Calling The Shots; Trump About Israel's Dealing With Iraq

 Nadene Goldfoot                                            

         Tom Barrack, soon to be 79 years old, US Ambassador (messenger or representative) to Turkey

USA  has warned Iraq that Israel will strike militias that seek to aid Hezbollah !                     

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammad  Shia al Sudani meeting Barrack in Baghdad, Iraq on November 30, 2025.  

Envoy and lawyer Tom Barrack meets newly reelected PM in Baghdad, reportedly tells him to crack down on Iran-backed groups and stay out of regional conflicts.

First, who is this envoy?  Barrack's grandparents were Lebanese Christians who immigrated in 1900 to the United States from Zahlé. Barrack was raised in Culver City, California, where his father was a grocer and his mother was a secretary.  Thomas Joseph Barrack Jr. (born April 28, 1947) is an American private equity real estate investor and the founder and retired chairman of Colony Capital, a publicly traded real estate investment trust.  Of course, in the real estate business like Trump.  

Barrack has for decades been a close friend of and fundraiser for U.S. President Donald Trump, representing him in television news appearances. He was senior advisor to Trump's 2016 presidential campaign and served as the chairman of his Inaugural Committee. In Trump's second administration, Barrack serves as the United States Ambassador to Turkey, an enemy of Israel.  

On July 21, Barrack spoke at the 2016 Republican National Convention. In September 2016, Barrack helped set up a meeting between Trump and the Emir of Qatar in Trump Tower, although, as Kilpatrick noted, none of the investments brought in from the gulf by Barrack's firm in the two years following that meeting came from Qatar. After Trump became president, Barrack continued to act as a middleman between him and Arab princes.

• Iraqi Position: The Iraqi government under Prime Minister Muhammad Shia al-Sudani has stated it will not be drawn into any conflict between Israel and Iran and will not allow its territory or airspace to be used for attacks against other nations. However, the government struggles to control all Iran-backed armed groups within its borders. Iraq became immersed with Hezbollah primarily after the 2003 U.S. invasion, when Iran tasked Hezbollah with training and equipping Iraqi Shiite militias to fight U.S. forces, leading to the formation of elite units like Hezbollah Unit 3800 and the creation of groups like Kata'ib Hezbollah (KH). Hezbollah provided crucial combat expertise, sophisticated Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), and tactical skills, deepening Iran's regional influence through these Iraqi proxies and creating a new network to counter American presence in Iraq.                                    
  
            Saddam Hussein, President/Dictator of Iraq (1937-2006)  was the President of Iraq from 1979 to 2003, leading Iraq in the devastating Iran-Iraq War (1980-1988) against Iran, which he invaded. He rose to power in Iraq and ruled as a dictator before being overthrown by the U.S.-led invasion in 2003. 
• The United States' 2003 invasion of Iraq was officially justified by the George W. Bush administration on the grounds of disarming Iraq of weapons of mass destruction (WMDs), ending Saddam Hussein's support for terrorism, and promoting democracy in the region. These rationales have been the subject of significant debate and scrutiny since the invasion, as no WMD stockpiles were found after the war. If you forgot, Saddam Hussein was the President of Iraq from 1979 until he was overthrown in the U.S.-led invasion in 2003; he was captured hiding within Iraq in December 2003 and later executed in Baghdad, Iraq, in 2006. 
• Regional Conflict: Iraq remains a flashpoint in the wider conflict between Israel and Iran. Iran-backed militias operating within Iraq have previously launched attacks on U.S. and Israeli targets and continue to pose a threat to Israel's security, leading the Israeli army to remain on high alert.
• Iraq and Israel currently have no formal diplomatic relations and remain in a state of hostility, with ongoing regional tensions largely driven by Iran's influence in Iraq and the broader Middle Eastern crisis.             
  
  Hezbollah's new leader and former deputy, Sheikh Naim Qassem, attends a memorial service for slain Hezbollah members, in Beirut's southern suburbs on June 19. 
  Mohamed Azakir/Reuters
• Hezbollah is currently led by Naim Qassem, who became Secretary-General in October 2024 after the death of Hassan Nasrallah, with the Shura Council electing him to oversee the group's military and political wings, continuing its established policies. Naim Qassem, a veteran cleric and former deputy, took over leadership after Hassan Nasrallah was killed by an Israeli airstrike in September 2024.

Are Cuba and Panama Connected to Hamas?

 Nadene Goldfoot                                             

Cuba is in the North closest to USA's Florida;  Panama is the bridge between Central America and South America

Cuba has links to Hamas through political support and intelligence sharing, while Panama has no known connection to Hamas and maintains strong pro-Israel relations. 

They are both said to be on Trumps radar for further take-overs for thesake of US security.                      

