A commander of the Iran-backed militia group Kataib Hezbollah has been brought to the United States to face terrorism charges over a plot targeting Americans and Jewish sites, according to the Department of Justice.  
Mohammad Baqer Saad Dawood Al-Saadi, 32, appeared in federal court in Manhattan after being captured overseas and transferred into U.S. custody, the DOJ said. Authorities describe Al-Saadi as a senior operative tied to the Iraq-based Shia terror group.
Federal prosecutors <a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/iraqi-national-arrested-and-charged-providing-material-support-iranian-backed-terrorist">charged</a> Al-Saadi with six terrorism-related offenses for his activities, including conspiring to provide material support to Kataib Hezbollah and Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, plotting attacks targeting Americans, conspiring to bomb places of public use, and attempted destruction of property using fire or explosives. Some of the charges carry potential prison sentences ranging from 15 years to life.
Federal authorities said Al-Saadi and his associates were involved in coordinating terrorist attacks across Europe and Canada and were planning future attacks in the United States.
FBI Director Kash Patel said Al-Saadi and his associates were targeting Jewish institutions in multiple states. 
“Al-Saadi and his associates allegedly planned, coordinated, and claimed responsibility for at least 20 terrorist attacks across Europe and in Canada — and were believed to be targeting the United States for upcoming attacks including Jewish institutions in New York, California, and Arizona,” Patel wrote in a <a href="https://x.com/FBIDirectorKash/status/2055343717351928061">statement</a> posted to X.
The DOJ listed examples of alleged attacks tied to Al-Saadi and his associates, including a March 2026 explosives attack targeting the Bank of New York Mellon in Amsterdam. Prosecutors say Al-Saadi later posted a propaganda video referencing the attack.
In another alleged incident, an arson attack targeted a synagogue in Skopje, North Macedonia, on April 12. Days later, prosecutors say Al-Saadi posted a video showing the synagogue engulfed in flames alongside a red target symbol.
Patel described Al-Saadi as a “high-value target responsible for mass global terrorism” and praised FBI agents, tactical units, and international partners involved in the operation.
“This was a righteous mission executed brilliantly by our agents, investigators, CIRG tactical units and interagency partners who delivered yet again,” Patel wrote.
Federal prosecutors also allege that Al-Saadi used social media to encourage attacks against Americans and Jews in support of Kataib Hezbollah and Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. 
According to the DOJ, Al-Saadi posted a message in February 2026 urging followers to “kill everyone who supports America and Israel” and calling for attacks on both civilian and military targets. Prosecutors say the post was part of a broader effort to direct and inspire attacks against U.S. and Israeli interests.
Kataib Hezbollah was formed following the 2003 U.S. invasion of Iraq and has long been considered one of Iran’s most dangerous and loyal proxy organizations.
The Shiite militia is backed by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods Force, or IRGC-QF, which the United States has designated as a terrorist organization. U.S. officials have repeatedly accused the group of carrying out attacks on American military personnel and facilities in Iraq and Syria using rockets, drones, and improvised explosive devices.
According to the <a href="https://www.dni.gov/nctc/terrorist_groups/kh.html">National Counterterrorism Center</a>, Kataib Hezbollah works extensively with the IRGC-QF, closely follows the direction of Iran’s Supreme Leader, and seeks to establish an Iran-aligned government in Iraq.
The National Counterterrorism Center says the organization possesses armored vehicles, artillery systems, missiles, man-portable air defense systems, and explosively formed projectiles. The militia has also reportedly received extensive funding, intelligence support, training, and weapons from Iran.
The group additionally maintains close ties with Hezbollah in Lebanon, another Iranian-backed organization designated by the United States as a terrorist group.
Earlier this year, Secretary of State Marco Rubio accused the group of kidnapping American journalist Shelly Kittleson in Baghdad before later releasing her.
Al-Saadi also reportedly knew Iranian Maj. Gen. Qassim Suleimani, the longtime commander of the IRGC-QF who was killed in a U.S. airstrike ordered by President Donald Trump in January 2020 near Baghdad International Airport.
Jewish institutions across the United States and Europe have faced heightened threats and security concerns since the October 7 Hamas terrorist attacks on Israel.

Mohammad Baqer Saad Dawood Al-Saadi

Iran-Backed Terror Operative Brought To U.S. Over Plot Targeting American Jews

Hezbollah

Iran

Iraq

An American journalist has reportedly been freed after being held captive for more than a week by an Iran-backed militia, with the group demanding she &#8220;leave the country immediately&#8221; as a condition of her release.
In late March, Shelly Kittleson was <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/watch-video-shows-moment-american-female-journalist-is-kidnapped-in-iraq?author=Nathan+Gay&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=WATCH%3A+Video+Shows+Moment+American+Female+Journalist+Is+Kidnapped+In+Iraq">stopped</a> in the middle of a road in Baghdad by a group of armed men who then threw her into a van and fled the city. The kidnappers were later identified as members of Kataib Hezbollah, an Iran-backed Shiite Iraqi militia.
Kataib Hezbollah said in a Tuesday statement on Telegram that it had decided to release Kittleson following productive discussions with Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani. The militia said they had an “appreciation of the patriotic stances” of the prime minister, and released the journalist &#8220;on the condition that she leaves the country immediately.”
Middle Eastern outlet Al-Monitor, which Kittleson worked for prior to her kidnapping, <a href="https://www.al-monitor.com/originals/2026/04/us-journalist-shelly-kittleson-released-iran-backed-kataib-hezbollah-iraq">reported</a> that two Iraqi officials confirmed Kittleson&#8217;s release, and according to one official, Kittleson was in the Iraqi prime minister&#8217;s office on Tuesday.
The officials declined to give further details on her release, and neither the Iraqi nor U.S. government has verified Kittleson&#8217;s release at the time of publication.
Alhurra, an Arabic outlet based in Washington, D.C., <a href="https://alhurra.com/en/17856" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> Monday, citing Iraqi intelligence sources, that Kittleson had been moved to a militia-controlled area in Iraq&#8217;s Babil province — which is known as a hub for smuggling operations and attacks on U.S. forces — where she was believed to be held as a &#8220;human shield&#8221; against American strikes. The outlet also reported that Kataib Hezbollah was seeking the release of four of its members detained by Iraqi authorities for their role in attacks on Syria. It is unclear if the Iraqi government met this demand.
Kataib Hezbollah released footage purporting to show Kittleson earlier Tuesday, with her supposedly admitting to gathering intelligence on Iranian-backed militias for the U.S. government. The unverified video would be the first sign of life of Kittleson since her abduction.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Iraqi Hezbollah releases footage of American journalist Shelly Kittelson in captivity, showing her “admitting” she gathered intelligence on Shia militias for the U.S. consul in Baghdad.
They say she will be freed and must leave Iraq immediately. <a href="https://t.co/M8nTZaFNRC">https://t.co/M8nTZaFNRC</a> <a href="https://t.co/bUiqbTiCCm">pic.twitter.com/bUiqbTiCCm</a>
— Open Source Intel (@Osint613) <a href="https://twitter.com/Osint613/status/2041561782574084606?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 7, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Kittleson, a journalist specializing in the Middle East who has reported for the BBC, Foreign Relations, and POLITICO, was in Baghdad reporting on Iraqi politics for the outlet Al-Monitor at the time of her kidnapping.

