US forces in Iraq

It is a bit of a case where it makes sense to send as many simple cheap drones as possible... whether they intercept them or not is irrelevant... every launch is expensive.

It is amusing that they are using SeaRam... a naval SAM... just like AEGIS Ashore in europe as their ABM system using naval SAMs as ABM systems... because US AF and Army SAMs are shit.

GarryB wrote:It is a bit of a case where it makes sense to send as many simple cheap drones as possible... whether they intercept them or not is irrelevant... every launch is expensive.

It is amusing that they are using SeaRam... a naval SAM... just like AEGIS Ashore in europe as their ABM system using naval SAMs as ABM systems... because US AF and Army SAMs are shit.

Perhaps the US military are going to find out what life has been like for the Russians in Syria defending against incoming that might or might not do serious damage. All it needs is lots of simple drones like the terrorists use in Syria.

Once they find out for real, as opposed to in the manuals, their gear's limitations they will get real twitchy as, now so much is concentrated in so few locations, they know they are an even more attractive target than they were.

By now the Iranians know what and how many are located where on these bases so, based on that successful 'Houti' oil attack strategy in Saudi, they know exactly what to do. In effect, the same number of missiles as last time plus the number of Patriot tubes and a few SeaRam drone bait.

These systems have very little operational effect and seem to me to be mainly for moral purposes. For those there who can't work out my previous paragraph for themselves.

Has anyone, anywhere had to defend against a mass incoming ballistic missile attack? The sense of helplessness when the second wave is inbound.

Perhaps it has to happen to bring a sense of reality to US/NATO plans for their air forces. Mind you, the AShM hitting the M S Atlantic Conveyor container ship (much like a carrier) in the Falklands War did little to dent the use of carriers, so who knows?

"Ashab-al-Kahf releases footage of an attack on trucks transporting US military equipment in Iraq."

https://twitter.com/Mahyar313/status/1248335603462217733

Does anyone know, what exact equipment this is. Is it Russian or Chinese or Iranian?  It claim a US Chinook shot down in Iraq, by this? The group claim responsibility is  called blood of Mohandis ( Engineer) or something, obscure group......



https://www.mashreghnews.ir/news/1075663/%D8%AC%D8%B2%D8%A6%DB%8C%D8%A7%D8%AA%DB%8C-%D8%A7%D8%B2-%D9%87%D8%AF%D9%81-%D9%82%D8%B1%D8%A7%D8%B1%D8%AF%D8%A7%D8%AF%D9%86-%D8%A8%D8%A7%D9%84%DA%AF%D8%B1%D8%AF-%D8%A2%D9%85%D8%B1%DB%8C%DA%A9%D8%A7%DB%8C%DB%8C-%D8%AF%D8%B1-%D8%B9%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%82-%D8%B9%DA%A9%D8%B3

nomadski wrote:Does anyone know, what exact equipment this is. Is it Russian or Chinese or Iranian?  It claim a US Chinook shot down in Iraq, by this? The group claim responsibility is  called blood of Mohandis ( Engineer) or something, obscure group......



https://www.mashreghnews.ir/news/1075663/%D8%AC%D8%B2%D8%A6%DB%8C%D8%A7%D8%AA%DB%8C-%D8%A7%D8%B2-%D9%87%D8%AF%D9%81-%D9%82%D8%B1%D8%A7%D8%B1%D8%AF%D8%A7%D8%AF%D9%86-%D8%A8%D8%A7%D9%84%DA%AF%D8%B1%D8%AF-%D8%A2%D9%85%D8%B1%DB%8C%DA%A9%D8%A7%DB%8C%DB%8C-%D8%AF%D8%B1-%D8%B9%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%82-%D8%B9%DA%A9%D8%B3

Looking at the front of the guys grip, we see the Thermal Battery.
It looks like a Strela-2 manpad.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/9K32_Strela-2

It is a Soviet/Russian MANPAD design... the problem is that most of them look very similar... I can tell you it isn't the latest model Igla-S or Verba because they have missiles with aerospikes.

Of course Iran and China and a few other countries including eastern european make copies that look very similar so it would be hard to be precise.

Another US convoy bites the dust. No casualties.