Arafat made as many eight official visits to Castro's Cuba [The Arafat Foundation]

Cuba has significant political and historical connections to Hamas and its primary patron, Iran. The Cuban government publicly supports the Palestinian cause, views the conflict through an anti-imperialist lens, and refuses to condemn Hamas's actions, leading the U.S. to again designate Cuba as a State Sponsor of Terrorism (SSOT). 

•  Cuba has a decades-long history of supporting the Palestinian national movement and views the Palestinian struggle as an anti-colonial effort. The Cuban Foreign Ministry released a formal statement after the October 7, 2023, Hamas attacks, blaming Israel and the U.S. for the violence and describing the massacre as a "consequence" of Israeli actions, while refusing to condemn the attacks themselves.
•  Cuban officials have held meetings with high-ranking officials from Iran and Hamas. For example, a Hamas delegation publicly visited the Cuban ambassador in Lebanon in February 2023 which was after the gross slaughter by Palestinians, where the ambassador recognized the "legitimate right of the Palestinians to defend their land".
•  Reports from sources such as the Center for a Free Cuba and U.S. congressional testimony allege that the Cuban intelligence service provides intelligence to Hamas and allows Hezbollah to maintain a base in Cuba.
• The Cuban government has organized large, official pro-Palestinian marches in Havana, some of which included banners of Hezbollah leaders, to express solidarity and protest Israel's military actions.
• Historical Context: Cuba has not had diplomatic relations with Israel since 1973. Historically, the Castro regime trained members of the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) in the 1970s and 1980s and has a history of promoting anti-Israel and allegedly antisemitic propaganda.
• State Sponsor of Terrorism Designation: The U.S. placed Cuba back on the SSOT list in 2021 (having previously been removed in 2015) due to its continued support for international terrorism, including its relationships with groups like Hamas and Hezbollah. 
• In March 1960, U.S. president Dwight D. Eisenhower gave his approval to a CIA plan to arm and train a group of Cuban refugees to overthrow the Castro government. 
  
  Raúl Castro and U.S. President Barack Obama at their joint press conference in Havana, Cuba, 21 March 2016.  As of December 2014, talks with Cuban officials and American officials, including President Barack Obama,
  
                               Alan Gross, Jewish US Federal worker
  resulted in the release of Alan Gross , age 76, held for 5 years , fifty-two political prisoners, and an unnamed non-citizen agent of the United States in return for the release of three Cuban agents currently imprisoned in the United States. (ratio of 54:3)
• Raúl Castro stepped down from the presidency on 19 April 2018, and Miguel Díaz-Canel was elected president of the State Council by the National Assembly following parliamentary elections. Raúl Castro remained the First Secretary of the Communist Party and retained broad authority, including oversight over the president.
• On 12 January 2021, then-U.S. President Donald Trump added Cuba to the State Sponsors of Terrorism list, implementing a new series of economic sanctions on the country.  The 2024–2025 Cuba blackouts were the most severe living crisis that the country has experienced since the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991. President Díaz-Canel blamed the blackout on the United States embargo against Cuba, which he said prevented much needed supplies and replacement parts from reaching Cuba.     
  
  
  
•                                     PANAMA

• The United States cooperates with the Panamanian government in promoting economic, political, security, and social development through US and international agencies. Cultural ties between the two countries are strong, and many Panamanians go to the United States for higher education and advanced training.

  Panama is the 96th most peaceful country in the world, according to the 2024 Global Peace Index.

  

• It's past is something else.  Since the end of Manuel Noriega's military dictatorship in 1989, Panama has completed five peaceful transfers of power to opposing political factions. 

  
                Noriega's mug shot after his surrender to U.S. forces in 1990.  Beginning in the 1950s, Noriega worked with U.S. intelligence agencies, and became one of the Central Intelligence Agency's most valued intelligence sources. He also served as a conduit for illicit weapons, military equipment, and cash destined for U.S.-backed forces throughout Latin America..

• The political landscape is dominated by two major parties and various smaller parties, many of which are driven by individual leaders more than ideologies. Former president Martín Torrijos is the son of the general Omar Torrijos. He succeeded Mireya Moscoso, the widow of the former president Arnulfo Arias. Panama's most recent national elections took place on May 5, 2024.  

Resource:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuba

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alan_Gross

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2016/11/26/fidel-castro-the-palestinian-connection#:~:text=Castro%20always%20welcomed%20him%20like,against%20imperial%20and%20colonial%20powers.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manuel_Noriega#:~:text=Manuel%20Antonio%20Noriega%20Moreno%20(%2Fm%C9%91%CB%90n%CB%88w%C9%9Bl&text=was%20a%20Panamanian%20military%20officer,Panama%20from%201983%20to%201989.

Step 2 Disarm Hezbollah and Attacking Iran On the Table

 Nadene Goldfoot

Next week Prime Minister Netanyahu will try to get President Trump's backing for more strikes against Iran, which is reportedly rebuilding its ballistic missile capabilities and possibly also its nuclear facilities at the same time of their own country's serious water shortage.                                    

