ISIS hammers key area near Baghdad

[pallidin]

The key province of Anbar, near Iraq's capital, is in trouble amid an onslaught from ISIS forces, U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel says.

Source: http://www.cnn.com/2014/10/10/world/meast/isis-threat/index.html?hpt=hp_t1

[Space Commander Travis]

As it says here,

Iraq's Anbar appeals for help on IS

Iraqi officials in western Anbar province make an urgent appeal for military help, saying the area could fall to Islamic State militants "in days".

****** do something to help yourselves for once, you bunch of incompetent cowards. It really is just like South Vietnam after the hated imperialist aggressor pulled out.

[Space Commander Travis]

Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi has repeatedly ruled out any foreign ground troops in Iraq.

Now is this sheer stubbornness and delusion that the "Iraqi Army" can handle it themselves, or is there more to it than that? Do the Iraqi government want to fail and to give the whole country to whichever of the various bunches of extremists would come out on top after the feeding frenzy?

[docyabut2]

Isis is now attacking Baghdad , so what happens when they slaughter the hundreds of American's at a compound living there just like in Benghizi, do we then send in the troops?

[docyabut2]

As it says here,

Iraq's Anbar appeals for help on IS

Iraqi officials in western Anbar province make an urgent appeal for military help, saying the area could fall to Islamic State militants "in days".

****** do something to help yourselves for once, you bunch of incompetent cowards. It really is just like South Vietnam after the hated imperialist aggressor pulled out.

According to that map it seems Isis is trying to surround the city of Baghdad yet the Kurds are moving, taking back towns and territory," one official said, whereas the Iraqi army "starts an operation and it stops after a kilometre". So what going on the that Iraqe army doesn't want to fight?

[Occult1]

Iraqi governement makes an urgent plea for US ground troops:

http://www.telegraph...en-Baghdad.html

That's concerning, the Iraqi governement had so far in the fight against ISIL always refused to have foreign ground troups in the country but now it seems that they are loosing it near Baghdad.. I wonder how the Obama administration will react to this.

Edited October 11, 2014 by sam_comm

[Space Commander Travis]

Perhaps they're finally facing up to the reality that their army has entirely run away.

[Occult1]

Perhaps they're finally facing up to the reality that their army has entirely run away.

To be fair, the Iraqi army (helped by local millitias and volunteers) have had some success of late, retaking towns and villages they had lost to ISIL back in June. (See for exemple: http://www.skynews.c...-jihadists.html) But indeed the Iraqi federal forces is not a 'great army' by any standard. In fact, The Kurds Peshmerga had more success pushing back ISIL, and with weapons dated from WWII. (http://www.itv.com/n...ght-against-is/)

Edited October 11, 2014 by sam_comm

[pallidin]

Also, let it be noted, that ISIS has recently acquired significant weapons during their "rape" of Iraq.

ISIS weaponry NOW includes anti-aircraft guns(amount unknown) and minor surface-to-air missiles that they previously did not have(again, amount unknown), with minor meaning they are incapable of shooting-down high-altitude coalition aircraft but are a serious threat to low altitude aircraft(think helicopters or aircraft take-off/landings)

Their RPG's(which they already had) have already proven quite effective against Iraqi helicopters(2 shot-down to date)

Sorry, as you know I usually include a Source, but I don't recall. I think it was CNN.

[pallidin]

As many here on UM, and those in Iraq and Syria have exclaimed, coalition airstrikes, though helpful, is just not enough.

ISIS is growing militarily stronger and more aggressive/belligerent as each day passes.

[Lilly]

ISIS is growing militarily stronger and more aggressive/belligerent as each day passes.

Exactly, and if Baghdad falls ISIS will be in a very strategic position to pursue their agenda of conquest.

[Occult1]

As many here on UM, and those in Iraq and Syria have exclaimed, coalition airstrikes, though helpful, is just not enough.

ISIS is growing militarily stronger and more aggressive/belligerent as each day passes.

I really don't know how Obama will handle this. He has firmly ruled out any boots on the ground to fight ISIL. Should he go back on his words it won't look too good for him politically. And I am sure he doesn't want to be remember as the President who sent American ground troops to fight another Iraq war either.

That said, I wonder what the NATO Responsive Force is meant for or if it exist at all..

According to Wikipedia:

''The NATO Response Force (NRF) is a "coherent, high-readiness, joint, multinational force package" of up to 25,000 troops that is "technologically advanced, flexible, deployable, interoperable and sustainable".^[1] Its role is to act as a stand-alone military force available for rapid deployment by the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation as a collective-defense, crisis management or stabilization force, or to act as an initial entry force for a subsequent primary deployment. The NRF comprises land, air and sea components provided by NATO members. Contributed forces first train together and then become available for a 6-month period before being replaced by a new force.''

Source: http://en.wikipedia...._Response_Force

Isn't what the ISIL situation (at least in Iraq) requires?

Edited October 11, 2014 by sam_comm

[Mr.United_Nations]

I really don't know how Obama will handle this. He has firmly ruled out any boots on the ground to fight ISIL. Should he go back on his words it won't look too good for him politically. And I am sure he doesn't want to be remember as the President who sent American ground troops to fight another Iraq war either.