In Iraq, unidentified persons destroyed a US logistic convoy in the Diwan area. Armed people stopped and blocked the convoy, forced drivers to get out of the cars, and then began to set fire to trucks and trailers.

Such columns are used by the United States for the transfer of equipment and other materiel. Parts from Iraq to Syria, as well as in conditions of the redeployment of forces of the Iraqi contingent of the US Army.

It looks like a kind of hello to the Americans from Iranian proxies in response to recent attempts by the hands of Iraqi security forces to arrest members of Kataib Hezbollah in Baghdad.

Using fairly simple methods, Americans are shown that their logistics are vulnerable and the consequences can be much more unpleasant for them.



This could be a photo of it



Spriter
@ynms79797979
·
3h
Iraq
Iraqi media: An armed group burns 3 tankers carrying mechanisms on the Diwaniyah highway, which are Iraqi tankers carrying American goods and support, including a military hummer and light vehicles belonging to the Americans.

There's a short video of the burnt convoy that I posted on twitter
https://twitter.com/Cyberspec1/status/1282055066824798208

But hang on... they are not killing the American drivers and collecting their bounties from Putin... I don't understand... terrorists that wont kill for money... who don't even kill... maybe these people are just normal people who want the Americans out...

GarryB wrote:But hang on... they are not killing the American drivers and collecting their bounties from Putin... I don't understand... terrorists that wont kill for money... who don't even kill... maybe these people are just normal people who want the Americans out...

Wrong country. In Iraq the Americans are like the friends that just don't want to leave at the end of a good party. No need to hurt them but they do need a bit of encouragement

But surely if Putin is offering bounties on US soldiers heads in Afghanistan the same offer should be good everywhere...

And it is nothing to do with friends, the US were only friendly with the oil wells... killing them or costing them money is the only way to make them leave.

It is to the credit of these people they are trying costing them money alone to get them to go... wont matter... the Americans wont hold back on any retaliation... they don't understand measured response... just better dead that red... or more accurately in this case better dead than in our way.

Numbers falling again. That's around 700 a week!

Almost all out by the US election?

Spriter
@spriter99880
·
10h
Iraq
During the month, the United States decided to reduce the presence of troops in Iraq from about 5,200 to 3,000
by General McKenzie

German Ministry of Defense -Reducing the number of German forces in Iraq to 500.

De Re Militari Journal
@remilitari
·
4h
Red circle
The U.S. will send about 2,200 troops home from Iraq by the end of the month, CENTCOM Commander and Marine Gen. Frank McKenzie announced today from Baghdad.


Also article explaining all https://www.24matins.uk/topnews/int/us-cuts-troops-in-iraq-on-trump-pledge-to-stop-endless-wars-242887

The pressure continues.

Spriter
@spriter99880
·
Sep 17
Iraq: earlier today
Targeting of two American military convoys in the Latifiya and Abu Ghraib areas, with explosive devices and extensive damage to the convoys.


Shiite militias in Iraq are threatening to start using portable air defense systems against the Coalition’s helicopters in Iraq next week. Shiite militias are armed with Iran’s Misagх 1 and Misagх 2 transmission systems. If these threats come true, the resistance movement will move to a higher level. The recent attacks on the British diplomatic convoy in Baghdad and the American school in Najaf tell us that things are getting more serious.

https://geopolitics.news/middle-east/shiite-militias-are-threatening-the-american-coalition-with-portable-air-defense-systems/

update: Moments ago US Central Command denied that the United States was involved in the reported airstrikes on Iraqi paramilitary positions south of Baghdad.

   New: @CENTCOM isn't aware of **any** strikes tonight in #Iraq per @Reuters. https://t.co/CbeMDYCDlf
   — Jason Brodsky (@JasonMBrodsky) January 19, 2021

* * *

In what could be the start of a last-minute 'counter Iran' military operation which many have anticipated during President Trump's final days in office, a major air assault on Iran-backed paramilitary units southwest of Baghdad is being reported in regional media.

The airstrikes are also being reported in Iranian state media overnight (local time). The target was reportedly Shia militia positions in Jurf al-Sakhr, and follow last month's rocket attack on Baghdad's Green Zone and US Embassy, as well as multiple IED attacks on US coalition forces in various parts of the country.

