will start January 2024 all fresh for our great new beginning. Even MarkZ, just the other day mentioned, we could get notified in December, but not be able to do anything until maybe sometime the first week of January. Not in any time in this RV, over all these years, has everything lined up for us to “go” like it is now. It took years, but we really are there. But, for those of us who are hurting/struggling/suffering, each day feels like a year. I am struggling with all of you, I feel with all of you, it has not been an easy time for me or you, but we must have FAITH as Wolverine says. With faith and love for each other, we can make it through. One day, I hope to meet all of you at Wolverine’s Big Celebration Bash in Sydney. Praying our blessing to come quickly for all of you. Hugs to all, Carpathia
https://t.me/Bearded_PatriotsUSA/10552
https://dinarevaluation.blogspot.com/2023/12/rv-update-by-wolverine-29-dec.html
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