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

kwaigonegin

kwaigonegin

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

Equation said:
Well, to be fair, who would've predict that ISIS would have grown this large and this sophisticated so fast back than?
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McCain was fooled into thinking Assad was the enemy when a more odious one laid lurking in the shadows. Assad while a monster himself at least kept the Islamists in check. When he was weaken and Syria became chaotic ISIS gained strength. Prior to the Syrian crisis the IS we know today was just a bunch or rag tag militants wanting to branch out from AQ. Now every hardcore crazies from all 4 corners of the world are flocking there to join IS.

I hate to say this but when it comes to fighting these folks, Russia actually knows a thing or two. They knew it back in the 80's and they know it today..... And I really really hate to say this but Putin actually warned the West about the potential resurgence of a new and far worst evil emerging from the Syrian conflict with a weaken Assad. He was right.
 
solarz

solarz

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

kwaigonegin said:
McCain was fooled into thinking Assad was the enemy when a more odious one laid lurking in the shadows. Assad while a monster himself at least kept the Islamists in check. When he was weaken and Syria became chaotic ISIS gained strength. Prior to the Syrian crisis the IS we know today was just a bunch or rag tag militants wanting to branch out from AQ. Now every hardcore crazies from all 4 corners of the world are flocking there to join IS.

I hate to say this but when it comes to fighting these folks, Russia actually knows a thing or two. They knew it back in the 80's and they know it today..... And I really really hate to say this but Putin actually warned the West about the potential resurgence of a new and far worst evil emerging from the Syrian conflict with a weaken Assad. He was right.
Click to expand...

Remember a few years back, how everyone was saying the American surge in Iraq was working? Well, that was ISIS lying low and building its strength. ISIS isn't stupid, they knew the Americans were going to pull out soon, surge or no surge.
 
asif iqbal

asif iqbal

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

Do you know what Assad is no saint but he was minding his own business he wasn't threatening anyone

I visited Syria for a holiday back in 2004 we had tourists from all over the world and we were very welcome and very friendly people secure and no violence

I could walk around in Damascus at mid night and not feel insecure very nice country great food

So Assad must have been doing something right why everyone supported the uprising and the fanatics against Assad is beyond me
 
Jeff Head

Jeff Head

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

solarz said:
Remember a few years back, how everyone was saying the American surge in Iraq was working? Well, that was ISIS lying low and building its strength. ISIS isn't stupid, they knew the Americans were going to pull out soon, surge or no surge.
Click to expand...
This is just not so.

The surge worked unbelievably well. And the reaosn that it did, was because it fought the insurgency properly because it had, as a big part of its plan and strategy, to recruit the various Iraqi tribes, particularly Sunnis, to join in and fight against Al Queda. It did that by meeting with themn, respecting them, having special forces teams not only fight beside them and train them, but bring in the assistance their people needed. in essence, show them that we were there to help them.

THAT is what worked, and with the extra US troop strength and the terrorists denied a base from which to operate within the people...and in fact with those people also actively fighting against them...they were absolutely and completely defeated and had to quit the country.

The remainder did go to Syria and lie low. At the time, for them, it was either do that or die.

But the Iraqi government did not exploit the opportunity to forge a lasting relationship with the Sunnis once the US left.

Huge mistake. shortsighted and reverting back to sectarianism.

It gave Al Qeuda Iraq, now ISIS, the chance come back into the country now several years later with a base of people who were not united against them. As a result, in the west, towns began to fall under their influence and then control, and ultimately they took Fullujah...which put a lot of people on notice that things had changed again.

The US leadership, tried to pass it off as the "Jr. Varisty," and ignore it, even though at the time they had myriad intelligence reports saying that a significant danger was growing. But they did not want to hear it. it did not fit their narrative. Another huge mistake.

We all know how it went from there, with ultimately Mosul and most of the north of Iraq falling under their control, in addition to their gains in Syria.

But the idea that Al Queda Iraq made some kind of brilliant decision to withdraw and build strength in Syria and were not completely routed by the surge and its strategies is just not true.

What all of that shows is two things:

1)Iraqis can in fact be brought together, and work together to defeat a common foe under the right leadership exercising the right principles.