TOPSHOT-IRAQ-MEDIA-SECURITY-KIDNAPPING

American Journalist Released By Iran-Backed Militia, Sets Exit Deadline

Crime

Iran war

kidnapping

Middle East

World

An American journalist was kidnapped off the streets of Baghdad, Iraq, by armed men in an abduction likely carried out by an Iranian-backed militia — and Iraqi security forces scrambled in their unsuccessful attempt to intercept the kidnappers.
A group of armed men stopped Shelly Kittleson&#8217;s car in the middle of the street, pulled her out, and quickly fled the scene with her in tow. Iraqi security forces immediately pursued, but were unable to stop the kidnappers,
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
CCTV video shows the moment American journalist <a href="https://twitter.com/shellykittleson?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@shellykittleson</a> was taken in Baghdad. <a href="https://t.co/JqJcdW7TOb">pic.twitter.com/JqJcdW7TOb</a>
— Trey Yingst (@TreyYingst) <a href="https://twitter.com/TreyYingst/status/2039047721001095275?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 31, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
CNN National Security Analyst and former Pentagon official Alex Plitsas <a href="https://x.com/alexplitsas/status/2039036851046990259">stated</a> via X that Kittleson was likely taken hostage by Kataib Hezbollah, an Iranian-backed militia with ties to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
Kittleson, a journalist specializing in the Middle East who has reported for the BBC, Foreign Relations, and POLITICO, was in Baghdad reporting on Iraqi politics for the outlet Al-Monitor at the time of her kidnapping.
The Iraqi Ministry of Interior said in a statement that efforts are underway to track down the perpetrators and rescue Kittleson.
&#8220;Security forces immediately launched an operation to apprehend the perpetrators, acting on precise intelligence and through intensive field operations, tracking the kidnappers’ movements,&#8221; a translated statement from the Iraqi Ministry of the Interior <a href="https://moi.gov.iq/?article=20535">reads</a>. &#8220;The pursuit resulted in the interception of a vehicle belonging to the kidnappers, which overturned as they attempted to escape. Security forces were able to arrest one of the suspects and seize one of the vehicles used in the crime.&#8221;
Assistant Secretary of State Dylan Johnson said in a <a href="https://x.com/ASDylanJohnson/status/2039068022451613858">statement</a> on X that the State Department was &#8220;aware of the reported kidnapping&#8221; and that Kittleson had been warned of the dangers of continuing to work in Iraq.
&#8220;The State Department previously fulfilled our duty to warn this individual of threats against them and we will continue to coordinate with the FBI to ensure their release as quickly as possible,&#8221; the statement reads. &#8220;An individual with ties to the Iranian-aligned militia group Kataib Hezbollah believed to be involved in the kidnapping has been taken into custody by Iraqi authorities.&#8221;
&#8220;Iraq remains at a Level 4 Travel Advisory and Americans are advised not to travel to Iraq for any reason and to leave Iraq now. The State Department strongly advise all Americans, including members of the press, to adhere to all travel advisories,&#8221; the statement concludes.

Baghdad

WATCH: Video Shows Moment American Female Journalist Is Kidnapped In Iraq

Oil prices jumped Thursday morning to over $100 per barrel as Iran continued striking ships throughout the region.
The global benchmark Brent crude <a href="https://www.marketwatch.com/investing/future/brn00?countrycode=uk&amp;gaa_at=eafs&amp;gaa_n=AWEtsqefwAt-EQq2f2JNNhkxLAMiZr8NSja_RJRbauIIDRODpAavEbp_Ppl5qW4JLOs%3D&amp;gaa_ts=69b2a854&amp;gaa_sig=_cGRajIlIZ09lbQHiYBZ2B9lILaAgrblK_9Xab5BkrfETDn4qjpHgAQ9XvA6nS0jI_Kc3iwie2lD29Je0lAGyw%3D%3D">climbed</a> above $100 early Thursday morning for the first time since Monday before slipping slightly to $97.81. The spike came as Iranian attacks on ships in the Strait of Hormuz and Persian Gulf disrupted the flow of oil in the region. 

At least two oil tankers were struck off the coast of Iraq on Wednesday by projectiles, <a href="https://www.ukmto.org/-/media/ukmto/products/20260311-ukmto_warning_021-26-update-001.pdf?rev=52a1e05613504b56b3d03f2a2d0489ee">according</a> to the shipping monitoring group United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations. Crews on both tankers were evacuated as fires broke out.
Iran <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/live/2026/03/12/world/iran-war-news-trump-oil-israel">reportedly</a> took credit for attacking one of the tankers, claiming the ship “disobeyed and ignored” commands. Iran is suspected of attacking the other tanker, according to Iraqi officials.
A video released by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps featured a man celebrating the attack, the New York Post reported.
“Allah is the greatest! The destruction of an American tanker in the northern district of the Persian Gulf! I obey you Khamenei! Hail be the Islamic Republic of Iran! Soldiers of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy!” the man <a href="https://nypost.com/2026/03/12/world-news/oil-prices-surge-above-100-per-barrel-after-six-ships-attacked-in-persian-gulf-strait-of-hormuz/">said</a>.
The attacks prompted both Iraq and Oman to close off oil terminals for security purposes.
The disruption has caused gas prices to rise significantly in the United States. The national average on Thursday was $3.59 per gallon compared to $2.94 one month ago, <a href="https://gasprices.aaa.com/">according</a> to AAA.
President Donald Trump said Wednesday night that the United States would tap into the Strategic Petroleum Reserve to help lower energy costs amid the war.
“We’re going to be doing that very quickly and then will fill it up. Will fill up our reserves,” Trump said.
Energy Secretary Chris Wright <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2026/03/11/iran-war-trump-oil-strategic-petroleum-reserve.html">said</a> that around 172 million barrels of oil from the strategic reserve would start to be released next week.
When asked if the Treasury Department would begin purchasing oil futures to help bring down costs, Trump said he was focused on winning the war with Iran.
“They are pretty much at the end of the line. Doesn’t mean we’re going to end it immediately, but they are. They’ve got no navy, they’ve got no air force,” Trump said. “They have no systems of control. We’re just riding free range over their country.”
Trump has previously suggested that the Navy might be used to escort oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz.
“We’re going to look very strongly at the straits. The straits are in great shape. We’ve knocked out all of their boats,” he said Wednesday. “But they have some missiles, but not very many. I think we’re in very good shape.”

