Eric Chewning, chief of staff to USG "Defense" Madame Secretary Mark Esper is resigning from his role at the end of this month after the USG has entered into a war with Iran (archived, archived). Chewning allegedly left Morgan Stanley to join the US Military during the immediate post 9/11 burst of USian partiotism. His departure is being presented as "planned in advance" of the USG's recent entry into open war with Iran.

This announcement follows the USG leveling the threat of sanctions against Iraq if the Iraqi government follows the vote of its parliament to expel USG troops from Iraqi soil and airspace. Per US President Donald Trump, if Iraq expels USG troops and does not reimburse the USG's expenses for building airfields it used to further destabilize Iraq and the Middle East, the sanctions leveled against Iraq would dwarf those level against Iran (archived). Iraq has been considering the purchase of Russian S-400 anti-"Shock and Awe" air defense systems for some time (archived).