IRAQ NEEDS HELP (WARNING: GRAPHIC PIX)

[HairOfTheDog]

In his public speeches, President Obama refers to them as "ISIL" -- Islamic State of Iraq and Levant. They are most commonly referred to in the media as "ISIS" -- Islamic State of Iraq and Syria. Same diff.

But, they recently rebranded themselves from "ISIS/ISIL" to plain old "IS" -- Islamic State. Why restrict themselves from terrorizing citizens beyond Iraq and Syria, after all.

I support what we're doing in Iraq right now, though I don't believe it's being done with a primary focus on protecting our embassies in Iraq -- that's just PC justification and sounds less interventionist. I believe it's being done because IS has kicked major 'effin ass in a short period of time and they are well on their way to making their short-to-mid term goal of creating an Islamic Fundamentalist State which erases part of the current border between Iraq and Syria. I can't say what their long term goals encompass.

I think Obama wrongly anticipated that the Iraqi soldiers trained by US forces would put up a better fight against the "terrorist group" and, thus, adopted a wait and see policy. We waited; we see; it ain't good.

I also believe that Kurds are smart and bad-ass. But, even in the autonomous region of Kurdistan within Iraq, IS kicked ass and took names, much to the surprise of many. The Kurds actually requested US intervention and PM Maliki and the Kurds are actually joining forces (they're not friends) to combat the IS threat.

Some of IS's Sunni leaders were Saddam loyalists. When Saddam was targeted by the US, they turned to al-Qaeda. Al-Qaeda, at the time, was the strongest force of opposition to US intervention. But, then a faction split from al-Qaeda because their goals were more about creating an Islamic State and control over portions of the Middle East than about bombing a foreign/western target here or there. They've since recruited disgruntled Sunnis who were ignored/suppressed by US-back Shiite PM Maliki when he assumed Sunni Hussein's ruling position. IS is smarter, more ruthless, and broader-minded than al-Qaeda. I say none of that with respect or admiration; only because it's reality. They are now also rich after having carefully chosen oil-producing land-grabs and marketed themselves like no other terrorist/rebel/insurgent (however the 'eff you wanna label them) before them. World leaders are now waking up to what a lot of us who follow the trends and conquest maps have seen since a year or less into the massive terrorist infiltration of the Syrian freedom fight. Sometimes optimism thwarts realism until it doesn't.

Anyway, there was no genocide in Iraq previously. Shiites and Kurds and Christians may have felt some discrimination under the Hussein Sunni regime, but no life threat or forced conversion. The same is true with Syria. Now, IS is moving beyond land grabs and using its strengths gained through infiltrating other causes to pursue its ultimate goal -- all Islam, all the time, all the way.

I agree with Mags about staying outta other countries' civil wars and conflicts, for the most part. I did support the intervention in Afghanistan after ⁹⁄₁₁ and would again today (though, turns out, Pakistan mighta been more effective -- I believe that couldn't readily be ascertained at the time, in good faith). I did not support the no-evidence based invasion of Iraq (which, turns out, was blatantly lie-based).

I support US aid to the displaced in Syria and Iraq; offering humanitarian aid to people of all faiths is something that I'd not object to, as long as we have the means. I do not support military intervention in Syria unless it's to combat the IS infiltration into the "freedom fighters" quest. I support today's air strike of IS militants and weaponry because, unlike Hussein and Assad, I believe that IS is in fact genocidal.

At the same time, I think that ISIS is so much better organized and capable than most entities, that they actually present less of an immediate threat to the US and the west than al-Qaeda and the nuke-possessing governments of ME countries. However, if left unchecked, they will IMO topple any Islamic Fundamentalist resistance and present a much greater threat to the non-Islamic world than those before them, in the long run.

To answer Mags' question: are there any good strategists today? Probably. Have they stopped looking at threats in terms of governments, countries, and other traditional frameworks? IMO, not so much. That's the problem. They need to look at where the power and the threats lie in today's terms and they're behind the times when it comes to non-geographical boundaries and alliances.

All just my strong opinions based on observation and analysis (upon which I no longer make a living and welcome debate, but obviously still feel passionate about).

Yep, I think this shit is really important, but I'll give it a rest now. Promise.