"Casualties reported after airstrikes hit Iraqi forces' positions in Jurf al-Sakhr, Babil province," Iran's PressTV reports.

Militia sources have told regional media the attack was conducted by US-F-16 jets. However, it remains that little information has been verified.

The area is known for hosting the headquarters for Iran-backed Iraqi paramilitary units.

^Iraq has already shown interest in the S-400. They need it.

But will they be able to pull off a buy ?

Perhaps it has to happen to bring a sense of reality to US/NATO plans for their air forces. Mind you, the AShM hitting the M S Atlantic Conveyor container ship (much like a carrier) in the Falklands War did little to dent the use of carriers, so who knows?

The thing is that while the British had carriers in the Falklands, because they were small carriers with helicopter based AEW rather than proper supersonic fighters with AWACS support and such a small air compliment they couldn't operate a helicopter based anti sub screen the carriers had to sit well back from where they would normally be deployed to so they ended up more a case of looking after themselves than looking after the fleet which would be what a Soviet or Russian carrier would have been doing.

Even a US carrier would be closer because its attack aircraft would be pounding the crap out of the Argentines on the island too.

If the British had their previous carrier and complimented their Buccaneers with a dozen Phantoms the presence of real fighters and real strike aircraft and real AWACS platforms would have transformed the mission... the awareness of sea and air targets would have been transformed from a bit sketchy to very good and they could have used their nuclear subs to defend their carriers and ships from underwater threats while the ships and aircraft prosecuted the war on the island.

There would have been no need for the complex and risky Vulcan mission for instance with the Buccs being more than capable of taking out the airfields on the islands, while the Phantoms could have burned up some of their stocks of Skyflash missiles and hit the Argentine missiles before they even got close.

The Sea Harrier had an excellent radar for the time, but only being armed with Sidewinder made it horribly vulnerable in air combat... if the Argentinians had anything with BVR missiles they would have been in real trouble... even MiG-23s would have been a serious threat...

But will they be able to pull off a buy ?

Not with their current relationship with the US... when they are gone however... which would be good because that will be the primary way they are operating in Syria these days I suspect...

Here we go again!

Elijah J. Magnier
@ejmalrai
·
4h
The #US is leaving from the door and re-entering from the window. @jensstoltenberg
you are jeopardizing the life of your men because you have no choice but to follow the #US. A reminder: #Iraqi parliament called for the withdrawal of all foreign forces.

Jens Stoltenberg
@jensstoltenberg
· 5h
Ministers decided to expand @IraqNato mission to support local forces in their fight against terrorism. We'll increase from 500 to around 4000 personnel & include more security institutions & areas. #NATO's mission will continue in full consultation with #Iraq's government.

Bosni
@Bosni_94
·
6h
more troops means more targets for Iraqi resistance groups. it's going to be wild

Funny they claim to keep full consultation with the Iraqi government yet ignore the plain and open Iraqi law requiring foreign military forces leave their territory...

Following that 10 rocket attack, now this

spriters
@neccamc1
·
22h
The Pentagon announced today that an American soldier was killed in a missile attack on the Ain al-Assad base in Iraq.

Let's see what Biden's answer to this is ...

It wont be good for Iraq...

GarryB wrote:Funny they claim to keep full consultation with the Iraqi government yet ignore the plain and open Iraqi law requiring foreign military forces leave their territory...

Because there are exceptions made to that law, basically they excluded us from it.

SeigSoloyvov wrote:

GarryB wrote:Funny they claim to keep full consultation with the Iraqi government yet ignore the plain and open Iraqi law requiring foreign military forces leave their territory...

Because there are exceptions made to that law, basically they excluded us from it.

If correct it doesn't look as if that knowledge made it to the small units scattered around the country taking guerilla action against the unwanted foreigners, particularly US logistic forces. Action that I would suggest is likely to increase in direct proportion to the level of US pushback. Until inevitably the push goes over the top, the famous 'how dare they' US reaction and you kill too many Iraqis and you get included in the law at national level.

Things are a lot more complicated than that, far as I know, no Iraq loyalist forces are doing it.

But hey if they wanna test us, we will send em them to meet their god.