Iraq crisis: Isis militants close in on Baghdad - live coverage

I was against the iraq war in 2003, but now that we've went there and got our hands in it, how can we sit back as the things we worked hard for are potentially lost? By not acting now to prevent further instability, we could be making a worse mistake than if we decided to send some troops in again to stem the violence and (again) help them rebuild.

WE're probably partially to blame for this latest violence, ultimately. We helped fan the fire in 2003. THAT is why we have to return.

If we go in then we need to get the job done. Right?

I don't know enough really, though. MAYBE the iraq government can regain control. Maybe all we need to do is send in some people to work with them.

To all those in this thread who served I Thank You and hope everything is Going OK for you and your Family.

The real question I have is how can 500,000 people flee there Own Homes and Cities from 6,000 Fighters?? I understand there are Guns involved but what about Protecting your own Property??

500,000 vs 6,000 with Guns still seems like a Mismatch to me. Something else is going on here.

a reply to: HardCorps

Well.....well.....well.......We needed a enemy big enough to fight a large scale war against. The economy is having serious issues and that is a sure fire fix.



This is planned and the enemy is stupid enough to fall for it hook line and sinker. We will be at war in the next year mark my words. It will start with a propaganda campaign and end with troops on the ground. We might even see false flag attacks just like the the last time.

Watch, there's going to be a MAJOR fallout between Iran & Saudi Arabia during this crisis, imo.

Iran is stating that Saudi Arabia is behind this new 'Iraq crises' (bankrolling it)

A senior security official of Iran, a Shia state, elaborated on Mr. Rouhani’s message, accusing Saudi Arabia of being behind the ISIL campaign. The Saudis, he said, are trying to take revenge in Iraq for their failure to oust President Bashar al-Assad in Syria. In an interview with the independent Al Mayadeen satellite news channel, the unnamed official said the Saudis “will feel the heat soon.”

Iran’s intervention in troubled Iraq could broaden regional conflict

Ir aq crisis: Sunni caliphate has been bankrolled by Saudi Arabia


. . . I'm not liking where this is going.

Ummm.. How much LARGER a falling out could Iran and Saudi Arabia possibly have??

Second to Israel, their militaries exist to fight EACH OTHER above anyone else. Sunni and Shia are deadly serious opposites and it really is that level of extreme to some over there. A great many, in fact.

a reply to: Wrabbit2000

Oh I'm fully aware of everything you said.

This is going to boil over. First it'll start slowly with 150 Iranian Quds, then there will be more. This will attract Sunni's like a moth to a light. War will be on.

I can see it getting to the point (down the road) where Iran will be seriously eye-balling Saudi's oil.


. . . Like I said, I'm not liking where this is going. And I hope that I'm totally wrong.

My first triple post weird connect today sorry!

originally posted by: Wrabbit2000
Ummm.. How much LARGER a falling out could Iran and Saudi Arabia possibly have??

Second to Israel, their militaries exist to fight EACH OTHER above anyone else. Sunni and Shia are deadly serious opposites and it really is that level of extreme to some over there. A great many, in fact.

I did not read all the responses but something (if not already mentioned) is a Wrabbit says. Strong religious blood feud... If I were Iran and buddies with Syria ...hummm the best defense sometimes is a strong offense..So kick the present regime out of the country and send them all to Saudi Arabia..if they are lucky enough to leave with their heads that is...

I read in one town the current crop of bad guys confiscated over 500 million in gold bullion.. That should finance some rather interesting future operations; don't yah think?

I feel sorry for the guys who went and fought there; lost friends and limbs.. They are all wondering now for what ? Viet Nam guys had to come to the same realization many years ago.. only many believed we left over 1700 POWs behind because we would not pay the North the money they wanted for the remainder of our POWs. France did and got their guys.. We didn't ....

I would imagine just selling the stuff we left behind in Iraq for the brave U.S. trained Iraqi soldiers should bring a decent figure on the open black market... Yep someone screwed the pooch on this deal if it continues the way it is headed.

By the rate the Iraq armed forces are running

originally posted by: Wrabbit2000
Ummm.. How much LARGER a falling out could Iran and Saudi Arabia possibly have??

Second to Israel, their militaries exist to fight EACH OTHER above anyone else. Sunni and Shia are deadly serious opposites and it really is that level of extreme to some over there. A great many, in fact.

I did not read all the responses but something (if not already mentioned) is a Wrabbit says. Strong religious blood feud... If I were Iran and buddies with Syria ...hummm the best defense sometimes is a strong offense..So kick the present regime out of the country and send them all to Saudi Arabia..if they are lucky enough to leave with their heads that is...

I read in one town the current crop of bad guys confiscated over 500 million in gold bullion.. That should finance some rather interesting future operations; don't yah think?

I feel sorry for the guys who went and fought there; lost friends and limbs.. They are all wondering now for what ? Viet Nam guys had to come to the same realization many years ago.. only many believed we left over 1700 POWs behind because we would not pay the North the money they wanted for the remainder of our POWs. France did and got their guys.. We didn't ....

I would imagine just selling the stuff we left behind in Iraq for the brave U.S. trained Iraqi soldiers should bring a decent figure on the open black market... Yep someone screwed the pooch on this deal if it continues the way it is headed.

By the rate the Iraq armed forces are running

originally posted by: jmdewey60
a reply to: daaskapital

To blame everything on Obama is foolish, considering the complicated circumstances surrounding these events.

