Iraq
SITREP Update 26th September: Enemy of my enemy
26
September, 2014
NB:
These
SITREPs that Saker allows to be posted here will now be twice a week.
Significant news events will be posted, recurring ones like the
repeated failed attempts to take back a city, like Tikrit by the
Iraqi military, will be avoided; unless there are other repercussions
to that event. Also body counts are too depressing to keep reporting
and there are other sources that list the everyday dead of Iraq.
The
Saker has been very kind to allow these SITREPs from the start. I am
grateful for his efforts and his commitment.
As
always these are compilations of news stories from the MSM and non
MSM sources. If I express an opinion commentators are welcome to
question them, and in some extreme 'Takfiri' cases, my faith as well.
-------
30th
Aug: The Iranians claim progress is being made on developing an
indigenous alternative to the S300:
http://rt.com/news/183856-bavar373-missile-iran-s300/
The
Israelis finger Belarus:
http://www.jpost.com/Features/Front-Lines/Iranian-Threat-Belarus-brotherhood-with-Iran
17th
Sep: The Islamic practices of Daash: Four minor Yazidi girls are
transferred to Mosul Hospital after sever Uterine Bleeding. The girls
were reported to have been subjected to repeated sexual assault by
"brave" Daash terrorists.
18th
Sep: There will be blood: Daash vehicles roam the streets of Mosul
calling for blood donations as Daash casualties mount.
20th
Sep: Daash releases 49 Turkish hostages including the counsel general
of Turkey in Iraq. However, Turkey refuses to participate in
coalition airstrikes on Daash.
21st
Sep: More than a 100000 Kurds are reported to be fleeing a Daash
onslaught in north east Syria with the Kurdish city of Kobani coming
under attack. The refugees head north towards Turkey.
22nd
Sep: The US and its alliance of the willing (GCC excluding Kuwait and
Oman, and non GCC member Jordan, a total of 30 countries) start to
bomb Daash targets in Syria. Prior warning is given to the Government
of Bashar Al Assad and an Iranian lawmaker states that Iran was also
informed about the air assaults on Daash.
US
airplanes also target Al Nusra Front positions and also those of the
"Khorrasan" terrorist group.
The
US authorities state that a female pilot from the UAE also
participated in the airstrikes on Daash.
Belgium
and The Netherlands send their F16 fighters and Belgium asks its
military personnel not to wear their uniforms when not on duty out of
fears of retaliatory attacks.
22nd
Sep: Daash tries and executes Samira Salih al-Nuaimi, a lawyer and
rights activists, on charges of Apostasy for having criticised the DI
of Daash's destruction of shrines and mosques in Mosul. Torture marks
are clearly visible on her corpse.
23rd
Sep: Brigadier General, Ahmad Reza Bordstan, of the Iranian Ground
Forces clarifies that Iran will launch a much more penetrating
assault on Daash positions in response to any attack on Iran's border
with Iraq.
24th
Sep: Daash carries out a heavy assault on Baiji refinery. It involves
three car bombings and blow up tankers using a suicide bomber. The
military personnel protecting the refinery are backed by the Iraqi
Airforce but suffer heavy casualties. Senior military commanders warn
of a repeat of Spykar if the government does not degrade Daash's
capability to assault the refinery.
24th
Sep: The US led coalition starts to bomb Daash positions on the
outskirts of Kobani in Northern Syria.
24th
Sep: Kurdish forces warn of the fleeing of Daash fighters from Syria
to Iraq and ask the US led coalition to bomb Daash convoys entering
Iraq.
24th
Sep: Iraqi Security Forces and Peshmergas work in coordination in
Qara Tapa, north east of Baqouba, Diyala to clear villages of Daash
presence
24th
Sep: Hassan Nasrallah states that he is opposed to the US led
coalition that is bombing Daash. He stated that the Hezbollah fought
the "infidel" Daash and will continues to do so, but
referred to the US as the "mother of terrorism"
24th
Sep: German ammunition, anti tank weapons and assault rifles arrive
in Iraqi Kurdistan
24th
Sep: An Algerian terrorist group with links to Daash beheads French
hiker Herve Gourdel after the Afrench Government refuses to stop its
participation in the coalition of the willing.
25th
Sep: Rouhani blames the West and it's allies (certain intelligence
agencies: CIA) of creating Daash, refers to it as a global threat and
asks the west to stop supporting dictators.
25th
Sep: Two bombings in Baghdad leave 6 dead and 18 wounded
25th
Sep: France confirms that it has carried out its first airstrikes on
Daash positions in Iraq. The UK is expected to join the coalition of
the willing soon.
25th
Sep: The UAE claims that its woman pilot, Mariam Al -Mansouri, took
part in its raid on Daash positions. Daash vows revenge.
25th
Sep: Kurdish forces in Syria repel an assault on Kobani.
