Iran Filling Vacuum Following ISIS Defeat In Iraq !

[DinarThug]

CNN. Broadcasting From The UN While Nikki Haley Lights Up The Little Ayatollahs !

 

 

 

http://www.thebaghdadpost.com/.....at-in-Iraq

Iran filling vacuum following ISIS defeat in Iraq

 

19th October, 2017
 

Today, ISIS controls just three percent of Iraq after controlling one-third of the country two years ago, but US officials say an old nemesis in the region continues to stoke tensions inside the country, creating another immediate challenge once ISIS is defeated, Fox News reported Thursday.  

After the fall of the oil-rich city of Kirkuk and the evacuation of Kurdish fighters, the US military must figure out how to keep Iraq from breaking apart while also preventing Iran from turning its neighbor into a proxy state.

"Nearly every threat to peace and security in the Middle East is connected to Iran's outlaw behavior," US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley said Wednesday.

The Shia-led government in Baghdad welcomed Iran's help when ISIS swept through Iraqi cities three years ago. 

Now Iran is flexing its muscle in Iraq, putting the US in the middle of a potential three-way civil war involving Shias, Sunnis, and Kurds.

"Now the Iranians are going to start demanding that we leave Iraq, that we leave Syria and the whole region becomes essentially a vassal state of theirs just like Lebanon has become," said James Jeffrey, US ambassador to Iraq from 2010-2012.

The head of US forces in the Middle East issued a similar warning in Washington today.

"Iran has expressed its desire to build a large influence both literally in developing the Tehran-Beirut axis, and figuratively by increasing military and political influence in Syria, Yemen, Iraq and other places around the region," said Army Gen. Joseph Votel, commander of US Central Command.

US military commanders on the ground have to be more diplomatic to avoid antagonizing Baghdad, whose permission they need to stay in Iraq.

In a briefing to Pentagon reporters from Baghdad, Army Col. Ryan Dillon said he saw no evidence Iran played a role in pushing Kurdish fighters out of Kirkuk on Monday, even though photos and videos emerged on social media of a Shiite Iraqi commander, Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis -- who maintains close ties to Iran and has been sanctioned by the Treasury Department since 2009 -- taking part in the flag-raising ceremony after Iraqi forces moved in.

Photos were taken in Kirkuk also showed the shadowy Iranian Maj. Gen. Qasem Soleimani, leader of Tehran's proxy forces in the Middle East. 

Soleimani is also sanctioned by the US government, in part due to his involvement in the attempted assassination of then-Saudi Arabian ambassador to the US Adel Al-Jubeir outside a popular Washington, D.C. restaurant in 2011.

At the UN Wednesday, Haley acknowledged it was not the first time as she encouraged the Security Council to enforce existing resolutions designed to halt Iran's support for proxies.

"[UN Security Council] Resolution 2231 ... bans travel outside of Iran for senior Iranian officials, including Maj. General Sulemani and yet the Secretary General's report lists multiple press photos of the general traveling to Syria and Iraq. You can even find photos on social media of him visiting Russia. This is an open and direct violation of [resolution] 2231, and yet where is the outrage of this council?"

The Pentagon steered clear of blaming Tehran earlier this week as Iraq took back the city and adjacent oil fields, which the Kurds had relied on as a key revenue source since 2014.

Despite reports that dozens of Kurdish troops were killed when the Iraqi military stormed Kirkuk Monday, the US military says it is aware of only one minor skirmish, which was based on a "misunderstanding."

"What we have seen is a peaceful handover of areas around Kirkuk," said Dillon, a US military spokesman for the international coalition to defeat ISIS. 

"It was a coordinated effort between Iraqi security forces and the Kurdish security forces that were there and they handed over the keys."

The State Department also refused to acknowledge the possibility that any role in the Kirkuk offensive was played by Iran.

"As we watch the situation unfold in Iraq, we continue to call for calm, to call for calm on the part of the Kurds, on the part of the government in Baghdad as well. We have made no bones about that," said State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert Tuesday.

Nauert said Secretary of State Rex Tillerson was making calls to leaders in the region to defuse the crisis.

Kurdish forces had held Kirkuk since 2014, after the ISIS fight began. The Iraqi government decided to take the city back after the Kurds held a referendum on independence last month.

[jcfrag]

I guess they missed the memo. Abadi has it under control!!!  

[nannab]

Hopefully Abadi does keep Iran at bay they just won't quit. Thanks Mr. Thug

[new york kevin]

45 minutes ago, nannab said:

Hopefully Abadi does keep Iran at bay they just won't quit. Thanks Mr. Thug

 

Iraq and US Forces have it under control in Iraq.  Iran knows how resolute we are as a Nation. Should Iran start anything in Iraq, after all of our time in there to get us to this spot . If Iran or any combination of their proxy armies start anything we will handle them. Starting with blocking their harbor, not just a blockade, the sinking of their Navy at such a point they cannot deploy. Next we bomb each and every oilfield and refinery they have, while simultaneously hitting their nuke facilities as best as we can. Thats just off the top of my head. 

 

[nannab]

Oh oh I know PAY BACK IS A  B____ !  Senior moment I forgot a real military man is running the show now Mr. Mad Dog. Thanks new York Kevin 

[Boozer]

Trump and Iran, a dog and cat will get along better, then you throw in a Mad Dog, well it wont end well , 4 Iran 

[jcfrag]

We are now close to 18 years nto the 21st century and I do declare that it is getting harder and harder for ignorance to dwell in the leaders heads of the Middle East. Of course there are those who love to play possum!!!!

[WaitIsOver]

Thanks Thugs,,,  if only someone could light them up with some tnt instead ,,,,  post rv ... can you bring us the official rv article soon please