Iran-Tehran-Explosions-March

Oil Prices Jump As Iran Celebrates Attacks On Oil Tankers

Donald Trump

Gas Prices

Many people are asking questions about what happens to Iran after the ayatollahs are gone. It will almost certainly be better than what it was.
The only way America would be worse off would be if the regime in Tehran were replaced by a regime run by even worse ayatollahs with even faster access to nuclear materials, ballistic missile development, and terror funding.
President Trump <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LpE3VmD3XN8">said</a>:
<blockquote>I guess the worst case would be, we do this and then somebody takes over who&#8217;s as bad as the previous person, right? That could happen. We don&#8217;t want that to happen. It would probably be worse if you go through this and then, in five years, you realize you put somebody in who was no better. So we&#8217;d like to see somebody in there that&#8217;s going to bring it back for the people.</blockquote>
The president is correct. And you could see from his rather dismissive smile that he does not think the “worst thing” is going to happen.
There are a ton of people out there on the Left and the horseshoe Right ignoring the simple fact that the ayatollahs are the worst possible regime. These people yell about the evils of regime change, about the dangers of long-standing occupation with boots on the ground, etc.
Let&#8217;s cover all of that right now. Let&#8217;s start with regime change. We keep hearing about how regime change is dangerous, a failure.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/episode/ep-2381-the-ben-shapiro-show"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-large wp-image-974957" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/511983dad25841c8b1ec058d75769bbe-1024x171.webp" alt="DailyWire+" width="1024" height="171" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/511983dad25841c8b1ec058d75769bbe-1024x171.webp 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/511983dad25841c8b1ec058d75769bbe-300x50.webp 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/511983dad25841c8b1ec058d75769bbe-768x128.webp 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/511983dad25841c8b1ec058d75769bbe-1536x256.webp 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/511983dad25841c8b1ec058d75769bbe-2048x341.webp 2048w" sizes=" (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></a>
Chuck Schumer, the Senate minority leader and pathological liar, <a href="https://x.com/FoxNews/status/2029312438068494585?s=20">said</a>,
<blockquote>Americans spent the last two decades fighting and dying in the Middle East. Parents watch their kids shipped off to foreign lands. So many lives lost, so many billions wasted, so much suffering and anguish that scarred an entire generation. Why is Donald Trump hellbent on making history repeat itself? Why is he plunging America headfirst into a war that Americans do not want, and which he cannot even explain?”</blockquote>
Schumer is a wildly dishonest player.
He&#8217;s been yelling about the ayatollahs for years, but then apparently quietly supporting the JCPOA, which was Obama’s attempt to ship pallets of cash to the ayatollahs and give them a ten-year runway to a nuclear bomb. But the truth is, he only cares enough to yell a little bit. And then he turns around, and he yells at anyone who actually wants to do something about the ayatollahs.
But let&#8217;s talk about that term, regime change. Regime change implies a long-standing commitment in which the United States engages in serious nation-building efforts.
Sometimes that works. Germany, Japan, and South Korea are prime examples.
Sometimes it doesn&#8217;t work. Afghanistan would be the prime example.
Iraq is actually a checkered example. We forget about Iraq and what happened afterward; Iraq is indeed a functioning but fragile quasi-democracy with a nominal GDP roughly 10 to 15 times larger than it was under Saddam Hussein. The current regime has real problems and is associated with a wide variety of sectarian groups, but it is certainly better than Saddam&#8217;s, even if most Americans believe that the cost wasn&#8217;t worth it.
That&#8217;s a fair argument against the war in Iraq, but not against the principle of regime change overall.
In Iran, we&#8217;re not really talking about regime change in the technical sense, because regime change refers, generally, to an American-overseen process of government building where we put hundreds of thousands of troops on the ground, and then ensure every step of the governmental transition.
What we&#8217;re talking about with Iran is regime destruction or replacement, where we knock over the regime and let it fall, but we don&#8217;t actually participate in long-term nation-building.
Sometimes that works, and sometimes it doesn&#8217;t, because it turns out that history is complicated.
There are many examples of regime replacement or regime destruction. Some of those are failures. For example, in Libya, we provided air support to rebels to take out Muammar Gaddafi, which was a huge mistake that I opposed at the time. And then we let the country take its own course. That led to a massive migration crisis and an all-out civil war that continues to this day.
Why was that a mistake? Because Gaddafi was actually contained, and the people rebelling against him were a checkered group of sundry terrorists and others.
And then there&#8217;s Iran itself, where the Carter administration essentially withdrew support from the Shah of Iran, and we have been suffering with the consequences ever since.
But there are more positive examples. In Chile, we created the pressure that led to the coup against the Marxist Salvador Allende, who was replaced by General Augusto Pinochet, who was an anti-communist and also a human rights abuser, but who began instituting capitalist mechanisms that eventually led to prosperity and, under American pressure, democratization. In fact, we are the ones who pressured Pinochet out of power. He thought about another military coup when he lost an election, and we said, we will not support anything remotely like that. You&#8217;re giving up power.
Or, for example, Panama, where we deposed Manuel Noriega. We then installed the winner of the prior election, and things have worked out pretty well.
And, of course, that&#8217;s pretty much what we just did in Venezuela, where we destroyed the top of the regime and then left a second person in place. And now that person, Delcy Rodriguez, is basically being squeezed until she squeaks.
She put out a statement yesterday <a href="https://x.com/delcyrodriguezv/status/2029303103980245356">saying</a>,
<blockquote>I thank President Trump for the willingness of his government to work together on an agenda that strengthens binational cooperation for the benefit of the peoples of the United States and Venezuela.</blockquote>
In other words, not all “regime change” is alike. It&#8217;s not always Iraq. And pretending that it is, is ignorant. There&#8217;s a reason why Venezuela was handled one way and why Iran is being handled in another. And it&#8217;s not necessarily because Venezuela is in the Western Hemisphere. It&#8217;s because Iran is run by a fundamentalist Islamist death cult.
In order to truly understand how evil the ayatollahs are, let Patrick Bet David, who has some experience in this area, explain.
He said of <a href="https://x.com/PBDsPodcast/status/2028496943891226896">the original</a> Ayatollah Khomeini:
<blockquote>You guys want to know what Khomeini once said about what to do to women in prison? He once said female prisoners who are virgins must be raped before execution to prevent them from entering heaven. Isn&#8217;t he an amazing guy to say something like that? That&#8217;s the guy that died — when he died, I was in Iran, June 3, 89 — I was there when the guy died. They didn&#8217;t kill him. He died. This guy who was supposed to be a hero for them? “Female prisoners who are virgins must be raped before execution.” &#8230; No human being – You would never write that. You would never subscribe to that.</blockquote>
Not all regime change is the same.

