USA about to deliver some FREEDOM to northern Iraq

[Sentry]

http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/barack-obama-authorizes-u-s-airstrikes-in-iraq-against-isis-1.2729911


"America is coming to help," Obama said during a news conference in the White House dining room.

He also said the U.S. military had already carried out airdrops of humanitarian aid in the area.

Speaking after meetings with his national security team, Obama — in his most significant response to the Iraq crisis — U.S. air power could also be used to protect American personnel if the militants advance toward the Kurdish capital Arbil, where they are based.

The airstrikes would be the first carried out by the U.S. military in Iraq since the withdrawal of its forces at the end of 2011, but Obama insisted he would not commit any ground forces and had no intention of letting the United States get dragged back into a war there.

[revelations]

An originally American caused issue - now Americans offer some minor assistance. :dunno:

[Sentry]

Minor assistance may cause yet more people to rally with ISIS and make a bad situation worse.

Plus they'll be relying on Iraqi intel for these strikes since they don't want to commit ground troops. They will be told they're dropping bombs on ISIS but who knows what's actually going to be targeted.

[davidI]

Interesting how they're only becoming interested now that Kurdistan is threatened.

Given that ISIS is so strong because it now has obtained loads of military vehicles and weaponry provided by the US, I do think they have some responsibility to respond to the ISIS advance.

[blueToy]

Some may have forgotten that a US General was killed there last week. I'm betting they have been already providing freedom, and tons of it too.

[davidI]

Originally posted by blueToy
Some may have forgotten that a US General was killed there last week. I'm betting they have been already providing freedom, and tons of it too.

Afghanistan is not Iraq.

[n1zm0]

Originally posted by blueToy
Some may have forgotten that a US General was killed there last week. I'm betting they have been already providing freedom, and tons of it too.

:facepalm: as david said, wrong region


Originally posted by davidI
Interesting how they're only becoming interested now that Kurdistan is threatened.

Given that ISIS is so strong because it now has obtained loads of military vehicles and weaponry provided by the US, I do think they have some responsibility to respond to the ISIS advance.

Not just because Kurdistan is being threatened/invaded imo, if you heard the particulars of his speech it was initially in response to the possibility of protecting US soldiers/civilians who are currently in Erbil as well as supporting the Peshmerga that are the only ones left to defend it, just an hour and a half or so drive away from Mosul.



U.S. military aircraft conducted an air strike on Friday against Islamic State artillery used against Kurdish forces defending the city of Erbil, near U.S. personnel, a Pentagon spokesman said.

Two F/A-18 aircraft dropped 500-pound laser-guided bombs on a mobile artillery piece near Erbil, the Kurdish regional capital, Pentagon press secretary Rear Admiral John Kirby said in a statement. He said the Islamic rebels had been using the artillery to shell Kurdish forces defending Erbil, where U.S. personnel are located. “The decision to strike was made by the U.S. Central Command commander under authorization granted him by the commander in chief,” he said.

U.S. President Barack Obama said Thursday that he had authorized limited bombing to prevent “genocide” and blunt the onslaught of Sunni radicals who have captured swaths of northern Iraq and advanced to a half-hour drive from Erbil. It was the first time since the Islamic State – an offshoot of al-Qaeda formerly known as the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant – began a lightning offensive in June that the United States has opted for military action.

On Friday, United States began to drop relief supplies to beleaguered refugees of the Yazidi ethno-religious minority fleeing Islamist militants in Iraq.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/iraq/article19967386/



The air drop of humanitarian supplies was specifically to protect thousands of those Yazidi people who left their town with zero supplies and are trapped on a mountain (http://www.thestar.com/news/world/2014/08/08/who_are_the_yazidis_and_why_are_they_being_persecuted_in_iraq.html), I guess they're a people who encompass many beliefs from all sorts of religions in the area and are labelled by 'devil worshippers' by some, I can see why there is fear of genocide from ISIS if they get ahold of any Yazidis.