For no specific reason, just general principle?
I think it is blamable, and not, obviously on Obama alone, but he is in the position to take responsibility for the actions of the administration that at least on paper he is the head of.
I am sick of responsible people being given a pass as if they have no control over what gov. agencies under them do.

Star and symbolic FLAG - so this!

Thanks for summing up so well.
MissMissie

originally posted by: HardCorps
a reply to: whyamIhere

What really pisses me off---
This makes everything we did over there---totally 'Meaningless'

Now I can point to the first of my two purple hearts and say
"I got this one, for no reason whatsoever!"

OP HardCorps, You have every right to be highly pi##ed off, but never think that your service, and that of your brothers and sisters in arms is not appreciated ...THANK YOU for keeping me and my family safe! Semper Fi.

As far as Iraq, it looks like all the borders are blown now between them, Iran and Syria. Oil will be at $130 bucks a barrel soon just in time for summer drive time.

How arrogant is it of us to think we can solve ME chaos when the a##hats on both sides of the aisle can't even get Vets a Dr.'s appt???

Don't go back over there...ever...you did your duty and more.

If we must get involved, send a drone(s), but no more of our men and women. We can not afford even one more death, amputee or case of PTSD.

JMHO,
MissMissie

Looks like they've even gained more ground now.

news.yahoo.com...

BAQUBA, Iraq (Reuters) - Sunni Islamist militants gained more ground in Iraq overnight, moving into two towns in the eastern province of Diyala, while U.S. President Barack Obama considered military strikes to halt their advance towards the capital Baghdad.

After security forces abandoned their posts, security sources said the towns of Saadiyah and Jalawla had fallen to the insurgents, along with several villages around the Himreen mountains, which have long been a hideout for militants.

Plus, it looks like the Kurds and ISIS are neutral towards eachother in Jalawla.

Kurdish peshmerga forces also deployed men to secure their political party offices in Jalawla before the insurgents arrived in the town. There were no confrontations between them.

Another update. ISIS carried out summary executions of civilians and Iraqi military personnel in Mosul today.

in.news.yahoo.com...

According to the UN, the militants carried out summary executions of civilians and Iraqi soldiers in Mosul, including 17 civilians killed in one street, the report said.

Also, if anyone remembers Camp Anaconda, it's being evacuated now.

The report further said that hundreds were being evacuated from Balad air base to Baghdad.

Wiki about Balad air base below.

en.wikipedia.org...

Joint Base Balad, formerly Balad Air Base and Logistics Support Area Anaconda, or simply LSA Anaconda - formerly known as Al-Bakr Air Base and known in popular media as Camp Anaconda - was one of the largest United States military bases in Iraq during the Iraq War. It was formerly the largest Iraqi Air Force base during the Saddam Hussein era.

As American forces left Iraq, Joint Base Balad was returned to the Iraqi Air Force in December 2011.

originally posted by: HardCorps
a reply to: whyamIhere

What really pisses me off---
This makes everything we did over there---totally 'Meaningless'

Now I can point to the first of my two purple hearts and say
"I got this one, for no reason whatsoever!"

Politicians never really respect the sacrifices and heart of the warriors. More often than not do not guard their sacrifice with anything that looks like vigilance.

Well here's a bit of news from over night

Ba'athists have taken partial control in Tikrit, and Kurdish commanders are defying Baghdad, Martin Chulov reports.


Residents of Tikrit said some insurgents were wearing the drab green military fatigues worn by Saddam's army. "There are no Isis flags in town," said one local woman. "They are playing Saddam and Ba'ath party songs."

Kurdish commanders and officials could barely hide their euphoria after being handed a reason to seize Kirkuk. … In open defiance of Baghdad, a Kurdish minister said the peshmerga felt free to travel anywhere in the country. … Peshmerga forces mocked the Iraqi army on Thursday, holding up uniforms and weapon clips that troops had discarded as they fled.

Looks like the Kurdish people are using the chaos to expand their controlled territory. Better them than letting the mooj have it, right?



reports say Ba'athists and various militia groups have joined Isis' fight against the government. Fighters loyal to his Naqshabandi Army as well as former members of Saddam Hussein's Ba'ath Party were the main militant force in Tikrit on Thursday.

Man that still irks me... some 30,000 Iraq security forces (Army) just up and Bohica to 800 Johnny Jihad's. Guess it's their turn to Embrace the suck!

RUMINT claims there's 6000 in the Isis forces. with so few of them I just don't see how they haven't rolled right over the top of these MF'ers?

but that's going to be the quote of the day right

30,000 Iraqi troops fled from just 800 insurgents after three days of sporadic fighting.

a reply to: HardCorps


Yea that's kool for the Kurds. Not going to be victims if the country falls apart.

a reply to: Logarock

That's kind of a double edged sword.
Not everyone was happy to see them.

People are worried of the Iraqi government's reaction. All the Arab community in Kirkuk support the fighters and the revolution to liberate Iraq, but we do not want to loose our conflict with the Kurds. We do not want to be part of a deal between the Kurds and Maliki. Malki would let the Kurds take Kirkuk if their support would help get rid of the fighters.

The peshmerga got there A**es handed to them and after losing all their arms and armor and had to boggy on down the road.

Those rebels so far haven't tried to approach the city (Kirkuk), knowing if they do they'll have a real fight on their hands with the Kurds--- who are no push over.

If I was there commander I'd just leave them be for now... try to secure the rest of the country first--- then come back and root them out... or at least try too... with so few men (6000 in total) you can't let your forces get bogged down and find yourself facing multiple fronts.