[Maggot]

Another question may be is China willing to keep buying bonds to keep the economy afloat when the money we borrow is re-routed towards the war machine. They may say pay up sucka but that would disrupt them just as bad.
Maybe a trade off might happen politically or physically, they may make more Chinese towns like in upstate N.Y.
But guaranteed the money will have to come from someplace. A flat tax would be advisable. Even if corporations would hate it, it would bring things back into alignment.
I think ISIS should be exterminated before they get the bodies to cower behind.
And the Iraqis need to love their country again and not run when someone shoves a gun up their ass.

[Duchess]

Yep, I think this shit is really important, but I'll give it a rest now. Promise.

Don't be hasty. I like reading your posts. You present the facts & a point of view better than those who are paid to do so. I'd rather read you than them.

[blueberryhill]

Hair, I was thinking the same thing as Duchess. I like the way you explain these conflicts and your posts are easy to read and understand and IMO, better than CNN, etc....news reporting. I know on Facebook, the usual haters are saying Obama is the warmonger (huh?), etc. I shouldn't read Facebook and some of the posters make my blood boil....While it is true, we have immigration issues, old bridges needing repair, highways which need fixing, hungry children, etc., we belong to the U.N. and they have asked for help, and we have a obligation to assist in humanitarian affairs. The pictures which were posted of the mass shootings reminds me of some of behaviors of the drug cartels in Mexico...O.K. ISIS is now IS, but where are the Al Qaeda terrorists and do they make up part of the new IS? I probably missed this in some of the above posts..

[Duchess]

BOOM - ready for action on the flight deck of the George H. W. Bush aircraft carrier in the Persian Gulf

[HairOfTheDog]

O.K. ISIS is now IS, but where are the Al Qaeda terrorists and do they make up part of the new IS? I probably missed this in some of the above posts..

Hi blueberry.

Al-qaeda, IMO, was more focused on attacking western ideology than it was on strengthening Islamic ideology. They climaxed at ⁹⁄₁₁ and set the foundation for the next generations of Islamic fundamentalist. I think that the US and its western allies did some good in weakening al-Qaeda.

And now, 13 years later...........IS, ISIS, ISIL (all the same peeps) is essentially a branch-off of al-Qaeda with more broad-based and sophisticated goals and strategies. They've studied the wins/losses of al-Qaeda and used their ruthlessness, savvy, and strategic analysis capabilities to accumulate the wealth and recruits necessary to establish power in the Middle East.

This is my opinion only. Mo and others have a lot to offer to the discussion based on first-hand experience and second-hand research. But, the way I see it, IS is much stronger than al-Qaeda. Not because they're in competition with al-Qaeda; they're not. But because IS is the evolution of al-Qaeda. IS, using accumulated wealth and today's technology, has caught traditional international strategists off-guard with their organizational skills. This ain't last decade's profile of a "terrorist" group. The national security forces from all countries need to regroup and recalibrate.

As for you and I and so many concerned citizens from countries across the globe: there's so much more transparency than before due to global and social media. If any citizen of any age residing in any country across the globe gives enough of a shit to look at readily-accessible news accounts from all sides, they're gonna be way more informed than were the concerned citizens from 13 or more years ago.

IMO, IS members have spent a lot of time not only exploiting the civil war in Syria and the (perceived) religious discrimination in post-Hussein Iraq, but also in assessing the attitudes and trends of western governments and civilian populations over the last several years. I think that they think that the time is right now for them to push most aggressively forward in forcing Sharia law in Iraq and Syria, with the least threat of western retaliation. We in the US and Europe are war-weary and we've got enough domestic bullshit with which to contend. I think they're right (but wish they weren't). They're not ignorant, IMO. Are we? Remains to be seen.

[blueberryhill]

Hair,
Thanks for your information and your opinion which I also value....Those pictures were so disturbing and if I had sons/grandsons who were of military age, I would say no way, let them deal with their own problems and just keep killing each other for God's sake. Didn't you guys learn anything when the U.S. was teaching you how to fight, and now you lay down your guns, but I can't do that.....I say we do what we have to do to stop these terrorists. Will it really end when they get their way in Syria, Iraq? I have friends in Turkey and they have had some unrest over the past year as Minister tends to lean toward making Turkey more Muslim. There have been riots, protests, a few deaths, etc. His name starts with an E but dang if I can remember how to spell it. Now the Deputy Minister is saying women shouldn't laugh too loudly and he is chastising a TV professional woman for being too loud; says she needs to tone it down....I fear that this is going to spill over into Turkey. In any case, my Turkish friends are not happy, but I gotta say they know how to live. They enjoy good food and wine and other assorted spirits...but their Gov't is preaching that people need to party and drink less....They do have a large Muslim population, but I think Gov't wants to increase the number and it looks like the same guy (starts with E) is going to win reelection so I predict some kind of rebellion if they put religion to the test.

