Iraq and ISIS Discussion

[Diamondback 2/2]

I think @Etype is right on the money with his post. And as said at the beginning of this thread, I'm still shocked its taken this long. Been expecting this since they completely dismantled the old Iraqi government and captured Saddam in 2003. Al Sadar and his Militia said from the very beginning this was a civil war. Why we didn't kill him in Najaf in 2004 when we had him cornered is still mind boggling to me.

 

[Etype]

Why we didn't kill him in Najaf in 2004 when we had him cornered is still mind boggling to me.

It could probably be traced back to the The New Deal, the League of Nations, or George Soros- like every problem.

 

[DA SWO]

I wonder if al Malaki gets a seat right next to al Sadr at the Ayatollah's dinner table.

Doubtful, he may think that's the deal, but I'd expect the Iranians to renege as quickly as they consolidate power.

It could probably be traced back to the The New Deal, the League of Nations, or George Soros- like every problem.

Or the fact that neither Bush was good at Post-Conflict Operations.

 

[Etype]

Or the fact that neither Bush was good at Post-Conflict Operations.

I often wonder how a post-war insurgency from Germany or Japan would have been handled by Truman.

 

[Diamondback 2/2]

It could probably be traced back to the The New Deal, the League of Nations, or George Soros- like every problem.

I honestly believe the CoC thought if they brought him into the government they could manipulate him and the fighting between his group, the sunnis, and AQI, as we were a pin cushion for all sides. I think the only thing we've been doing is kicking that can down the road, kinda of like now. I would absolutely say lets fully arm the Kurds (giving Turkey a well deserved middle finger) and let the people finally have it out. Let Iran, Syria, Russia, Turkey, and the Kurds all bang it out and reestablish borders. We should supply the Kurds because we honestly owe them that, and honestly are the best group out of the bunch. But fuck it, let them burn that bitch down already. Its only been 90 years in the making.

 

[Etype]

It really is too bad that the Kurds haven't reached an Israeli-like military competence.

 

[poison]

If they had American support, they could.

 

[Florida173]

There's no love from the Iranians towards Sadr

 

[Marauder06]

There's no love from the Iranians towards Sadr

That's interesting. Everything I'd read before now indicated otherwise. Iran sheltered him when he beat feet out of Iraq back in 2007, and some reports have his organization listed as one of Iran's "closest allies." <--see p. ix. Maybe they don't like him, but they're supporting the shit out of him.

...or are they? This report cites "strains" in the relationship between Iran and Sadr, and a deliberate "splintering of his support base."

As I said, very interesting. Guess I'm going to go read some more now.

 

[Gunz]

There's no love from the Iranians towards Sadr

He's become a divider not a unifier. It's upsetting their plan for uniting Iraqi Shiites. On top of that, he's now a nationalist and a political reformer...:whatever:

 

[Brill]

Somebody "got sent for".

Iraqi Shiite Cleric Moqtada al-Sadr Makes Unannounced Visit to Iran

 

[Etype]

There's no love from the Iranians towards Sadr

A lot must have changed very recently.

 

[Florida173]

A lot must have changed very recently.

Not all that recently. Iran has way more control of Iraq without him. Him going to Iran will likely be an attempt to control him

 

[Ooh-Rah]

Our guys on the ground and the Boss assessing the ground.

"

1 SEAL killed in northern Iraq.

Blue skies.

US Navy SEAL killed by ISIS militants in northern Iraq | Fox News

An U.S. Navy SEAL was shot and killed Tuesday by "direct fire" from Islamic State militants who stormed through defenses set up by Kurdish Peshmerga troops in northern Iraq, the U.S.-led coalition and officials said.

The unnamed service member was advising Peshmerga forces in the region but was less than 2 miles behind the front lines, Pentagon Press Secretary Peter Cook said in a statement. A defense official told Fox News the service member was killed by small arms fire, likely from an AK-47 rifle.

Hmmm...lucky? Or perhaps the US isn't the only team in town "advising?"

PICTURED: Navy SEAL from Colorado killed in Iraq

The Navy SEAL who was killed in a coordinated attack by 100 ISIS fighters in Iraq has been identified.

Charles Keating was advising Kurdish Peshmerga troops in the town of Telskof, 18 miles north of Mosul, when a group of Islamic State militants stormed enemy lines with vehicles, suicide car bombs and bulldozers on Tuesday

He was hit by 'direct fire' during an attack by the jihadis Pentagon officials have described as 'coordinated and complex

 

[poison]

PressTV-Iraq’s Sadr has made no visit to Iran

Lol.

 

[Diamondback 2/2]

It really is too bad that the Kurds haven't reached an Israeli-like military competence.

Israel only reached that competence because we (along with a few others) supported them, equipped them and insured the weapons and munitions would flow. The Kurds could do it, it will take them several years to become professionalized, but I grantee if we gave them the weapons, munitions and training, they kick just about everyone's ass on the ground in the region. Just think if they had an Air force, with a professional ground force, in 10 years Kurdistan could be the stability that region truly needs. Of course they are going to kick the shit out of a few people along the way, but honestly feel with the way they have been treated, they should absolutely be allowed to.

 

[poison]

Well now, not ONLY because of US support, which only really started 30 years after Israel was created. It's primarily due to need and desire, and then the help of others. The Kurds have the need and desire, too, but lack the help, because even those who like them are too busy kissing Turkish ass (among other fuckery). Hell, even Israel, which has been helping the kurds for years, won't step up in a bigger manner because of Turkey.

 

[Diamondback 2/2]

We've given Israel weapons and munitions from the very beginning, but our help was very limited in the 40's-50's. In the later 50's we significantly built up their military capabilities.

Turkey is the key, along with Baghdad, Iran and Syria. They've all dumped on the Kurds, and everyone knows what will happen as soon as the Kurds have the capability. That whole region is literally a minefield of stupid, and the only common factor is that the Kurds are pro western society and not a bunch of loons.

 

[Single Malt]

@Diamondback 2/2 and @poison , I couldn't agree more. The Kurds do deserve our help, and they do need it if they are to one day declare independence of Kurdistan. Once they do declare independence, they will need years of sustained support to get going and become self-sufficient. They have shed a lot blood in that region for years, but they are hesitant to do anything without the full support of US because they don't want a repeat of Republic of Mahabad, even though that was some Soviet Union fuckery that we didn't have anything to do with, but a wound is wound.

 

[Etype]

The problem with the Iraqi Army and the Peshmerga, is they were never taught how to wage war and they fail to learn on their own.

All we ever taught either to do was to police neighborhoods, how to be SWAT cops, and how to hide in their castles (FOBs, COPs).

Castles fell out of favor with the invention of the cannon, and since all humans are born with legs (which we also use to drive cars), trenches and other obstacles only slow us down.

In a maneuver war, the static defender almost always loses. Napoleon knew this, and the Nazis really capitalized on this with blitzkrieg tactics. In fact, it wasn't until the Nazis started to defend oil fields in southern Russia that they started to suffer defeats and the hands of the Russians, and we all know how Fortress Europe turned out.

Speaking of blitzkrieg tactics- there are a lot of ADA pieces sitting around places like BIAP, which thanks to their lack of proper training and inability to learn, are not being used by the Iraqi Army. IS smartly demonstrates the proper use of ADA and artillery as "assault guns" just like the Nazis did.