TOPSHOT-ITALY-IRAN-POLITICS-PROTEST

Regime Change Vs. Regime Replacement: Lessons From History

Afghanistan

Ben Shapiro

Opinion

U.S. Military

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said Monday that the joint United States-Israel operation targeting Iran would not become a “nation-building quagmire” and is focused on destroying Iranian missile production and military capabilities. 
“The mission of Operation Epic Fury is laser-focused: destroy Iranian offensive missiles, destroy Iranian missile production, destroy their Navy and other security infrastructure, and they will never have nuclear weapons,” Hegseth said. “We&#8217;re hitting them surgically, overwhelmingly, and unapologetically. With every passing day, our capabilities get stronger, and Iran&#8217;s get weaker.” 
“We set the terms of this war, from start to finish. Our ambitions are not utopian; they are realistic, scoped to our interests and the defense of our people and our allies,” he added. 
Hegseth said that this operation was not a “regime change war,” though he added that the “regime sure did change.” He also said the situation would not unfold like in Iraq or Afghanistan, saying President Donald Trump would handle the conflict differently. 
Trump criticized the Iraq war when he first ran for president in 2015, arguing that the decision to invade was a mistake.
“This is not Iraq,&#8221; Hegseth said. &#8220;This is not endless. I was there for both.  Our generation knows better, and so does this president. He called the last 20 years of nation-building wars dumb. And he&#8217;s right. This is the opposite. This operation is a clear, devastating, decisive mission. Destroy the missile threat, destroy the Navy, no nukes.&#8221;
“No stupid rules of engagement, no nation-building quagmire, no democracy building exercise, no politically correct wars. We fight to win, and we don&#8217;t waste time or lives,” he added. 
Since the United States and Israel launched attacks on Iran over the weekend, four American service members have been killed in action. Three were killed during an Iranian strike on Kuwait, and the fourth later died from injuries sustained during that same attack. 
Trump said on Sunday that it was “likely” more American troops would be killed in action as the operations against Iran continue. Hegseth reiterated that point on Monday. 
“As the president warned, an effort of this scope will include casualties. War is hell, and always will be. A grateful nation honors the four Americans we have lost thus far, and those injured. The absolute best of America,” Hegseth said. “May we prosecute the remainder of this operation in a manner that honors them.”
Trump has said that he expects the U.S. military to continue strikes this week.

US-IRAN-CONFLICT-DEFENSE

Hegseth Draws Sharp Line On Iran Mission — ‘Not Iraq,’ ‘Not Endless,’ Aims To Finish The Job