As American war planes begin to launch air strikes against Islamic State fighters in northern Iraq, a little-known religious minority group has suddenly gained international attention.


The Yazidis community is an ancient, but relatively small religious group that fled the spiritually important town of Sinjar, west of Mosul, over the weekend as Islamic State fighters attacked the town.

As Sinjar fell, tens of thousands of Yazidis fled to Mount Sinjar on foot without water, food or shelter, fearing they would be slaughtered by Islamic State fighters which have killed and prosecuted other religious minorities in Iraq, including Christians.


It is estimated there are nearly 500,000 Yazidis world wide, the majority of whom live in northern Iraq’s Nineveh plains and practice Yazidism. The origins and ethnicity of Yazidism are subject to debate, but the religion incorporates elements of many faiths, including Zoroastrianism, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, among others.


Because of their “unorthodox” religious beliefs Yazidism is often misunderstood and viewed as a religion that worships the devil.


With the creation of the modern nation-state Yazidis ethnicity has traditionally been viewed as Arab although the KRG which rules over Iraqi Kurdistan claims Yazidis are Kurds.


During Saddam Hussein’s regime he regarded the Yazidis as Arabs which allowed them to avoid the fate of the over 100,000 Kurds who were murdered by the Baathist regime.


With the fall of Saddam after the American invasion, their identity was once again thrown into question and used for political advantage between Baghdad and the KRG in Kurdistan, which is fighting to establish its own independent state craved out of Iraq, Syria, Turkey and Iran.


Linguistically, however, there is a clear link between Kurds and Yazidis, as they both speak Kurmanji, a dialect of the Kurdish language spoken in the northern areas of Kurdistan.


Until this week the community has avoided persecution from IS fighters because Sinjar and the surrounding area had been under Kurdish control until the recent offensive forced Kurdish forces to withdraw.
http://www.thestar.com/news/world/2014/08/08/who_are_the_yazidis_and_why_are_they_being_persecuted_in_iraq.html

[Feruk]

Seems to me the USA is backing the wrong horse... ISIS is gonna win. Since both ISIS and the Iraqi government seem like a similar breed of scum that have a slightly different belief system, why not back the winners for once if America must go sticking it's nose where it doesn't belong again.

[davidI]

Originally posted by n1zm0

Not just because Kurdistan is being threatened/invaded imo, if you heard the particulars of his speech it was initially in response to the possibility of protecting US soldiers/civilians who are currently in Erbil as well as supporting the Peshmerga that are the only ones left to defend it, just an hour and a half or so drive away from Mosul.


Just because that's what Obama said doesn't mean that's the reason.

From years of experience in Yemen and through talking with several friends who work in Erbil most non-essential staff were pulled out last month. Several weeks ago I heard from a British security guy working for an American oil company and he voiced skepticism in the Pashmerga's ability to protect the area and confirmed most Western expats were already gone.

My buddy working for Taqa has been working remotely for at least 5 weeks.

I'm sure there are still some embassy staff, military and security contractors, and possibly key support staff (IT, field operations) but the US would quickly pull them out if needed, not offer air support! Just look at their embassy evac in Libya...

[DeleriousZ]

http://www.quickmeme.com/img/3b/3b7e8c568a43c20b7be2adaa6ffeacbe791a13f693b401d4a2330f39e459b1d2.jpg

[Feruk]

America's already done most of the work for ISIS. They eliminated Saddam and put in a weak puppet government. They backed the opposition to Assad. They likely armed these guys (whether directly or indirectly) to fight Assad. They conveniently left armored vehicles for these guys to capture from pathetic Iraqi troops. Why change sides now??

[HiTempguy1]

So...

Them protecting the people in the hills is somehow a bad thing?

Jesus people. The blinders you have on is ridiculous. I'm as cynical as it gets, but they made it quite clear why they might send in reinforcements and keep it air only. If it was just ISIS trying to take down the government, I don't think they'd be in there. Obama has made it pretty clear he doesn't want America involved (I am taking his word on this).

