At the end of January, an attack on a U.S. military base in Jordan caused U.S. soldiers** to draw global attention. This is the first attack on US troops in Jordan since the outbreak of the current round of Palestinian-Israeli conflict in October last year, and it is also the first time that US soldiers have been killed in attacks related to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict in the Middle East.
In the past four months, the U.S. military has been attacked in Iraq and Syria and elsewhere, with nearly 100 people injured in a single day. What is the mystery behind such a dense attack? Solve the game for you——
Who attacked the US military base?
The U.S. Department of Defense told the Associated Press that since the outbreak of the current round of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, the United States has suffered a total of 166 attacks on military facilities in the Middle East, including 67 in Iraq, 98 in Syria and 1 in Jordan.
The January 28 drone attack on Tower 22, a U.S. military base in Jordan, was the only one that resulted in fatalities, killing three U.S. soldiers and wounding 34. In the other attacks, most of the U.S. soldiers were slightly wounded.
On January 31, the United States determined that the attack in Jordan was carried out by the Iraqi militia "Islamic Resistance Group". The group has "claimed" more than 150 attacks on U.S. forces, claiming that its actions were a response to U.S. support for Israel's large-scale military strikes in the Gaza Strip.
This is the Pentagon photographed on August 3, 2021 in Arlington, Virginia, USA. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Liu Jie.
The "Allah Brigades" are the most powerful of the "Islamic Resistance Groups". The US side previously said that the Jordanian attack could have been carried out by the "Allah Brigades". Two U.S. *** who requested anonymity disclosed a preliminary investigation on January 29, saying that the base failed to intercept the drone attack in time, possibly mistaking the enemy aircraft for the U.S. drone returning to the base.
After the attack on January 28, the US side immediately "designated" Iran as a perpetrator or participant before completing the investigation. The United States has always regarded Iran as one of its most troublesome in the Middle East. Attacks on the United States and other Western countries, as well as Israeli-related targets, that occur outside the framework of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, are also "customarily" counted by the United States almost exclusively on the heads of armed groups associated with Iran.
The U.S. side determined that armed groups linked to Iran had launched attacks against Israeli and U.S. targets from Lebanon, Yemen, Iraq, and Syria. Iran** has categorically denied any involvement in attacks against U.S. forces in the region.
Why are U.S. troops frequently attacked?
Analysts believe that the direct trigger for the recent frequent attacks by the US military in the Middle East is that the United States has favored Israel, supported Israel's large-scale military operations, and even provided military aid in the new round of Palestinian-Israeli conflicts.
As of 30 January, Israeli military operations in the Gaza Strip have caused more than 2 to the Palestinian side670,000 people died, more than 650,000 people were injured. Another 1.9 million** have been left home, representing about 85 per cent of Gaza's population.
When a ceasefire and an end to hostilities have become the mainstream call of the international community, the United States, which often talks about human rights, has not only repeatedly blocked the adoption of the UN Security Council draft resolution calling for a ceasefire in Gaza, but has also continued to provide arms aid to Israel, adding fuel to the flames of the conflict. Mohammed Himi, a professor of political science at Helwan University in Egypt, said: "The US military presence in the Middle East has been a major source of discontent for many people in the region. ”
On January 13, 2024, people hold signs reading "Down with America, Down with Israel" at Tahrir Square in Baghdad, the capital of Iraq. Xinhua News Agency (photo by Khalil Dawood).
In the long run, the continued interference of the United States in the affairs of the Middle East and in the internal affairs of other countries may be one of the fundamental reasons for the attack on the US military.
On January 29, the bimonthly magazine "Foreign Policy" of the United States published an article entitled "The US Army is Very Vulnerable in the Middle East", in which it was written that the United States believes that the presence of US troops in Iraq and Syria is crucial to suppressing the extremist organization "Islamic State", but Iraqi Prime Minister Al-Sudani has already issued a public statement suggesting that the presence of US troops in Iraq be reassessed, and the Iraqi parliament has also passed a non-binding expulsion resolution.
Currently, the United States has about 2,500 troops in Iraq and 900 in Syria. In an article published in USA Today on January 29, analysts such as Benjamin Friedman, director of policy at the Washington think tank "Defense First," also believe that the Americans should not have been stationed there.
Why are U.S. military personnel stationed in the region repeatedly attacked by drones, missiles and rockets? What is the reason for this danger? The answer is no reason. The United States has put them in danger and is carrying out a vague and meaningless mission. ”
Continue to "arch the fire" to harm others and oneself.
Regarding the latest attack on the US military, many US ** have threatened to "retaliate".
The United States said on February 1 that the United States has approved multiple plans to last several days to strike Iranian targets, including Iranian personnel and facilities, in Iraq and Syria. US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said at a press conference on the same day: "We will take a multi-level response ......We have the ability to respond multiple times depending on the situation. ”
Despite Austin's assertions, the United States will continue to ensure that the scope of the conflict in the region is not expanded, while taking the necessary steps to defend its interests. However, the U.S. military's recent retaliatory attacks against Iraqi militias and Yemen's Houthis have caused high tensions in the region, and new actions will undoubtedly exacerbate the risk of further expansion of the conflict.
People hold Yemeni and Palestinian flags in solidarity with Palestine in Sana'a, Yemen, January 19, 2024. Xinhua News Agency (Photo by Muhammad Mohammed).
Let's go back to the fuse of the recent chaos in the Middle East - a new round of Palestinian-Israeli conflict. Analysts believe that the reason why US politicians strongly support Israel is largely due to electoral considerations. However, as the Palestinian-Israeli conflict continues to escalate, the United States' behavior of "arching the fire" instead of "extinguishing the fire" will eventually be counterattacked.
According to a poll conducted by Quinnipiac University in the United States, more than half of voters under the age of 35 oppose U.S. military aid to Israel. Therefore, Biden's one-sided stance on Israel may affect his approval ratings.