Pete Hegseth

As a survivor of Saddam Hussein’s attempted genocide of the Kurdish people in northern Iraq, Sarkawt Shamsulddin knows what American resolve can mean for persecuted people. He and his family were spared thanks to an American-imposed “No Fly Zone”.
So when he sent us the article below warning of rising persecution in Syria — accelerated by the release of thousands of ISIS fighters from prison — we took notice. Sarkawt knows the region’s tribes, sects, and power dynamics. He also knows the local Kurds, Christians, Druze, and Yazidis now face renewed danger.
He’s not asking for American boots on the ground or nation-building. But he is asking for American leverage in Syria. — Joel Kneedler
* * *
The United States has long been the world&#8217;s most generous defender of persecuted peoples. After the Holocaust, America said &#8220;never again&#8221; and meant it. From the Balkans to Africa to the mountains of Kurdistan, when minorities faced extermination, America intervened.
I am alive today because of that commitment.
In 1991, Saddam Hussein was slaughtering Kurds. The United States led a global coalition to establish a <a href="https://www.brookings.edu/articles/imperfect-allies-and-non-state-actors-lessons-from-the-1991-no-fly-zone-in-iraq/">No-Fly Zone</a> over the Kurdistan Region of Iraq that saved millions of lives — including mine. Today, Kurdistan is a multicultural, religiously tolerant region where no American soldier or civilian has ever been killed or harmed while the rest of Iraq became a death trap for Americans. American protection made that possible.
Now, Syria&#8217;s minorities face a similar threat. And once again, America has the power to save them — without a single additional boot on the ground.
<h3>A New Syria, Same Old Problems</h3>
President Trump has chosen to give Syria&#8217;s new leader, Ahmed Al-Sharaa — a former jihadi turned politician — <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-lauds-syrian-president-as-attractive-and-tough-after-vowing-to-remove-sanctions">a chance.</a> Congress aligned with the President and lifted sanctions. The administration pushed for an integration <a href="https://www.jns.org/us-welcomes-syria-sdf-deal-aimed-at-integrating-kurds/">agreement</a> between Damascus and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), America&#8217;s partners who liberated Syria from ISIS.
I support giving peace a chance. But let us be clear-eyed about what is happening.
The new Syrian government has no popular legitimacy. There have been no elections. No constitution has been drafted with input from Syria&#8217;s diverse communities. The country is ruled by presidential decrees with no <a href="https://www.fdd.org/analysis/policy_briefs/2025/03/19/syrias-new-constitution-a-shift-toward-unchecked-presidential-powers/">accountability</a>. Those who seized Damascus from Assad are rewriting Syria&#8217;s future alone — without Kurds, Christians, Druze, Yazidis, or any other minority at the table.
This is not democracy. This is conquest by another name.
<h3>Broken Promises, Rising Violence</h3>
On January 16, 2026, the United States brokered a deal asking the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) to withdraw from Arab-majority cities like Raqqa and Deir ez-Zor in exchange for integration and unity, and giving Kurdish-dominated areas special status. The SDF complied in good faith — they withdrew.
Damascus, however, did not honor its side of the deal.
<div id="attachment_1030973" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1030973" class="size-large wp-image-1030973" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/01/GettyImages-2256197679-864x576.jpg" alt="In Raqqa, Syria, on January 17, 2026, the Syrian Army secures dozens of towns and villages in the northeast countryside. This deployment comes after the withdrawal of Kurdish fighters from the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) under an agreement aimed at avoiding direct military confrontation. (Photo by Mohammad Daher/NurPhoto via Getty Images)" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/01/GettyImages-2256197679-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/01/GettyImages-2256197679-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/01/GettyImages-2256197679-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/01/GettyImages-2256197679.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Mohammad Daher/NurPhoto via Getty Images</div>
Instead, militias aligned with Turkey — wearing Syrian government uniforms — incited tribal rebellions, advanced into vacated territories, and emptied ISIS prisons. Thousands of ISIS fighters are now free, blending into communities under Damascus control. The very enemy our American partners defeated is being unleashed again.
These militias have already committed multiple war <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/world/republican-senator-condemns-alleged-syrian-army-abuses-ceasefire-follows-aleppo-fighting">crimes</a>, including massacres against Kurds and other minorities. Now they are advancing on Kobani — the city that became a global symbol of resistance against ISIS — and Hasakah province, which houses hundreds of thousands of displaced minorities who fled violence elsewhere.
A leaked <a href="https://x.com/nadinemaenza/status/2013633579318689837">document</a> from Syria&#8217;s Ministry of Endowments frames this conflict as Futuhat — Islamic Conquest — justifying violence against communities as religiously sanctioned. This is not integration. This is ethnic and religious cleansing with official blessing.
<h3>America Has Done This Before</h3>
President Trump recently threatened the Iranian regime with overthrow if it continued mass executions of protesters. Iran <a href="https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/watch-trump-commends-iran-for-reportedly-canceling-hundreds-of-executions">stopped</a> — at least for now. American leverage, when applied, works.
The United States is currently the guarantor of Syria&#8217;s new government. Washington lifted sanctions. Washington brokered deals. Washington gave Damascus legitimacy. That means Washington has leverage — enormous leverage — to demand that minorities be protected.
Last year, Syrian forces <a href="https://www.hrw.org/news/2026/01/15/syria-accountability-lacking-for-sweida-abuses">attacked</a> Sweida province and were on their way to wipe out the Druze community until Israel intervened and stopped the advance. The Druze survived because a foreign power drew a red line. Syria&#8217;s Kurds, Christians, and Yazidis need America to draw that same line.
<h3>What Congress Can Do</h3>
The SDF has significant military capability to defend itself. But military power alone cannot guarantee long-term stability for minorities in Syria. What these communities need is official American recognition and protection within a unified Syrian state — not division, but local autonomy that prevents Damascus-aligned militias from committing massacres.
Congress should pass a resolution recognizing the special status of minority communities in northeastern Syria and calling on the administration to condition continued engagement with Damascus on verifiable protections for these populations.
This is not nation-building. This is not regime change. This is America saying: if you want our support, you cannot slaughter the people who fought alongside us.
No additional troops required. Just recognition. Just leverage. Just the moral clarity that has defined American foreign policy at its best.
<h3>The Cost of Inaction</h3>
The communities now facing annihilation in Syria are the same ones who bled alongside American soldiers to destroy the ISIS caliphate. They liberated territory far beyond their own homelands because America asked them to. They guarded tens of thousands of ISIS prisoners because the world had nowhere else to put them.
If America abandons them now — if we allow Damascus and its militia allies to conduct ethnic cleansing while we look away — we will not just betray our partners. We will prove to every future ally that American promises mean nothing.
And we will watch ISIS <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-promises-to-retaliate-after-u-s-troops-killed-by-isis-in-syria">rise</a> again from the chaos, just as it did before.
President Trump wants to give Syria&#8217;s new government a chance. So do I. But that chance must come with conditions. Protection for minorities is not optional — it is the minimum price of American legitimacy.
Congress has the power to act. The President has the leverage to enforce it. The only question is whether America will once again stand for the persecuted — or stand aside while they are destroyed.
History is watching. So are Syria&#8217;s minorities.
* * *
Sarkawt Shamsulddin is a former member of the Iraqi Parliament, non-resident fellow at Atlantic Council (2022-2025), and founder and CEO of the US Iraq Advisory Group.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

