ISIS in Iraq and Syria
- Thread starter Suli
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The big problem here is they can't be effectively dealt with because they occupy swaths of two countries. If the US/Kurds/Iraqis were to attack them in Iraq they would simply hop across to Syria, where they occupy an area that seems unreachable to Assad's forces. The US obviously won't deal with Assad in pursuing ISIS, and the central Iraqi government don't seem to have the capacity, even with US help, to flush the ISIS fighters out of Iraqi territory. The 2nd issue is that they have acquired significant amounts of US military hardware that was given to Iraqi security forces. They apparently raided camp Speicher in Tikrit and probably other Iraqi bases and are now parading around eastern Syria with US tanks and other hardware (whether or not they have the intellect and training to use them effectively is another story).
So basically ISIS are well equipped and funded, and as such are here to stay, whether in Iraq and Syria, or just Syria, until such time as there's a united effort from both Iraqi and Syrian governments to flush them out - which given that both governments are depleted of resources and political will, isn't likely to happen soon. What would probably do the trick is a massive cross border air campaign by the US, but that's obviously not likely given the US position on Assad.
So basically ISIS are well equipped and funded, and as such are here to stay, whether in Iraq and Syria, or just Syria, until such time as there's a united effort from both Iraqi and Syrian governments to flush them out - which given that both governments are depleted of resources and political will, isn't likely to happen soon. What would probably do the trick is a massive cross border air campaign by the US, but that's obviously not likely given the US position on Assad.
What I hope happens is that once they're routed out of Iraq, Barzani and Peshmerga move their forces towards Rojava to aid the Kurds in Syria who have been fighting ISIS for two years.
If that happens, and all the other Kurdish forces also aid them as they have been doing, then ISIS will struggle in Syria also.
If that happens, and all the other Kurdish forces also aid them as they have been doing, then ISIS will struggle in Syria also.
One thing is for certain - there is no solution to ISIS without governance solutions in Damascus and Baghdad, in the absence of which there will continue to be disaffected nutters running around eastern Syria and western Iraq.
Yeah, but that video is from Afghanistan about 2 years ago, so doubt it's helping them all that much.
This is why I never go on Facebook.
Anybody know the objectives or likely outcomes of these strikes? Is this just a temporary measure to stop them in their tracks?
Prevent ISIS advancements into the KRG region, aid the Peshmerga to push them back and coordinate an attack with the Iraqi army to wipe them out.
Cheers, they sound like a real nasty bunch, sounds like a plan but what if like Raoul mentioned earlier they jump back into Syria, they seem well organised and funded...could be looking at a stalemate, which sucks.
One step at a time 
To prevent them from encroaching into Kurdistan. Although, I can easily see a situation where US jets start destroying humvees, tanks, and other hardware it gave to Iraqi forces before 2011.
Comment on a newspaper article:
JNZ, auckland, New Zealand, 56 minutes ago
It is not only Christians that are the victims of ISIS. Most of their victims are Muslim. I know, I have family living in Kurdistan (all of whom are Muslim) who are terrified for their lives. No one in Iraq believes that these individuals are Muslim. EVERYTHING they do goes against the teachings of Islam. They are just a bunch of cold blooded extremists!
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JNZ, auckland, New Zealand, 56 minutes ago
It is not only Christians that are the victims of ISIS. Most of their victims are Muslim. I know, I have family living in Kurdistan (all of whom are Muslim) who are terrified for their lives. No one in Iraq believes that these individuals are Muslim. EVERYTHING they do goes against the teachings of Islam. They are just a bunch of cold blooded extremists!
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Canada will soon provide humanitarian and logistic military support to Kurdistan - Canadian ambassador to Iraq.
That's a very good point. Although minority religions get a lot of the coverage, i'd imagine a vast majority of the victims have been Muslim. There was also a report today that the Naqshbandi Army, who helped ISIS take over parts of the north, are now fighting against them.
Gwer and Makhmur have been liberated.
I doubt the Americans knew the difference between Shia and Sunni in 1994. The reason Bush stopped the tanks 50 miles from Baghdad was standard politico-military orthodoxy. The US war aims were limited - to reverse the invasion of Kuwait and safeguard Saudi Arabia. Deposing Saddam Hussain, and thereby assuming the onerous responsibility for the future of Iraq, was not part of the plan.
According to your interpretation, the US held back from invasion in 1994 because a pro-Iran Shia government was 'likely' to emerge. Although, being overlords of the country, they could impose any regime they chose on Iraq. But, having avoided this mistake in 1994, they then invaded 9 years later, deposed the same dictator, and immediately proceeded to hold elections with the inevitable outcome of a Shia dominated pro-Iranian government. Those Americans really are stupid!
How exactly was the Iraq war profitable? It cost America a ton of money, over 4000 of its soldiers lives, and a lot of international credibility and goodwill. For what gain?
