"The Iraqi government has officially confirmed a cooperation with Syria, Iran and Russia to secure the Syrian-Iraqi border. According to the Iraqi Interior Ministry, there is a cooperation between the four countries on this issue. The Iraqi media also reported refering Iraqi officials that Iraq and its allies will not allow establishing of any “buffer zone” between two countries." South Front

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Well, pilgrims, this is some really bad news for the "US led coalition."

1. The US has struggled since the invasion and occupation of Iraq to make the country a reliable ally in its wars against regional actors in the ME. One can debate endlessly what the causes were for these wars. The "oilies" and other economic determinists have their explanation. The Zionist conspiracy fans have theirs. The "demonic forces" people (me) have ours. The MIC crowd have theirs. But, no matter what your explanation the reality of the long military COIN, financial and political struggle cannot be seriously doubted. If you think it was somehow not a real struggle look at the pictures of men with metal, robotic looking legs in the ads for various wounded veterans' aid groups.

2. The present government of the US along with its European allies is now continuing to struggle to help its painfully clumsy Iraqi government ally to capture Mosul against rather small but incredible determined Sunni Muslim fanatics who, in the main, would rather be dead than live in the Western mindset of the 21st Century.

3. A while back Mattis and Kushner went to Baghdad to see Al-Abadi, the "moderate" Shia Arab prime minister. One must imagine that at least part of the message was an exhortation to "get your act together." And a few days ago the Iraqi Shia population was treated to the spectacle of President Trump not only being "appointed" mukhtar in America but then his further denunciation of Iran the foremost Shia power center. The Sunni princeling lounging in a chair behind Trump watched him IMO as a cat watches a bird. One can only imagine the conversation among the potentates and dictators in that room after the mukhtar had finished his obeisance.

4. Iraq, Russia, Syria and Iran are now proclaimed to be allies by the Iraqi Interior Minister (police and police troops)The US with its encrusted neocon, ziocon and R2P Borg blew the last 15 years in the Islamic World and we are obviously invincibly ignorant and determined to remain so. pl