McCain is Playing Chicken With Baghdad
According to the Iraq Press Agency, the head of the Iraqi parliamentary bloc Irada, Hannan al-Fetlaui stated that up to 100,00 foreign troops are headed to Iraq. Up to 90,000 are going to be sent by the Arab and Gulf States to Iraq to fight the Islamic State (ISIL), while another 10,000 will come from the United States.
According to the MP, she received this information from a reliable sources that was involved in the talks between Senator John McCain, and Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi. Hannan al-Fetlaui clarified that the meeting took place on November 27 in a joint US-Iraqi operation headquarters in Baghdad, which coordinates joint military actions against ISIL.
According to the head of Irada, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar and Jordan are going to send the better part of the troops that are to be deployed in the western parts of Iraq.
It’s reported that the Iraqi Prime Minister openly expressed surprise about such a decision, but John McCain, however, told him that this is a decided matter and there’s nothing to discuss. While still in Baghdad, McCain, accompanied by Senator Lindsey Graham, stated that American soldiers will only provide logistical support to the Arab military contingent from Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Turkey.
It is clear that Egyptian and Turkish troops were mentioned as being used to implement the plan and get them involved in the Syrian conflict, since Ankara is desperate to launch a military invasion of Syria and create a no-fly zone over it.
However, this plan sounds particularly delusional, since Russia has already deployed over a hundred combat warplanes and helicopters in Syria, along with the top-of-the line anti-air complexes S-400 and a naval equivalent of the S-300, virtually creating a no-fly zone of its own over Syria.
But what is curious is that US Secretary of State John Kerry and Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter hinted that special units will be sent to Iraq and neighboring Syria, while implying that they’ve reached an agreement on this issue with Baghdad. According to Hannan al-Fetlaui, in response the Office of the Prime Minister issued a statement that it welcomes any foreign aid in the fight against ISIL, but only when it is demanded by Iraqi officials.
Has the Prime Minister of Iraq Kadhim Al-Abadi issued an official request to bring foreign expeditionary forces into Iraq?
Is there a UN Security Council resolution on the involvement of foreign troops in Iraq?
There is not, so an official invitation by the Iraqi government is needed, as it was the case with Damascus which invited Russia’s air corp to assist its troops in the fight against terrorism. A speech given by a mere member of the Iraqi parliament is notthe official position of Baghdad. It looks like she has simply leaked the information to the media about the upcoming invitation of foreign troops to Iraq in order to prevent it.
After all, neither the Sunnis nor Shia’a, especially those who have experienced all the “beauty” of the US occupation will want to see it repeated ever again. For example, supporters of Mahdi – the most influential Shia’a leader in Iraq, who has armed troops under his command, will not welcome this development. Additionally, Iran is more than capable to put some pressure on Baghdad to prevent this.
And who is going to believe that the Shia’s rulers of Baghdad and Tehran will allow thousands of armed soldiers into Iraq, sent by the Sunni monarchies of Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar and Jordan? It’s hardly a secret for anyone that Saudi Arabia is Iran’s sworn enemy.
The conclusion is simple – if what we’re witnessing now is not yet another figment of McCain’s inflamed imagination, caused by his inability to leave the hardships of his Vietnamese captivity behind, then what is it? What is happening in Washington? Has the White House lost all control over the actions of such madmen, who are dragging the United States back into a war which it was pretty desperate to finish back in 2011? Those were grim days. Apparently, there’s no comprehensive plan of action in place. The US as lost all control over the Middle East, which is why it’s incapable of providing an adequate answer to the threat of ISIL, which has been admitted by President Obama in one of his speeches.
So this very well may be a case of desperate propaganda, that will scare Washington and its Arab allies more than anyone – Arab allies who are pretty reluctant to become engaged in Iraq, knowing the fighting they will face and the defeat they will be handed. A preview of this possible future can be viewed in the Yemeni campaign which has only proven that they will suffer one bitter defeat after another. Those allies are even doubting their ability to save their own governments from the chaos created by Washington, and they have a pretty good reason to do so.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has ratcheted up the rhetoric in what appears to be one step closer to the potential for direct conflict with The West. While not detailing 'who' he was focued on, amid the obvious Turkey-Russia tensions, Putin told a session of the Defense Ministry's collegium that "I order to act extremely tough. Any targets that threaten Russian forces or our infrastructure on the ground should be immediately destroyed."
