US forces leave ‘critical’ Iraqi base due to war of attrition

[Kastor]

This is the kind of victories Iran gets but goes unnoticed, because the world is busy talking about the bad asses who took out Iran's general......arguably below is a much bigger defat in the grand scheme of things....the U.S. will leave Iraq, sooner rather than later.

https://www.thenational.ae/world/me...l-iraqi-base-due-to-war-of-attrition-1.994937


The US military abandoned a base in western Iraq this week to reduce exposure to a war of attrition waged by militia supported by Iran to drive out US troops.

With elections in November and the spread of coronavirus in the US, Washington has found little answer to attacks it blames on some of the most ideologically driven Iraqi militias allied with Iran.

The US military announced that on Tuesday it handed over Al Qaim base, near the Syrian border, to the Iraqi military.

The US military sought to play down the effect of the transfer, saying the Iraqi military is qualified to keep defeated ISIS elements out of the area on its own.

A US officer said that in the war against ISIS the base served as a “critical location” for the US-led coalition involved in Operation Inherent Resolve.


Forces “will relocate and consolidate personnel and equipment from several Iraqi bases throughout 2020”, Brig Gen Vincent Barker said.

Attacks against American troops in Iraq picked up in the past two weeks, furthering Iran’s goals of driving US forces out of Iraq. The rise of ISIS drew US troops back into Iraq in 2014.

 

[Juggernaut_Flat_Plane_V8]

momentous occasion..These are small but important chips off the edifice of a superpower...If America does not make the transition from republicanism to autocracy ala Roman Empire, it is doomed

 

[LeGenD]

They are repositioning their assets.

1. Saddam regime had 4th largest armed forces in the world at its disposal in 1990 and foolishly challenged US in Kuwait, where is it now?

2. Al-Qaeda Network had legs in multiple countries and attempted to oust US from the Middle East, where is it now?

Iranian leadership is punching above its weight now. Saudi Arabia was a manageable threat to confront in Yemen but USA is a different ballgame altogether.

Americans struck several positions of Iraqi PMUs in the last major exchange:

Situation will only worsen for Iraqi PMUs (and beyond) over time.

This is an ill-advised WAR with unrealistic goals - for Iran.

 

[Dr. Strangelove]

They are repositioning their assets.

1. Saddam regime had 4th largest armed forces in the world at its disposal in 1990 and foolishly challenged US in Kuwait, where is it now?

2. Al-Qaeda Network had legs in multiple countries and attempted to oust US from the Middle East, where is it now?

Iranian leadership is punching above its weight now. Saudi Arabia was a manageable threat to confront in Yemen but USA is a different ballgame altogether.

Americans struck several positions of Iraqi PMUs in the last major exchange:

Situation will only worsen for Iraqi PMUs (and beyond) over time.

This is a WAR you cannot win.

Arrogance and Stupidity brother nothing more one day this combination one day will cause a great damage to them.

 

[XTQ1999]

I think you should be more concerned about a pandemic ravaging through your country than trying to claim some small "victories" against US

 

[925boy]

I think you should be more concerned about a pandemic ravaging through your country than trying to claim some small "victories" against US

are you as worried about Iran;s handling of Corona as you are for Italy that is a rich advanced country with no embargoes? Im just wondering why people are beating up and attacking Iranian govt about Corona but not doing the same to Italy, which has way less reasons than Iran to not contain it better.

On the topic, US and Iran might have done a deal- this base seems like a gesture towards Iran, because that location helps the Iranian-directed Shiite middle east land route, and Iran just released some US citizen who had been held in Iran since 2018. They might not be linked but the fact that Iran and US both did things recently that are pro the other side, that makes me feel some deal might've been struck....or maybe not.

US knows its troops are vulnerable and instead of bringing in MORe back up, US military decided to consolidate its troops scattered in Iraq into fewer bases/locations.

