Monday, July 05, 2021

Queen Moqtada approximately

UNI-SPUTNIK report

Alarm sirens were turned on at the US embassy in the Iraqi capital Baghdad, the air defense system was activated over an "unknown object" in the sky above the embassy, Iraqi television channel Sl Sumaria reported citing a security source.  

:Alarm sirens went off at the US embassy, the C-RAM system was activated . . . due to the detection of an unknown object in the sky above the US embassy," the source said.


If alarms went off,  why did they go off?  AFP explains, "US forces shot down an armed drone above their embassy in Baghdad on Monday night, Iraqi security officials said, hours after a rocket attack on a base housing US soldiers in the west of the country."  It was one attack, there was another.  Seth J. Frantzmen (JERUSALEM POST) reports:


A day after rumors of an attack on US forces in Syria by pro-Iran militias, the militias made good on their threats with two rounds of attacks on the US in Iraq. During the afternoon, rockets targeted Al-Asad base and by the evening, drones were reported to have targeted an area near the US embassy. 

The attack on Al-Asad base occurred in the afternoon in a rare daylight attack. Pro-Iran militias have attacked US facilities increasingly since 2019, killing a contractor in December 2019 and several members of the US-led coalition in early 2020. The US has retaliated with airstrikes. So far this year there have been some 50 attacks on the US in Iraq, often targeting either Baghdad, Al-Asad base or Erbil. The pro-Iran militias, most linked to Kataib Hezbollah, have increasingly used drones. This is thought to be at least the 11th incident with drones used.


In other news, we'll note Queen Mooki's latest bit of self-created drama.  One time influential movement leader Moqtada al-Sadr remains a Shi'ite cleric, if no longer able to inspire a movement.  The drama queen issued an announcement.  Mina Aldroubi (THE NATIONAL) explains:

Iraq’s populist cleric Moqtada Al Sadr told his followers on Monday he would be “killed”, words analysts said were to garner pre-election support and send a warning to Iran.

Mr Al Sadr has a huge following on the Iraqi street and has a history of making bombastic statements to shore up support against foreign intervention, specifically against US troops.

He also wields the power, through his family’s religious legacy, to encourage thousands of his followers to take to the streets.

“It seems that something will activate the Sadrist movement, which is my death or my killing. I will be a martyr and my death will revive something that has disappeared,” Mr Al Sadr told a group of clerics during a meeting.


Oh, that wacky Moqtada.  Seems someone's not getting the attention they crave.