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US officials: Iran enters Iraqi fight for key oil refinery
Washington Post ^ | May 22, 2015 | By Robert Burns AP

Posted on 05/23/2015 12:13:03 AM PDT by Brad from Tennessee

WASHINGTON — Iran has entered the fight to retake a major Iraqi oil refinery from Islamic State militants, contributing small numbers of troops — including some operating artillery and other heavy weapons — in support of advancing Iraqi ground forces, U.S. defense officials said Friday.

Two U.S. defense officials said Iranian forces have taken a significant offensive role in the Beiji operation in recent days, in conjunction with Iraqi Shiite militia. The officials were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.

One official said Iranians are operating artillery, 122mm rocket systems and surveillance and reconnaissance drones to help the Iraqi counteroffensive.

The Iranian role was not mentioned in a new U.S. military statement asserting that Iraqi security forces, with U.S. help, had managed to establish a land route into the Beiji refinery compound. The statement Friday by the U.S. military headquarters in Kuwait said Iraqis have begun reinforcing and resupplying forces isolated inside the refinery compound.

Iran’s role in Iraq is a major complicating factor for the Obama administration as it searches for the most effective approach to countering the Islamic State group. U.S. officials have said they do not oppose contributions from Iran-supported Iraqi Shiite militias as long as they operate under the command and control of the Iraqi government. . .

(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...


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1 posted on 05/23/2015 12:13:03 AM PDT by Brad from Tennessee
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To: Brad from Tennessee

Nobody knows who are allies fighting who. The only obvious result of all this meddling seems to be to make Iran the major ME power. Is that what ValJar and her puppet masters are after? This whole ME mess has been created by 0bozo. Is there really any other purpose other than to destroy Israel, or is he really going after WWIII?


2 posted on 05/23/2015 1:20:33 AM PDT by Cololeo
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To: Cololeo

We lost almost 100,000 KIA in WW-III, it wasn’t Cold.


3 posted on 05/23/2015 1:29:49 AM PDT by ASA Vet (Mossberg 930 SPX)
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To: Brad from Tennessee

plant story.


4 posted on 05/23/2015 4:59:08 AM PDT by rrrod (at home in Medellin Colombia)
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To: Cololeo

ISIS is primarily Sunni, and Iran is primarily Shiite. The two hate each other.


5 posted on 05/23/2015 5:13:28 AM PDT by ought-six ( Multiculturalism is national suicide, and political correctness is the cyanide capsule.)
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To: ought-six

“ISIS is primarily Sunni, and Iran is primarily Shiite. The two hate each other.”

It’s true but it’s also a scam. The Obama is going to hand Iraq over to Iran.


6 posted on 05/23/2015 5:17:26 AM PDT by Slambat
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To: Slambat

“The Obama is going to hand Iraq over to Iran.”

That’s a given.


7 posted on 05/23/2015 5:36:09 AM PDT by ought-six ( Multiculturalism is national suicide, and political correctness is the cyanide capsule.)
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