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September 27, 2007
U.S. Builds Military Base In Iraq-Iran Border
U.S. builds military base in Iraq-Iran border
The U.S. military is building a base "within shouting distance" of Iran in the border areas of Iraq, ABC News reported Wednesday.
U.S. officials described the move as "an extraordinary step" to curb the smuggling of Iranian weapons into Iraq, but the media sphere already smelled the "odor of war."
Namely Combat Outpost Shocker, the base hardly comes as a pleasant surprise to Iran that the United States will have a new base just 8 km from their border.
Col. Mark Mueller, of the 3rd U.S. Army Infantry Division, said it is the first time the U.S. military will be that close to Iran.
"Obviously, they probably won't be very happy about it," Mueller told ABC News.
The Shocker base will be home to about 200 soldiers, as well as to agents from the U.S. Border Patrol, at a location where about 300 trucks now cross the border each day.
At the moment, the United States can only fully search three or four of them each day, but with more manpower and technology, they will know better where to look for weapons transactions.
The new base is part of a bigger struggle for influence between the United States and Iran in Iraq.
While the United States and Iran are not engaged in a shooting war for now, a "war of wills" has already begun, and Combat Outpost Shocker will be right on the frontline, analysts said.
Wild Thing's comment........
Tick tock Ahmadinejad! Prayers for our troops and for their safety.
Posted by Wild Thing at September 27, 2007 12:55 AM
Comments
KILROY WAS HERE! Israel is delighted with this news! Let's fly a US Flag there bigger than the one that flies at Fort McHenry so Iraniac Madinthehead Ahmadinejad can see it from Tehran...
Posted by: darthcrUSAderworldtour07 at September 27, 2007 05:03 AM
'Bout time.
Someone NEEDS to keep an eye on Peewee.
But on Fox and Friends yesterday, the Australian PM was saying that really, the religious leaders are pulling his strings, so he's really just a puppet.
But we have to be ever vigilient that Iran DOES NOT get a nuke--that will have enormous complications for everyone.
So thank God we are finally paying heed and doing what we need to.
Posted by: Lynn at September 27, 2007 05:19 AM
I agree...but what about our borders?
Posted by: SSgt Steve, USMC, VRWC at September 27, 2007 07:49 AM
Border Patrol?? I wonder if they will actually be allowed to do in Iran what they can't do along the Mexican border. The Iranaians can hire Mexican "coyotes" to train them how to avoid the BP!
At least OP Shocker will be a thorn in the butt of Iran. I hope Special forces teams will be operating out of Shocker and arming Iranian dissidents as we bring guerilla warfare to Teherans subburbs.
Posted by: TomR at September 27, 2007 10:15 AM
A couple infantry companies near the Iranian border, with a few border agents? Sounds like Khe Sanh to me, an irritant and temptation to the enemy, rather than anything designed to actually catch anything coming across. Iranian stuff can come across in dozens of places. OP Shocker is a thumb in Iran's eye. Let's hope they have air support.
Posted by: Rhod at September 27, 2007 05:10 PM
Darth, a huge Flag like you said would be great.
I just pray that we have planes nearby the base.
Posted by: Wild Thing at September 27, 2007 10:48 PM
Lynn, I heard that too that the religious leaders are the Iran's President's bosses. I guess he is their puppet,but a willing one big time. grrrr
Posted by: Wild Thing at September 27, 2007 10:54 PM
SSgt Steve, USMC, good point, I hope they give them more power then our own border partol have.
Posted by: Wild Thing at September 27, 2007 10:55 PM
Tom, I hope so, I have tremendous confidence in our troops. But being that close has me concerned.
Posted by: Wild Thing at September 27, 2007 11:02 PM
Rhod, that is a good way to put it....."OP Shocker is a thumb in Iran's eye."
Posted by: Wild Thing at September 27, 2007 11:03 PM
