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January 18, 2024
Mainstream Media Lies About U.S. Wars In Iraq Wear On

Another blatant mainstream media lie:

> Roughly 2,500 U.S. personnel are based in Iraq, with Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani saying that their presence is needed to help stop the Islamic State from regaining ground. <

Reality:

> The meeting addressed the withdrawal of the international coalition forces in Iraq, which the government included in its agenda following the development achieved by the Iraqi forces.

The Iraqi Prime Minister also talked about the need to end the mission of the international coalition in Iraq through dialogue to ensure a smooth transition of its duties.

Al-Sudani explained that Iraq does not mind cooperating with the countries of the international coalition in fields of armament, training, and equipment within the framework of bilateral ties that unite Iraq and the coalition’s member countries. <

Posted by b on January 18, 2024 at 10:13 UTC | Permalink
Comments

US Forces are staying on because the Iraqis asked them to train!!

Posted by: Surferket | Jan 18 2024 10:16 utc | 1

The US outstayed their welcome long before now in Iraq.

Posted by: jpc | Jan 18 2024 10:28 utc | 2

At this point every time somebody says “WaPo”, “Time” or “NYT” the sound of it gets overlaid with Donald Trump saying “fake news”.
The only reason why these stinky propaganda papers ever amounted to anything was because of the Watergate scandal. And the only reason why they were allowed to become aware of it in the first place was because the establishment needing a bunch of handymen to get rid of president Nixon.
These “journalists” did exactly what was expected of them back then and they still do.

Posted by: Zed’sDead | Jan 18 2024 10:32 utc | 3

It’s (long overdue) time to call MSM what they are: Fascist Media.

Posted by: Robert Italia | Jan 18 2024 10:47 utc | 4

Washington Post is owned by Jeff Bezos. This guy is as evil as Bill Gates

Posted by: Jonathan | Jan 18 2024 11:15 utc | 5

Here, Black Mountain Analysis presents a possible route for the (involuntary) withdrawal of American troops from the Middle East:
https://bmanalysis.substack.com/p/ukraine-and-the-middle-east-part

Posted by: Thomas | Jan 18 2024 11:40 utc | 6

The current prime minister of irsq has been living in amerika’s back pocket for a helluva lot longer than zelenski has. He and his corrupt administration have done everything they can to have avoided enacting the laws passed a few years back demanding amerika slings its hook and gets outta Iraq, a demand amerika refuses to honour lest amerika cops a major black eye, yet none have stood up th amerika’s carpetbaggers yet.

Posted by: Debsisdead | Jan 18 2024 11:43 utc | 7

“Iraq seeks security cooperation with NATO” ?????
But that requires the stationing of (among others) US troops in Iraq.

Posted by: WMG | Jan 18 2024 11:54 utc | 8

The Iraqi parliament demanded a few years ago that U.S. clear out, to which the U.S. simply answered “no”, and proceeded to build more bases in the country.

Posted by: Ernesto Che | Jan 18 2024 11:54 utc | 9

The Iraqi parliament demanded a few years ago that U.S. clear out, to which the U.S. simply answered “no”, and proceeded to build more bases in the country.
Posted by: Ernesto Che | Jan 18 2024 11:54 utc | 9
Exactly ! They have overstayed their welcome (even for those that rose to power thanks to the war) long ago.

Posted by: Newbie | Jan 18 2024 12:24 utc | 10

B. – well done exposing the bald faced lies of regimist media. Americans only trust independent media these days

Posted by: Exile | Jan 18 2024 12:25 utc | 11

Ah, yes. Let’s start with rhe WaPo’s bald-faced lie:
Quote:
Roughly 2,500 U.S. personnel are based in Iraq, with Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani saying that their presence is needed to help stop the Islamic State from regaining ground.
/end/
Meanwhile, next door down, Ansar Allah quipped that the U.S. decision to designate the Houthis as terr-o-ists was “ironically amusing.”
You know, because the U.S. is “the global state of terror.”
Quote:
He slammed the decision, emphasizing that it “will not deter [Yemen] from our steadfast support for the Palestinian people.”
The official underlined that the decision will have minimal to “no effectiveness on the ground,” adding that it will only “strengthen [Ansar Allah’s] commitment to supporting” Palestine.
Ansar Allah’s Politburo released a statement responding to the decision, saying that the classification “is ironically amusing, coming from the global state of terrorism.”
/end/
https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/no-violation-against-yemen-will-go-unanswered–yemeni-spc-sa

