Future Iran-backed attacks on US in Iraq ‘will run into a buzzsaw,’ top general warns
The U.S. military is anticipating attacks on its personnel and facilities in Iraq by Iranian-backed militias, and will conduct preemptive strikes if necessary to defend against future threats, Defense Secretary Mark Esper said Thursday.
Esper and Army Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, spoke to reporters at the Pentagon Thursday in the wake of multi-day protests at the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad where members of Kata’ib Hezbollah, an Iranian-backed militia that operates in Iraq, led a violent demonstration that breached the embassy walls and badly damaged some of the buildings during a massive protest against the U.S. presence in Iraq.
The protests were in response to U.S. airstrikes against militia sites, that came after rocket attacks on U.S. facilities in Iraq killed a U.S. contractor. As of Thursday, the protests had subsided, but the United States anticipates further attacks, Esper said.
Milley said that the damage done to the embassy’s buildings during the protests had not hampered the ability of U.S. forces to defend the compound.
“We are very confident that the integrity of that embassy is strong, and it is highly unlikely to be physically overrun by anyone,” Milley said. “There is sufficient combat power there, air and ground, that anyone who attempts to overrun that will run into a buzzsaw.”
The U.S. military deployed more than 700 members of a quick reaction force from the 82nd Airborne Division based in Fort Bragg, N.C., and approximately 100 additional Marines. The Marines were deployed to the embassy compound to assist U.S. forces already on the ground. The 82nd was sent to Kuwait, where it will be able to quickly launch into Baghdad if necessary, Milley said.
Over the last three months, attacks on U.S. facilities in Iraq have increased, Esper said, adding that he expects there will be additional attacks.
Esper said he spoke to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo Thursday morning. Pompeo told him he felt confident about the embassy’s security at the moment, but “we both agree as events unfold on the ground we’ll make adjustments,” Esper said.
That could include the use of preemptive strikes, Esper said.
“There are some indications out there that they may be planning additional attacks,” Esper said. “If we get word of attacks or some type of indication we will take preemptive action as well to protect American forces, to protect American lives. The game has changed.”
This story was originally published January 2, 2020 at 11:56 AM with the headline "Future Iran-backed attacks on US in Iraq ‘will run into a buzzsaw,’ top general warns."