That said, I wonder what the NATO Responsive Force is meant for or if it exist at all..

According to Wikipedia:

''The NATO Response Force (NRF) is a "coherent, high-readiness, joint, multinational force package" of up to 25,000 troops that is "technologically advanced, flexible, deployable, interoperable and sustainable".^[1] Its role is to act as a stand-alone military force available for rapid deployment by the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation as a collective-defense, crisis management or stabilization force, or to act as an initial entry force for a subsequent primary deployment. The NRF comprises land, air and sea components provided by NATO members. Contributed forces first train together and then become available for a 6-month period before being replaced by a new force.''

Source: http://en.wikipedia...._Response_Force

Isn't what the ISIL situation (at least in Iraq) requires?

Iran would see that as an aggression and Russia

[Space Commander Travis]

Of course, one way to get round the pledge of "no boots on the ground" is to have them wear sneakers. Problem solved, and the President has once again, never lied.

meanwhile,

UK troops training Kurdish forces

A "specialist" team of 12 UK soldiers has been sent to Iraq to train Kurdish forces fighting Islamic State (IS) militants, the Ministry of Defence says.

[bee]

Of course, one way to get round the pledge of "no boots on the ground" is to have them wear sneakers. Problem solved, and the President has once again, never lied.

genius.....

.

[acidhead]

Not our collective problem. It may appear like it is our problem but it is not our problem. What is the problem is our militaries using force on another country. Let them figure it out on there own. It is not my fight and certainly not yours if you're reading this post or the else you'd be out there fighting it.

Edited October 12, 2014 by acidhead

[docyabut2]

So what happens when ISIS starts taking over Baghdad and its airport, and you know its going to happen, how does president Obama evacuate hundred's of our Americans citizens. and its to late to send in the troops. However he send troops to Iberia, like what are they suppose to do shoot the virus, and doesn't one quarantine a area or country. President Obama may go down in history as killing many American citizens instead of protecting them. We now have another person with Ebola

[Occult1]

Iran would see that as an aggression and Russia

Not in Iraq. The Prime Minister has requested help on the ground so in theory NATO could intervene to manage a crisis. I doubt this would happen but it is interesting to know that there is supposed to be a NATO Response Force for this kind of situation. Syria is more tricky and whether we like it or not, the Al-Assad's regime is still the official governement and therefore it would be preferable that he give his consent.

Edited October 12, 2014 by sam_comm

[Mr.United_Nations]

So what happens when ISIS starts taking over Baghdad and its airport, and you know its going to happen, how does president Obama evacuate hundred's of our Americans citizens. and its to late to send in the troops. However he send troops to Iberia, like what are they suppose to do shoot the virus, and doesn't one quarantine a area or country. President Obama may go down in history as killing many American citizens instead of protecting them. We now have another person with Ebola

Medics in the military are very highly trained in these situations, so give credit to the men and woman who try and actually stop this damn Ebola, instead of critizing them i'd like to see you do better. also its not Americas' problem its the worlds. We caused this

[Mr.United_Nations]

Not our collective problem. It may appear like it is our problem but it is not our problem. What is the problem is our militaries using force on another country. Let them figure it out on there own. It is not my fight and certainly not yours if you're reading this post or the else you'd be out there fighting it.

well it is your problem, the more you hide from it, the more guilty you are. And when you are you going to stop saying "its not our problem", what after 100 dead American that have been executed? You started it, you finish it

[+DieChecker]

Why does this series of events not surprise me? Airstrikes are fine for punishment and destruction of infrastructure, but it seems the ISIS guys are embedded into the local peoples and impossible to find on an individual basis.

This is the same reason I think that if the people of the US had to revolt and use our privately owned weapons, we'd do just fine.

It has always amazed me that the Iraqi Army had like 10 years of training and yet seemed to be less competent that a much smaller US force made up of Privates with 3 months of training.

[docyabut2]

The Iraqie army does wants to fight in the division of suni and ****e tribe division ,so do we just wait to see if they take over Baghdad, but to wait is to kill many American citizens living in a Iraq in a compound a block long, just like in Benghizi, so when is it best to send in the Americans troops?

[Gromdor]

I would think that any non-combatant type Americans in the Green Zone in Bagdad have had ample time to leave or have decided to stay out of their own volition.

[+DieChecker]

The Iraqie army does wants to fight in the division of suni and ****e tribe division ,so do we just wait to see if they take over Baghdad, but to wait is to kill many American citizens living in a Iraq in a compound a block long, just like in Benghizi, so when is it best to send in the Americans troops?

Why doesn't the President order all US citizens to leave the area immediately, or remain at their own risk?

Even if the airport gets taken, don't we have ships that can accept evacuees?

Any (non-diplomatic/non-military) American staying in Baghdad is pretty much asking for a Darwin Award at this point.

[Space Commander Travis]

Why doesn't the President order all US citizens to leave the area immediately, or remain at their own risk?

Even if the airport gets taken, don't we have ships that can accept evacuees?

Any (non-diplomatic/non-military) American staying in Baghdad is pretty much asking for a Darwin Award at this point.

Evacuate them by helicopter to ships offshore? That'd be the Last Days of Saigon all over again for sure. Think how much The Islamic State would love that to be all over everyone's TVs.