On December 3rd, US and coalition troops identified a team arming a suicide drone outside of Kirkuk, prepping for launch on US targets according to intel. All assigned to Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve (CJTF-OIR), they are there to form a resistance against the Islamic State inside Iraq, so they notified the Iraqi Security forces of their sighting and their plans. In total five militant targets were eliminated, and their drone were destroyed.
According to U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), these strikes were in self-defense. Given the current level of attacks being perpetuated on US troops in Iraq, as well as sailors in the Red Sea off the coast of Yemen, CENTCOM has its hands full.
Separate (but likely connected) Houthi fighters attacked the USS Carney as well as commercial ships in the Red Sea on December 3rd. While US officials refused to comment as to how intentional the attacks were, it also is harder to know for sure as the commercial ships they were attacking had ties to at least 14 different countries.
In Iraq and Syria alone US troops have been attacked on 76 separate occasions since October 17th. Multiple groups have claimed responsibility for these attacks, with most of them having financial ties to Iran, just as the Houthis do. During the ceasefire between Hamas and Israel, these groups stepped up their efforts to keep the region destabilized and ensure the US didn’t think that any real progress was being made.
For their efforts, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has faced the wrath of US and coalition troops at least three times. Retaliating with attacks on their facilities, as well as on their fighters, the US isn’t taking any chances with the group or their efforts. After their sneak and drone attacks, enough is enough. It’s time for a change, and it’s a time to return to our roots.
To the troops with CJTF-OIR, they are on a mission that has them all scratching their heads wondering why they are there. Just being there as cannon fodder and targets to support and guide the Iraqi troops is not something many believe in being there for. Instead, they want to be doing the fighting. They want to know that they are making a tangible difference for the people of Iraq, and the entire Middle East.
Putting a warrior into the role of advising and assisting is a great way to ensure the warrior gets pent-up energy, aggression, and methods of destruction. They won’t be a peaceful force or one that is looking for them to surrender, or to give up their fight. Instead, they are ready to make them, and their bloodline pay and pay dearly at that.
As the IRGC continues to fund different organizations that go against Western interests across the globe, it is becoming more and more likely that they will try to bring the fight to American shores once again. Many have been forecasting that by getting involved in Ukraine President Biden would end up wrapping the American people and our troops into another war. He avoided that (as of now) by just throwing money at it and then sending ammo we didn’t need to give away.
Now down on armament, and underfunded, we have the conflict between Israel and Palestine/Hamas. Supported with Iranian oil money, they can keep the fight going against Israel, and anyone who supports them, especially as people trip over themselves to support their “struggle.”
Should Biden decide to put US troops into Israel or Gaza as “peacekeepers” it would become a powder keg waiting to blow. By keeping boots off the ground there, he avoids a mistaken message by either side. He also refuses to show Israel the respect and due diligence they believe they should be afforded. For their end, Palestine feels like the US has abandoned them, and claims that their civilians are stuck in the middle. Their people flood social media with anti-Israeli and Jewish propaganda. Dolls and fake “dead” kids appear everywhere, all as Hamas continues operating in restricted areas.
The worst part of it all; if you tell the people supporting Palestine just how wrong they are, they want to rip your throat out. I wonder how they’ll treat our latest combat troops when they rotate home?