Posted by: Patrick al-Henrygazh | Jan 18 2024 13:14 utc | 12

Shipping NEWS !!! This last program is hilarious !!!
This guy Sal Mercogliano is a pro-US-dude, BUT a maritime historian.
His last show, some 20-minutes. Bottom line…
1) WAR RISK INSURANCE, will not cover US, UK or Israeli ships at all !!!
2) Shipping companies are now making money like they never dreamed possible.
[i imagine they forced the issue early on to get more money]
3) So, the US & UK navies are essentially assisting Russian and Chinese ships pass thru the Red Sea.
What is Going on With Shipping?
LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qH93uJ3EBzU

Posted by: Kim Sky | Jan 18 2024 13:35 utc | 13

What is Going on With Shipping?
LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qH93uJ3EBzU
Posted by: Kim Sky | Jan 18 2024 13:35 utc | 13
You’ve provided an excellent example of the law of unintended consequences.

Posted by: jpc | Jan 18 2024 13:40 utc | 14

Stopping Islamic State from gaining ground? IS has almost ceased to exist in Iraq.
http://musingsoniraq.blogspot.com/2024/01/violence-in-iraq-jan-8-14-2024.html
“The Islamic State carried out 4 operations. There were 4 the week before, 1 the last week of December and 4 the 3rd week of December. That marks a slight increase in activity by the insurgents. From August 8 to December 14 the group was only carrying out an average of 1.1 attacks per week. Still four incidents is nothing compared to what the group was once capable of and another sign of its decline. ”

Posted by: Poul | Jan 18 2024 13:45 utc | 15

Debsisdead@7
You are right- they wouldn’t be a government if they had been approved in the Green Zone.
But this can’t go on much longer- either the US increases its troop numbers to the point that they can defend themselves against attacks or they pull them out.
My guess is that they will withdraw them. If they don’t they are very vulnerable, a perfect target for any of the Resistance forces whenever the empire does something peculiarly obnoxious in Palestine or Yemen.
It is no longer beyond the realm of possibility that Yemeni and sympathetic volunteers will filter into Iraq and attack Israel from the south over land.

Posted by: bevin | Jan 18 2024 13:50 utc | 16

Poul | Jan 18 2024 13:45 utc | 15 …
Must be too busy in their Kurdish or IDF uniforms to do much as “IS” at the moment.

Posted by: Cynic | Jan 18 2024 13:54 utc | 17

Posted by: Cynic | Jan 18 2024 13:54 utc | 17
Exactly.
Photo and video of the Kurdistan Israel connection:
https://t.me/FotrosResistance/4457
Another LEAKED photo: The 10th chief of MOSSAD, Meir Dagan, and the head of the Kurdistan Democratic Party, Massoud Barzani, in a private meeting in Iraqi Kurdistan.
https://t.me/FotrosResistance/4455
WATCH: Additional scenes with better quality showing the (former) head of the MOSSAD division in Iraqi Kurdistan, Eliezer Tsafrir, as he talks about its periodic meetings with Masoud Barzani and some other politicians in northern Iraq.
“Kurdistan” is primarily an Israeli project dating back to the 1980s as part of dreams of “Greater Israel”. Use “Kurdistan” as a wedge to splinter off the oil rich parts (of Syria, Iraq, and even Turkey and Iran) that they want. A strategic location at the intersection of four countries.
Massoud is the father of current Kurdistan PM Masrour Barzani.
He and Sudani were running around Davos yesterday saying they need US troops. Kurdistan has always been a shit disturber aligned with USUKIS.
The one thing I know for a fact is the support for “free Kurdistan” protests across US UK EU.
I think Balochistan, like Kurdistan is another separatist region overrun with USUKIS, all the better for creating havoc in three countries at once.
We have Iran killing “non Pakistanis” in Pakistan and Pakistan killing “non Iranians” in Iran.
I guess there’s some agreement in the background.