Syrian President Al-Sharaa Signs Ceasefire Agreement with Kurdish Forces

How America Can Protect Syria’s Minorities — Without Boots On The Ground

Why America Must Protect Syria's Minorities — Before It Is Too Late

Ahmed al-Sharaa

government

Kurds

Syria

After Los Angeles Lakers star Lebron James — who has a long-standing history of flopping on the floor to draw unwarranted fouls from the opposition — flopped one time too many in Wednesday’s playoff game against the Minnesota Timberwolves, as a Minnesota combat veteran and former state representative who had both of his legs blown off in Iraq offered a deathless response on X.
“I had less of a reaction when my legs were blown off,” John Kriesel, who now serves as director of veteran services for Anoka County, reacted. Kriesel was awarded the Purple Heart and Bronze Star medal after serving in Iraq; in 2006, he was injured by an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) that blew up. He is also the author of the autobiography Still Standing.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
I had less of a reaction when my legs were blown off. <a href="https://t.co/2gWk1EtRzH">https://t.co/2gWk1EtRzH</a>
— John Kriesel (@johnkriesel) <a href="https://twitter.com/johnkriesel/status/1917976625112584332?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 1, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
The Timberwolves won the game 103-96, eliminating the Lakers from the playoffs.
There were multiple hilarious responses to Kriesel’s post, including:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
A player for the Dallas Stars hockey team died on the bench (flatlined for 2 minutes), was resuscitated in the hallway, and asked to go back into the game.<a href="https://t.co/XfSdKgHlo3">https://t.co/XfSdKgHlo3</a>
— Slim Tidings (@drfeedbacker) <a href="https://twitter.com/drfeedbacker/status/1918096265818083701?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 2, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Falls can be deadly for elderly men like LeBron. He could break a hip, be hospitalized and contract staphylococcal infection.
— Greg Brown (@the_Greglodon) <a href="https://twitter.com/the_Greglodon/status/1918109860270653733?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 2, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
He is a DIVA &#8211;his name should never be in the same sentence as MJ, Bird or Barkley &#8211;seriously <a href="https://t.co/xBKPVbkSEo">pic.twitter.com/xBKPVbkSEo</a>
— AJH (@UnamedLocation) <a href="https://twitter.com/UnamedLocation/status/1918082924622082507?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 1, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
“Poor LeBron, all 6’9, 250 pounds of him, ran into Minnesota’s Donte Divincenzo, 6’4, 203 pounds, during Wednesday’s Lakers playoff exit and…couldn’t get up.&#8221;
&#8220;Divincenzo, 47 pounds lighter, had no such problem,” Outkick <a href="https://www.outkick.com/sports/lebron-james-has-hall-fame-worthy-flop-sad-lakers-playoff-exit">mocked</a>. “LeBron was on the ground for more than 20 seconds. Men have been hit by prime Mike Tyson and stayed on the canvas for less time than LeBron sprawled himself out on the hardwood.”
Earlier in the series, James got caught after a flop, taking a surreptitious look, apparently to see if the refs had called a foul.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
LeBron think he slick 🤣 
(h/t bonbaguy23/TT) <a href="https://t.co/10OAMCcEJS">pic.twitter.com/10OAMCcEJS</a>
— Overtime (@overtime) <a href="https://twitter.com/overtime/status/1915127592258310587?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 23, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
“James was hit in the face by Timberwolves forward Julius Randle, 30, in the fourth quarter of Game 2 in Los Angeles&#8217; first-round playoff series, and stayed on the floor for several minutes as referees discussed the call,” People Magazine <a href="https://people.com/lebron-james-caught-flopping-fans-think-lakers-playoff-win-11721511">reported</a>.
In a loss to the Boston Celtics during the regular season, James flopped again. Sports Illustrated wrote that he “may have added a lamentable lowlight to his highlight reel with a brutal flop late in the game.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Don’t ever compare this man to Jordan again <a href="https://t.co/Il9ccLztkt">pic.twitter.com/Il9ccLztkt</a>
— Samantha (@SN1onX) <a href="https://twitter.com/SN1onX/status/1898585868106870808?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 9, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
There have even been videos featuring James’ legendary flopping habits:
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Lebron FLOPS from Level 1 to 100" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/N7cZn9bgATE?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
<blockquote class="tiktok-embed" cite="https://www.tiktok.com/@instabucketz/video/7337784992405277994" data-video-id="7337784992405277994" data-embed-from="oembed" style="max-width:605px; min-width:325px;">
<section> <a target="_blank" title="@instabucketz" href="https://www.tiktok.com/@instabucketz?refer=embed">@instabucketz</a> 
1 minute of LeBron James flopping 😂 Le🩴 <a title="instabucketz" target="_blank" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/instabucketz?refer=embed">#instabucketz</a> <a title="basketball" target="_blank" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/basketball?refer=embed">#basketball</a> <a title="basketball" target="_blank" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/basketball?refer=embed">#basketball</a> 
 <a target="_blank" title="♬ original sound - Instabucketz" href="https://www.tiktok.com/music/original-sound-7337785051411647274?refer=embed">♬ original sound &#8211; Instabucketz</a> </section>
</blockquote>
 <script async src="https://www.tiktok.com/embed.js"></script>

Minnesota Timberwolves v Los Angeles Lakers – Game Five

LeBron Flops One Time Too Many, Provoking Deathless Response From Iraq Combat Vet

Celebrities

LeBron James

Los Angeles Lakers

Minnesota

U.S.

Veterans

President Donald Trump announced Friday night that the United States had killed the fugitive leader of ISIS after he was &#8220;relentlessly&#8221; pursued.
“Today the fugitive leader of ISIS in Iraq was killed. He was relentlessly hunted down by our intrepid warfighters,” Trump posted on Truth Social. “His miserable life was terminated, along with another member of ISIS, in coordination with the Iraqi Government and the Kurdish Regional Government. PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH!”
Shortly after Trump’s post, U.S. Central Command shared video of the airstrike that took out Abdallah Makki Muslih al-Rifai, also known as Abu Khadijah, and a second ISIS operative. Abu Khadijah was the chief of global operations and the delegated committee emir for ISIS and officially the second-in-command for the Islamic terrorist organization.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
CENTCOM Forces Kill ISIS Chief of Global Operations Who Also Served as ISIS #2
On March 13, U.S. Central Command forces, in cooperation with Iraqi Intelligence and Security Forces, conducted a precision airstrike in Al Anbar Province, Iraq, that killed the Global ISIS #2 leader,… <a href="https://t.co/rWeEoUY7Lw">pic.twitter.com/rWeEoUY7Lw</a>
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) <a href="https://twitter.com/CENTCOM/status/1900737395915440260?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 15, 2025</a></blockquote>
According to CENTCOM, the precision airstrike was conducted in Al Anbar Province, Iraq, in conjunction with Iraqi intelligence and security forces. CENTCOM added that Abu Khadijah “maintained responsibility for operations, logistics, and planning conducted by ISIS globally, and directs a significant portion of finance for the group’s global organization.”
Both American and Iraqi forces moved to the strike site and discovered two ISIS terrorists dead with undetonated suicide vests and weapons, U.S. officials said. CENTCOM noted that they confirmed Abu Khadijah was dead after matching DNA from the site to DNA they obtained after he “narrowly escaped” an earlier raid.
“Abu Khadijah was one of the most important ISIS members in the entire global ISIS organization. We will continue to kill terrorists and dismantle their organizations that threaten our homeland and U.S., allied and partner personnel in the region and beyond,” said United States Central Command General Michael Erik Kurilla.
Trump administration officials celebrated the airstrike, calling it a win for safety.
“Big news. The world is a safer place with Donald Trump as America’s Commander in Chief,” said Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Big news.
The world is a safer place with Donald Trump as America’s Commander in Chief. <a href="https://t.co/zyfX2s3LmX">pic.twitter.com/zyfX2s3LmX</a>
— Karoline Leavitt (@PressSec) <a href="https://twitter.com/PressSec/status/1900734529855230067?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 15, 2025</a></blockquote>
“Well done<a href="https://x.com/CENTCOM"> @CENTCOM</a>. Always on target,” Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth posted on X.
&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Well done <a href="https://twitter.com/CENTCOM?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CENTCOM</a>. Always on target. <a href="https://t.co/6IsJigajSw">https://t.co/6IsJigajSw</a>
— Pete Hegseth (@PeteHegseth) <a href="https://twitter.com/PeteHegseth/status/1900748865092936117?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 15, 2025</a></blockquote>