During the meeting of the most senior defense officials, ITAR TASS reports that Putin also warned against "those who will again try to organize any provocations against our servicemen."
"We have already taken additional measures to ensure security of Russian servicemen and air base. It was strengthened by new aviation groups and missile defense systems. Strike aircraft will now carry out operations under cover of fighter jets,"
Putin said that the Russian military have caused a substantial damage to terrorists in Syria, adding that the actions of the Russian Armed Forces are worthy of praise.
"The combined operation of the Aerospace Defence Forces and the Navy, the use of newest high precision weapons systems has caused a serious damage to the terrorist infrastructure, thus qualitatively changing the situation in Syria," the president said.
According to the official, terrorists in Syria pose a direct threat to Russia and Moscow’s actions are carried out to protect the country rather than due to abstract interests.
"Our soldiers in Syria are, first and foremost, defending their country. Our actions there aren’t motivated by some obscure and abstract geopolitical interests or a desire to train our forces and test new weapons – which is of course an important goal as well. Our main objective is to avert a threat to the Russian Federation,"
As we noted previously, The Kremlin looks prepared not only to stay the course, but to ramp up the deployment. Not only is Moscow hitting terrorist targets with cruise missiles from Russia’s Caspian Fleet, but now, Moscow is shooting at ISIS from a submarine in what can only be described as an effort by Putin to use Syria as a testing ground for Russia’s long dormant military juggernaut (after all, you don’t really need to shoot at a group that doesn’t have an air force or a navy from a sub).
Iraqi Prime Minister Haider Abadi instructed Friday the Foreign Ministry to submit a formal complaint to the UN Security Council against the presence of Turkish troops in northern Iraq, according to a statement.
On December 4, Turkey deployed about 150 troops and 25 tanks to a base in the Iraqi Nineveh province, without Baghdad’s approval.
"Prime Minister Haider Abadi instructs the Iraqi Ministry of Foreign Affairs to submit a formal complaint by the Iraqi government on the Turkish incursion… and to demand from the UN Security Council to assume its responsibilities in accordance with the provisions of the United Nations Charter… and to order Turkey to withdraw its troops immediately," the statement read.
Abadi added that Turkey's military presence without Iraq's approval violated the provisions and the principles of the UN Charter and sovereignty of Iraq.
ISIS has released chilling new footage depicting its apocalyptic vision of the end of the world.
It has titled the video 'Meeting at Dabiq' which refers to the location of a final battle between the 'Crusaders' and the 'Believers'.
The video also shows an ISIS 'armoured unit' advancing towards the Colosseum in reference to the 'armies of Rome'.
In the footage the terrorist organisation shows a dead fighter being kissed by his comrades, a Jihadi on horseback trying to look like a honourable soldier and groups of men with the majority too scared to show their faces to the camera.
The propaganda video then shows a convoy of cars driving at sunset, before switching to a man raising the black and white flag of ISIS.
It then moves on to show the ISIS flag over Algeria, Libya, Egypt, Yemen and Iraq before parading the flags of the countries it has decided, ISIS is at war with.
The British flag is one of 60 on the screen.
Last week, the terror group also released a new video threatening terror attacks in major cities across the world.
Two jihadists dressed in army fatigues could be seen in the video launching a series of threats against Paris, New York and Moscow.
The video emerged just one day after MPs voted to launch air strikes against ISIS in Syria.
He says the "revenge has started" and the "blood will flow".
He then adds: "France was the beginning. Tomorrow will be Washington. It will be New York and it will be Moscow."
The militant warns Russia "your time is coming" and "it will be the worst".
"There will be no safety in this world from our guns and bullets and explosives. We will come to you."