Unless Obama is in a conspiracy with Bush, amirite?! :nut:

[SmAcKpOo]

Why don't we just let them all kill each other? :dunno:

[Robin Goodfellow]

http://image.spreadshirt.com/image-server/v1/designs/12419606,width=178,height=178/We-re-gonna-free-the-shit-out-of-you.png

[civic_stylez]

Still baffled...

Russia vs Ukraine
Iraq radicals vs Iraq
Israel vs Palestine


Gas prices in mid summer = 112.9. Normally the slightest bit of world tension and we are at $134.9 easy...

:dunno: im definitely not complaining though...

[01RedDX]

.

[n1zm0]

Live White House press briefing on the airstrikes I think in a few mins:

JwXEoq-U-6c

edit: Vice got access to filming a documentary whilst travelling with them, part 1/5:

bsCZzpmbEcs

[SmAcKpOo]

^^

Fucking barbarians

[egmilano]

Vice forgot to mention the rape, forced conversions and be headings in Iraq that have been going on.

[01RedDX]

.

[egmilano]

Originally posted by 01RedDX
I understand why they are angry at America, I understand how US intervention increased sectarian tensions, but I don't understand why they love to slaughter each other so much.

Because Allah is the one true god. And if you don't want another Islamic caliph than your an infidel just like it says in the Quran !!

[pheoxs]

Originally posted by 01RedDX
I understand why they are angry at America, I understand how US intervention increased sectarian tensions, but I don't understand why they love to slaughter each other so much.

The best way to stay in power is to focus all the sheeple on an enemy to unite them. Americans are gung-ho about 'freedom' and 'liberating' other countries. Isis focuses their peoples hate on big band American and how they're saving everyone by fighting back.

[01RedDX]

.

[n1zm0]

Originally posted by egmilano
Vice forgot to mention the rape, forced conversions and be headings in Iraq that have been going on.

I think it's more or less a look inside what being a member of the caliphate is all about, which imo is a good documentary, just shows you why so many Muslim countries and organizations have denounced them, cause they're just plain out of hand, imagine if they did try to invade Turkey, they would get their asses handed to them so badly i'm sure:

Part 2/5

jzCAPJDAnQA

[MGCM]

Originally posted by 01RedDX
Those are very interesting answers lol. I say let them have their caliphate and kill each other for a while, then let the US liberate the fuck out of them.


...



Or, just quit buying oil from that region, so groups like these can't even exist.

i say do both and leave a note with a warning that America will be back for their oil after they have all killed each other :dunno: but where else would America test/train their military for WW3 right?

[Sentry]

Well, that went well:


Just days after the US launched a campaign that implicitly aides the current regime headed by the supposedly outgoing PM, al-Maliki, it appears that latest US intervention has already led to "unexpected" consequences, this time with the prime minister appearing to have just staged a coup overthrowing Iraq's president President Fouad Massoum moments ago.

Reuters reports that the prime minister "indicated that he will not drop his bid for a third term and accused the president of violating the constitution in a tough televised speech likely to deepen political tensions as a Sunni insurgency rages. Maliki, seen as an authoritarian and sectarian leader, has defied calls by Sunnis, Kurds, some fellow Shi'ites and regional power broker Iran to step aside for a less polarising figure who can unite Iraqis against Islamic State militants.

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2014-08-10/coup-iraq-prime-minister-maliki-refuses-step-down-orders-security-forces-alert

[Arash Boodagh]

PressTV is currently airing an ISIL documentary with video exposing a high ranking retired US general crossing the Turkey border with terrorist the same day that they chemical bombed civilians killing hundreds.
It should be released soon on their YouTube Channel
http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXPFPs33B7-js4HMaoedENw/videos

[n1zm0]

http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--Gwlhw4RX--/qtr9wvgsujidg5zri4im.gif

About 50 targets hit since Monday night via ships, jets, B-1 bombers and drones, watching the Vice News doc (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AUjHb4C7b94), Raqqa is basically their HQ, the city is teeming with IS basically but they're also hitting other stronghold towns, even Aleppo (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LwSnyQYy5SE).

