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| Iraq |
| U.S. Saw Islamic State Coming, Let It Take Ramadi |
| 2015-05-29 |
| [Bloomberg View] The U.S. watched Islamic State fighters, vehicles and heavy equipment gather on the outskirts of Ramadi before the group retook the city in mid-May. But the U.S. did not order airstrikes against the convoys before the battle started. It left the fighting to Iraqi troops, who ultimately abandoned their positions. U.S. intelligence and military officials told me recently, on the condition of anonymity, that the U.S. had significant intelligence about the pending Islamic State offensive in Ramadi. For the U.S. military, it was an open secret even at the time. The Islamic State had been contesting territory in and around Ramadi for more than a year and had spoken of the importance of recapturing the city. The U.S. intelligence community had good warning that the Islamic State intended a new and bolder offensive on Ramadi because it was able to identify the convoys of heavy artillery, vehicle bombs and reinforcements through overhead imagery and eavesdropping on chatter from local Islamic State commanders. It surprised no one, one U.S. intelligence official told me. Other observers were willing to speak on the record about how many had seen the Islamic State's assault on Ramadi coming. "The operations on Ramadi have been ongoing for 16 months," said Derek Harvey, a former intelligence adviser to David Petraeus when he commanded the counterinsurgency strategy in Iraq. Harvey said many observers had seen the Islamic State's series of probing attacks and psychological operations aimed at the Iraqi army and local tribes: "Everyone knew that Ramadi for some reason was a major focus." He conceded that he did not know the exact timing of the Ramadi offensive beforehand and acknowledged that he was surprised at how effective the operations were. Champ regime washes it's hands. WH spokesman Josh Earnest: US won't be 'responsible' for 'security situation' in Iraq. |
| Posted by:Besoeker |
| #13 NOT Iraq or ME but similar Bammer, Globalist principle(s) applies ... * MANILA TIMES > CHINA: NO ONE TELLS US WHAT TO DO. China FM SpoxBabe Hua Chunying. CHINA DOING A "PUTIN/RUSSIA" DOING AN "IRAN"??? * DEFENCE.PK/FORUMS > CHINA TURNING MICHIEF REEF INTO HEART OF SOUTH CHINA SEA [Sansha/Sashi Province]. * WAFF > CHINA TO ENGAGE US IN SPRATLYS | [WantChinaTimes] WEAPONS SENT TO CHINA'S HAINAN FOR POTENTIAL [US-China] SOUTH CHINA SEA CONFLICT. * WORLD NEWS > CHINESE ARTILLERY VEHICLES SPOTTED ON ARTIFICIAL SLAND CREATED IN SOUTH CHINA SEA. | [Reuters] US SAYS CHINA HAS PLACED MOBILE ARTILLERY ON RECLAIMED ISLAND. Beijing is denying any placement of Arty on disputed islands, while on its partUS INTEL is now repor that the Arty may had been removed by China to a new locale??? VERSUS * WORLD MILITARY FORUM > RUSSIAN THINK-TANK: US READY TO SACRIFICE TERRITORY(S) FOR PEACE WITH CHINA LIKE UKRAINE DID WITH CRIMEA, AND WHILE JAPAN PM SHINZO ABE THROWS CONTRARY DIPLOMATIC BALLS. Moscow Institute for International Relations. A LOUD, MIGHTY, HOMER SIMPSONIAN "DOH"! MAY YET STILL BE RIGHTEOUSLY HEARD OVER WESTPAC FROM A MADONNA FAN IN GUAM. * TOPIX > NEW CHINA WHITE PAPER OUTLINE HINTS AT BUILDUP OF ITS NAVAL POWER IN WATERS CLAIMED BY VIETNAM, PHILIPPINES, AND IN OPEN OCEAN. Again, China's "white ships" off Guam. OBAMA + GUAM'S "CAMEL ROCK" TO SURRENDER LIKE FRANCE TO CHINA + PLAN. |
| Posted by: JosephMendiola 2015-05-29 20:47 |
| #12 See also FREEREPUBLIC > [BreitBart] WHITE HOUSE: UNITED STATES "NOT RESPONSIBLE" FOR DEFENDING IRAQ. Great news for IRAN, RUSSIA, CHINA, + US-LED ANTI-US OWG + MARXIST-GLOBALIST WORLD ORDER - NOT good news for NATO-EU, ME Allies, East Asia Allies, GUAM-WESTPAC + even HAWAII, etal. |
| Posted by: JosephMendiola 2015-05-29 19:35 |
| #11 “Nobody really has the control in the tactical environment.” Reminds me of Jimmuh controlling the hostage rescue or LBJ in Viet Nam. |
| Posted by: AlanC 2015-05-29 15:56 |
| #10 Current authorization to hit targets has US pilots frustrated. |
| Posted by: DarthVader 2015-05-29 14:39 |
| #9 "intentional disregard of specific targets"is pretty much the same as "current ROE has prevented engagement of numerous identifiable targets" Obama's resistance to ISIS is fake, just for show. |
| Posted by: Anguper Hupomosing9418 2015-05-29 14:03 |
| #8 The headline here is a bit deceiving. It insinuates that intentional disregard of specific targets allowed the IS offensive of Ramadi to succeed. Perhaps it’s a difference without distinction but Lakes' analysis suggests that, in general, current ROE has prevented engagement of numerous identifiable targets. Frankly, it’s a larger indictment of the overall strategy (or lack thereof) then the fall of an individual city. |
| Posted by: DepotGuy 2015-05-29 13:49 |
| #7 It almost is like Obumble WANTS ISIS to win. More likely he just doesn't care. |
| Posted by: Ebbang Uluque6305 2015-05-29 11:46 |
| #6 It almost is like Obumble WANTS ISIS to win. |
| Posted by: DarthVader 2015-05-29 11:16 |
| #5 |
| Posted by: 2015-05-29 09:50 |
| #4 It should be evident by now, to all who pay attention, that Obama intends to let IS fight it out. This serves the purpose of putting pressure on Russia, China and most importantly, Iran. We will soon confirm that the wealthy sunni oil states are supporting IS financially. Most likely, the ultimate goal for Obama is to pass the war onto the next President. Which is probably a better option than boots on the ground now. Why would you want Obama and his political hacks running a war? It's much better having him do "nothing". |
| Posted by: jvalentour 2015-05-29 09:03 |
| #3 How far is Baghdad from Ramadi again? Why are we doing anything if we don't want to do everything? Is the traitor-in-chief deliberately trying to keep the pot simmering as Besoeker suggests,for those or other reasons? |
| Posted by: AlanC 2015-05-29 08:37 |
| #2 The build up of ISIS vehicles and equipment on the outskirts of Ramadi would have provided clear tactical intent and represented a highly lucrative target. The regime's notional war against ISIS continues. Each passing day and ISIS advance confirms the regime's intent to leave the next administration and the Congress a costly, ready-made disaster along with a fragmented Iraq. Global ISIS advances also provide a massive media diversion as Iranian nuclear weapons issues slip to the back page. |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2015-05-29 02:58 |
| #1 Could it be, Obama is not a total idiot? |
| Posted by: g(r)omgoru 2015-05-29 02:50 |