This talk is predictable, because it’s true.
GWB allowed this to happen and did nothing.
He had Iran almost surrounded with troops in Afghanistan and Iraq. I thought this was a masterful move. After all, Iran was the worst enemy.
But in the end, he did nothing against Iran. Iran’s involvement with the shaped-charged IED’s killed and maimed so many of our service members, and was the cause of the American public losing confidence in the Iraq war.
And GWB never did anything about this. Not one effing thing.
This contributed to the Republican defeat in 2008, and an acceptance of the Obama policy to prematurely pull out. This, of course, led to ISIS.
I still wonder why GWB never confronted Iran about these shaped charges when he basically had them surrounded with American troops.
I’m going to dispute your’s and the general’s claim. I was there at the time and having to convoy to do work I was very well appraised of the threats, countermeasures and incidents with these weapons.
The concave copper plate clipped to the top of an artillery shell charge was first used against an up-armored HumVee in Najaf in late 2005. It successfully penetrated the passenger side and killed the soldier seated there. However the setup for the attack was complex, used multiple charges emplaced above ground on pedestals and was only effective when a penetrator struck the vehicle adjacent to where a passenger was seated. These attacks only occurred a few times a week and most did not result in casualties.
The countermeasure was identified within a few weeks. Ceramic armor plates and even ballistic window glass would stop the copper penetrator.
Lastly, it was the KGB/FSB which trained the Iranians and Shia militias in the south so the Iranian general can hardly claim credit.
The Iranians et al, Mahdi, Quds and IRG, were tards who died in large numbers in Najaf and Karbala in 2004 and 2005. Ask Third Armored Div (3AD) and MEF vets about it. After 2005 the Iranian forces in southern Iraq were for the most part eradicated. The only remnant was in the Brit sector around Basrah, due mostly to Brit’s ROE not permitting offensive operations. It really pissed off the contractors working there because it made things much more dangerous than it needed to be. It was provocative and encouraged attacks. When the Iranians were defeated in US areas they lost big face with the locals and withdrew. When the Brits didn’t attack it emboldened them, gained local prestige and encouraged attacks which showed the locals who controlled the area and had the initiative. The Brits unwittingly provided the Iranians the means to grab power.
The Sunni insurgent media sources used by the MSM were not active in Shia areas so there was no reporting. 3AD had a pretty much weapons-free ROE and Army air support helicopters supported their operations. The Iranians liked to setup command posts in banks and basements of hospitals (after looting them and local businesses). So US tanks and Apaches fired into the enclosed spaces each provided and the Iranians died. Boo hoo, never made it to the MSM.
This is a face-saving BS/PR story from the general. His troops and the local Shia boys/fools who followed them died by the thousands. The Iraqi Shia did not like them either. After the Mahdi was removed from Najaf they tried moving into Karbala. The residents of Karbala revolted against them. When the Marines were dispatched from FOB Hotel the Iranians returned to Iran.