Good to see that Jordan, Bahrain, UAE, Qatar (meh, apparently just flying recon not dropping bombs) etc are flying alongside the yankees for some foreign policy entertainment. Just hopefully the civilian casualties are minimal.

Most likely this isn't the small stuff that they were doing a few weeks back, looks like a full scale air strike campaign like we saw NATO do to Libya.

In the end though I just expect the IS to abandon their posts for now and retreat, regroup again, there's only so much you can do with airstrikes, destroying a few HQs, armoured vehicles and weapon caches don't do much and they'll always find more in the area imo. Makes for a good fireworks show though I guess:

Tomahawks from the Persian Gulf:
5XS_QWkukfA

Airstrike via jets(apparently against the Khorosan Group and not against IS) (http://edition.cnn.com/2014/09/22/world/meast/al-qaeda-syria-khorasan/index.html) :
FGVNL7Kg--c




yRfdVtUU-DI

The United States and several Arab nations carried out airstrikes against ISIS in Syria early Tuesday, intensifying the campaign against the Islamic militant group.

Tomahawk missiles launched from the sea began the strikes against the Sunni Muslim extremists, followed by bombers and fighters.

Here are answers to key questions about the new phase in the conflict with ISIS.

Which areas were hit?

The bombing has focused on the ISIS stronghold of Raqqa, a city in northern Syria. ISIS has had control of Raqqa for more than a year, imposing its brutal interpretation of Islamic law on the city's residents.

The extremists have made the city, which sits on the banks of the Euphrates River, the de facto capital of their self-declared "Islamic State" that stretches across large areas of Syria and Iraq.

ISIS targets around other Syrian cities -- Deir Ezzor, Al Hasakah and Abu Kamal -- were also hit in the strikes.

What was struck?

The attacks damaged multiple ISIS targets, the U.S. military said, including training compounds, headquarters, storage facilities, supply trucks and armed vehicles.

"Usually the first part of any air campaign are strategic targets -- fixed locations, big buildings, things that you don't need a guy on the ground to laser-designate," said retired Lt. Col. Rick Francona, an Air Force veteran intelligence officer and CNN military analyst.

The Pentagon also said ISIS fighters were hit in the strikes, but didn't specify how many.

In Raqqa, a building in the governor's compound, a post office and a recruitment center were among the sites struck, activists reported.

Why is Raqqa a focus of the initial strikes?

The city is known as a place where ISIS houses training centers, weapons depots and accommodations for fighters. During the Syrian conflict, the group has also seized military bases from the Syrian regime near the city and in the wider Raqqa province.

The targets hit by the airstrikes are intended to hurt ISIS' ability to command and control, resupply and train, a senior U.S. military official told CNN's Jim Sciutto.

ISIS has made Raqqa the flagship for its model of governance, providing food, fuel and security to people struggling to survive after years of civil war. But it also imposed hardline Islamist law there and metes out harsh punishment to those who don't follow orders. Locals started calling the city Tora Bora last year, saying it felt as if the Taliban of Afghanistan had taken over.

Who is taking part in the airstrikes?

All the foreign partners participating in the strikes with the United States are Arab countries: Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Bahrain and Qatar.

Countries taking part in airstrikes

"It's a remarkable diplomatic achievement," said CNN Political Commentator Peter Beinhart. "I don't think it was expected that there would be this much Arab support."

How long will the attacks go on?

For a while.

The first wave of strikes was expected to last into the early hours of Tuesday morning in Syria, CNN's Sciutto reported.

It is aimed at striking a strong initial blow, a senior U.S. official told CNN. The aerial campaign on ISIS targets in Syria is expected to continue beyond Tuesday.

