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Iranian Guards with Iraqi forces near Kirkuk, Peshmerga claim (Iraq)
Rudaw ^ | 6 hours ago (from 10:15 PM CDT) | none stated

Posted on 10/14/2017 8:28:26 PM PDT by Texas Fossil

http://www.rudaw.net/ContentFiles/335537Image1.jpg

Picture taken on October 14, 2017 shows civilian taking up arms to defend the oil-rich city of Kirkuk against a potential attack by the Iraqi forces. Photo: Rudaw TV

KIRKUK, Kurdistan Region – Peshmerga intelligence shows beyond a doubt that Iranian Revolutionary Guards are among the ranks of the Iraqi army and the Hashd al-Shaabi stationed south and west of Kirkuk.

“The Iraqi army and the Hashd al-Shaabi are not the only state that are attacking us. We have intelligence with 100 percent accuracy that there are also the Iranian army and the Revolutionary Guards among them,” Shwan Shamerani, commander of the Peshmerga second brigade in Kirkuk, told Rudaw on Saturday.

The Peshmerga General Command said in a statement on Friday that Iraqi forces were preparing to attack the Peshmerga-controlled areas with “foreign encouragement and backing.” It did not provide more details.

Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani also on Friday urged Iraqi forces and “any foreign force” against igniting a war between Erbil and Baghdad.

A Peshmerga commander told Rudaw that an Iraqi attack is imminent.

“Big masses of forces, with big fire [weapons], does not mean good will, or send a good gesture. This force has been deployed and they have said themselves, they say so in public, that ‘we want to enter Kirkuk,’” said Wasta Rasul, commander of the southern front in Kirkuk.

Kurdish military officials have said that the Iraqi forces have set a deadline to hand over their areas to a combination of Iraqi forces and mainly Shiite Hashd al-Shaabi, or face an attack. The Iraqi government has denied such ultimatums exist.

“Their demand is to take over the airport, the oil factories, the urban areas. In short, they want to take over Kirkuk,” said Ayub Yousif, a Peshmerga general.

“We took these areas with blood,” he continued, vowing they will defend the areas with more blood.

The Iraqi forces have already taken some areas south and west of Kirkuk, in Bashir and Taza, following a Peshmerga “tactical” withdrawal on Thursday night.

Baghdad has said that they want to “redeploy” their forces to areas that were under Iraqi control before the rise of ISIS in June 2014.


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: baghdad; erbil; iranianguard; iraq; kurds; peshmerga
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Iraq government in Baghdad (heavily influenced by Shia's from Iran) say not invading KRG and Kirkuk. But the Iranian Revolutionary Guard and Militias reflect something totally different.

Cool headed leadership must back this away from the Abyss.

1 posted on 10/14/2017 8:28:27 PM PDT by Texas Fossil
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To: BeauBo; Candor7; ColdOne; Navy Patriot; caww; huldah1776; dp0622; Gene Eric; Freemeorkillme; ...
Iraq Kurdish Ping
2 posted on 10/14/2017 8:29:37 PM PDT by Texas Fossil ((Texas is not where you were born, but a Free State of Heart, Mind & Attitude!))
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To: Texas Fossil

Like missiles in Cuba, this cannot be permitted.


3 posted on 10/14/2017 8:40:38 PM PDT by Spok
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To: Texas Fossil

“Baghdad has said that they want to “redeploy” their forces to areas that were under Iraqi control before the rise of ISIS in June 2014.”

This is a classic example of burying the lead. The Iraqi government is asking Kurdish militias to return the territory that the government held before the ISIS attack. That should be the first sentence, not the last.


4 posted on 10/14/2017 8:54:38 PM PDT by WatchungEagle
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To: WatchungEagle

This has been a Kurdish city almost forever. All know it, Saddam tried to import Sunni Muslims and displace Kurds. He had some success.

I don’t think the KRG will back away from KirKuk.


5 posted on 10/14/2017 9:01:20 PM PDT by Texas Fossil ((Texas is not where you were born, but a Free State of Heart, Mind & Attitude!))
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To: Spok

Iran intends to take over. Baghdad is sympathetic to Iran in some degree.


6 posted on 10/14/2017 9:03:36 PM PDT by Texas Fossil ((Texas is not where you were born, but a Free State of Heart, Mind & Attitude!))
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To: Texas Fossil
The Kurdish government is a shambles. If it showed any indication of being able to survive on its own, Washington would probably be in its corner. It has had 26 years (i.e. since Desert Storm, and the establishment of the no-fly zone) to get its act together. Instead, it's an economic basket case that couldn't even ward off ISIS. It will now have to contend with Iran, Iraq and Turkey simultaneously. If it wants its independence, it will have to show that it can fight.

It wasn't until the victory at Saratoga that the French jumped in with financing and weaponry. Once the Kurds demonstrate that they can win battles, foreign aid will follow. Not one minute before that.

7 posted on 10/14/2017 9:58:22 PM PDT by Zhang Fei (Let us pray that peace be now restored to the world and that God will preserve it always.)
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To: WatchungEagle
This is a classic example of burying the lead. The Iraqi government is asking Kurdish militias to return the territory that the government held before the ISIS attack. That should be the first sentence, not the last.

The Iraqis OWE the Kurds. They should be figuring out how to give the Kurds autonomy in the region rather than boot them out.

8 posted on 10/14/2017 9:59:17 PM PDT by VeniVidiVici (Democrats destroy the Middle Class. It's what they do.)
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To: Texas Fossil

None of our business. Let them sort it out.


