Reports out of the Middle East say a pro-Iranian tribal faction in Iraq has offered a $1 million bounty for the head of a U.S. pilot whose aircraft reportedly went down in southern Iraq. The U.S. has so far denied one of its planes has been shot down but has offered no alternative explanation. The denial didn’t stop hundreds of people, including members of the local militia, apparently joining in the grisly quest after leaders called for them to hunt him down. The orders are reportedly coming from Ashab al-Kahf, a tribe that routinely shoots rockets at U.S.-related targets and sets improvised explosive devices.
The conflicting stories appear to lie in the details. U.S. officials, including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, have explicitly denied a plane was shot down but have declined comment on whether one crashed by accident or mechanical failure. The plane is described as a fighter but the type hasn’t been named. Iraqi police are reportedly looking for the plane and pilot.
Can we please vacate the Middle East and let them go at each other for as long as they like? The pipe dream of peace has prevailed longer than many generations.
If they would stick to shooting at each other, fine; but they keep wanting to shoot at everyone.
How many times do they have to chant, “Death to America” before you figure out they mean it. It’s ONLY because they don’t — YET — have the means that it hasn’t happened. THese people are religious lunatics!
You know, there is another county that has used the phrase death to America and at the moment, they *do* have the capability to hit the US.
At any moment North Korea could launch an ICBM at the US and possibly hit the west coast. Would it be smart? No. We’d justifiably kick the crap out of them.
there is not one middle eastern country that can touch the US via conventional missiles. There is not one middle eastern country that can do any serious or major damage to our Armed forces so how is it we are now spending $1B daily bombing the crap out of a country *that did not attack us first* not ever had the capability to harm the Continental US. Even if they had gotten a Nuke, it was not for us.
Death To America was a great rally cry to mass control people, but if you met any Iranians, they would tell you that is not the majority and the one’s screaming it care more about controlling in-country then our supposed “Death”.
We now spend $1B a day for one bad reason, Israel wanted us to do it so they could justify their bombings. North Korea has nukes and the ability to deliver, Iran does not and cannot…who is more the threat?
You can’t compare North Korea with Iran. The Iran operation is ostensibly to PREVENT acquisition of a nuclear capability. Attacking North Korea would be shutting the barn door after the horse left.
I am happy to have this discussion with an open mind. You said “The Iran operation is ostensibly to PREVENT acquisition of a nuclear capability”. What has been reported in the news is not that succinct. One reason cited was Iran had a ballistic missile capability. Another was, and this one was fringe at best, Iran *could* hit the US directly. How? They don’t have an ICBM missile. So far there have been at least 5 “reasons” and none of them have really stood up to any validity. Still, let’s look at your quote.
In 2012/13 the US, along with 4 other country signed a treaty that had Iran agreeing to not producing weapon’s grade Uranium, would allow inspections and would be reviewed from time to and in return, Iran gets to slowly have sanctions lifted. That program was working. The US and other countries had better stability in that region then since before 1979. In 2017/18 Trump tore up that agreement saying it was bad, but never put a new one in place AND reestablished sanctions. Now we are back to instability.
Since Iran was free to do what they want and no negotiations occurring, that at the least continued their nuclear program. Let’s say, between 2017 and 2024 Iran did get enough material to make a bomb, what then? Would they use it offensively? No country except the US has done so and why? For China, Russia, and the US it would mean doomsday. But for those countries that do have a nuke and tried to use it, it would mean the utter one sided destruction of their country and people. India and Pakistan have the bomb, and in having it, deter others from trying to over throw their country. Israel has a bomb and they don’t use it, but would as a last resort. North Korea has nuke bombs and given they have damaged this country in cyber-attacks, one time relating to our grid, we don’t just attack because.
A nuclear bomb is not an offensive weapon as much as it is defensive. There is only one country that really fears Iran having a bomb and it is Israel. Israel wants to be the one and only major power in the middle east and having a bomb know one else has protects them.
Iran’s nuke program had been “obliterated” 8 months ago. They were back to negotiations on their nuke program and they could not have build back a nuke program in 8 months so…That reason is false. So too is the reason “they could hit the US”, false. We attacked Iran, because Israel wanted to attacked Iran and they could talk Trump into it. There is not a single benefit for the US in this action. It is quite the opposite, because erven if the bombing ends, the 93 million people of Iran *will* reject anything from the US. We may have killed 150 female child students so now we created a new generation of Iranians that will *hate* the US. We now have to fear asymmetrical attacks which can reach our shores and a region so destabilized it may take a generation to bring it back.
You are correct, maybe it is wrong to compare Iran to North Korea. Iran was never a direct threat to the United States. North Korea, with its ICBM program, its nuclear program, its missile program, its submarine service; it is a direct threat, but sure, beat up on the weaker because…it’s easier, that’s what bullies do.
Anyway, interesting chat.
> Anyway, interesting chat.
Really? I think you did most of the chatting. 🤣 My previous comment was only in regards to nuclear capability. This is not the forum for a long-form discussion about the pros and cons of military intervention in Iran. That said, I agree to an extent that US foreign policy has contributed to Iran’s development into the threat it has become today, but I disagree that the Trump administration’s decision to attack was based solely on Israel’s desires. China and Russia are watching developments with great interest.