[Duchess]

ISIS has a message for the United States -

[HairOfTheDog]

I fear that this is going to spill over into Turkey. In any case, my Turkish friends are not happy, but I gotta say they know how to live. They enjoy good food and wine and other assorted spirits...but their Gov't is preaching that people need to party and drink less....They do have a large Muslim population, but I think Gov't wants to increase the number and it looks like the same guy (starts with E) is going to win reelection so I predict some kind of rebellion if they put religion to the test.

The Turks do seem to know how to live, blueberry. I dated a Turkish guy years and years ago when we both lived in Japan. He was a lot of fun and smart; he taught me some about the country and culture. I'd love to visit the country, especially Istanbul, some day. It's disappointing to hear your friends' account that PM Erdogan is looking to apply more repressive policies on women; I hope he steps back on that if it's true.

Turkey's really had its hands full over the last few years with internal economic slumps, Syrian refugees, and allegations against Erdogan in relation to his ambitious, but sometimes unsuccessful, national transportation projects. The Turks are voting today in their first ever direct election and, barring a huge upset, Erdogan is expected to retain leadership of the country.

I read sometime earlier this year that his goal is to position Turkey as a more powerful Muslim democracy and that he wants to restore the country to Ottoman era glory. I hope he's not like (my perception of) Putin; so hungry for old glory that he leads his modern country into undue hardship.

Anyway, Turkey's a long-time ally of the US. It's my opinion that the Turkish leadership would have quick US support if outside forces tried to invade it --like Jordan and Kuwait did.

Came across this map a couple of years back and saved it in my files. I don't have the source, unfortunately, but it's still quite accurate IMO (though I'd color Ukraine as a "new partner"). I love maps and charts and other images that can sum a lot up in one view.

[HairOfTheDog]

HUMANITARIAN AND MILITARY ACTION IN IRAQ -- UPDATE

HUMANITARIAN AID
On Saturday, three U.S. cargo planes, accompanied by U.S. fighter jets, airdropped 3,804 gallons of fresh drinking water and 16,128 ready-to-eat meals to Yazidis stranded in the mountains, the military said.

Britain and France have also begun humanitarian airdrops.

The Iraqi Air Force is having trouble saving the estimated 40,000 Yazidis that IS has driven from their homes into the mountaintops. Iraqi security forces have been able to airlift about 100 to 150 people a day off of Sinjar Mountain, said Marizio Babille of UNICEF, the U.N.'s children agency. And time is running out for many who cannot reach the airdropped supplies.

Dozens, including 60 children, have died on the mountain, where the Yazidis are battling extreme temperatures, hunger and thirst.

The group comprises ethnic Kurds who practice a religion that draws from Zoroastrianism, Christianity and Judaism. ISIS considers all who do not practice its strict interpretation of Sunni Islam heretics and executes them. IS has placed the heads of its victims on spikes in cities it has captured and posted videos of savage executions online.

On Sunday, Pope Francis said he is sending an envoy to Irbil. The envoy will leave Rome on Monday, the Pope said.

UNICEF wants to see international actors help open a humanitarian corridor over land -- a safe escape route -- to evacuate the besieged people.

PROTECTING AMERICAN INTERESTS ABROAD AND AT HOME
President Obama has clarified that the US air strikes against IS fighters and installations in Iraq will be a "long term project". But he reiterated his vow that no U.S. combat troops will join the fight.

Last week, President Barack Obama authorized targeted attacks not only to protect Iraqi minorities from ISIS' murderous rampage, but also Americans stationed in the Kurdish regional capital of Irbil.

Hundreds of U.S. military personnel are in Iraq, including advisers sent in recently to coordinate local military officials fighting ISIS. Many of them and U.S. consular staff are based in Irbil.