From what i'm seeing today, US is NOT ready to do a large military deployment IF its not China related or close to China. I stand by this any day.

Fortunately or unfortunately, in the Middle East today, Iran has caught US at a bad timing.

Finally- those same people who either say India and Iran are great friends, or that Iran and US are great friends, i know they will tell us here that US just "gave" the base to Iran. yup, i'm sure thats what happened.

 

[LeGenD]

are you as worried about Iran;s handling of Corona as you are for Italy that is a rich advanced country with no embargoes? Im just wondering why people are beating up and attacking Iranian govt about Corona but not doing the same to Italy, which has way less reasons than Iran to not contain it better.

On the topic, US and Iran might have done a deal- this base seems like a gesture towards Iran, because that location helps the Iranian-directed Shiite middle east land route, and Iran just released some US citizen who had been held in Iran since 2018. They might not be linked but the fact that Iran and US both did things recently that are pro the other side, that makes me feel some deal might've been struck....or maybe not.

US knows its troops are vulnerable and instead of bringing in MORe back up, US military decided to consolidate its troops scattered in Iraq into fewer bases/locations.

From what i'm seeing today, US is NOT ready to do a large military deployment IF its not China related or close to China. I stand by this any day.

Fortunately or unfortunately, in the Middle East today, Iran has caught US at a bad timing.

Finally- those same people who either say India and Iran are great friends, or that Iran and US are great friends, i know they will tell us here that US just "gave" the base to Iran. yup, i'm sure thats what happened.

Something is happening.

This is breaking news: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/19/...d-overseas-in-iran-and-lebanon-are-freed.html

And yes, US is repositioning its troops in Iraq. They will vacate two more bases in accordance with the DEAL and Iraqi government have a major say in this matter.

Iraqi PMUs have nothing to do with these DEALINGS, and will not achieve anything in this game; US punched them hard last time but also ended up killing scores of Iraqi in the process which is unfortunate.

 

[raptor22]

This is the kind of victories Iran gets but goes unnoticed, because the world is busy talking about the bad asses who took out Iran's general......arguably below is a much bigger defat in the grand scheme of things....the U.S. will leave Iraq, sooner rather than later.

https://www.thenational.ae/world/me...l-iraqi-base-due-to-war-of-attrition-1.994937


The US military abandoned a base in western Iraq this week to reduce exposure to a war of attrition waged by militia supported by Iran to drive out US troops.

With elections in November and the spread of coronavirus in the US, Washington has found little answer to attacks it blames on some of the most ideologically driven Iraqi militias allied with Iran.

The US military announced that on Tuesday it handed over Al Qaim base, near the Syrian border, to the Iraqi military.

The US military sought to play down the effect of the transfer, saying the Iraqi military is qualified to keep defeated ISIS elements out of the area on its own.

A US officer said that in the war against ISIS the base served as a “critical location” for the US-led coalition involved in Operation Inherent Resolve.


Forces “will relocate and consolidate personnel and equipment from several Iraqi bases throughout 2020”, Brig Gen Vincent Barker said.

Attacks against American troops in Iraq picked up in the past two weeks, furthering Iran’s goals of driving US forces out of Iraq. The rise of ISIS drew US troops back into Iraq in 2014.

I think these attacks would not make them to leave esp american are bringing C-RAM and Patriot systems to counter these types of attacks.

 

[mohsen]

Americans are already imprisoned in Iraq, their ground forces don't even dare to leave their bases, they use helicopters for all transfers, the mighty super power!

US will Iraq regardless of their tactical blabbering.

 

[OldTwilight]

Americans are already imprisoned in Iraq, their ground forces don't even dare to leave their bases, they use helicopters for all transfers, the mighty super power!

US will Iraq regardless of their tactical blabbering.

