• On or around December 27, 2019, evidently over 30 rockets were fired onto a base in Iraq, which injured US soldiers, and claimed the life of a contractor.

• The US Embassy in Baghdad, Iraq was attacked, on New Year's Eve, December 31st 2019.

• Hashed al Shaabi, a.k.a. Popular Mobilization Forces some say is the group responsible for the attack [?]

• US paratroopers are reported to have been deployed into the region, en segue.

• An Iran official (known for Quds Force, related to Revolutionary Guards, and perhaps officially titled Major General) who gained notoriety, named General Qasem Suleimani [alternatively spelled Soleimani] was hit and killed by a drone strike, while he was at an airport in Iraq. Event January 3, 2020. The airstrike as reported by DW https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bx0upq28SI4, 'also killed the Deputy Commander of the Iranian backed militias known as the popular mobilization forces [Popular Mobilization Forces], {unclear, here at this particular point, whether one in the same or a general term}'.

• There are news reports that Iran leader Khamenei might have made indications of a retaliation.

• There was a procession in Iraq, today, Saturday January 4th, 2020, -whether or not it was the funeral with the body of General Suleimani or not, details not mentioned here,- to memoir him. There were a number of collective chants some more voceferous than others. Recitation of the fundamental of Islam faith, briefly translated, in no deity other than.., whereat, their pronunciation was not in as clear a tune as is said in most of the Muslim World, perhaps indications of other philosophies going on, also not in complete 100% tune of everyone in the Muslim World nor of everyone in the Arab World. Some also chanted, basic translation, America is the Satan who is the largest-biggest of them or it, said in a nuance that, it is not so much the land and people there, but specific aspects like political views they are uncomfortable with.

• French news sources indicate that there might be several days to mourning in Iran in regards to the passing of General Suleimani.

• Bodies of Suleimani (Soleimani) and an individual who is known by the name Abu Mahdi Al-Muhandis, second casualty of the drone strike were driven through crowds for their reception, formalities also present. Event last couple of days. Note added January 6, 2020.

• Stampede occurs at Suleimani funeral, leaving over 50 dead, and over 200 injured. The prospect of an event occurring, whih includes possible stampedes, is why the 3 days of mourning was mentioned in the initial timeline as an important event. Location, transliterated as Kernan, also known as Carmania, in Iran, well within the country borders. Note added January 7, 2020.

Comments:
It is popular in history over the past forty years that there was a big war between Iran and Iraq, referring to the one in the 1980s, '80 to '88 roughly; so how is it that there are supporters of General Suleimani in Iraq?-, the answer to this question might be in the construct of, philosophical allegiances to different terror groups that surpass geographical boundaries, in other words, a terror group could be present in both Iran, Iraq, as well as other places in the Middle East and Arab World, and so too could supporters of a terror group head be in. Sometimes the terror groups are present and are not aligned with the governments there, or attempt to be partially aligned to terror groups and government at the same time.

   Locations of possible retaliatory actions:
What news stories are saying around the globe, take for instance the one on DW with US analyst Rizzo, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bx0upq28SI4 January 3, 2020 video, and the renown journalist in Berlin, Germany, Amir Musawy (spelling?), the commentator asked where is the location that there is a likelihood the Iranians would strike in retaliation. The answer was, he thinks the main area targeted will Iraq, especially the airbase across the Iraq Syria borders, Anbar Province would be the first, and the second within Karkouk/Kirkuk, as it seems given moments of unsmooth English in the discussion. Expounding on implications maybe not said per se, given he did say close to Iraqi Syrian borders, and did say within the American soldiers regardless of words immediately preceding or afterward, any country with a border near Iran where US soldiers are stationed, it might be words to the wise to take caution, including those that border water ways like the Persian Gulf, such as Saudi Arabia et al.
Referencing multi-allegiances, there is no guarantee that Iran as a whole and wholly in terms of the government of Iran will strike or attempt to strike the US on the basis of what could be interpreted as a simple a 'retaliation'.

The discussion held at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j8zKiF_hw00, CB/Radio Canada January 3, 2020, say that potential or possible retaliatory actions, if any, might be on fringes, such as commercial endeavors, and cyberwarfare, and as far as geographic locations specific, it was said, most concerned about Iraq or Lebanon; said later, possibly Russia, because it has been active in the ongoing larger discussion, for word choice, of the tensions.

 Developments and background:

The DW roundtable also indicated that there would be an urgent meeting on Friday called upon by Iran top security body subsequent and seemingly about the droning of General Suleimani.

Since 2003, there have been about 300 US private contrators that have been killed in Iraq.

Leaders of nations worldwide are announcing that 'de-escalation' on the part of all parties involved is imperative.

Whereas, an escalation of violence could be theory, and it is also theory and opinion that POTUS' ordering of the drone attack and that it successfully hit the target, would be used as a springboard to try to enhance support such as for votes for the upcoming Presidential election; there have been no statements thus far coming from the White House at least found in any online news story, that finding a way to to get added votes had anything to do with a strategy to mitigate a volatile propogating terror increasing violence threat.

Words and names like Mahdi, Mehdi, Haq (meaning truth), Hezbollah, Qudus (holy), and many others, are significant to an eternal timeline in Islam, working from past to future; whereat, names and phrases such as these may be used recurringly in diferent places at different times, some entities and their mission may good, some may be bad, some may attempt to mix or entwine good and bad in their missions, and any or all of them might not have anything to do with another with the same or similar name. 


This posting is subject to a lot of revising and editing. Many events occurred in a small timeframe, and information is pouring in as we speak.