Striking ISIS also defends the United States' interests at home, the President said Saturday. Terrorists massing in Syria and Iraq could lash out at Western targets, he said.

"There's going to be a counterterrorism element that we are already preparing for and have been working diligently on for a long time now," Obama said.

OBAMA'S CRITICS' CONCERNS
Some Republicans support Obama's actions, but are criticizing him for waiting too long to act (Boehner). Others are criticizing him for not having a clear strategy and fear that mission-creep is a risk.

Ref: http://edition.cnn.com/2014/08/10/world/...?hpt=hp_t1

[Duchess]

I read about Andrew White, he's called the Vicar of Baghad. He has a Christian church there but had to leave because of threats on his life. He recently returned there on a secret visit and found his large, mostly Christian town 90% empty, they had all run from ISIS. He found some that he knew in a neighboring town including his church caretaker who told him that ISIS had chopped his 5 yr. old son in half.

[HairOfTheDog]

WARNING -- GRAPHIC PHOTOS

He found some that he knew in a neighboring town including his church caretaker who told him that ISIS had chopped his 5 yr. old son in half.

I have no problem believing that to be true after having seen what IS(IS) does to surrendered Syrians. It's not conventional warfare.

I hesitated to post these gruesome photos, but I think it's important to see exactly what the hell and who the hell we (the global population) are dealing with when it comes to IS. I'll remove them if you want, Duchess, and just post the links instead.

Anyway, this is the reality of what's happening -- and not the worst of it even.

Two IS(IS) Jihadists who've given the world a view of IS pictorially, by bragging and posting snapshots of slain Syrians, are Australians.


Australians Khaled Sharrouf and Mohamed Elomar -- IS Jihadists (now banned from Australia under threat of arrest for terrorism and possible war crimes).
The Australian government considers Australians who've joined IS in Syria and Iraq to be one of Australia's biggest threats when/if they return home. I don't blame them. Sharrouf just tweeted a photo of his 7 year-old son holding up the head of a Syrian, with the caption, "that's my boy". Whatta guy.


The heads of slain Syrians are photographed for bragging rights and distribution.


IS Jihadists then routinely impale the heads of the slain Syrians and Iraqis in public places to intimidate those who would resist.

IS ain't 'effin around. You're with us or against us. If you're against us, you're dead. That's how they operate and they're gaining land, riches and power at lightning speed. Very concerning.

Refs:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-...lider.html
http://www.catholic.org/news/internation...p?id=56303

[Duchess]

I think it's important to see exactly what the hell and who the hell we (the global population) are dealing with when it comes to IS. I'll remove them if you want, Duchess and just post the links instead.

I share your opinion in that it's important to see who we are dealing with. Those men don't deserve the air they breathe.

When I was reading about Andrew White I also saw a story about an aussie who is in ISIS. He has his little boys with him, little as in about 8 yrs. old I guess. I saw a picture of them holding the heads of men their father killed.

[Duchess]

This is one of the kids I was referring to. He's 7. I didn't censor the picture, I found it that way.

[blueberryhill]

This terrorist organization needs to be stopped as no one will be safe with this going on. It looks like some of the pictures of what the drug cartels do to their victims.
Re Turkey, my friends were involved in some actual protests last year involving tearing down a park in Istanbul, and the Government wanting to build housing. They sent (via Facebook) pictures of police using pepper spray,, and manhandling the protesters. Few of the pictures reached the US news media, and, in fact, there were limits on Facebook (closing down internet for a period), and censorship on news media. The Gov't was preaching that people must quit drinking so much and live a more pure life, and lately, the Deputy Minister has chastised women for laughing too loud in public, and a professional news media woman for not acting lady-like and further, said her behavior was shameful. To them Erdogan is attempting to be more of a Muslim nation. They preach that women need to know their place, drinking/partying needs to stop, etc...I just read PM Erdogan just won reelection...This does not bode well for my friends and their friends. They have invited me to Istanbul, but I don't travel overseas because of my oxygen 24/7. If there are protests, riots, etc., I know my friends will be right there. I think this country is out to oppress women like most good Muslims.
Thanks for the map, Hair...easy reference.

