ISIS/ISIL conflict in Syria/Iraq (No OpEd, No Politics)
- Thread starter Jeff Head
- Start date
Re: 2014 ISIS attack in Iraq: News, Views, Photos, Videos
But please do not make statements that imply the US supported ISIS. If you make such a statement, please link to an official US source that has ever indicated any such thing. Youi will not find such a source.
As to violating Syrian soveriegnty. Yes, it does. But it is an operation attacking a deadly foe of Assads. Although the US is prepared to fly missions against Syrian air defenses, I would be shocked if Syria ever attempts to "light up" any of these coalition forces attacking his own enemeis and doing things to them that he cannot do himself.
I wouild not be surprised to learn that there is a back channel deal to that effect.
ISIS is a threat to almost any nation. Including Arab nations, and also including any western nation. If they continue to grow (and aquite frankly we allowed them to grow far too strong in the first place), they will conduct attacks against any nation or people who oppose them. This is something that should have been done a year ago. I am glad that it is being done now...and I have to say, that fact that the US got Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and others flying combat missions against ISIS is a very good thing.
I would not be surprised to see Australia and the UK join in these air attacks against ISIS in Syria.
Come on, delft. The US never supported ISIS. They did and do try to support more moderate groups in Syria, and quite frankly, to date, that has been an abject failure.
But please do not make statements that imply the US supported ISIS. If you make such a statement, please link to an official US source that has ever indicated any such thing. Youi will not find such a source.
As to violating Syrian soveriegnty. Yes, it does. But it is an operation attacking a deadly foe of Assads. Although the US is prepared to fly missions against Syrian air defenses, I would be shocked if Syria ever attempts to "light up" any of these coalition forces attacking his own enemeis and doing things to them that he cannot do himself.
I wouild not be surprised to learn that there is a back channel deal to that effect.
ISIS is a threat to almost any nation. Including Arab nations, and also including any western nation. If they continue to grow (and aquite frankly we allowed them to grow far too strong in the first place), they will conduct attacks against any nation or people who oppose them. This is something that should have been done a year ago. I am glad that it is being done now...and I have to say, that fact that the US got Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and others flying combat missions against ISIS is a very good thing.
I would not be surprised to see Australia and the UK join in these air attacks against ISIS in Syria.
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Re: 2014 ISIS attack in Iraq: News, Views, Photos, Videos
Seeing those ripple launches from both the Tico and the Burke was great. The one video from the deck of the Tico showing a launch with four other trails from missiles already launched was really nice.
Also, seeing the GW Bush launching F-18s in this just added to the decision to put a lot of chits on the table.
It's about time...past time, really. But glad we are doing it now. I have to give Obama and Kerry credit for getting the five Arab nations to openly support this operation with their own armed forces. Now, if the two of them would just STHU and allow the military to conduct the operation towards the stated goal of destroying ISIS, we would all be a lot better off.
And the F-22s flying combat is cool, although I imagine they are in an overwatch position making sure no Syrian or other potential adversary aircraft interfere.
As I said earlier, Assad would be foolish to the point of being insane to even think of interfering with this. A deadly foe of his is being hammered by this operation in a way he could never do himself. I would not be surprised to learn that a back channel deal is in effect where Assad has in essence agreed to allow this with no interference whatsoever from him or his air defenses.
OUTSTANDING video, popeye.
Seeing those ripple launches from both the Tico and the Burke was great. The one video from the deck of the Tico showing a launch with four other trails from missiles already launched was really nice.
Also, seeing the GW Bush launching F-18s in this just added to the decision to put a lot of chits on the table.
It's about time...past time, really. But glad we are doing it now. I have to give Obama and Kerry credit for getting the five Arab nations to openly support this operation with their own armed forces. Now, if the two of them would just STHU and allow the military to conduct the operation towards the stated goal of destroying ISIS, we would all be a lot better off.
And the F-22s flying combat is cool, although I imagine they are in an overwatch position making sure no Syrian or other potential adversary aircraft interfere.
As I said earlier, Assad would be foolish to the point of being insane to even think of interfering with this. A deadly foe of his is being hammered by this operation in a way he could never do himself. I would not be surprised to learn that a back channel deal is in effect where Assad has in essence agreed to allow this with no interference whatsoever from him or his air defenses.
