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Iraq
Britain providing $5m emergency aid to Iraq
2014-06-15
Britain said on Saturday it would provide $5 million of emergency humanitarian assistance to help civilians fleeing the militants who have overrun a large chunk of northern Iraq.
Five million dollars. How .. generous...
The initial support package includes medicine, clean water and sanitation equipment, basic household items and hygiene kits for women. It also includes "protection for vulnerable girls and women through the deployment of dedicated UN safety and welfare teams" in camps, the Department for International Development said in a statement.
I borrow from Rambo in talking with the "dedicated UN safety and welfare teams" --
"We're here to help!"
"Did you bring weapons?"
"No! Certainly not!"
"Then you ain't helping."
DFID humanitarian experts were sent to Iraq on Thursday.

In a tweet on Saturday, British Foreign Secretary William Hague said he had spoken to his Turkish counterpart Ahmet Davutoglu "urgently to coordinate approaches to the instability in Iraq and links to Syria".

Hague had said on Wednesday there was "no question" of British troops being sent back to Iraq to help battle the militants who have seized control of key cities.

While the situation was of great concern, the government was "not countenancing at this stage any British military involvement", he said.
He's not helping either...
He added that he believed Iraq had sufficient forces to counter the threat.
If they can be convinced to fight. That means leadership from sergeants, captains and colonels. Maliki has been replacing all the U.S. trained leaders from 2008 with his pals, so leadership may not be there.
Iraqi commanders said on Saturday the army was preparing to fight back in the north of Baghdad, bolstered by thousands of Shia volunteers who have signed up.
Posted by:Steve White

#18  Thank you, Frank. No, that wouldn't be me. I'm not good at the enemy bit.
Posted by: trailing wife   2014-06-15 23:13  

#17  no greater friend. No worse enemy.
Posted by: Frank G   2014-06-15 22:41  

#16  For the record. Pappy is like the Marines. Perhaps some of the others. I'm not sure what that means, though I have an idea, but I'm pretty sure that I'm exactly not like the Marines. I got a cluebat when they made me a moderator, for reasons I still don't understand, but mine is padded and has periwinkle ribbons on the handle.

Welcome to the conversation, Incredulous, though you've been here a bit. Don't worry about misunderstanding Shipman -- he studied anthropology before joining the Navy, so his reference list is deeper than most. Considerably deeper than mine, but I trust that there's a joke in there somewhere that I would appreciate if I knew. That happens to me a lot round here. I hang around because there's so much to learn, and so many willing to share what they know. Also, snark. And recently, poetry. ;-)
Posted by: trailing wife   2014-06-15 22:34  

#15  Initial installment, pending the arrival of our Aegis representatives.
Posted by: Besoeker   2014-06-15 16:24  

#14  BTW "BP" is the brand name for the merger between AmOCo and British Petroleum.

There's lots of experienced British deep sea drilling people, but they aren't allowed to be used on American projects.
Posted by: Bright Pebbles   2014-06-15 16:03  

#13  Nah, I think you are both right. I was recently sold a yarn from Cobra Commander, LLC.

The salesman was good; didn't find much fault until the shipping containers of troops showed up in Portland; but at that point the cake was made he was just putting on decorative icing.
Posted by: swksvolFF   2014-06-15 14:32  

#12  BTW, Ship, did you ever see this? link.
Posted by: Thing From Snowy Mountain   2014-06-15 13:57  

#11  Ship, I think we've both suffered enough at the hands of BP to grant them an exemption to the "sounds like a nutty conspiracy" rule.
Posted by: Thing From Snowy Mountain   2014-06-15 13:55  

#10  I do some of my best thinking [such as it is] with my TF hat. Not sure where I'd be without it.
Posted by: Besoeker   2014-06-15 13:30  

#9  Fair enough. Let's play nicely, and I'll put the tinfoil hat away (for a while). Regards.
Posted by: Incredulous   2014-06-15 13:25  

#8  Shipman is not a Mod. He tends to go overboard at times.

The MODS are your friends BTW.

We're like the Marines. I don't have to elaborate, do I?
Posted by: Pappy   2014-06-15 13:07  

#7  But if you say Fiat Currency again I will notice, and laugh. :)
Posted by: Shipman   2014-06-15 13:04  

#6  In that case Incredulous I apologize. When I start seeing Oil Company's as root of all evil I tend to figure the worst. Glad you are here, and again, I am sorry i jumped to a stupid conclusion. Also welcome.
Posted by: Shipman   2014-06-15 13:02  

#5  Don't be a stranger Incredulous. The MODS are your friends BTW.
Posted by: Besoeker   2014-06-15 12:48  

#4  Two posts? Sensitive subject I see. Shipman, I was on the TOC in Erbil, Kurdistan, and then the TEC. Tender was awarded to WARMAR, owned by former US Officers, now contractors, in spite of far more competitive offers. No secret, no tin foil hats - just the published facts. The geopolitical oil map parallels the geopolitical conflict map. (The petrodollar is the world reserve currency, and needs to be backs by oil and not the fiat to remain viable.) If you want we can go deeper I can...otherwise let my innocuous little comments go. I like to read your generally excellent blog and news items, but the Mods needs to ease up a little.
Posted by: Incredulous   2014-06-15 12:36  

#3  So yeah let's bet, no BitCoins, only Martian Hard pls.
Posted by: Shipman   2014-06-15 12:02  

#2  Looking good babe! Also Bildbergs showing net gains of 20 to 30 %, Illumanti up a thriving 44%. But Screaming Green Lizards in Denver split 2 for 1 and show a gain of 96% YOY! Wow it's never been so good for crazy!
Posted by: Shipman   2014-06-15 12:01  

#1  Wouldn't mind betting that some of that money is going toward security contractors for places like Rumaila, biggest Iraqi oil field - 38% BP owned. Also has technical service contract with IraqÂ’s state-owned South Oil Company. BP just announced record profits of 4.13 billion US dollars. $5M for security would somewhat protect these investments in perilous times.
Posted by: Incredulous   2014-06-15 05:22  

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