US-POLITICS-TRUMP

‘His Miserable Life Was Terminated’: Trump Announces Top ISIS Leader Dead After U.S. Strike

ISIS

Radical Islamic Terror

Terrorism

A joint U.S.-Iraqi military operation killed multiple ISIS terrorists in a newly revealed strike on the Islamic terrorist group late last week.
U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said in a statement that the operation was led by Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) but enabled by U.S. forces.
The strike was carried out &#8220;in the vicinity [of] Kirkuk, Iraq, killing five ISIS operatives,&#8221; CENTCOM said.
&#8220;An initial post-strike clearance found multiple explosive suicide belts and other materials,&#8221; the statement said. &#8220;The ISF-led operation is part of the ongoing Defeat-ISIS campaign to disrupt and degrade ISIS&#8217; capabilities, dismantle their attack networks, and ensure the enduring defeat of ISIS. Coalition Joint Task Force &#8211; Operation Inherent Resolve (CTF-OIR) enabled ISF during the operation by providing technical support and intelligence.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Five ISIS Operatives Killed in Iraqi Precision Airstrike, Enabled by CENTCOM Forces
On 31 Jan., Iraqi Security Forces (ISF), enabled by U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) forces, conducted precision airstrikes in the vicinity Kirkuk, Iraq, killing five ISIS operatives.
An initial… <a href="https://t.co/9Et3RRnLRu">pic.twitter.com/9Et3RRnLRu</a>
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) <a href="https://twitter.com/CENTCOM/status/1886735178799919389?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 4, 2025</a></blockquote>
The strike came just hours before a strike authorized by President Donald Trump killed multiple ISIS terrorists in Africa on Saturday.
“This morning I ordered precision Military air strikes on the Senior ISIS Attack Planner and other terrorists he recruited and led in Somalia,” Trump said in a statement. “These killers, who we found hiding in caves, threatened the United States and our Allies.”
“The strikes destroyed the caves they live in, and killed many terrorists without, in any way, harming civilians,” Trump continued. “Our Military has targeted this ISIS Attack Planner for years, but Biden and his cronies wouldn’t act quickly enough to get the job done. I did!”
“The message to ISIS and all others who would attack Americans is that ‘WE WILL FIND YOU, AND WE WILL KILL YOU!&#8217;” Trump concluded.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<a href="https://t.co/DB2rvH3vzr">https://t.co/DB2rvH3vzr</a> <a href="https://t.co/PK1V8YklhY">pic.twitter.com/PK1V8YklhY</a>
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1886453721871319097?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 3, 2025</a></blockquote>

USAF Tests Weapons In Nevada Desert

Joint U.S.-Iraqi Operation Kills Multiple ISIS Terrorists In New Strike

The Biden administration reportedly ignored oil smuggling that netted Iran an estimated one billion dollars annually — despite being well-informed on the operation.
A group of international Intelligence agencies compiled a 45-page report in April outlining a billion-dollar Iranian oil smuggling operation and shared the information with officials from the State and Treasury departments as well as members of the U.S. intelligence community, according to <a href="https://freebeacon.com/biden-harris-administration/how-the-biden-admin-allowed-iran-to-rake-in-illicit-oil-cash-amid-tehrans-terror-spree/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Washington Free Beacon</a>.
U.S. officials took multiple briefings on the report that showed Iran earning at least $1 billion annually from selling oil through Iraqi intermediaries. The Biden administration did not act on the information and gave Iran a “free pass” to sell its fuel in violation of U.S. sanctions, one former U.S. official told the Free Beacon.
“Despite Iran’s growing and dominant role in Iraq, the Biden administration has refused to sanction or meaningfully confront their role in an effort to protect the current Iraqi prime minister, Sudani, and to portray Iraq as a constructive regional partner,” one former U.S. official said.
“This approach deliberately ignores the reality that Iran and its proxies effectively control Iraq’s institutions, including the industrial fuel smuggling and crude commingling. It’s as if the Biden administration wants to hide the fact that Iraq remains Iran’s most important client state,” the official added.
Reuters <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/fuel-oil-smuggling-network-rakes-1-billion-iran-its-proxies-2024-12-03/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> early last month that the oil smuggling scheme netted Iran at least $1 billion a year since 2022 when Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani took office. Some estimates showed Iran earning as much as $3 billion annually.
A State Department official at the time said that U.S. officials had spoken with Iraqi officials about the operation and its illegality under U.S. sanctions.
“While we do not comment on specific discussions, we can affirm the Department has emphasized with our Iraqi counterparts the harms of illicit trade and our support for bringing oil transparently to market,” the official told Reuters.
U.S. officials reportedly learned of the illicit oil selling scheme just months after Hamas, one of the groups in Tehran’s extensive terror network, invaded Israel and killed roughly 1,200 people while taking hundreds more captive.
Sanctions on Iran administered by President Trump during his first term wrecked Iran financially, but Tehran regained some of its wealth, an <a href="https://freebeacon.com/national-security/irans-illicit-oil-revenue-swells-to-nearly-200-billion-since-biden-harris-took-office-latest-figures-and-estimates-show/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">estimated</a> $200 billion worth, selling oil after the Biden administration took over. Those funds have been used in part to support Iran’s terror proxies, including Hezbollah and the Houthis.