25th
Sep: Jassim Mohammed Hassan al-Attiyah of the Salah al Din provincial
council states that over 13000 US troops are expected at the Speicher
Military Base. This is contrary to what Obama has stated, what Prime
Minister Abadi has asked for, and what Sadr and Sistani have clearly
opposed.
25th
Sep: Daash blows up the historic Al Arbain mosque in Tikrit.
26th
Sep: Bombing of Daash positions to the North and to the West of
Mosul: Sinjar and Zammar has continued for three days ands ongoing.
The "coalition of the willing" is bombing the monster it
helped create.
26th
Sep: Iranian expert refers to US assault on Daash as America's plan
B:
Arabian
Nights, night 2: the downfall of Ali Duba:
Reports
suggest that Ali Duba was sidelined to make way for Bashar to take
over power in Syria. However, a Syrian tale goes like this:
Hafiz
Al Assad was having trouble with a senior member of the Muslim
Brotherhood and asked his intelligence chief to get rid of the man.
Ali Duba however, was made an offer of a large sum of money to let
the man slip into exile. Duba took the money and the brotherhood man
fled to Germany. Hafiz was assured that the man was with his maker.
Years
later, the same man was terminally ill and dying. Away from home, he
longed to return. His people approached Ali Duba and offered an even
larger pot of gold to the let the man die in Syria. For this, Ali
Duba had to approach Hafiz and it is then that Hafiz learnt of his
instructions not being carried out. Ali Duba was no longer a trusted
man.
Short
Analysis: Are the Houthis linked to Iran?
Some
commentators suggested that Iran is in no way involved in the Houthi
uprising in Yemen, or in Bahrain. Although claims and allegations
that Iran is backing rebels in Yemen and Bahrain play into the hands
of the Empire, there is a grain of truth to them.
Iran
has come under attack, with its embassy staff being kidnapped and
shot in Yemen. The now deposed President had also accused Iran of
meddling, which Iran denied. Saudi Arabia has also at one point in
history been allied to the Zaidis in Yemen against the communist
South. Saudi Arabia has more recently been paranoid and accused Iran
of backing the Houthis. So why say Iran is siding with them now?
1)
A religious argument
Islam
in General, and the Shia faith in particular underwent a
transformation with the events of Karbala. The Sacrifice of the
Grandson of the Prophet reminds the Shia to oppose oppression, and to
refrain from it too. While the Sunnis have generally been more pro
establishment throughout history, it is the Shia that have resisted
over time and over geographic distances. A reading of Shia history
after the events of Karbala will show that in every few decades a
Shia uprising has taken place against oppressive government.
Iran,
perceiving itself to be the centre of the Shia faith, backs its
co-religionists in, to name a few places, Kashmir, Pakistan, Iraq,
Syria, and Nigeria. It even backs opposition to oppression against
Muslims in General (Sunnis) in other places: Sudan, Bosnia, Kurds in
Iraq, and the Northern Alliance in Afghanistan. It sees this as a
religious purpose. Although, the Iranian revolutionary "Islamic"
state was more aggressive in the past it has become much more
pragmatic, but also a lot more tenacious and politically astute.
So
why would Iran not back the Houthis and Bahraini Shias, in the latter
case morally if not with material aid (physical, geographic
restrictions, the invasion of the island by Saudi troops, and the US
Naval base prevent Iran from giving more direct support; However, if
Bahrain shared a land border with Iran, weapons would be smuggled
across). Not supporting them on Iran's part would be contrary to
common sense.
2)
A practical understanding
No
guerrilla movement survives for long against a government backed by
foreign powers for long without external support. A case in point is
the Hezbollah. Even though it is a very powerful, if not the most
powerful, resistance militia, it cannot survive or wield as much
power as it does without Iranian/Syrian support. Similar examples are
the Taliban, which no one can defeat as long as the Pakistani state
continues to back it.
Although
the Houthis may be a majority in the north, how long can they sustain
a conflict without material help? Yes everybody in Yemen is armed,
but where do you replenish stocks from and sustain an offensive? Why
would Saudi Arabia allow the deposed President to negotiate a deal if
did not feel threatened?
Now
consider the Tibetan resistance against China that withered away
after all India did was provide vocal support. The North Vietnamese
had Chinese and Soviet support, the rebels in Syria have petrodollars
backing them, the MEK had US/Israeli support after Saddam was
overthrown. In fact it's hard to point out to any opposition group
that can last without external backing.
3)
Coincidence: there are none
The
first coincidence is the timing of the Houthi takeover. It
conveniently occurred after Daash has taken over most of Sunni Iraq.
The
second coincidence is form. In this 2010 article by Bhadrakumar:
http://www.countercurrents.org/bhadrakumar180110.htm.
He mentions that the Houthi armed groups are being modelled on the
Lebanese Hezbollah.
Finally,
to cut things short, I will agree that there is a remote possibility,
a completely illogical one, that Iran is not involved in some way
with the Houthis. But it is possible.
Further
Reading:
US
intelligence flying blind when it comes to the Hezballah
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