ISIS/ISIL conflict in Syria/Iraq (No OpEd, No Politics)

Re: 2014 ISIS attack in Iraq: News, Views, Photos, Videos

Omg how shameful that's a US supplied Abram tank and mine resistant vehicle and a Pakistani supplied Talha APC that have been taken out

Looks to me it was a ambush look how the Iraqi army parked their armoured vehicles do they not even know how to advance a armoured column??? Seriously??? Learnt nothing from all that US training

Everytime you park your vehicles you do it in a zig zag formation staggered and facing in opposite directions outwards so hold of any incoming attack instead they are bunched together very tight total scam

This just shows no matter how advanced your equipment if you are not trained you are a big ZERO!

Re: 2014 ISIS attack in Iraq: News, Views, Photos, Videos

asif iqbal said:

Omg how shameful that's a US supplied Abram tank and mine resistant vehicle and a Pakistani supplied Talha APC that have been taken out

Looks to me it was a ambush look how the Iraqi army parked their armoured vehicles do they not even know how to advance a armoured column??? Seriously??? Learnt nothing from all that US training

Everytime you park your vehicles you do it in a zig zag formation staggered and facing in opposite directions outwards so hold of any incoming attack instead they are bunched together very tight total scam

This just shows no matter how advanced your equipment if you are not trained you are a big ZERO!

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shame shame shame.. and that M1 looks to be in pretty decent shape to be used again. You know it's $%^&*up when terrorists use captured M1s, M113 and MRAPs against ourselves in the future!

It's not just training . it's also the lack of will. Reminds me of the German/Brazil match. The US/UN forces were like Neymar and Thiago. Once they're gone the rest of the team just crumbles.
I know the horse is long dead but I wish we'd never gone into Iraq in the first place.

Re: 2014 ISIS attack in Iraq: News, Views, Photos, Videos

Looks like one Abram tank (2nd pic) is destroyed by closed in infantry with some kind of incendiary, molotov perhaps. There is no damages on the armor. Another (4th pic) is simply abandoned after it got stuck in a ditch. No doubt the crew panicked during the ambush.

If ISIS managed to recover them, they could now add Abram to their already vast arsenal.

Re: 2014 ISIS attack in Iraq: News, Views, Photos, Videos

texx1 said:

Looks like one Abram tank (2nd pic) is destroyed by closed in infantry with some kind of incendiary, molotov perhaps. There is no damages on the armor. Another (4th pic) is simply abandoned after it got stuck in a ditch. No doubt the crew panicked during the ambush.

If ISIS managed to recover them, they could now add Abram to their already vast arsenal.

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On the Up side the tanks supplied to the Iraqi's lack the full armor package. The Engines are highly sophisticated and Fuel economy is well don't ask. I don't think the Caliphate will get much use out of them unless they get help.

Re: 2014 ISIS attack in Iraq: News, Views, Photos, Videos

Question you have to ask is with all that money and training and with all the international training programmes Iraqi army was unable to hold back a few rag tag fighters called ISIS

I mean seriously, they called in 5 x Su-25 ground attack fighters from Iran while a 36 x F16 fighter deal is now on hold what are we doing equipping the army when they can't use it?

After all that has happened Iraqi army can't even control outskirts of Baghdad we could spend 10 times the amount and the result would be no different the bad habits of the army stem from the 1991 Gulf War when like idiots the Iraqi army were digging in tanks and using them as fixed artillery pieces, why buy a mobile tank when you are going to use it like a fixed artillery piece?? Other spectacular failures were when they rolled out entire tank divisions without any air cover and so the story continues this is a lost case I am afraid to say

Re: 2014 ISIS attack in Iraq: News, Views, Photos, Videos

I doubt those captured armor would be of much use for ISIS other than easy targets Iraqi Army artillery or even air strikes if they even dare to get close to Baghdad. IF you think the Iraqi troops are uncoordinated with those armors wait until ISIS tries them out. It would be use by ISIS as nothing more than either a mobile defensive bunker or just simply a troop carrier.

Re: 2014 ISIS attack in Iraq: News, Views, Photos, Videos

asif iqbal said:

Question you have to ask is with all that money and training and with all the international training programmes Iraqi army was unable to hold back a few rag tag fighters called ISIS

I mean seriously, they called in 5 x Su-25 ground attack fighters from Iran while a 36 x F16 fighter deal is now on hold what are we doing equipping the army when they can't use it?

After all that has happened Iraqi army can't even control outskirts of Baghdad we could spend 10 times the amount and the result would be no different the bad habits of the army stem from the 1991 Gulf War when like idiots the Iraqi army were digging in tanks and using them as fixed artillery pieces, why buy a mobile tank when you are going to use it like a fixed artillery piece?? Other spectacular failures were when they rolled out entire tank divisions without any air cover and so the story continues this is a lost case I am afraid to say

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The 1991 Iraqi army was abolished by Paul Bremer. The current Iraqi army was set up, organized and trained by US. The US now maintains that that army was disorganized by Maliki. "We're not guilty, gov!"

Re: 2014 ISIS attack in Iraq: News, Views, Photos, Videos

TerraN_EmpirE said:

On the Up side the tanks supplied to the Iraqi's lack the full armor package. The Engines are highly sophisticated and Fuel economy is well don't ask. I don't think the Caliphate will get much use out of them unless they get help.

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Considering the Saudis are likely sponsors of the Islamic State and also operate M1s I would actually bet that the Islamic State will operate them more proficiently than the Iraqi military after they get their fill of burning tank PR photos. The real reason behind the recent Saudi military mobilization on the Iraqi border was probably to intimidate the Iraqi military and discourage them from trying to flank the IS forces.

Re: 2014 ISIS attack in Iraq: News, Views, Photos, Videos

Broccoli said:

Iraqi army 9th division taking beating in Anbar province... armored column taken out by light infantry. Unbelievable.

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Disgusting.

Looks like they had sufficient infantry of their own in the APCs in that column to deploy and engage with their armor. IOW, they had the tools to win such an engagement.

But it also looks like...given the condition of the vehicles...that they almost certainly exited and fled at the first sign of trouble.

As I said...simply disgusting.

All the training in the world will not help people who have zero stomach for a fight.

And the fact is that Maliki did replace most command elements from the Army to the Divisional, and down to the brigade and company levels with people he and "his" commanders viewed as absolutely loyal to him and his Shia administration. That absolute loyalty was viewed as more important than capability at the time.

Is that a complete excuse? No. But it would make a HUGE difference in the ability for company sized operations and organizations to function properly with appropriate doctrine.

The right leaders can also instill a strong Esprit de Corps into those outfits.

That said...if at the first sign of trouble your people show their complete lack of commitment to your country...and to one another...the outcome is a forgone conclusion.

Re: 2014 ISIS attack in Iraq: News, Views, Photos, Videos

Once a coward, always a coward.