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broadsword
Brigadier
Re: 2014 ISIS attack in Iraq: News, Views, Photos, Videos
I was right! I said in the beginning of the year that the US was going to bomb Syria and look now. But I thought that the US was going to bomb al-Assad but instead they are bombing his enemies the Islamic State. I guess you can't get everything right.
The problem now is that the current strategy of the US is not going to work. I'm afraid that the US may have gotten herself into an unwinnable war. You can ask a very simple question who on the ground is going to sack Mosul ? The capital of the Islamic State. The Badar Brigade ? The Mahdi Army ? The PKK ? The Pershmerga ? The Iraqi army ? All these actors can't do it more over they don't want to do it. The interest of these groups is not to fight in far away places in the Sunni heartland in places like Mosul but rather keep control and power over their own area's rather its in Baghdad or Basra or anywhere in between. Or in the case of the PKK and the Pershmerga Kurdistan. They will fight the IS when they come to their territory but they won't go out a far to fight them on ISIS home turf. And that is what the US really needs them to do for their strategy to succeed. The Iraqi army may want to do it but they are too poorly led and corrupt to do it. On top of that the majority of the Sunni's at the moment fear the wrath of the Shia government in Baghdad more than the ISIS. These pinprick attacks on ISIS positions from the air is not going to dislodge them from their heartland perhabs on the periphery but not in their heartland. The only way to do it is to have US ground troops in Iraq fighting along side the Iraqi army as advisors in the back. Holding their hands all the way. Because they can't do it themselves. And having US forces imbedded into the Iraqi army may also help to prevent the committing of attrocities of the Iraqi mainly Shia forces against the Sunni population in ISIS held territory. We have already heard stories that Sunni villages that were liberated by the Kurds who have then punished the local populace for collabarating with ISIS. Its stories like this that makes the Sunni population cling on to ISIS. They may not like ISIS but they fear what might happen to them if the Iraqi authorities regain control even more. Of course having US troops on the ground like that will be a major increase in commitment from what the US is doing now.
And that's just the mess of the Iraqi side of the border. On the Syrian side of the border the mess is even more convoluted. The only forces in the region that is ready and willing to fight the ISIS and that militarily can give these people a run for their money are the Syrian Army and the Hezbollah. But they too are seen as the bad guys and the US is at this point at least publicly unwilling to back one set of bad guys to fight another set of bad guys. Maybe behind the scenes they have already worked out an understanding there are indications that might be the case. There are reports that the US is sharing intelligence about the IS with the Syrian government via third parties. They are back to their old game of supporting the moderate rebels that suppose to fight both ISIS and al-Assad. But if we have learned anything in the past 3 years of war in Syria is that most of the arms provided to the moderate rebels either directly or inderectly ends up in the hands of the ISIS. So they end up with a situation were they are bombing ISIS in Iraq and now in Syria too but at the same time they are helping to arm them via the surge in aid to the moderate rebels.
In short these air attacks are not going to dislodge the ISIS from their heartland and is helping them to gain more recruits and they will get new arms thanks to the US strategy of arming the moderate rebels. America's war on the ISIS is helping them to become stronger!
I was right! I said in the beginning of the year that the US was going to bomb Syria and look now. But I thought that the US was going to bomb al-Assad but instead they are bombing his enemies the Islamic State. I guess you can't get everything right.
The problem now is that the current strategy of the US is not going to work. I'm afraid that the US may have gotten herself into an unwinnable war. You can ask a very simple question who on the ground is going to sack Mosul ? The capital of the Islamic State. The Badar Brigade ? The Mahdi Army ? The PKK ? The Pershmerga ? The Iraqi army ? All these actors can't do it more over they don't want to do it. The interest of these groups is not to fight in far away places in the Sunni heartland in places like Mosul but rather keep control and power over their own area's rather its in Baghdad or Basra or anywhere in between. Or in the case of the PKK and the Pershmerga Kurdistan. They will fight the IS when they come to their territory but they won't go out a far to fight them on ISIS home turf. And that is what the US really needs them to do for their strategy to succeed. The Iraqi army may want to do it but they are too poorly led and corrupt to do it. On top of that the majority of the Sunni's at the moment fear the wrath of the Shia government in Baghdad more than the ISIS. These pinprick attacks on ISIS positions from the air is not going to dislodge them from their heartland perhabs on the periphery but not in their heartland. The only way to do it is to have US ground troops in Iraq fighting along side the Iraqi army as advisors in the back. Holding their hands all the way. Because they can't do it themselves. And having US forces imbedded into the Iraqi army may also help to prevent the committing of attrocities of the Iraqi mainly Shia forces against the Sunni population in ISIS held territory. We have already heard stories that Sunni villages that were liberated by the Kurds who have then punished the local populace for collabarating with ISIS. Its stories like this that makes the Sunni population cling on to ISIS. They may not like ISIS but they fear what might happen to them if the Iraqi authorities regain control even more. Of course having US troops on the ground like that will be a major increase in commitment from what the US is doing now.