Iranian flag

Biden Administration Gave ‘Free Pass’ To $1B Iranian Oil Smuggling Operation: Report

Joe Biden

United States

Four of the 60 living recipients of the Congressional Medal of Honor were presented with their awards by President-Elect Donald Trump during his first term in the White House.
The nation&#8217;s highest award for courage and valor in combat, only 3,538 have been awarded in total in the 150 years since its inception. Just under 20% of them were awarded posthumously. Nineteen of those recipients have been awarded twice.
Staff Sergeant David G. Bellavia was awarded the Medal of Honor on June 25, 2019, for actions he took on November 4, 2004, that likely saved the lives of others in his unit.
After finding insurgents in a building that they were attempting to clear, Bellavia laid down suppressive fire in order for his men to evacuate safely. Once they were all out, instead of making a quick escape, Bellavia went back into the building to take out the remaining enemy soldiers, stopping only when he was badly wounded.
Trump said during a White House ceremony that Bellavia &#8220;exemplifies the same warrior ethos that gave his grandfather and all the heroes of Normandy the strength to defeat evil exactly seventy-five years ago.&#8221;
&#8220;We don’t want war, but if you want war with the United States of America, there is one thing I can promise you, so help me God: someone else will raise your sons and daughters,&#8221; Bellavia said.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Operation Phantom Fury, Fallujah Medal of Honor recipient: SSgt David Bellavia.
‘We don’t want war, but if you want war with the United States of America, there is one thing I can promise you, so help me God: someone else will raise your sons and daughters.’ 🔥🇺🇸🫡 <a href="https://t.co/HyRCoDf6ew">pic.twitter.com/HyRCoDf6ew</a>
&mdash; 𝕃𝕚𝕖𝕦𝕥𝕖𝕟𝕒𝕟𝕥 ℂ𝕠𝕝𝕠𝕟𝕖𝕝 ℙ 🪖 (@TheLtColUSMC) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheLtColUSMC/status/1854648976357703735?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 7, 2024</a></blockquote>
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Sergeant First Class Thomas P. Payne was awarded his Medal of Honor on September 11, 2020, for his actions during a hostage rescue that took place on October 22 2015. Payne was instrumental in helping to liberate a number of hostages held in two buildings in Kirkuk Province, Iraq. He and the other members of his assault team took heavy fire as they attempted the mission, and one of the buildings was on fire by the time Payne was able to breach the main entrance. Despite the risk, Payne&#8217;s actions led to the successful rescue of 75 hostages and 20 enemies killed in action.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
On <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WarriorWednesday?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WarriorWednesday</a>, we recognize MOH recipient, U.S. Army SGM Thomas Payne. During Operation Inherent Resolve, he played an integral role rescuing 70 hostages from a burning building. Thank you, Thomas, for your service. We salute you! <a href="https://t.co/Iinvb1bmDd">pic.twitter.com/Iinvb1bmDd</a>
&mdash; GarySiniseFoundation (@GarySiniseFound) <a href="https://twitter.com/GarySiniseFound/status/1676652436948234241?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 5, 2023</a></blockquote>
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U.S. Navy Senior Chief Britt Kelly Slabinski, a U.S. Navy SEAL who also participated in the highly publicized rescue of Army PFC Jessica Lynch on April 1, 2003, was awarded his Medal of Honor on May 24, 2018. A member of SEAL Team 4, Slabinski was recognized for his part in a March 4, 2002, daring mountaintop rescue mission at Takur-Ghar.
&#8220;Their insertion helicopter was suddenly riddled with rocket-propelled grenades and small arms fire from previously undetected enemy positions. The crippled helicopter lurched violently and ejected one teammate [Petty Officer First Class Neil Roberts] onto the mountain before the pilots were forced to crash land in the valley far below,&#8221; Slabinski&#8217;s citation reads in part.
Slabinski, along with Air Force Controller John Chapman, charged up the mountain under enemy fire to retrieve Roberts. Chapman was wounded and eventually killed in action, but Slabinski continued the mission in his absence.
&#8220;Proximity made air support impossible, and after several teammates became casualties, the situation became untenable. Senior Chief Slabinski maneuvered his team to a more defensible position, directed air strikes in very close proximity to his team’s position, and requested reinforcements,&#8221; the citation continued. &#8220;As daylight approached, accurate enemy mortar fire forced the team further down the sheer mountainside. Senior Chief Slabinski carried a seriously wounded teammate through deep snow and led a difficult trek across precipitous terrain while calling in fire on the enemy, which was engaging the team from the surrounding ridges. Throughout the next 14 hours, Senior Chief Slabinski stabilized the casualties and continued the fight against the enemy until the hill was secured and his team was extracted.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Master Chief Special Warfare Operator Britt Slabinski, U.S. Navy, Retired, represents the best of America. He risked his life in Afghanistan as he led his team on a rescue mission on a 10,000-foot mountain through arduous conditions. Take a moment to hear his story: <a href="https://t.co/E98m7Lsq40">pic.twitter.com/E98m7Lsq40</a>
&mdash; Vice President Mike Pence Archived (@VP45) <a href="https://twitter.com/VP45/status/999748091606544384?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 24, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Sergeant Matthew O. Williams received his Medal of Honor on October 30, 2019, for actions that took place on April 6, 2008.
Williams was part of an assault team sent to engage an enemy on a mountain, but the forward group came under fire and several casualties were sustained. Williams led a team of mostly local fighters across dangerous terrain and under heavy fire in order to relieve those at the front who had been pinned down on the side of the mountain.
&#8220;He then assisted with moving the wounded down the near-vertical mountainside to the casualty collection point. Noting that the collection point was about to be overrun by enemy fighters, Sergeant Williams led the Afghan commandos in a counter-attack that lasted for several hours. When helicopters arrived to evacuate the wounded, Sergeant Williams again exposed himself to enemy fire, carrying and loading casualties onto the helicopters while continuing to direct commando firepower to suppress numerous insurgent positions,&#8221; his citation read. &#8220;His actions enabled the patrol to evacuate wounded and dead comrades without further casualties. Sergeant Williams’ complete disregard for his own safety and his concern for the safety of his teammates ensured the survival of four critically wounded soldiers and prevented the lead element of the assault force from being overrun by the enemy.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
.<a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@realDonaldTrump</a> presents the Medal of Honor to Army Master Sgt. Matthew O. Williams of Texas, a Green Beret. While in Afghanistan, Williams helped rescue several wounded soldiers during a April 2008 battle. <a href="https://t.co/u8FNl4sSa7">pic.twitter.com/u8FNl4sSa7</a>
&mdash; Fin Gómez (@finnygo) <a href="https://twitter.com/finnygo/status/1189665324339208194?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 30, 2019</a></blockquote>
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Staff Sergeant David Bellavia Receives Medal Of Honor For Heroic Actions In Iraq

Meet The Four Living Medal Of Honor Recipients Given The Award By Donald Trump

These Four Living Medal Of Honor Recipients Were Awarded By Donald Trump

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