Mil News Current Iran/Iraq/US Tensions and Actions Unfolding

[Ivan le Fou]

On a side note: lots of AA got fired and no civilian airliner got shot down.

Hopefully Iran is taking notes.

 

[Yevgeny]

About two months ago on different forum I predicted that in case Nord Stream 2 construction resumes, Americans will definately retaliate in the Middle East. Thats what we seeing today. Its in the best of Russias interests that epicenter of standoff moves from Syria to Yemen. Javad Zarif has traveled to Moscow several times over the last 6 months asking for support. Russians could give Tehran guarantees (false or not it doesnt matter) so Iranians become more confident and agressive against the Saudis etc. That would shift the whole situation. Chinese could potentially get involved. But Russians have done nothing of course. So now you deal with this S**t, idiots...

 

[morris]

February 8

Crisis24 | Actionable Risk Management

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www.garda.com

February 27

Iraqi Shiite insurgent faction "Brigades of Qasim al-Jabarin" has reportedly carried out two new IED attacks targeting convoys supplying the U.S. military as they traveled near Al-Diwaniyah in southern Iraq Diwaniyah,Al-Qādisiyyah Governorate - Iraq

Iraqi Shiite insurgent faction "Brigades of Qasim al-Jabarin" has reportedly carried out two new IED attacks targeting convoys supplying the U.S. military as they traveled near Al-Diwaniyah in southern Iraq. Explore Iraq local news alerts & today's headlines geolocated on live map on website or...

iraq.liveuamap.com

 

[Mardonius]

The toll of an Iranian ballistic missile attack

Around 8 p.m. in the evening of January 7, 2020, United States Army Major Alan Johnson looked tearfully into a cellphone camera and began recording a farewell message he hoped his wife and son would never have to watch.

"I need you to be strong, okay?" Johnson said. "For mom. And just always know in your heart that I love you. Okay, bye buddy."

Maj. Johnson, a flight surgeon, who first enlisted in the United States military in 1991, was informed by a U.S. military intelligence officer that Iran was fueling medium-range ballistic missiles to destroy Al Asad Airbase in Iraq. Johnson and nearly 2,000 other service men and women were stationed at the base.

The attack was in retaliation for a U.S. drone strike that killed Iranian General Qasem Soleimani.

Hours later, 11 theatre ballistic missiles with warheads weighing more than 1,000 pounds each began raining down on the U.S. base and the surrounding area. It was the largest ballistic missile attack against Americans in history.

"Words can't even describe the amount of energy that is released by these missiles," Maj. Johnson told 60 Minutes. "[It] knocked the wind out of me, immediately lost all my hearing, felt like I was underwater…followed by the most putrid tasting ammonia…dust that swept through the bunker [and] coated your teeth."

The toll of an Iranian ballistic missile attack

U.S. troops that were stationed at Al Asad Airbase in Iraq are still feeling the effects from Iranian ballistic missiles more than one year after the attack.

www.cbsnews.com

Never-been-before seen footages of the Iranian ballistic missile attack on American positions in Al-Asad base on 1:25:

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[Fluff]

The toll of an Iranian ballistic missile attack

Around 8 p.m. in the evening of January 7, 2020, United States Army Major Alan Johnson looked tearfully into a cellphone camera and began recording a farewell message he hoped his wife and son would never have to watch.

"I need you to be strong, okay?" Johnson said. "For mom. And just always know in your heart that I love you. Okay, bye buddy."

Maj. Johnson, a flight surgeon, who first enlisted in the United States military in 1991, was informed by a U.S. military intelligence officer that Iran was fueling medium-range ballistic missiles to destroy Al Asad Airbase in Iraq. Johnson and nearly 2,000 other service men and women were stationed at the base.

The attack was in retaliation for a U.S. drone strike that killed Iranian General Qasem Soleimani.

