Breaking: Coalition airstrikes underway against multiple Iranian-backed militia sites in Iraq

[F-22Raptor]

(CNN)US-led coalition airstrikes are underway against multiple Iranian-backed militia sites in Iraq, according to a US official.

The strikes come one day after the US assessed an Iranian-backed group was responsible for a rocket attack on a base where coalition forces are located, killing two American service members and one British service member.

Earlier today, Defense Secretary Mark Esper told reporters at the Pentagon that "all options are on the table as we work with our partners to bring the perpetrators to justice and maintain deterrence," while adding that he had spoken with President Donald Trump and said the President had given Esper the "authority to do what we need to do consistent with his guidance, if that becomes the case."

"We've got to hold the perpetrators accountable. You don't get to shoot at our bases and kill and wound Americans and get away with it. So we've been very clear about this for, certainly since December and before then that we will hold perpetrators accountable. And that's what we intend to do," Esper said.

https://www.cnn.com/2020/03/12/politics/coalition-airstrikes-retaliation-iraq/index.html

 

[Rukarl]

Useless. More Americans will die as result of this.

People of the Middle East will never tolerate agressors.

 

[FuturePAF]

An interesting element of this story is the American dead were first identified as “contractors” (if I am not mistaken) but now are called “service members”? Future use of contractors can have new implications if this becomes the norm. British East India Company style. A private venture supported by the crown, but when they could no longer control the situation, they were nationalized as happened in 1858 after the Mutiny.

 

[Hakikat ve Hikmet]

British East India Company style. A private venture supported by the crown, but when they could no longer control the situation, they were nationalized as happened in 1858 after the Mutiny.

And, that's the most heart wrenching part!!! A private company took control of India of hundreds of millions of folks!!! Shouldn't the sub-continental folks be little ashamed and mourn for this???

 

[FuturePAF]

And, that's the most heart wrenching part!!! A private company took control of India of hundreds of millions of folks!!! Shouldn't the sub-continental folks be little ashamed and mourn for this???

They were warring amongst themselves and a foreign power with more cunning and better weapons used divide and conquer tactics to beat many of them. If anything it was a wake up call that took centuries to catch up with.

but based on this story, when mercenaries die, they are called soldiers. That is an alarming development

 

[SubWater]

Mouse and cat game again
US drowning itself in Iraq.
You only create hate in country which do not have government and already broken by 30 $ naft.

 

[dani92]

Lol Americans right now treating militias as some kind of country or official army they can’t just go and wiped them out.

 

[SubWater]

Lol Americans right now treating militias as some kind of country or official army they can’t just go and wiped them out.

They forget that those are dying are Iraqis not Iranian.

 

[Cthulhu]

Americans thought they could outlive the Afghans in Afghanistan, Now they think they can outlive the Iraqis in Iraq.

 

[Rukarl]

They forget that those are dying are Iraqis not Iranian.

Im really wondering why the US embassy in Baghdad is not being destroyed after all this. Iraqi nationalists need to teach the Americans a lesson, again.

 

[MastanKhan]

And, that's the most heart wrenching part!!! A private company took control of India of hundreds of millions of folks!!! Shouldn't the sub-continental folks be little ashamed and mourn for this???

Hi,

Remember---they europeans were coming out of a 100 years war---. They were better warriors---they were better planners---they had better training for war---they had better and more modern weaponry---. They were hungry---they were broke---.

They were more committed---they had more loyalty towards their leader---coming out of a war they had more camaraderie and trust amongst each other---.

The sub continent was fat---it was rich---people were lazy---weaponry was obsolete---war techniques were outdated---they were used to an enemy that was weak and meek---.

The sub continent was a stagnant cesspool of filth and corruption---and ready to be taken by a strong raiding party---.

 

[dani92]

Americans thought they could outlive the Afghans in Afghanistan, Now they think they can outlive the Iraqis in Iraq.

These cowboys are pathetic the Safavids,ottomans,Mughals,mongols, and Russians who were all toughers they couldn’t control the Afghans but these cowboys with there advanced weapons think they can they should ask Alexander the Great and and Genghis khan about controlling the Afghans lol.

 

[Naram_Sin]

Those units are a legal part of the Iraqi goverment, they were attacked without any investigation or legal grounds in a complete disregard for the country's sovereignity.

Times change... history cannot be unwritten.

 

[Old School]

To deploy people as contractors give you the unique opportunity of plausible deniability. The downside is that these contractors are not prorected by the Geneva convention. Only 'uniformed' soldiers can claim protection under Geneva convention if they are held as PoW.

 

[FuturePAF]

Hi,

Remember---they europeans were coming out of a 100 years war---. They were better warriors---they were better planners---they had better training for war---they had better and more modern weaponry---. They were hungry---they were broke---.

They were more committed---they had more loyalty towards their leader---coming out of a war they had more camaraderie and trust amongst each other---.

The sub continent was fat---it was rich---people were lazy---weaponry was obsolete---war techniques were outdated---they were used to an enemy that was weak and meek---.

The sub continent was a stagnant cesspool of filth and corruption---and ready to be taken by a strong raiding party---.

Considering the Mughals were decadents of the Mongols, they should have kept up their war preparedness, as that's what got them to power, and sooner or later it was going to be necessary once again. Its not like the Mughals were unaware of the developments in the west, as they traded with the west. This was also the same problem for the Muslims in Spain.

Hard times creates Strong men, Strong men create good times, good times create weak men, and weak men create hard times.

To deploy people as contractors give you the unique opportunity of plausible deniability. The downside is that these contractors are not prorected by the Geneva convention. Only 'uniformed' soldiers can claim protection under Geneva convention if they are held as PoW.

Many contractors wear similar if not the same "uniform" as the regular military. Once killed, if they claim they were soldiers all along, how would anyone know otherwise?