Trump Administration Briefs Gang of 8 As Iran Activates Its Proxy (Terror) Forces

The congressional Gang of Eight has received a classified briefing on Iran.

Congressional leaders are receiving a classified briefing on Iran as members of both parties demand more information on the White House's claims of rising threats in the Middle East.

The briefing Thursday with the so-called Gang of Eight comes after Democratic lawmakers warned President Donald Trump against war with Iran and criticized the White House for not keeping Congress informed of the rising threat in the Middle East.

Asked Thursday at the White House if escalating tensions with Iran will lead to war, Trump replied: "I hope not."

Iran has put its proxy armies on alert, telling them to make ready for attack.

Iran's most prominent military leader has recently met Iraqi militias in Baghdad and told them to "prepare for proxy war", the Guardian has learned.

Two senior intelligence sources said that Qassem Suleimani, leader of Iran's powerful Quds force, summoned the militias under Tehran's influence three weeks ago, amid a heightened state of tension in the region. The move to mobilise Iran's regional allies is understood to have triggered fears in the US that Washington's interests in the Middle East are facing a pressing threat. The UK raised its threat levels for British troops in Iraq on Thursday.

While Suleimani has met regularly with leaders of Iraq's myriad Shia groups over the past five years, the nature and tone of this gathering was different. "It wasn't quite a call to arms, but it wasn't far off," one source said.

The US has evacuated the non-essential embassy staffers from its embassy in Iraq, due to fears from attacks by ISIS or its proxies.

Note, that's Iraq. But as Iraq has been Iran's proxy war playground for 16 years, I wonder if that is connected to Iran's activation of its own proxy forces.

posted by Ace of Spades at 07:03 PM

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