Hours later, 11 theatre ballistic missiles with warheads weighing more than 1,000 pounds each began raining down on the U.S. base and the surrounding area. It was the largest ballistic missile attack against Americans in history.

"Words can't even describe the amount of energy that is released by these missiles," Maj. Johnson told 60 Minutes. "[It] knocked the wind out of me, immediately lost all my hearing, felt like I was underwater…followed by the most putrid tasting ammonia…dust that swept through the bunker [and] coated your teeth."

The toll of an Iranian ballistic missile attack

U.S. troops that were stationed at Al Asad Airbase in Iraq are still feeling the effects from Iranian ballistic missiles more than one year after the attack.

www.cbsnews.com

Never-been-before seen footages of the Iranian ballistic missile attack on American positions in Al-Asad base on 1:25:

To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.

Accept third party cookies

Any interview with major general Qasem Soleimani, as to how he felt after the attack on him?

 

[Yevgeny]

Clearly Iranians have to work on their counter-intelligence...

 

[Mardonius]

Clearly Iranians have to work on their counter-intelligence...

Sure. But Iran is facing the most competent intelligence agencies in the world. Even Russia, that has a long history of spycraft, is struggling to prevent western countries from penetrating its ranks.

 

[Yevgeny]

Sure. But Iran is facing the most competent intelligence agencies in the world. Even Russia, that has a long history of spycraft, is struggling to prevent western countries from penetrating its ranks.

How the hell do you know?

 

[muck]

About two months ago on different forum I predicted that in case Nord Stream 2 construction resumes, Americans will definately retaliate in the Middle East.

That's a curious hypothesis, to say the least. It's a new administration, with a new agenda … and quite frankly, the American opposition to Nord Stream 2 isn't directed against Russia but Germany. Well, I say "American"; a more fair and accurate choice of words would be: "some American parliamentarians of both parties representing gas-extracting territories."

The whole Nord Stream 2 saga is about Germany's reluctance to buy American-made LPG, and they're very well aware of how obvious their pretext is. Germany was already buying Russian gas at the height of the Cold War i.e. in a day and age when the Soviet Union explicitely threatened that country with nuclear annihilation and the KGB had a habit of shoving poisoned umbrellas into dissidents all over the world.

If buying Russian gas wasn't morally objectionable or undermining Europe's security under Leonid Brezhnev, then it cannot possible be either under Vladimir Putin. Not even the russophobes within the Democratic Party genuinely believe that. Besides, the Biden administration is eager to get rid of the schoolyard bully image the USA had under Trump. They're more actively trying to pursue an amicable solution with Germany.

America's activities in Syria and Yemen are targeted against Iran, not Russia. And their obsession with Iran has nothing to do with Russia either. They're viewing Iran as a threat … and not entirely without reason, it has to be said.

Iran has made undeniable threats against Israel and seems intent on acquiring the means to follow up their words with actions; nasty episodes like the Tehran hostage crisis continue to poison the relationship between both countries; and let's be honest here, it's not unwise at all to mistrust a regime that sacrifices its youth by herding them into mine fields so that they may defuse landmines with their feet.

 

[Mardonius]

How the hell do you know?

Oleg Smolenkov.

C.I.A. Informant Extracted From Russia Had Sent Secrets to U.S. for Decades (Published 2019)

American intelligence officials had previously tried to extract the source from Russia in 2016, but the informant had initially refused.

www.nytimes.com

Russia Declares Alleged CIA Mole Missing, Launches Search

Russia's Interior Ministry says a former Kremlin official, whom media reports have called a CIA informant, has been officially declared missing.

www.rferl.org

 

[Yevgeny]

Oleg Smolenkov.

C.I.A. Informant Extracted From Russia Had Sent Secrets to U.S. for Decades (Published 2019)

American intelligence officials had previously tried to extract the source from Russia in 2016, but the informant had initially refused.

www.nytimes.com

Russia Declares Alleged CIA Mole Missing, Launches Search

Russia's Interior Ministry says a former Kremlin official, whom media reports have called a CIA informant, has been officially declared missing.

www.rferl.org

Thats a proof that Russian counter-intelligence actually works.