Counterterrorism expert Philip Mudd said Tuesday's attacks were "just the start."

"This is not a definitive blow," said Mudd, who previously worked for the CIA. "When this gets interesting to me as a former practitioner is six months down the road, when a second-tier ISIS commander starts to create some sort of cell to recruit foreigners from Europe or the United States or Canada into Syria, do we still have the will and capability, and the intelligence, to locate that person, or that group of people, and put lead on the target?"

What happens next?

U.S. military officials will be trying to assess the effectiveness of the first night of bombing.

Some analysts have suggested that ISIS had already started dispersing its assets and fighters following President Barack Obama's warning of action in Syria earlier this month.

The response of ISIS fighters to the initial strikes may give military officials clues on what to target next.

"The follow-up to some of these strikes is -- what are their actions now?" said retired Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling, a CNN military analyst. "There is intelligence that flows from the initial strike," he said.

The Arab governments involved in the strikes could also face discontent among their own people.

"Parts of the population do not agree with Sunni going against Sunni," Hertling said.

The United States is also pushing for a binding resolution at the U.N. General Assembly this week that aims to prevent and track the travel of foreign fighters to Syria.

How has ISIS reacted?

There was no immediate confirmed comment from the militant group on the strikes.

ISIS' official Bayan Radio tweeted a photo that it claimed showed damage to a communications tower in Raqqa. CNN wasn't immediately able to independently verify the image.

The militant group has increased security patrols in Raqqa, an opposition activist told CNN.

ISIS has previously linked the U.S. campaign of airstrikes in Iraq to its decision to execute three of its Western hostages -- two Americans and one Briton. It also recently called for attacks against the United States and its allies.

How have Syrian opposition groups reacted?

Hadi al Bahra, the President of the Syrian Opposition Coalition, welcomed the strikes.

"Tonight, the international community has joined our fight against ISIS in Syria," he said in a statement. "We have called for airstrikes such as those that commenced tonight with a heavy heart and deep concern, as these strikes begin in our own homeland. We insist that utmost care is taken to avoid civilian casualties."

http://edition.cnn.com/2014/09/23/world/meast/syria-isis-airstrikes-explainer/


I guess at least they let Assad know it was going to happen:




DAMASCUS, SYRIA—Syria said Tuesday that Washington informed President Bashar Assad’s government of imminent U.S. airstrikes against the Islamic State group, hours before an American-led military coalition pounded the extremists’ strongholds across northern and eastern Syria.

The opening salvo in the aerial operation against the Islamic State group marks the start of what President Barack Obama has warned will be a lengthy campaign that aims to degrade and ultimately defeat the extremists who have seized control of a huge swath of territory spanning the Syria-Iraq border.

Syrian officials have long insisted that any strikes against the Islamic State group inside their country should come only after co-ordination with Damascus, warning that moving without Damascus’ consent would be an act of aggression against Syria and a breach of the country’s sovereignty.

Just hours after the strikes started, Syria’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement Tuesday that Washington told Damascus’ envoy to the United Nations shortly before the U.S.-led aerial assault began. It also said that U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry sent a message to Syria’s top diplomat, using Iraq’s foreign minister as an intermediary, to inform Damascus about the plans as well.

http://www.thestar.com/news/world/2014/09/23/us_warned_syria_before_islamic_state_airstrikes_says_damascus.html


edit: just to give an idea of how many cruise missiles the 2 ships sent in their salvos (47 of them just last night @ $1.6million per Tomahawk), just over 3/4s of a billion $ in missiles launched in a matter of a few hours:

H9034BawdX4
6a-d67lJfdk

[ExtraSlow]

Originally posted by 01RedDX
Or, just quit buying oil from that region, so groups like these can't even exist.
That's a very tricky thing. Oil is a fungible commodity, so it really doesn't matter WHO buys the oil, as long as world demand stays at it's current levels, someone will buy oil from any disputed or unpopular state for something close to that price.