Episode 114 - US Troops Threatened in Iraq - and Iraqi Christians Look Forward

A rising threat to US troops in Iraq, and how Iraqi Christians are coping now that ISIS has been defeated.  

 

Well ISIS is mostly dead in Syria, but as I've been saying for a long time, that's only the beginning of the troubles in that region.  Iran has big designs on every inch of land between Tehran and Beirut Lebanon.  And right now about the only things standing in the way of their aspirations are Israel and the United States of America.

 

Rising tensions between the United States and Iran are playing out in the middle east, with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo making a surprise visit to Baghdad last week.  This happened after U.S. intelligence showed an increased threat from Iran on US forces in the middle east, and in Iraq that takes the form of the Hash'd al-Shaabi, which are Iranian-backed Shi’ite militias pointing rockets at bases housing U.S. forces. Pompeo showed up with a firm message for Iraq’s top brass... they need to keep the militias, which are expanding their power in Iraq and now form part of its security apparatus, in check. If not, the U.S. won't hesitate to put some real hurt on those militias, which will certainly set everyone's hair on fire in Baghdad. As tensions between Washington and Tehran increase, Iraq is kinda caught between the two, not wanting to give up all the funding it still receives from the US and it's allies, but also not wanting to anger it's neighbor Iran, who has it's fingers in the highest levels of the Iraqi government.  

 

Now the Hash'd Al-Shaabi fought alongside US and Iraqi forces in the fight against ISIS.  But they've always been controlled by Tehran.  The head of their Quds force, Major General Quasem Solemani was in Iraq when I was there one time and was visiting Hash'd Al-Shaabi units near Mosul.  But just like we fought against ISIS and so did the forces of Syrian President Bashaar Al Assad, that doesn't mean we have much else in common with them.  In fact, the Hashd are right now engaged in an operation along the Iraqi border with Syria where they are working with Assads forces to root out any remaining elements of ISIS.

 

When Mike Pompeo left Baghdad, he had this to say on the plane after taking off:

 

[Pompeo SOT 2 min]

 

The Hashd Al-Shaabi aren't just a threat to US troops in IRaq.  Because of their connection to Iran, they really destabilize and threaten the whole region.  When I visited Northern Iraq in February I went and spoke with some of the Christian groups and Kurdish political parties who are being threatened by Iran's advances.  

 

[Stand up outside Christian Militia party]

 

[Interview with party leader]

 

I also spent one day driving out near the Iranian border to visit a Kurdish political party that has actually been attacked by Iran in the past.

 

[Stand up ]

 

[Mindy interview]

 

[Walk around Erbil]

 

Well that's all I have for today folks.  Thanks for watching.  Imagine having to make a 20-minute TV show every day of the week.  Well that's how hard I'm working to bring you this content, and judging by our numbers, people are liking it.  Well I'm doing all that for you, and the least you can do in return is like and share this podcast with your friends.  I've got some great trips planned over the next couple of months.  So stick around!  We'll see you back here tomorrow, on the Hot Zone.