We should deliver Manpads and target all of tbeir helicopters and cargo airplane as well

 

[Genghis khan1]

This is the kind of victories Iran gets but goes unnoticed, because the world is busy talking about the bad asses who took out Iran's general......arguably below is a much bigger defat in the grand scheme of things....the U.S. will leave Iraq, sooner rather than later.

https://www.thenational.ae/world/me...l-iraqi-base-due-to-war-of-attrition-1.994937


The US military abandoned a base in western Iraq this week to reduce exposure to a war of attrition waged by militia supported by Iran to drive out US troops.

With elections in November and the spread of coronavirus in the US, Washington has found little answer to attacks it blames on some of the most ideologically driven Iraqi militias allied with Iran.

The US military announced that on Tuesday it handed over Al Qaim base, near the Syrian border, to the Iraqi military.

The US military sought to play down the effect of the transfer, saying the Iraqi military is qualified to keep defeated ISIS elements out of the area on its own.

A US officer said that in the war against ISIS the base served as a “critical location” for the US-led coalition involved in Operation Inherent Resolve.


Forces “will relocate and consolidate personnel and equipment from several Iraqi bases throughout 2020”, Brig Gen Vincent Barker said.

Attacks against American troops in Iraq picked up in the past two weeks, furthering Iran’s goals of driving US forces out of Iraq. The rise of ISIS drew US troops back into Iraq in 2014.

Iran believes, US launched a Bio warfare which is killing dozens everyday in Iran including high level regime officials. The best response Iran can come up with is few mortar attacks using Proxies. So idk that’s a success for Iran?

 

[raptor22]

Iran believes, US launched a Bio warfare which is killing dozens everyday in Iran including high level regime officials. The best response Iran can come up with is few mortar attacks using Proxies. So idk that’s a success for Iran?

would you provide link of this claim?

 

[Genghis khan1]

would you provide link of this claim?

What claim?

 

[Trango Towers]

They are repositioning their assets.

1. Saddam regime had 4th largest armed forces in the world at its disposal in 1990 and foolishly challenged US in Kuwait, where is it now?

2. Al-Qaeda Network had legs in multiple countries and attempted to oust US from the Middle East, where is it now?

Iranian leadership is punching above its weight now. Saudi Arabia was a manageable threat to confront in Yemen but USA is a different ballgame altogether.

Americans struck several positions of Iraqi PMUs in the last major exchange:

Situation will only worsen for Iraqi PMUs (and beyond) over time.

This is an ill-advised WAR with unrealistic goals - for Iran.

It's not the size of the army thay matters but the morale the availability of right kinds of weapons training and tactics. Remember historically smaller well trained and determined forces have always defeated mighty armies with poor strategy. America is fighting Israel's wars and the locals have time on their hands.
You example of iraq having the 4th largest army was a clear example that you cannot defeat america head on but in a war of attrition a smaller determined force can win. Vietnam was an example.

 

[LeGenD]

It's not the size of the army thay matters but the morale the availability of right kinds of weapons training and tactics. Remember historically smaller well trained and determined forces have always defeated mighty armies with poor strategy. America is fighting Israel's wars and the locals have time on their hands.
You example of iraq having the 4th largest army was a clear example that you cannot defeat america head on but in a war of attrition a smaller determined force can win. Vietnam was an example.

That is nicely put and I agree with that view.

However, Americans have a solid footing in the Middle East courtesy of their allies in Iraq and elsewhere, and therefore efforts to oust them from the Middle East (or Iraq at bear minimum) might not bear fruit. This wasn't the case in Vietnam where they had to rely upon largely incompetent South Vietnamese to give them space in their part of the world.

Iranian efforts to oust American forces from the Middle East = unrealistic goal for them. The maximum they can hope to achieve is that US will restructure its forces in Iraq and reduce their numbers just in case. This restructuring will give US desired level of flexibility to consider additional set of options vis-a-vis countering Iran and its proxies in the region. Iranian clergy is not very smart (unfortunately or fortunately); they do not realize that they aren't the only ones to pull strings across the Middle East.