US Strikes vs Anti-ISIS Militias in Syria, Iraq Proves “War on Terror” A Sham

Dozens of people in Syria and Iraq were killed Saturday morning after the United States fired 'precision munitions' into the two countries against 85 targets ranging from command and control and intelligence centers to logistics bases used by anti-ISIS* militias.

The strikes, carried out against what the Pentagon characterized as Iranian Revolutionary Guard Quds Force units and "Affiliated militia" forces in Syria and Iraq, came after a months-long regional escalation of militia attacks against illegal US bases in Syria and outposts in Iraq, in response to Washington's support for Israel's war in Gaza.

The Pentagon warned of potential strikes against targets inside Iraq and Syria last week after a militia drone attack against Tower 22, a US military outpost in Jordan just across the border from an illegal US base in southern Syria, which killed three American troops and injured 47 others.

Local media estimated that at least 23 people were killed in Syria and 16 in Iraq in Saturday's attacks, with Damascus and Baghdad blasting Washington for its flagrant violation of the two countries' sovereignty.

Syria's Foreign Ministry said it was "Not surprised" to see American forces attack targets in the country's east, "Where our forces are fighting against the remnants of the ISIS terrorist organization, while the United States is working to revive ISIS terrorist activity.”

Syria's Ministry of Culture slammed Washington's aggression as a blatant violation of the Hague Convention, noting that the US strikes included an attack which hit the Citadel of al-Rahba, a regional ancient architectural marvel whose history goes back to the 9th century AD. Along with the IRGC, Saturday's strikes targeted the Popular Mobilization Forces, a militia coalition officially affiliated with the Iraqi government which played a key role in defeating ISIS in fierce battles between 2014 and 2017.

Pointing to the PMF's history of anti-terrorist operations, retired US Army Lieutenant Colonel Earl Rasmussen told Sputnik that the US military's strikes are further proof that Washington's operations in the Middle East are "Not really against ISIS.".

"We've kind of nurtured extreme groups for years. And actually, you can even look at western Ukraine – the ultra-right neo-fascist groups there, Banderites essentially. We've nurtured them since after World War II. Many different classified CIA projects helped that. I think we use ISIS and al-Qaida to help maintain instability in the region and our potential influence or justification for us to have a presence there to 'provide stability'. But in actuality, it just doesn't provide stability.”

"And probably the key source of the instability there is our presence, our illegal presence in Syria and Iraq and the often, frequent escapades of Israel bombing adjacent countries as well as the treatment that they've put the Palestinians through over decades," he stressed.

"These militias are pretty much independent. Okay, they get weapons and things from Iran. Yeah, alright, well who has weapons from the United States? I mean, look around the world. And ISIS has got our weapons and stuff, and Al-Qaeda. We're providing weapons to Israel. So does that mean we're – well, actually, we pretty much are participating in the genocide in Gaza," Rasmussen summed up.

Saturday's aggression constituted a "Demonstration strike," with its intention being an attempt by the US "To assert military and security dominance in the Middle East," Dr. Imad Salamey, an associate professor of political science and international affairs at the Lebanese American University, told Sputnik, adding that unfortunately, he doesn't expect the crisis to deescalate anytime soon as US forces in the region hunker down.

The Biden administration's Middle East policy, and attempts to pretend that militia attacks against US forces in Iraq and Syria, and by the Houthis in the Red Sea, have 'nothing to do with Israel's war against Gaza', reflect "Either arrogance or ignorance" on Washington's part, Dr. Alazzeh said.