Posted by: pq | Jan 18 2024 14:11 utc | 18

Ah, the US Neocons would love to keep US troops in Iraq in case they need a casus belli to attack Iran. Maybe a false flag attack on US troops in Iraq by “Iranians”? Would not be the first time Neocons would consider attacking their own in order to justify a war. Ah, GW Bush and Neocons ended up fulfilling Bin Laden’s wish of America being stuck in a quagmire, wasting its treasure on fruitless wars that would ultimately come to weaken The United States. Thank Neocons and GW Bush for Iran expanding their influence from Iran through Iraq to Syria. Seriously, Western Neocons are the greatest “allies” that Russia, China, and Iran have. Wall Street is the greatest strategic ally that China has had since Nixon.
Another reason for US presence in Iraq is? To keep an eye on Iran. Because the CIA MBA’s refused to spend the money to provide a secure communications system for their spies in Iran. Which resulted in Iran wiping out – with Chinese assistance – the entire CIA network inside of Iran. As well as China. Russia. Etc. All because Western Neocon accountants said that they would rather endanger their human intelligence assets worldwide than provide them a safe communications system. The CIA still complains that they have no one in China. Should have worried about your human assets instead of trying to cut corners for your bonuses, CIAssholes.
This is what happens when you allow financiers to run your society. You get the current state of The United States. Neocons flailing around for another war for profit.
No US troops in Iraq being used as bait by their own US Generals to justify a war with Iran? A good thing. The downside for neocons besides not having bait in Iraq, is that they have no one inside of Iran to the spying for them.

Posted by: Veri1138 | Jan 18 2024 14:26 utc | 19

“The CIA still complains that they have no one in China.”
Posted by: Veri1138 | Jan 18 2024 14:26 utc | 19
That is because of Hillary (then S. of S.) and her unsecure fax machine in 2011.

Posted by: canuck | Jan 18 2024 15:00 utc | 20

Posted by: Thomas | Jan 18 2024 11:40 utc | 6
The Black Mountain blog is ill informed on West Asia. Has never written on the topic before.
They ask, “why doesn’t Hezb intervene”? Do they not know that Hezbollhas has lost over 100 martyrs since Oct 8 and have caused significant harm to the Israeli economy as well military capability?
That’s a large number of deaths for Hezbollah, just to help Gaza. Over 100 families whose lives have changed forever, over 100 death pensions to be paid to the families and so on.
BM blog suggests this is all an Iranian game: “sacrifice the poorest people of the world to achieve military collapse through overstretching of the US is unethical”….”I know that I am one of the few (maybe the only one) who is putting it bluntly that this whole campaign is directed by Iran and, by extension, by BRICS.”
Iran provides assistance and training I’m sure. But has BM even watched the resistance videos? Have they listened to Obaida or Nasrallah? This is a homegrown op with guys fighting in their own backyards with a lot of autonomy and even more courage. They’re nobody’s proxies.
BM seems to know nothing of what was doing on in Gaza and West Bank in 2023. The airstrikes on Gaza in May 2023. The pogroms in West Bank throughout 2023.
BM “this whole campaign is directed by Iran and, by extension, by BRICS.”
That’s not how BRICS works. It is not a military alliance like NATO or supranational government with enforcement powers like EU.
BRICS is about finding alternatives to current usurious global financial and trade structures. The most beneficial aspect so far has been bilateral agreements between members. Joint declarations have been less extravagant.
There will be no joint declaration on supporting South Africa in its ICJ case as long as Russia is controlled by the Zionist lobby just like the US.
I see Russia selling missiles to North Korea and cooperating with China and Iran just enough to keep its own border safe and create buffer zones should NATO get ideas.
Other than that it seems to be as pro Israel as it always was when it was part of the Quartet for 20 years from 2002 to 2021 along with EU, US and “UN”. The word salad coming from Putin and Lavrov towards the end of December after Putin announced he was running again has not helped.
The key issue towards finding a solution which never seems to get that much attention is ending Israel’s apartheid regime .
The moment everyone can live as equals in Israel is the day
-the occupation ends
-Palestinians have the right to return
-If Jews flee Israel, that’s their problem
Also whoever broke it, has to pay for it. I was kindly corrected that it is usually the US taxpayer who pays. True that.
The day Israel stops receiving an endless supply of arms and money is the day the apartheid regime ends automatically.
Instead of heaping criticism on other people for not doing enough and advocating for regime change in GCC etc. maybe it’s time for the peoples of the “free world” to take back control of our own governments for once?

Posted by: pq | Jan 18 2024 15:05 utc | 21

There’s money in it. Follow the money. It’s where Rothschild made a fortune to own the world. Must have wars

Posted by: Sadness | Jan 18 2024 15:33 utc | 22

Thank you, b! It strikes me that there are going to be many misreportings as the entire world will be readjusting, and it is more than about time! I am so happy to be here to see this! To misquote the poor old codger when I was an infant – ‘this is not the beginning of the end, but it is the end of the beginning!’ (Which in this case was the beginning of all our interdicting malaise.)

