Biden’s Attack on Shiite Militias in Syria-Background and Analysis

State of the World Podcast episode on:

Biden’s Attack on Shiite Militias in Syria-Background and Analysis

Below you will see the outline of what we talk about today in the State of the World podcast. We hope you like it and find it informative. Please subscribe to our podcast and our newsletter today!

1. Intro

   1. What happened and why

   2. I will go over what happened, why it happened, and how this matters

2. Background

   1. We are there, officially, against ISIS

   2. Also, our troops are in Syria against both ISIS and Assad

      1. Russia, Iran, Hezbollah, Shiite militias support Assad, btw

      2. Harken back to last year-tit-for-tat clashes

         1. Militias attacked U.S. bases, killing troops

         2. U.S. retaliated with airstrikes

         3. Shiite militia attack on U.S. embassy

         4. U.S. assassination of Iranian Revolutionary Guards Major General Qasem Soleimani and leader milita Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis

            1. Soleimani behind many Iranian and Iranian proxy attacks on Western and Israeli targets over the years

3. Attacks on U.S. forces in Iraq

   1. Relatively unknown militias launched rocket attacks on Iraqi bases with U.S. personnel on Feb. 15

   2. One U.S. contractor was killed, servicemember wounded, others wounded

   3. Iran is the sponsor for these militias. They act as proxies (in place of, under Iranian direction) in their attacks

4. U.S. retaliation

   1. Feb. 25, 2021-U.S. Airstrike on Shiite Militia in eastern Syria (near Iraq border)

   2. Some reports have 17 militia killed

   3. What next?

5. Not happening in a vacuum

   1. Houthi attacks on Riyadh

      1. Biden Administration took Houthi off terrorist list

      2. Biden ended U.S. support for Saudi war in Yemen

   2. This week, attack on an Israeli cargo ship in the Persian Gulf

      1. Israel blames Iran

   3. Iran rejects offer of direct talks with the U.S. on the nuclear issue

6. The Saudi complication