2) You do not let up on absolutely radical, hate born terror groups. You go after them, killing their leadership wherever they arise, and by continuing the types of principles that allow people to not be radicalized by them...and that comes by doing exactly what Petraus put in place with the surge in Iraq. Using the trained, special forces groups, who were fully supported by the larger normal forces, who go in and work with, help, train, fight with, and better the envrionment of the tribes so they have a clear reason to resist.
 
P

PanAsian

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

asif iqbal said:
Do you know what Assad is no saint but he was minding his own business he wasn't threatening anyone

I visited Syria for a holiday back in 2004 we had tourists from all over the world and we were very welcome and very friendly people secure and no violence

I could walk around in Damascus at mid night and not feel insecure very nice country great food

So Assad must have been doing something right why everyone supported the uprising and the fanatics against Assad is beyond me
Click to expand...

It is unfortunate for Syria and its people but it might be a fortunate reminder to everyone else that there are a lot worse options than even a mediocre authoritarian government.

On the other hand there have been seismic changes in the global economy in the past twenty-something years since the end of the Cold War, this has made life better for many people but also left many others by the wayside with the economic as well as corresponding social and political changes.
 
D

delft

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

Jeff Head said:
This is just not so.

The surge worked unbelievably well. And the reaosn that it did, was because it fought the insurgency properly because it had, as a big part of its plan and strategy, to recruit the various Iraqi tribes, particularly Sunnis, to join in and fight against Al Queda. It did that by meeting with themn, respecting them, having special forces teams not only fight beside them and train them, but bring in the assistance their people needed. in essence, show them that we were there to help them.

THAT is what worked, and with the extra US troop strength and the terrorists denied a base from which to operate within the people...and in fact with those people also actively fighting against them...they were absolutely and completely defeated and had to quit the country.

The remainder did go to Syria and lie low. At the time, for them, it was either do that or die.

But the Iraqi government did not exploit the opportunity to forge a lasting relationship with the Sunnis once the US left.

Huge mistake. shortsighted and reverting back to sectarianism.

It gave Al Qeuda Iraq, now ISIS, the chance come back into the country now several years later with a base of people who were not united against them. As a result, in the west, towns began to fall under their influence and then control, and ultimately they took Fullujah...which put a lot of people on notice that things had changed again.

The US leadership, tried to pass it off as the "Jr. Varisty," and ignore it, even though at the time they had myriad intelligence reports saying that a significant danger was growing. But they did not want to hear it. it did not fit their narrative. Another huge mistake.

We all know how it went from there, with ultimately Mosul and most of the north of Iraq falling under their control, in addition to their gains in Syria.

But the idea that Al Queda Iraq made some kind of brilliant decision to withdraw and build strength in Syria and were not completely routed by the surge and its strategies is just not true.

What all of that shows is two things:

1)Iraqis can in fact be brought together, and work together to defeat a common foe under the right leadership exercising the right principles.

2) You do not let up on absolutely radical, hate born terror groups. You go after them, killing their leadership wherever they arise, and by continuing the types of principles that allow people to not be radicalized by them...and that comes by doing exactly what Petraus put in place with the surge in Iraq. Using the trained, special forces groups, who were fully supported by the larger normal forces, who go in and work with, help, train, fight with, and better the envrionment of the tribes so they have a clear reason to resist.
Click to expand...
When something is unbelievable it is probably not true. Sectarianism didn't come back. It was the basis of US rule in Iraq. The weapons provided to the Sunni tribes for the surge were part of the sectarianism. Any of the weapons leaking to Syria will have been seen by US as an advantage. Well now they are back.
It is dangerous to believe your own propaganda.
 
Jura The idiot

Jura The idiot

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

I thought I wouldn't post to this thread (because I don't know the ISIS problem at all), but now I noticed a graphic, anti-ISIL video (which I did NOT watch! just saw WARNING GRAPHIC CONTENT) had been recently released by the U. S. Department of State (can be accessed from this article:
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it's the third video from the top in there)
and I wonder what SDF members think about it (in general, not just in relation to ISIS)
 
P

PanAsian

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

solarz said:
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Interestingly, the man looks Han and not Uighur.
Click to expand...

Regardless of whether he's Han or Uighur this is additional proof on top of the actual terrorist attacks in China that there is a terrorism threat with links to foreign terrorist groups against China.
 
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