day one hundred sixty-seven (13. 723)

Meeting with the Iraqi prime minister in Baghdad, Iran‘s speaker of parliament speculates that the US is seeking an „honorable exit“ from the region as the two nations forge security alliance in preparation for a Middle East free from foreign interference—whilst working to counter American supported Kurdish rebels. Tehran further reckons the damage to the country, excluding the capital, from the joint US-Israeli war of aggression to amount to two hundred billion dollars. The IDF continues patrolling Gaza and erects a gallows to hang Hamas militants as the occupied territory faces a thirst crisis over a failing water utility and settler violence persists in the West Bank. NATO, despite limited confidence that the US would honour an invocation of Article V after allies wanted no part in its war of choice, pledges to defend all members after a supposed threat against Bulgaria and Cyprus for their hosting of American assets—which strikes as propaganda from Washington, as Iran retains better standing in this unpopular military adventure and has no interest in widening its belligerents and lessening its perception as victims. A false flag terror attack elsewhere in Europe on a US base seems more likely and the excuse to leave the continent and turn inward for the administration’s policy of hemispheric domination.