[WashPost] These days, we're pretty used to Russian criticisms of U.S. foreign policy, and the finger wagging that comes afterward: Russia loves to remind the United States that it warned against its international follies.
#1
*WE* told you so, being the military and anyone that knew the region, back in 2010 that the 2011 withdrawal was too sudden and far too soon. But noooo, Obama needed a campaign talking point, so Hillary gave him one. We are now paying the price for their cluelessness and shortsighted stupidity..
#2
Both Ariel Sharon & Saudi king told you to chose a nice (one with good memory) Sunni general, and make him the new Rais. But no, that was not according to Fukuyama.
#3
You and the Russians are being fundamentally dishonest because there's no real plan that could survive five years' worth of "management" by someone who wants it to fail. By refusing to acknowledge Obama's malice in this area y'all are both lying by omission.
#4
I hear the shrill cries of the Left still criticizing George W. for going into Iraq. According to them, it is George W.'s fault for the present situation. They are still unwilling to admit their guy is in way over his head. Basically, they have no plan and don't know what to do.
#7
Actually we're doing well now that Cantor is leaving. Still got a few more leftests to go however; Schumer, Boxer, Feinstein, Waxman Levin to name a few. I'm optimistic.
The Iraqi Shi'a are not waiting for the ISIS threat to develop further nor are they waiting for the national government to organize a coherent defense against the ISIS threat. They are actively seeking to provide protection for themselves, their shrines, and predominantly Iraqi Shi'a areas. Violence perpetrated by Iraqi Shi'a militias will increase if shrines are attacked. Reports of possible Iranian soldiers on Iraqi territory are very concerning, particularly as the Iraqi Shi'a begin to see the ISIS threat as existential. When viewed through this lens, help from fellow Shi'a - in both material and manpower forms - could be easily justified as not only permissible, but necessary in the eyes of Iraqi Shi'a.
Therefore, there is currently a coordinated ISF, Iraqi Shi'a militia, and Iranian effort. The Badr organization and Iranian main effort is concentrated in Diyala. The counter-offensive will likely focus on the areas of Tikrit and Samarra, with additional Shi'a militias concentrating on Baghdad and holy shrines.
Grand Ayatollah Sistani's declaration to fight against ISIS has numerous ramifications for Iraqi politics by cementing the unity of the Iraqi Shi'a political and militia leaders at a time when their support might have fractured. It is likelier now than immediately after the fall of Mosul that a Shi'a unity government more dependent on Iran will emerge in Baghdad if the ISIS crisis is averted. More in the article.
Posted by: Squinty ||
06/16/2014 00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
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Top|| File under: Islamic State of Iraq
#2
Don't let the press gloss this over: these Shiite militias are not the boy scouts, nor are they an armed rabble. These guys have been gunnies for years, and fought hard against US forces until the Surge wore them down, with better armed better informed military actions, and better cash payoffs.
These militias are not in a prisoner-taking mood. No quarter will be given, and as one of the Iraqis I know said to me in an email this weekend, before he and others head to Samarra to fight "We will push the ISIS out, and send them all screaming to hell"
"Champ believes in 'American Exceptionalism.' I... [D'Souza] believe American Exceptionalism is good. The Champ believes 'American Exceptionalism' is bad."
A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.
Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.
Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
Execute a Non-Combatant Evacuation Operation (NEO) immediately and pass the salt. 
