BREAKING: State Department Orders Non-Emergency Employees to Leave Iraq

The State Department has ordered non-emergency US government employees to leave Iraq amid increasing tensions with Iran and warned US citizens not to travel to the country, citing a "high risk for violence and kidnapping."

UPDATE

But a senior British military official, Maj. Gen. Chris Ghika, who is also the deputy commander of the American-led coalition fighting the Islamic State, told reporters at the Pentagon on Tuesday that he saw no increased risk from Iran or allied militias in Iraq or Syria.

So what is going on here? Is Trump being delivered fake intelligence via the neocons, is a false flag operation about to be launched in Iraq or is Ghika just wrong?

And, bottom line: What the hell is the U.S. government doing meddling in the Middle East anyway?

 -RW

UPDATE 2

 Exxonmobil has reportedly evacuated its staff from the Basra oil fields, in southern Iraq.

UPDATE 3

Germany has temporarily suspended military training in Iraq.  Netherlands and Germany pull personnel out of Iraq.