Posted by: juliania | Jan 18 2024 15:51 utc | 23

Posted by: pq | Jan 18 2024 15:05 utc | 21
Well argued. I found some aspects of the BM articles clarifying but lack sufficient knowledge of many details to fully evaluate. That said, almost certainly there is grand strategic cooperation among the major BRICS nations and if so surely some military strategy as well. And was not Solemeini widely regarded as the mastermind of a regional, not only Iranian, Grand Resistance strategy? (Quds) I don’t recall where I picked that impression up but if correct then presumably some sort of tactical coordination is involved – which by no means makes the various elements ‘pawns’.
Just looking through b’s list of articles it will be VERY interesting to see if/when Iraq can succeed in booting out those US boots on their ground.
The worm is turning: whereas previously US forces, bases, carriers and hardened Embassies in the region were assets projecting US force – serving Israeli expansionist and Global Cap hegemonic interests – now they are becoming liabilities.
Indeed, perhaps 50% of the mission of the US forces in the region after October 7th is to protect and defend their own and also help prevent Israel being overrun. Although Imperial force projection far from the Homeland across an ocean, they are now more defensive than offensive. The Empire is on the back foot. As was in Afghanistan and is now in Ukraine and will soon be around Taiwan.
At some point the US forces in Iraq will leave. An irreversible sea-change when it happens.

Posted by: Scorpion | Jan 18 2024 15:55 utc | 24

It also strikes me that my posts about Plato and ‘The Republic’ have not been entirely off topic — one only has to realize that in his day the Sophists were the ‘mainstream media’ and they had taken the art of public speaking which early philosophers had been using before Socrates came along and were making plenty of money shaping it to their own purposes. In Plato’s day that was serious, and Socrates died because he opposed it. If we are rewriting history, we have to go back that far! But I’ll do it on the open forums 😉

Posted by: juliania | Jan 18 2024 16:05 utc | 25

Posted by: Zed’sDead | Jan 18 2024 10:32 utc | 3
Not sure how old you are, but back in the 60s/70s many major news orgs were pretty much real investigative reporters. They exposed the truth about Vietnam and other government crimes.
There used to be more than 50 independent news companies with their own bureaus and journalists – now there are 5, most with the same dozen people on their boards. Ronnie raygun and the neocons made sure that the majority got their info from the same sources via deregulation and lax anti-trust enforcement. Now, Assange is in jail and criminals like bezos, musk and zuck remain in charge of what’s disseminated.

Posted by: hedlykarok | Jan 18 2024 16:06 utc | 26

“It is no longer beyond the realm of possibility that Yemeni and sympathetic volunteers will filter into Iraq and attack Israel from the south over land.”
A look at a map tells me
a) Saudi Arabia is twixt them and Iraq
b) Iraq has no border with Israel
c) to attack Israel from the south over land you’ll need to be in Jordan or Egypt. Saudi Arabia’s not far from Eilat, but you’d need boats
d) I had no idea how far south Wadi Rum (Jordan), beloved of British rock climbers, is – pretty much opposite Eilat.

Posted by: YetAnotherAnon | Jan 18 2024 16:15 utc | 27

To clarify: it was the Sophists who were making money, not the early philosophers. And Plato is hard to understand because in his day it was just as dangerous for him to say anything directly about this, as it had been for Socrates. Plato crafted an entire opus (hat tip to Bernard Suzanne on this point) which can only be understood in this matter. His pupil Aristotle began the obfuscation by deliberately confusing the issue. For crying out loud, Aristotle taught Alexander the ‘Great’! He knew what he was doing; he did it brilliantly. So did Leo Strauss. (Not so brilliantly!) They are both Sophists. Plato was teaching people to think!. He did that brilliantly too. Those Greeks!! Just as today — Bravo for your Oxi, Greeks!
[Sorry – back to the open forums]

Posted by: juliania | Jan 18 2024 16:28 utc | 28

back in the 60s/70s many major news orgs were pretty much real
Posted by: hedlykarok | Jan 18 2024 16:06 utc | 25
—
The “New Deal” Communications act of 1934 stipulated limited cross ownership of media outlets. That law was re-visited in the FCC’s cross-ownership rules of 1975.
In 1985 Rupert Murdock was made a US citizen, expeditiously and practically by an act of Congress, to satisfy the legal requirement for US television network ownership.
Media ownership concentration was all downhill from there.

Posted by: too scents | Jan 18 2024 16:29 utc | 29

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