[HairOfTheDog]

When I was reading about Andrew White I also saw a story about an aussie who is in ISIS. He has his little boys with him, little as in about 8 yrs. old I guess. I saw a picture of them holding the heads of men their father killed.

Yeah, the Australian jihadist who posted that tweet of his son holding up a Syrian head last week is Khaled Sharrouf. He's the one in the top picture, left, in post 132. He's reportedly in Iraq now with his wife and kids.

His jihadist friend and fellow Australian Mohamed Elomar was a boxer before he decided to go slaughter people and tweet pictures of himself holding up their heads.

These are the types of foreign jihadists that western governments are trying to keep track of; there's a lot of concern that they'll return to their home countries with plans to carry out IS-backed attacks.

[Mohammed]

Bless our technology!

I believe just like Pedophiles, they are a disgrace to the human race and should be eradicated, but like them there will always be new ones, but also like them, I believe they are in the minority and good will eventually triumph over evil. And that is due to our wonderful social media. Unlike before, when people actually didn't see these things, it was like a bomb that nobody knew about. It explodes, kills those around you, you walk to the next place and village, same action. However, today there is an explosion and the place of explosion looks horrid, but nowadays the next village will know about the explosion and prepare accordingly.

For that's what is happening.

Once the pictures of the soldiers being beheaded here in Yemen came onto the net, the whole country went "Wtf?!" Or at least 90%. Which is large enough.

Let them do what they do, because to most of humanity, including muslims they are trying to bring to their side, they look like the filthy animals they really are. If the Rwandan genocide had facebook that time, things might have looked a bit different really. Bless Zuckerberg, Gates and the Google boys!

[HairOfTheDog]

Once the pictures of the soldiers being beheaded here in Yemen came onto the net, the whole country went "Wtf?!" Or at least 90%. Which is large enough.

Let them do what they do, because to most of humanity, including muslims they are trying to bring to their side, they look like the filthy animals they really are.

Then there's that minority of angry, disgruntled, or savage humans that will find it attractive and jump on board; Middle Easterners and foreigners alike. But, I think you're right that when people in any region see such images and grasp what filthy animals IS really are, the vast majority will condemn them and turn their backs on IS.

[HairOfTheDog]

New Government Taking Shape; Kurds Fight Back Against IS; Arab League Condemns IS

NEW IRAQI PRIME MINISTER APPOINTED
So...........finally, after months of pressure from all sides, Iraqi PM Maliki is was pushed out of office and Iraqi President Fuad Masum (a Kurd) nominated Haider al-Abadi to succeed him. Some Maliki supporters are protesting and Maliki has vowed to sue the president for taking an unconstitutional action in ousting him.


^Iraqi President, Masum..............................................^New Iraqi Prime Minister, al-Abadi.

Hopefully, Masum and Abadi can quickly make good faith assurances that the new government will reverse Maliki policies that favor Shiites and discriminate against the Sunnis, Kurds, and other ethnic and religious minorities (without pissing off the Shiites too much). Maybe that'll encourage moderate but angry Sunnis to resist IS.

KURDS FIGHT BACK
Good news -- the US airstrikes against IS over the weekend are said to have greatly aided Kurds near Irbil. The Kurds are claiming to have regained two territories that IS conquered last week. Now, the leader of Kurdistan is asking for the US to continue providing support in the form of weapons to aid the IS resistance. He says he's not asking the US to send its people over to risk US lives for theirs, but only for non-troop support. (Btw, I agree with you about the Kurds, Mo -- they seem to be well-organized, diplomatic, business savvy, and strong overall -- from what I've read.)

ARAB LEAGUE CONDEMNS IS
With increased public exposure to IS's methods, they are being more widely condemned across the board. Arab League chief Nabil al-Arabi denounced on Monday "crimes against humanity" committed by jihadists in Iraq against the minority Yazidi sect, demanding the perpetrators be brought to justice.

Arabi "strongly denounced the crimes, killings, dispossession carried out by the terrorist (IS) against civilians and minorities in Iraq that have affected Christians in Mosul and Yazidis," he said in a statement.

"These terrorist crimes amount to crimes against humanity that cannot be overlooked. The perpetrators must be held accountable and brought to international justice," the Arab League statement said.

[Duchess]

They have no heart, no soul, whatever it is that makes us human they don't have.