And that's just the mess of the Iraqi side of the border. On the Syrian side of the border the mess is even more convoluted. The only forces in the region that is ready and willing to fight the ISIS and that militarily can give these people a run for their money are the Syrian Army and the Hezbollah. But they too are seen as the bad guys and the US is at this point at least publicly unwilling to back one set of bad guys to fight another set of bad guys. Maybe behind the scenes they have already worked out an understanding there are indications that might be the case. There are reports that the US is sharing intelligence about the IS with the Syrian government via third parties. They are back to their old game of supporting the moderate rebels that suppose to fight both ISIS and al-Assad. But if we have learned anything in the past 3 years of war in Syria is that most of the arms provided to the moderate rebels either directly or inderectly ends up in the hands of the ISIS. So they end up with a situation were they are bombing ISIS in Iraq and now in Syria too but at the same time they are helping to arm them via the surge in aid to the moderate rebels.
In short these air attacks are not going to dislodge the ISIS from their heartland and is helping them to gain more recruits and they will get new arms thanks to the US strategy of arming the moderate rebels. America's war on the ISIS is helping them to become stronger!
Re: 2014 ISIS attack in Iraq: News, Views, Photos, Videos
US insist it will continue to support other terrorists and a lot of their earlier supplies ended up in the hands of ISIS. If US were serious they would end all support for the enemies of Syria and persuade Saudi Arabia and the other Gulf countries to do the same.
The campaign against Syria has already cost the lives of more than 200000 Syrians, many have been wounded, millions have been displaced, huge damage has been done to the country all to get rid of a ruler which is vastly more popular than any of the terrorist leaders.
They were earlier a part of Al Nusrah which received training by CIA in Jordan.
US insist it will continue to support other terrorists and a lot of their earlier supplies ended up in the hands of ISIS. If US were serious they would end all support for the enemies of Syria and persuade Saudi Arabia and the other Gulf countries to do the same.
The campaign against Syria has already cost the lives of more than 200000 Syrians, many have been wounded, millions have been displaced, huge damage has been done to the country all to get rid of a ruler which is vastly more popular than any of the terrorist leaders.
Re: 2014 ISIS attack in Iraq: News, Views, Photos, Videos
You know. . John McCain were pals with ISIS, visited them with well received tours of the front too.. There are news videos and pics to show. Just a few days ago, he was even on live news angrily telling Ron Paul whether he had met any ISIS, he has. Don't tell me he went there for vacation while holding official US government position.
You know. . John McCain were pals with ISIS, visited them with well received tours of the front too.. There are news videos and pics to show. Just a few days ago, he was even on live news angrily telling Ron Paul whether he had met any ISIS, he has. Don't tell me he went there for vacation while holding official US government position.
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Broccoli
Senior Member
Re: 2014 ISIS attack in Iraq: News, Views, Photos, Videos
Care to give any evidence that CIA has trained Al-Nusra? Only FSA fighters have been trained in Jordan. As recent UN report told us worst enemy of Syria is Bashar Al-Assad who has killed far more people than Islamic State or all FSA groups put together.
This campaign against Syria was started when Assad made a decision to order SAA to bomb protesters with mortars and even more so when he invited Hezbollah to fight for him.
Care to give any evidence that CIA has trained Al-Nusra? Only FSA fighters have been trained in Jordan. As recent UN report told us worst enemy of Syria is Bashar Al-Assad who has killed far more people than Islamic State or all FSA groups put together.
This campaign against Syria was started when Assad made a decision to order SAA to bomb protesters with mortars and even more so when he invited Hezbollah to fight for him.