ISIS released another video yesterday dubbed The Knights of the Shahadda 2.
The video mainly focuses on an interview by a German foreign fighter.
He can be seen dressed in army fatigues talking to the camera.
As with other ISIS videos, music can be heard playing in the background.
However, the video later goes on to show ISIS jihadists appearing to prepare for a suicide mission.
Joseph of Arimathea
ReplyDeleteJoseph of Arimathaea ... went in boldly unto Pilate, and craved the body of Jesus. – Mark 15:43
Joseph had been a disciple of Christ for some time before, but had lacked the courage to come
out boldly. He was rich and influential, and had feared the consequences of a public identification
with Jesus. But now he throws away his timidity, and comes out boldly as a friend of Jesus. He did
it at a time when all the other disciples, even the apostles, were paralyzed with fear and afraid to
speak. He did it, too, at a time of greatest peril, when shame covered the name of Jesus, and the
bitterness against him was intensest. He did it also at a time when faith had died in the hearts of all
Christ’s friends, and when there could be no hope of personal preference or gain as a reward for his
act.
There were several reasons why Joseph made this bold confession at this time. One was because he
was a true disciple; and true love for Christ cannot always hide itself. Then, when he saw Christ suffering
so at the hands of His enemies, the loyalty of his own heart was strengthened, and he felt that he must avow
it. When he saw Jesus dead, all the warm and long pent-up affection in his soul awoke. Then he saw how
unworthy his conduct had been in hiding his friendship for Christ at a time when confession would have done
him good. It looks as if his act were an effort to atone for the inperfectness of his former discipleship.
We must ever be grateful that Joseph gave Jesus such noble burial. Yet we cannot but remember that his love
blossomed out too late. It is evident that his discipleship was incomplete, that it missed much of the blessing of
open discipleship, and that even to himself it was far from satisfactory when the great crisis came. Secret discipleship
cannot always remain secret; it must at some time and in some way confess itself, regardless of what it may cost.
Well, its pretty amazing.
ReplyDeleteBack in 2009 we heard the start of it from several folks, Lindsey Williams included. The powers in the shadows were going to 1. engineer an economic collapse to grab the valuables for themselves 2. Drain the nations and free world's gold and 3. start a world war to blame the collapse on and hide the evidence of the commodities being stolen.
Now here we are.
Evil is running wild. Be it chance or fulfillment of the predictions...it looks like that is exactly what's happening.
Sure glad God is still on the throne and our eternity is assured.
Jesus, today would be a grand day to go home!
Nice post GG... That was an excellent challenge for the followers of Jesus... The only thing I would add as a caveat is that it is never too late to begin to boldly proclaim your alliegenc to Jesus! Better late than never. 😀
ReplyDeleteMaybe Joseph did it simply because he loved Christ. There was little danger after Christ's death of persecution since all of his power left with him. (At least to the average person's thought process at the time) and Joseph had the money power and influence to just stroll up and get what he wanted with very little opposition.
ReplyDeleteBut, lol, im guessing on the third day some authority type people had plethora of questions for Jesus friend. That's where it probably became way more intense for Joseph. Ever been questioned as a suspect before? I'm sure the Romans were pretty adept at that job. 0_0
Not that many details have been provided to us about that situation with Joseph. But think about it.
The most powerful Jew ever, murdered by the Romans, who thought they were finally rid of the dude causing them so many problems, and now his body is missing......who you gonna call? Oh Joseph, they want to talk to you.
And I think God chose Joseph for this. He had enough power and money and prestige to maybe avoid harm from the Romans. And he also had an amazing chance to witness during a miracle that was so intense, so revolutionary, that Satan was even fooled.
You just can't make this stuff up.
God's interwoven plan over thousands of year just blows me away. Continually. Seriously, am I living in a day that we have been waiting for 6000 years? Why yes we are!!!! Flabbergasted. Daily.
Oh I am waiting for that tree of life picnic where I finally get to wrap my arms around each of you and give you the biggest hugs possible.
Love ya Jesus! Come today brother, father, counselor, friend. We need you.