Iraqi civil war.

[ThePest179]

I know you wouldn't want to, but that means nothing.

 

What needs to be done, needs to be done... Not doing it won't help.

 

Sending troops would be the "best" solution, especially if we rebuild the region and attempt to make a stable government, but nobody wants it. Be real here.

 

EDIT: http://www.the-american-interest.com/blog/2014/10/03/u-s-airstrikes-in-syria-may-actually-be-bolstering-isiss-position/

 

An analysis of how effective the current airstrikes sre.

[BTGBullseye]

I am "being real". I was from the start. Troops are needed if we don't want a major conflict that likely will spread out from the middle-east.

[ThePest179]

I am "being real". I was from the start. Troops are needed if we don't want a major conflict that likely will spread out from the middle-east.

 

Yes, but you need to acknowledge the cost and the likeliness. While it would be ideal, there's no political will to do it (most people are praying the Iraqis pull their heads out their asses and that the FSA pulls a miracle).

 

EDIT: Unconfirmed reports are coming in again of Ramadi falling. If anything happens, I'll post about it tomorrow. This could be very bad.

[BTGBullseye]

Political will makes no difference to what NEEDS to be done. I have seen the projections, and there is a 0% chance that ISIS will stop after the middle-east.

[ThePest179]

Political will makes no difference to what NEEDS to be done. I have seen the projections, and there is a 0% chance that ISIS will stop after the middle-east.

 

That's why I said it would be ideal, just not practical. There is a theme among people I talk to who interpret me laying out the cost as writing off the necessity, which id not the case.

 

http://musingsoniraq.blogspot.com.au/2014/10/iraqs-security-forces-collapse-as.html

 

Ramadi's on the brink, if not outright dead at this point.

[ThePest179]

News roundup.

 

http://www.aysor.am/en/news/2014/10/17/iraq-is/

 

http://news.yahoo.com/baghdad-shootout-points-growing-militia-threat-115144527.html

 

http://www.rferl.mobi/a/under-black-flag-islamic-state-anbar-excalation/26646953.html

 

http://uk.reuters.com/article/2014/10/21/uk-mideast-crisis-iraq-sinjar-idUKKCN0IA1YW20141021

 

http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Peace/2014/10/22/Islamic-State-Affiliated-Twitter-Claims-Ottawa-Shooter-As-Its-Own

 

http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle_east/islamic-state-militants-allegedly-used-chlorine-gas-against-iraqi-security-forces/2014/10/23/c865c943-1c93-4ac0-a7ed-033218f15cbb_story.html

 

Notice how the original rationale for bombing ISIS (the extermination of the Yazidis) is promptly getting disregarded. At least there's some good news out of Tikrit.

[ThePest179]

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-30052714

 

http://www.rferl.org/content/irqs-western-ranadi-city-under-attack/26703454.html

 

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/11/16/a-26-year-old-woman-is-isis-s-last-american-hostage.html

 

I know it's old, but the retake of Baiji is fairly big for the Iraqis. ISIS is trying their hand in Anbar again, and is running out of hostages to kill.

[ThePest179]

https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/news/middle-east/15444-isis-gets-closer-to-the-centre-of-ramadi-city-anbar-province

 

Ramadi is slowly getting taken.

 

Oh fuck.

[Vapymid]

Bowing to the inevitable...

Kerry says any Iran strikes 'positive'

 

Regards

[ThePest179]

Bowing to the inevitable...

Kerry says any Iran strikes 'positive'

 

Regards

 

This is going to play right into ISIS narratives that the Shias and Western "crusaders" are trying to kill Sunnis. *sigh*

[Vapymid]

Well, there is always the option of sending them flowers or, perhaps, air-dropping some teddy bears...

 

Regards

[BTGBullseye]

What about little pink heart-shaped St. Valentine's Day cards?

[ShakyOregon]

Or maybe those little chalk heart candy things that no one ever eats, but still end up taped to St. Valentines day cards.

[ThePest179]

http://www.politico.com/story/2014/12/isil-us-iraq-timeline-of-fighting-113679.html

 

Not very encouraging.

 

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-30539170

 

At least genocide's been partially averted.

 

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-30492064

 

http://www.english.shafaaq.com/index.php/politics/12492-first-ground-clash-between-isis-and-us-forces-in-iraq

 

Other crap.

 

EDIT: http://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2014/12/islamic_state_retake.php

 

The Iraqis are proving themselves incompetent again.

[Vapymid]

An analysis piece on ISIS from an LSE Professor:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-30681224

 

Regards

[ThePest179]

An analysis piece on ISIS from an LSE Professor:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-30681224

 

Regards

 

I think the time for "winning hearts and minds" has unfortunately passed by now. Even if ISIS was defeated now, there would almost definitely be an insurgency afterwards.

[ThePest179]

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jan/24/japan-attempts-verify-isis-hostage-beheading-video-yukawa

 

Wonder if they'll release the other hostage. Probably not.

 

EDIT: http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/foreign/25-Jan-2015/security-forces-retake-areas-from-is-militants-in-iraq-49-killed

 

Some good news out of Diyala province.

[ThePest179]

http://edition.cnn.com/2015/01/30/middleeast/isis-attack/index.html

 

ISIS is making an assualt on Kurkuk, I think things are going to go like Kobani went.

[BTGBullseye]

http://betanews.com/2015/01/31/british-armys-77th-brigade-to-wage-psychological-war-on-facebook/

 

The British are turning to propaganda to combat ISIS.

[Vapymid]

I saw an "expert" being interviewed on the BBC on this subject and eventually, after a lot of prodding by the journalist, she admitted that she has no idea how is it supposed to work and that the army is probably doing it "because they have to be seen doing it, as everybody else seems to be doing it in some way already".

 

I hope there is more to it than that, but seeing how the government has announced it so openly and proudly, I fear it is going to end up being just another PR exercise and a failed IT project...

 

Regards