Article

2015-02-15 Iraq

U.S. copters support Iraqi troops battling ISIS

[CNN] U.S. helicopter gunships supported Iraqi ground forces battling ISIS holy warriors in al-Baghdadi, military sources said, an action that brings U.S. troops closer to combat.

ISIS took control of the town earlier Friday.

The U.S. military also deployed Apache attack helicopters against an ISIS assault on the strategic Ayn al-Assad Air Base about 15 kilometers (9 miles) south of al-Baghdadi, sources said.

Iraqi ground forces killed those attackers and the Apaches safely returned to base without firing a shot, the source said.

Robert Baer, a former CIA officer, said the battles may indicate a deepening involvement of U.S. troops in the fight against ISIS.

"I think what we're seeing here is mission creep," he said Friday night. "The Iraqi army is not up to the task. And without the United States Air Force and the military on the ground, a lot of these ... bases would be overrun."

Mark Hertling, a retired U.S. Army lieutenant general, said he thought the Iraqi army was improving.

"I think the Iraqi government is getting it back together and, yes, they do need help from coalition forces, U.S. forces right now," he said. "But they're coming around and they realize what a scourge this organization [ISIS] is."

Posted by Fred 2015-02-15 00:00|| || Front Page|| [11128 views ] Top
File under: Islamic State

#1 Obola said "no boots on the ground, I did not say no little tires"

Posted by Steven 2015-02-15 02:09|| 2015-02-15 02:09|| Front Page Top

09:43 Mullah Richard
09:27 Warthog
09:11 Mercutio
09:07 AlmostAnonymous5839
08:52 Matt
08:24 Matt
08:20 SteveS
07:43 Procopius2k
07:42 BrerRabbit
07:42 Procopius2k
07:39 Procopius2k
07:36 Procopius2k
07:35 Procopius2k
07:34 trailing wife
07:31 Procopius2k
07:30 NN2N1
07:22 NN2N1
07:18 trailing wife
07:14 Richard Aubrey
07:10 NN2N1
07:09 Besoeker
07:03 NN2N1
06:58 NN2N1
06:58 Besoeker