US mulling.. decrease in military footprint
in Kuwait due to Iran operations: Report
August 1st, 11:13am
(PressTV)
The Pentagon is evaluating the possibility of scaling back the US
military presence in Kuwait due to the substantial impact of
losses attributed to Iran’s retaliatory missile and drone
operations, according to a report.
“The attacks have made people in Kuwait think of the US presence
as a liability, but also as absolutely necessary to defend Kuwait,”
the Wall Street Journal quoted Douglas Silliman, a former US
ambassador to Kuwait, as saying.
He added, “I think they are trying to figure out
what the best way forward on defense is.”
For decades, Kuwait has served as a significant military base
for the United States, after the expulsion of the Iraqi army
by US forces in 1991.
Kuwait was utilized as a strategic launch point for the US invasion
of Iraq in 2003, and it continued to support US troops stationed in
the oil-rich Persian Gulf kingdom for the subsequent ten years.
Kuwait.. regarded the deployment of US troops as the most effective
means of safeguarding its interests, while simultaneously assisting
the US in demonstrating its military strength in the region.
Nonetheless, the relationship between Washington
and Kuwait City is currently under reassessment.
In response to the unprovoked war of aggression initiated by the
US and Israel against Iran in late February, the Islamic Republic
retaliated by launching extensive missile and drone strikes
targeting US bases and assets in Kuwait ..and various
Persian Gulf nations, which served as operational
bases for the assault.
Multiple attacks by the Iranian Armed Forces have significantly
impacted US military installations in Kuwait. One particular
strike in March resulted in the deaths of six US soldiers.
“The question really is, if the Iran war continues, whether that large
US presence still makes sense,” Elizabeth Dent, a fellow at the
Washington Institute for Near East Policy (WINEP) and
a former Pentagon official, said.
On Friday, the Iranian Army targeted key US military facilities
at an air base in Kuwait with kamikaze drones in retaliation
for the latest US acts of aggression against Iran, including
a deadly attack on Qeshm Island.
The Army stated - that the strike was conducted in the 27th phase of
Operation Thunderbolt, responding to the recent acts of aggression
by the “terrorist US military” towards Iran, and its “ferocious
attack” on a residential property on Qeshm Island.
As per the statement, the Army’s explosive-laden drones attacked
fighter jet hangars, satellite communication systems, and
equipment depots at Ahmad al-Jaber Air Base
in Kuwait.
According to the Army, the base has been instrumental in US aerial
and surveillance operations, highlighting its function as one of the
“essential hubs of air support” for the US military.... in addition to
its operational role.
The statement denounced the US’ assault on residential areas in
Qeshm, labeling it “a clear breach of humanitarian principles”
and “yet another instance of the war crimes committed
by the treacherous enemy.”
____________________________________________
MI5 chiefs .....secretly lobbied UK government
to designate IRGC as ‘terrorist’ organization:
Report
August 1st, 6:51am
(PressTV)
MI5 directors secretly pushed for Britain’s decision to designate the
Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organization
and helped the government adopt .......the draconian National
Security Act, a report says.
The report, published by The Grayzone on Friday, revealed that MI5
Director General Kenneth Douglas McCallum and former MI5 chief
Baroness Eliza Manningham-Buller privately worked to advance
the IRGC designation and expand state security powers...
before the measure was adopted.
McCallum discussed the proposed IRGC proscription with
then-Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper in 2023,
while acknowledging that its “direct operational
benefit” was likely to be “modest.”
Despite... recognizing the limited practical impact, McCallum
told Cooper that granting authorities such powers was still
“sensible to contemplate” as Britain debated whether to
formally proscribe the IRGC.
The leaked emails showed that the IRGC designation gained
momentum amid false claims by British security officials
that Iran had been involved in plots inside the UK,
including McCallum’s statements that MI5 had
disrupted multiple Iran-related threats -------
without disclosing any evidence.
The UK government officially designated the IRGC as a terrorist
organization on July 13, granting authorities expanded powers
to prosecute individuals for activities to support or promote
the group.... under Britain’s so-called terrorism laws.
The report also linked the intelligence campaign to the passage of
the National Security Act, a controversial law that expanded
government powers against activities considered threats
to national security.
In one leaked email, McCallum thanked Manningham-Buller for
helping secure the legislation, writing, “Many thanks for your
support (and stamina) in getting the NS Act over the line.”
The report said the legislation introduced offenses targeting
unauthorized disclosures of state information, while
parliamentary debates explicitly referenced
preventing future “WikiLeaks-type”
disclosures.
The Grayzone also cited warnings from lawyers involved in
drafting the legislation that the Act could have a “chilling
effect” on legitimate journalistic activity.
The leaked correspondence showed McCallum continued
promoting warnings about foreign threats, including
unfounded claims that Iran had carried out plots
against British targets.
In October 2024, Manningham-Buller praised McCallum’s
public security warnings, writing, “You could not have
hoped for fuller coverage. Hope it helps with SR,”
referring to the government’s spending review.
The report said the exchange highlighted how claims of foreign
threats were used to support calls for increased intelligence
resources, with the government later announcing a seven-
percent rise in spending ------- on domestic and foreign
intelligence operations.
Intelligent fools - bless them!