9 posted on 10/14/2017 10:10:02 PM PDT by SecAmndmt (Arm yourselves!)
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To: Zhang Fei

correct - the kurds are ( reformed ) marxist lenninists

no wonder they can not do anything


10 posted on 10/14/2017 11:01:52 PM PDT by vooch (America First Drain the Swamp)
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To: vooch

Demonstrating once again the madness of America’s involvement in the Mideast quagmire. The person who is fighting beside you today will cut your throat tomorrow. None of them can be trusted.


11 posted on 10/14/2017 11:05:57 PM PDT by littleharbour
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To: Texas Fossil

This reminds me of Bible stories I’ve read where God stirred up the enemy fight among themselves.


12 posted on 10/15/2017 12:17:48 AM PDT by prophetic (Trump is today's DANIEL. Shut the mouth of lions Lord, let his enemies be made the Cat Food instead.)
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To: vooch

We betrayed the Kurds under Barzani senior along time ago to placate the Turks and Iraqi Shiites. Time to help them, not abandon them again.

Iran controls a lot of the Iraqi govt and military. We don’t want them to control all of Iraq.

Turkey, under the madman Erdogan, is regressing in its culture and government back to a time when they ruled the whole area by force.

Perhaps they will find that a new “Lawrence of Arabia” will arise to teach them a lesson that they will never forget.

Otherwise, it will be genocide again in that region.


13 posted on 10/15/2017 2:14:36 AM PDT by MadMax, the Grinning Reaper
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To: prophetic

It is still that part of the world.

I observe that type of connection, we may know it is near, but not when. There are some very amazing connections with this. Exact timing, men don’t know.


14 posted on 10/15/2017 3:50:28 AM PDT by Texas Fossil ((Texas is not where you were born, but a Free State of Heart, Mind & Attitude!))
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To: littleharbour
Demonstrating once again the madness of America’s involvement in the Mideast quagmire. The person who is fighting beside you today will cut your throat tomorrow. None of them can be trusted.

You are right.

Best thing we can do is keep these brainwashed num nutters out of the country.

15 posted on 10/15/2017 4:05:04 AM PDT by rodguy911 (Home of the free because of the brave!MAGA!)
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To: Zhang Fei

What do you think has happened with ISIS? The Syrian Kurds defeated ISIS, with our air support. They were not even sent light weapons until Obozo was gone.

In the past 9 months, there has been huge progress in ending ISIS. Nobody else would have done it. Since Trump, it has been a total change.

And you speak of Iraq? Only the Kurds have ended ISIS. Yes they did have some help from Iran (Iran is Shia, most Iraq Kurds are Sunni) Iran wants to gain control in Iraq just like Erdogan. Both are only interested in conquest.

Jalal Talabani recently died. He and Barzani are the clans in the Iraq Kurd communities. They were not united but on the same side. Barzani is corrupt. He has partnered with Turkey on oil. He however does not want to be a vassal of Erdogan. So here were are.

Note, Syrian Kurds are totally secular. It is not phony, it is real with them. For years they have fought alongside Christians, more recently largely to appease Erdogan’s rage they have fought alongside Arabs and Ezidi units.

And both Israel and Saudi Arabia have said they would recognize a Kurdish state (in Iraq).

It is unclear how Syria will be after ISIS is gone. It will also require ending al Qaeda and Turkish Militia’s in Syria. Negotiations are currently going on in Russia with top Kurd leadership about that. Where does the US fit into this? Trump supports Israel and supports business connections with Saudi Arabia. Nothing more needs said.

What is, IS.


16 posted on 10/15/2017 4:10:05 AM PDT by Texas Fossil ((Texas is not where you were born, but a Free State of Heart, Mind & Attitude!))
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To: vooch

Iraq Kurds were never Marxists.

The PKK were.

The Syrian Kurds were trained by PKK but are not Marxists. Some Communists are fighting in Syria, foreign volunteers. Some of them are from Europe. I see a Catalonia connection, it’s not in open.

As far as “can not do anything”?

They have defeated ISIS with US air support. This is especially true in Syria. NOBODY else would have done it.

Erdogan the Islamist wanted 10,000 US troops in there, so they could get bloodied up. Yes, he is our NATO ??ally??. Headshake. And Erdogan and Obama never intended to end ISIS. They just wanted to take Syria.


17 posted on 10/15/2017 4:18:06 AM PDT by Texas Fossil ((Texas is not where you were born, but a Free State of Heart, Mind & Attitude!))
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To: littleharbour

“None of them can be trusted.”

Actually, that is not true. Simply ask our military about that.


18 posted on 10/15/2017 4:19:05 AM PDT by Texas Fossil ((Texas is not where you were born, but a Free State of Heart, Mind & Attitude!))
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To: MadMax, the Grinning Reaper

Hey I get it - you have a favorite group of tribes in sand land, just like John McCain or the CIA or the Pentagon.

You all simply love your favorite tribe and hate the other tribes; but don’t realize they are all the same squabbling bickering greedy inbred people.

They have been throwing rocks at each other for 5,000 years. They’ll keep throwing rocks at each other for the next 5,000 years.

Keep America out of it


19 posted on 10/15/2017 7:05:30 AM PDT by vooch (America First Drain the Swamp)
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To: littleharbour

“ Demonstrating once again the madness of America’s involvement in the Mideast quagmire. The person who is fighting beside you today will cut your throat tomorrow. None of them can be trusted.“

well said


20 posted on 10/15/2017 7:08:17 AM PDT by vooch (America First Drain the Swamp)
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