IS

[kramerfan86]

Who else are you going to use though? I worked very closely with the Iraqi Army when I was over there and I can tell you they care a lot more about their tribe and which sect of Islam they follow more than they care about their military duty to their nation. If they send Sunni troops in, there is a good chance they may end up either refusing to fight or, worst case scenario, defect to ISIS. No, the only locals you can trust to actually stand and fight against ISIS are the Kurds and Shia militias.

It would be better to least on a surface level roll the militias into the Iraqi army chain of command. Independent militias made up of a group that hates the group they are liberating is going to involve a lot of bloodshed.

 

[Tigranes]

The mother of the Islamic State terrorist Mohammed Emwazi, known as 'Jihadi John', has reportedly said that she recognised his voice from the first beheading video he appeared in last year.

She apparently told authorities in Kuwait, where she lives, that she knew her son's voice immediately.

 

[MacAttack]

We need more good world citizens like her. I really do hope she is not persecuted for doing the right thing.

 

[Borachio]

Apropos of nothing at all: the Kuwaiti authorities are declining to accept any responsibility for him. Since he apparently left their jurisdiction when he was 6 years old.

In an unradicalized state of mind.

 

[Wolfbeckett]

Apropos of nothing at all: the Kuwaiti authorities are declining to accept any responsibility for him. Since he apparently left their jurisdiction when he was 6 years old.

In an unradicalized state of mind.

Well, of course they are, and why shouldn't they? He's made it clear that his allegiance is to ISIS instead of a real nation, let him suffer the consequences of his choice when an unmanned drone flies up his rear end.

 

[Borachio]

I don't say they shouldn't.

I just found it interesting that they did. Putting all the responsibility for his radicalization onto the UK.

Which is fine. The UK is responsible for not having prevented it.

 

[Tigranes]

Just in:

The biggest offensive against ISIS so far happened without American help—but with plenty of assistance from Iran.
The Iraqi military launched a major campaign to take back a key city from the self-proclaimed Islamic State over the weekend—a move that caught the U.S. “by surprise,” in the words of one American government official.

The U.S.-led coalition forces that have conducted seven months of airstrikes on Iraq’s behalf did not participate in the attack, defense officials told The Daily Beast, and the American military has no plans to chip in.

Instead, embedded Iranian advisors and Iranian-backed Shiite militias are taking part in the offensive on the largely Sunni town, raising the prospect that the fight to beat back ISIS could become a sectarian war.

***

All I can say, wow. USA spent so much lives and treasure in Iraq, and not even being consulted. Iran veni, vidi, and now tries to vici. But IS is well dug in around Tikrit, Iraqi casualties reported.

What awaits the Iraqi army is most likely a long, hard slog and not a quick rout. Tikrit is a big city, and the army and its associated militias have had problems recapturing much smaller towns from ISIS.

There have been several failed attempts to recapture Tikrit since the second half of 2014. While Iraqi forces have gained some territory in the area, it has generally been under ISIS control for the last eight months or so.

The joint Iraqi forces fighting to retake Tikrit include Iraqi troops, members of the Shia al-Hashed al-Shaabi militia, members of the Sunni Sons of Salahuddin brigades, and other Sunni tribal fighters.

The offensive involves around 30,000 fighters in all.

 

[Commodore]

It would be better to least on a surface level roll the militias into the Iraqi army chain of command. Independent militias made up of a group that hates the group they are liberating is going to involve a lot of bloodshed.

That would be ideal, but unrealistic. Those militias are fiercely independent and while they are okay collaborating with the Iraqi Army, they will never allow themselves to be placed directly under their command.

 

[Wolfbeckett]

Just in:

The biggest offensive against ISIS so far happened without American help—but with plenty of assistance from Iran.
The Iraqi military launched a major campaign to take back a key city from the self-proclaimed Islamic State over the weekend—a move that caught the U.S. “by surprise,” in the words of one American government official.

The U.S.-led coalition forces that have conducted seven months of airstrikes on Iraq’s behalf did not participate in the attack, defense officials told The Daily Beast, and the American military has no plans to chip in.

Instead, embedded Iranian advisors and Iranian-backed Shiite militias are taking part in the offensive on the largely Sunni town, raising the prospect that the fight to beat back ISIS could become a sectarian war.

***

All I can say, wow. USA spent so much lives and treasure in Iraq, and not even being consulted. Iran veni, vidi, and now tries to vici. But IS is well dug in around Tikrit, Iraqi casualties reported.