BTW, Trump’s decision to withdraw from the previous Nuke deal was based on more than Iran’s adherence to the deal. You say there was stability in the region, and that’s true as regards nuclear proliferation in the region. Iran continued, however, its efforts to destabilize the region via continued production/use of ballistic missiles, proxy warfare and overt support of terrorist organizations. The Biden administration had four years to work out a new deal with Iran, but did not. You might ask yourself why.
I once sat in a large meeting in Searcy Arkansas where Russian President Gorbachev was speaking. He asked the college students at Harding, “What will you do when there is conflict with Russia? Will you drop bombs? We have bombs too. So what will you do?”
I have often seen a recurring motif in Russian culture when they see people, nations etc… doing things they don’t like. That is, “we in Russia also have ways that you won’t like of doing what you just did. We can do it too. Watch this.”
I realize that most Americans couldn’t care less about what Bible prophecy says about end times, and that is exactly the time and reason why such times come as they do, and when they do. But according to Ezekiel 38 and 39, we are due for Russia to attack Israel, just like America attacked Iran. I’m not saying that American military action was wrong in Iran. I actually tend to support this military action. I’m just saying that most of the world has ignored God and as the Bible says, “when they shall cry peace and safety, then sudden destruction shall come upon them and they shall not escape.”
Religion has nothing to do with it. It’s a big family dispute over oil, money and property that had its Genesis thousands of years ago.
It’s the Dept. of War, not Defense.
As of last summer it was officially changed to the department of war.
Actually, Trump does not have the authority to change the department’s name without congressional action. It is still officially the Department of Defense.
But through an EO he can feel free to refer to the Dept any way he likes as a secondary title.
That’s not to say it won’t eventually become the offical name…
So, a plane was or was not lost in hostile territory. But it’s known or not known to be a type unknown fighter.
We are or are not looking everywhere to save the pilot from being torn apart and beheaded for money.
We can or cannot trust a single word from our military brass to keep the country informed about the safety of one of our own, brave pilots.
Got it. I was or was not concerned. Now I am or am not.
Why are you badmouthing the “military brass?” So … what do you want … the name, rank, serial number, picture, bio, home address, next of kin and names of all of his family members plus the last known lat/long IF an airplane went down? Are you nuts? What if it was YOU … would you want the bad boys to know you DID (vs did not) go down? Geezus !!! Did you spend one second in the military?
The military doesn’t owe YOU or “the Country” any information until it’s safe to do so. Get THAT into your thoughts. IF an airplane went down and we acknowledge it, the bad boys can extrapolate what system was used to bring it down. Start using your head. Further, it’ll make finding the pilot that much easier.
I’m beginning to think that — maybe — an intelligence test should be required before you can make a comment here.
Yeah, if we pretend it didn’t go down, that’ll fool those Iraqis for sure!
“I’m beginning to think that — maybe — an intelligence test should be required before you can make a comment here.”
Ok, been brushing up. I think I’m ready.
Miller, D. 2LT US Army 6th Terminal Transport Battalion ’70 – ’72 ‘Nothing Happens Until Something Moves’
Hoping Hegseth’s ego and denial doesn’t jeopardize the swift rescue of our lost pilot.
> I’m beginning to think that — maybe — an intelligence test should be required before you can make a comment here.
And perhaps an attitude test as well?
Well, there goes freedom of speech.
Reading these comments reminds me of the old adage about wrestling with a pig. There’s a similar one that is far more distasteful while being more to the point- if you know that one, well, then, you know.
I would think that if a U.S. pilot were down in hostile territory, command would keep details tight to protect that pilot. So silence, limited comment, or denial would not by itself mean there was no incident.
In an operation this size, we can be certain that there are far more casualties than we are being told. And for good reason.
Jay, I searched for updates and found a conflict between Iraqi and regional media reports and U.S. denials. CENTCOM said those reports were false. No public proof has surfaced to verify it, like wreckage or captured evidence. So this still looks more like propaganda, not a confirmed shootdown. Hanoi Hanna style.
Thanks Raf. About 2 days ago, halturnerradioshow.com was reporting that the Walter Reed medical center was closing its maternity delivery ward to make room for incoming veterans. Same with a military hospital in Germany. Of course the fog of war can be very deceptive, so I guess none of us can be certain at least for now.
I do hope the pilot is alive and recovered. I think that 2/3’s of the Iranian folks would assist in this pilot’s safety and recovery. I did attend college level with some of the folks who escaped Iran when the religious fanatics took power. The hatred Iranians have toward their theocratic oppressors is quite real. Let’s hope for good outcomes.
I went to college with some Iranian exchange students as well. Some of the friendliest and warmest people I’ve ever met.
Tom, I was in college during the Iranian revolution. One prof was visiting from Tehran University. His family were back home caught in the middle of it. The class was ironically titled “Political Revolution”. I never did hear what happened to his family, but Dr Regai (sp?) was secular, a great teacher and wonderful human being.