At no stage were the actions of Saddam Hussain dictated by the US. There was a brief confluence of interests in the 1980s - the enemy of my enemy is my friend. But he certainly wasn't taking orders from Washington.
American foreign policy is determined by many factors. The most important, as is the case with all countries, being national self-interest. But humanitarian motives frequently play a role. As the present intervention on behalf of the Yazidis demonstrates.
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Don't really have any opinion on the overall point but this made me lol.
" There’s a great YouTube of Dick Cheney in 1995 defending [President] Bush No. 1 [and the decision not to invade Baghdad in the first Gulf War], and he goes on for about five minutes.
He’s being interviewed, I think, by the American Enterprise Institute, and he says it would be a disaster, it would be vastly expensive, it’d be civil war, we would have no exit strategy. He goes on and on for five minutes. Dick Cheney saying it would be a bad idea. And that’s why the first Bush didn’t go into Baghdad.
Dick Cheney then goes to work for Halliburton. Makes hundreds of millions of dollars, their CEO. Next thing you know, he’s back in government and it’s a good idea to go into Iraq.”
Estimates of 200 ISIS killed in clashes today, they are on the back foot.
The UN estimated that 20,000 Yazidis were able to escape the siege and get back into Iraqi Kurdistan, with the help of the airstrikes and Peshmerga.
Norman Schwarzkopf was a big influence on the US not going into Iraq in the Gulf War.
Cheney was an excellent Secretary of Defense imo. His work as VP not so stellar.
Horrible feckers. Once the ISIS are taken care off, can you boys afflict some 'collateral damage' on them on your way home. Ta.
You're seriously the suggesting the US with all its intelligence and history in the region doesn't acknowledge the difference between Shia and Sunni then? OK. I wasn't talking about Gulf War I either, I was referring to the 1994 uprising. The Shia and Kurds were on the verge of overthrowing Saddam, Basra and other key cities were taken by Shia militias and Baghdad was about to fall. That was until the US granted Saddam control of his air space back and allowed his gunships to butcher himself back into the ascendany.
The 2003 war has decimated Iraq, and its entire military infrastructue disbanded. The new Shia government have hence been crippled from the get-go.
A few thousand lives and tax payer dollars are a small price to way for the priceless prize of regional hegemony. With Iraq crippled and Saddam overthrown, it consolidates the US's grip on power to bring Iraq in line with submissive Gulf puppet states in the region. Only Iran and Syria remain an obstacle to complete regional hegemony.
Humanitarian motives never play a role. I sense Obama is only trying to reinforce his image as the anti-Bush, otherwise the US wouldn't be freely funding jihadists in Syria as they butcher minorities left right and centre.
Hell yeah brother. They've still got the King of Clubs on the loose.
If you could do him like you did Saddam's sons, I might holster the stars and stripes for a week on my Erbil Chevy.
(Just kidding, I'll still be grateful though.)
How is Erbil ? Any word on the fighting ?
On the whole its pretty mellow, albeit with an obvious sense of tension in the air. Its usually the younger folk who are more disconcerted by events happening, the older folk don't seem to be the slightest bit rattled, though I wager thats because they've lived through the Anfal campaign, the horrors of which make this look like a cakewalk. Kurdish victories in nearby towns and the US airstrikes have created a real sense of optimism though.
On the other hand thousands have tried to flee to Sulaimanyah, though they're being turned away.
Good. Shame on every man who attempted to flee Erbil. You stay in the city and you fight if it comes to it.
Its not that easy though. We can't exactly expect our elderly, women and children to bear arms. You'd think we have enough Peshmerga to stop them breaching the walls so to speak.
Besides, they were turned away because Sulaimanyah has already been flooded with minorities seeking haven from the south, as well as Syrian refugees coming in from the West.
Look at how I said man, not a 5 year old girl.
So is this wedding you made up happening in Erbil? We only share two cousins so I assume it's the older one, the other one probably still wets the bed.
New Iraqi Prime minister going to be announced in the next 15 minutes.
I have a feeling its going to be Ja'aferi, who'll probably try to force ISIS into submission with his tedious poetic colloquialisms.
I have a feeling its going to be Ja'aferi, who'll probably try to force ISIS into submission with his tedious poetic colloquialisms.
And who looks after these women, children and elderly?
The wedding is in Sulaimanyah you gimp. Think your father's uncle - his son, who shares my name.
I won't lie, I have no idea who that is. Tell him I said congrats anyway.
My ITK sources who told me about Vidal say it will be Adel Abdel-Mehdi.
The zealous socialist who turned Islamist overnight? The ex-Baathi who's now best buds with Talibani?
No thanks.
A source of mine told me who it was going to be a few hours ago, but I forgot the name. Yeah...