                       Dried up river in the desert of Iran 

YouTube has reports telling of the water shortage in Iran and how they have abused their water sources in the first place. There is a video about it, so this is a window of Iran's weakness, one would think.                              

Reports show the effect on the Iranian people:  Long Queues for Water: Residents, including women and families, are seen waiting with containers for water supplies.  Prayers for Rain: People gather at mosques and shrines, pleading for rain to alleviate the drought.  Dry Infrastructure: Rivers and reservoirs that supply cities like Tehran are at critically low levels, with some reservoirs at only 12% capacity.  Impact on Daily Life: The crisis forces difficult choices, with residents working and children studying in the capital facing the reality of potential relocation due to lack of water. 

Why It's Happening:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CsD8WhhUCIk                        

Iranian women pray for rainfall at the Saleh Shrine in Tehran on November 14 as the country suffers from severe water shortages.   

AFP/Getty Images

An Iranian worker distributes water in a drought-prone part of the country. (file photo)  I read that Teheran is hard-hit.  

"Iran faces a severe, multi-faceted water crisis driven by climate change (hotter, drier weather, shrinking snowpack) and severe mismanagement (over-extraction for agriculture, dam-building, illegal wells, inefficient infrastructure) leading to "water bankruptcy," depleting reservoirs, threatening food security, fueling social unrest and protests, and prompting drastic measures like capital relocation discussions and water imports ."  I read where they are to get water from Pakistan, and cannot spare water for agriculture so must let the field go dry, and plan on getting food from abroad.  Population Growth & Urbanization: Rapid growth, especially in Tehran, strains limited resources.  Governance Issues: Corruption and political decisions favoring certain groups (the "water mafia") have worsened the situation. 

Netanyahu will meet with Trump in Maro Lago. They should talk about it.   Another major topic of discussion will be Step 2; the disarming of Hamas, which doesn't seem to be happening but was a primary condition of the ceasefire agreement. 

It doesn't seem like any Arab or Muslim country has the will, or stomach, to disarm Hamas, which would leave the IDF as the only force ready, willing and able to get the job done. The USA have helped others in time of need, but that is a rare thing for others to do.  I doubt if their army is as well-prepared to do the job, anyway, like Israel is. 

Naim Qassem:  (born February 1953) is a Lebanese Shia cleric and politician who became Hezbollah’s secretary-general on 29 October 2024, the fourth person to hold the position. He participated in the founding of Hezbollah in 1982, and previously served as the first deputy secretary-general from 1991 to 2024.  Following the Lebanese government's decision about the disarmament of Hezbollah, which calls for a state monopoly on arms, Qassem stated in a televised speech on 15 August 2025 that there will be "no life" in Lebanon if the government tries to disarm Hezbollah. 

Hezbollah Supporters listening to Naim Qassem's speech.  
 

And then there's Hezbollah, which the Lebanese government is supposed to disarm, but is clearly not strong enough to do. There's still lots of work to be done to achieve the peace that President Trump has already proclaimed, in other words, has jumped the gun. 

The Gaza war sparked a renewed Israel–Hezbollah conflict. Hezbollah has said it will not stop attacking Israel until Israel ceases its attacks in Gaza. Starting with the Israeli explosion of Lebanese pagers and walkie talkies in September 2024, the conflict escalated severely, with the 23 September 2024 Israeli airstrikes on Lebanon killing at least 558 people, and sparking a mass exodus from southern Lebanon. On 27 September 2024, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah was killed in an Israeli airstrike. On 1 October 2024, Lebanon was invaded by Israel with the objective of destroying infrastructure belonging to Hezbollah in the south of the country. (Israel has targeted various types of Hezbollah infrastructure, which generally includes a military network embedded within and near civilian areas in southern Lebanon. This infrastructure primarily consists of: Tunnels and underground bunkers: Extensive underground networks carved into the rock, used for cover, command centers, storage, and as staging grounds for attacks. Some have been described as large enough for vehicles and contained living quarters, clinics, and ventilation systems. Weapons caches and storage facilities: Locations used to store weapons, ammunition, rockets, and anti-tank missiles.)

 In November 2024, a ceasefire deal was signed between Israel and the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah to end 13 months of conflict. According to the agreement, Hezbollah was given 60 days to end its armed presence in southern Lebanon and Israeli forces were obliged to withdraw from the area over the same period.

Lebanon's government is run as a sectarian-based parliamentary republic, with power shared among its major religious communities, headed by a President (Maronite Christian), a Prime Minister (Sunni Muslim), and a Parliament that appoints the Council of Ministers (Cabinet) to handle executive duties, though recent years saw political deadlock, with a new government under Prime Minister Nawaf Salam formed in early 2025 after a long vacuum. 

Resource:

israelAM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CsD8WhhUCIk

https://e360.yale.edu/features/iran-water-drought-dams-qanats

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naim_Qassem