Posted on 12/29/2019 9:47:47 PM PST by bitt
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Defense Secretary Mark Esper and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Mike Miley traveled to Mar-a-Lago today to brief President Trump on issues around the middle-east. The three leaders also held a press briefing this evening about U.S. military strikes that took place earlier today.
At the beginning of his remarks Secretary Pompeo stated we came to Florida today to brief the president on activities that have taken place in the Middle East over the course of the last 72 hours. Additionally Pompeo said he would let Esper discuss the military aspects but I wanted to put into context our policy with respect to the Islamic Republic of Iran.
Secretary Pompeo: The attack that took place against the Iraqi facility threatened American forces. This has been going on now for weeks and weeks and weeks. This wasnt the first set of attacks against this particular Iraqi facility and others where there were American lives at risk. And today what we did is take a decisive response that makes clear what President Trump has said for months and months and months, which is that we will not stand for the Islamic Republic of Iran to take actions that put American men and women in jeopardy.
We will always honor that commitment to take decisive actions when that takes place. We continue to demand the Islamic Republic of Iran act in a way that is consistent with what I laid out back in May 2018, for what it is that we expect Iran to do so that it can rejoin the community of nations.
(Excerpt) Read more at theconservativetreehouse.com ...
check out the comments..
Knute Rockne:
“Hit ‘em again, hit ‘em again, harder! harder!
Looks like Sundance got his check from Iran.
Yeah, the "personal and cynical note" by sundance is idiotic, and reinforces why everything he writes should be taken with a huge dose of skepticism.
We have learned the DNC is a much greater threat than Iran over the course of the last three years. When do we start bombing them?
L8r
I haven’t heard much about this in the Lame Stream Media. This is only the second article I’ve seen.
UPDATE: 3:33pm PST
The situation is changing rapidly in Iraq in the hours following the U.S. strikes on Kata'ib Hezbollah in Iraq and Syria.
There are reports of another rocket attack on a base housing U.S. personnel Iraq:
#BREAKING 4 rockets target base housing US personnel near Iraq capital: security official pic.twitter.com/gMeFEECJ63
AFP news agency (@AFP) December 29, 2019
Casualty reports from the strikes are wide-ranging, but all include multiple killed and wounded. Key individuals tied to the group and Iran's Quds forces are vowing revenge:
#UPDATE The US carried out air strikes against a pro-Iran militant group in Iraq Sunday, killing 19 fighters, two days after a rocket attack that killed an American civilian contractor https://t.co/qdtlnEODNZ
AFP news agency (@AFP) December 29, 2019
#BREAKING: Hezbollahs @AlmanarBreaking reports the military spokesman for the Iraqi Hezbollah Brigades, Mr. Jaafar Al-Husseini states there are 24 dead and more than 50 wounded in the US airstrikes on their bases
ELINT News (@ELINTNews) December 29, 2019
Iranian media:
Abu Ali al-Khazali, close to #Iran's IRGC Quds Force chief Qasem Soleimani, was reportedly killed in the U.S. attacks targeting Tehran-backed Kataeb Hezbollah sites in al-Qaim, a town in Iraq adjacent to the Syria border. pic.twitter.com/xIItTDuyNi
Heshmat Alavi (@HeshmatAlavi) December 29, 2019
Kata'ib Hezbollah commander, Abu Mahdi al-Muhandes, vows to give crushing response to the American attack pic.twitter.com/g97LkSmZkA
Yossi Mansharof (@Yossi_Mansharof) December 29, 2019
The Iraqi government appears to have not given its approval for the strikes, which could result in a huge division between the Washington and Baghdad in the hours and days ahead:
Iraqi President Bahram Salih says US attack on PMF (Hashd) is a violation of Iraqi sovereignty.https://t.co/0TVeeNBTzt
David M. Witty (@DavidMWitty1) December 29, 2019
Spox of the commander of #Iraqs Armed Forces, said during a live interview on state television, the U.S. Secretary of Defense Mark Esper informed the Iraqi Prime Minister half an hour prior to the US airstrikes against #Iran-backed militia positions. #Hezbollah
Hamdi (@HamdiAlkhshali) December 29, 2019
Spox said that #Iraq's PM "expressed his strong objection to this unilateral decision and his concern that it would lead to further escalation and demanded that he [Esper] stop it [airstrikes] immediately.. #Iran #Hezbollah
Hamdi (@HamdiAlkhshali) December 29, 2019
Iraq's Prime Minister Adel Abdul-Mahdi "strongly objected" to the US strikes on Kataeb Hezbollah positions in Iraq & Syria, @WSJ reports. His spokesman calls it "a violation of Iraqi sovereignty and a dangerous escalation." https://t.co/XE0rQvKRNU
Liz Sly (@LizSly) December 29, 2019
DoD
Multiple reports on social media of a large blast heard in Baghdad's Green Zone and an increased U.S. military presence there, but these cannot be confirmed at this time.
President Trump is meeting with top foreign policy and defense officials at Mar-a-Lago following the strikes:
Senior national security leaders, including U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Mark Milley, were expected to brief President Donald Trump in Florida on the strikes in Iraq and Syria, U.S. officials say.
Idrees Ali (@idreesali114) December 29, 2019
Esper and Pompeo say they came to Mar-A-Lago to brief Trump on events in Middle East. Pentagon targeted five sites in Iraq and Syria in retaliation for attack by Iranian backed militia attack on Iraqi facility that endangered US troops, and additional options under consideration
Justin Sink (@justinsink) December 30, 2019
Air strikes were successful and officials briefed @POTUS on other options, @EsperDoD tells reporters. (Radio pool photo from @FoxEbenBrown) pic.twitter.com/Vo4ajx7EZh
Steve Herman (@W7VOA) December 30, 2019
UPDATE: 4:35pm PST
As predicted above, a real rift is emerging here. Iran will do anything it can to capitalize on it and further its influence, both military and political, in Iraq:
Spokesman of the commander of #Iraqs Armed Forces, Abdelkarim Khalaf, said during a live INTV on state TV that these strikes represents a treacherous stab in the back.. #Iran
Hamdi (@HamdiAlkhshali) December 30, 2019
Once again, the situation remains fluid and some of these details are bound to be revised in the hours to come.
We will update this post as this developing story continues to unfold.
One can’t help but wonder if the democrat’s sham impeachment has emboldened America’s enemies, who may think Trump is either on his way out, or at the very least unpopular with US citizens.
Talk about a giant miscalculation.
How is only 25 dead decisive?
All dead is decisive
All dead in Hezbollah Lebanon is decisive
>> bitt
Thanks for posting
Syria Ping
de Texas Fossil
Send these jihadi whackos right down the 12th imam’s well.
AllahWahoo Whackbar!
So much presidential winning.
Pump out that oil Mr. President.
And pay for services we render.
Noting that POTUS has not said anything is idiotic to you? Are you serious Clark?
Nah. Iran has been escalating for years now, as will continue to do so until they have nuclear weapons and delivery systems which they will then use to escalate further - destruction to Iran is immaterial to the mad mullahs
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.