 

[Mardonius]

Thats a proof that Russian counter-intelligence actually works.

How?

 

[Yevgeny]

How?

He was caught.

 

[Mardonius]

He was caught.

No, he wasn't.

He was extracted and brought to the US by the CIA. Russia only found out of his missing when he was already out of the country with his family.

 

[Yevgeny]

That's a curious hypothesis, to say the least. It's a new administration, with a new agenda … and quite frankly, the American opposition to Nord Stream 2 isn't directed against Russia but Germany. Well, I say "American"; a more fair and accurate choice of words would be: "some American parliamentarians of both parties representing gas-extracting territories."

You don't compete with consumers, you compete with suppliers.

The whole Nord Stream 2 saga is about Germany's reluctance to buy American-made LPG, and they're very well aware of how obvious their pretext is. Germany was already buying Russian gas at the height of the Cold War i.e. in a day and age when the Soviet Union explicitely threatened that country with nuclear annihilation and the KGB had a habit of shoving poisoned umbrellas into dissidents all over the world.

On a sidenote KGB had nothing to do with the poisoning of Markov.

If buying Russian gas wasn't morally objectionable or undermining Europe's security under Leonid Brezhnev, then it cannot possible be either under Vladimir Putin. Not even the russophobes within the Democratic Party genuinely believe that. Besides, the Biden administration is eager to get rid of the schoolyard bully image the USA had under Trump. They're more actively trying to pursue an amicable solution with Germany.

Again I predict escalation in the Middle East. Lets wait and see who is wrong and who is right.

America's activities in Syria and Yemen are targeted against Iran, not Russia. And their obsession with Iran has nothing to do with Russia either. They're viewing Iran as a threat … and not entirely without reason, it has to be said.

Bot Iran AND Russia are the main competitors to US oil and gas interests in the Middle East.

Iran has made undeniable threats against Israel and seems intent on acquiring the means to follow up their words with actions; nasty episodes like the Tehran hostage crisis continue to poison the relationship between both countries; and let's be honest here, it's not unwise at all to mistrust a regime that sacrifices its youth by herding them into mine fields so that they may defuse landmines with their feet.

Saudis are even worse yet Americans cooperate with them. US diplomacy in the region has very little to do with morality or democracy.

 

[Yevgeny]

No, he wasn't.

He was extracted and brought to the US by the CIA. Russia only found out of his missing when he was already out of the country with his family.

Alright I didnt have a chance to read the article, I was answering muck. Anyway on every such case you can find dosen of cases when US spy were succesfully caught in Russia.

Now how many US/Israeli spies were actually caught in Iran?

 

[Yevgeny]

Hmm, Iranians do catch spies actually. Good for them. Still they have a lot to work on...

Iran executes man convicted of spying for US and Israel

Mahmoud Mousavi-Majd was accused of reporting on the movements of the military and a top commander.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[tea-drinker]

He was caught.

I think being caught or should I say found out after decades of damage has fail wrote all over it.

Doesn't change the point that Russia is several levels beyond the spying capabilities of Iran defensively or offensively.
The internal blame game in Iran following the latest assassination doesn't build confidence either. They are floundering and out of ideas.

 

[Yevgeny]

Also using Google Earth is not the best way for target acquisition.

 

[Mardonius]

Alright I didnt have a chance to read the article, I was answering muck. Anyway on every such case you can find dosen of cases when US spy were succesfully caught in Russia.

Now how many US/Israeli spies were actually caught in Iran?

My point is that even the best occasionally find informants and spies within their ranks. If the US and Israel would have worked together to try to assassinate a figure like General Gerasimov for example, don't you think that they would be able to do so considering all the resources they have?

The difference is that Russia is a nuclear power and no country on earth has the political will to assassinate its generals.