What awaits the Iraqi army is most likely a long, hard slog and not a quick rout. Tikrit is a big city, and the army and its associated militias have had problems recapturing much smaller towns from ISIS.

There have been several failed attempts to recapture Tikrit since the second half of 2014. While Iraqi forces have gained some territory in the area, it has generally been under ISIS control for the last eight months or so.

The joint Iraqi forces fighting to retake Tikrit include Iraqi troops, members of the Shia al-Hashed al-Shaabi militia, members of the Sunni Sons of Salahuddin brigades, and other Sunni tribal fighters.

The offensive involves around 30,000 fighters in all.

Iran is officially a Shia country, the fact that they want to strike against a group that is slaughtering Shiites by the thousands should surprise precisely no one.

 

[Agent327]

Just in:

The biggest offensive against ISIS so far happened without American help—but with plenty of assistance from Iran.
The Iraqi military launched a major campaign to take back a key city from the self-proclaimed Islamic State over the weekend—a move that caught the U.S. “by surprise,” in the words of one American government official.

I'm sure the emergence of al Qaeda and emergence of ISIS in Iraq also caught the US "by surprise". But seeing as Iran is practically the one country that has gained from US foreign policy towards Iraq, this can hardly be surprising at all.

All I can say, wow. USA spent so much lives and treasure in Iraq, and not even being consulted. Iran veni, vidi, and now tries to vici.

The result being an Iraq that is thoroughly destabilized and threatened by terrorist and separatist movements. Yes, very surprising the US 'weren't even consulted'...

 

[MacAttack]

I think the Americans knew. It is just gamesmanship to say they didn't to save face with folks like Israel. Who are vehemently opposed to any sort of diplomatic relationship between their biggest allies and their biggest foe. Especially since the Israeli PM spoke to a joint session of the US Congress yesterday. As much as anyone would like to see the most powerful country in human history stumble and stub its toe.

 

[Borachio]

How big is Iranian involvement in the battle for Tikrit? I thought they just had a few advisors on the ground.

 

[Commodore]

How big is Iranian involvement in the battle for Tikrit? I thought they just had a few advisors on the ground.

If history is any indication, military advisors on the ground usually leads to eventual full-on troop deployments.

 

[Flying Pig]

Often, 'military advisors' are full-on troop deployments.

 

[Borachio]

Yeah maybe.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-31705600

So far, though, there's only reports of "Shia militias" being "organized" by Iranians. And General Qasem Soleimani.

 

[Tigranes]

"Iran and [the Islamic State] are competing for the crown of militant Islam. One calls itself the Islamic Republic. The other calls itself the Islamic State," Netanyahu said. "Both want to impose a militant Islamic empire first on the region and then on the entire world. They just disagree among themselves who will be the ruler of that empire."

I am not the greatest fan of Iran, but this comparison seems very outrageous to me. I can speak for Armenians, many of whom, I admit, left Iran after the Islamic Revolution, but were never kidnapped, murdered, or saw their churches burned -- in the way IS treats their Christians. Iran is Armenia's one of the most important partners in the region surrounded by hostile Turkish nations. It is important to remember that it was Iraq who attacked Iran, after revolution, not the other way around.

 

[Borachio]

I agree. Besides Iran has been going under the present regime since - when? - the 70s. In some ways, it's proved itself almost democratic.

 

[Terxpahseyton]

Often, 'military advisors' are full-on troop deployments.

I thought it is just a map with dots on it.

 

[Tigranes]

I agree. Besides Iran has been going under the present regime since - when? - the late 70s. In some ways, it's proved itself almost democratic.

I had never understood the "pervasive" preoccupation of Iran with Israel. Why would Shia and non-Arabic country catapult itself into the position of the main enemy of Jewish state? Before the Revolution Iran was actually helping Israel, and that made more sense. Sunnis are the majority in the region, Arabs are the majority in the region, so two minority players who were around in the fertile crescent long before it became dominated by Arabs could support each other, putting respective religious differences aside. But revolution was not just Islamic, it was anti-western, and in addition, Palestinians did not have strong Sunni champion to back them up in 1979. So by some twisted logic two countries who do not even share common border became archenemies.

 

[NovaKart]

I don't understand it either. I mean there are a lot of reasons why they may not like Israel but I don't understand the extreme preoccupation with it.