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2015-03-01 Iraq

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Posted by trailing wife 2015-03-01 00:00|| || Front Page|| [11131 views ] Top
File under: Govt of Iraq

#1 Well that will give you plenty of time to come up with a good plan and see if the enemy approves.

Posted by chris 2015-03-01 00:31|| 2015-03-01 00:31|| Front Page Top

#2 Looks like someone that can actually assess readiness filed a report on the true condition and training of the Iraqi Army.

Kurds would likely be ready but they are primarily light infantry - and still need artillery. And too few of them for a major offensive in an urban area.

Posted by OldSpook 2015-03-01 00:46|| 2015-03-01 00:46|| Front Page Top

#3 God forbid anyone give the kurds adequate artillery or any support whatsoever. Think we all know if that happened might upset the usual mid eastern shit with a viable straight thinking power in the region.

Posted by chris 2015-03-01 04:17|| 2015-03-01 04:17|| Front Page Top

#4 Tora Bora Mk. 2.3, deals,they must be made.

Or wait long enough maybe the Yankees will do it.

Posted by Shipman 2015-03-01 07:20|| 2015-03-01 07:20|| Front Page Top

#5 Methinks the information release was more to test the US-domestic and non-Iraqi Arab markets, than an ill-advised decision.

Posted by Pappy 2015-03-01 11:40|| 2015-03-01 11:40|| Front Page Top

I'd like to think they are that clever Pappy. I would certainly like to think that, but I'm just not there yet.

Posted by Besoeker 2015-03-01 11:56|| 2015-03-01 11:56|| Front Page Top

#7 How about some good old fashioned common sense? Postpone the fast.

A bit of advise endorsed by none other than Mohammed himself. He was a master at breaking his own laws if it would get him a victory.

As Old Mo' once said "If you find yourself in a fair fight, you're obviously doing something wrong."

Posted by frozen al 2015-03-01 12:01|| 2015-03-01 12:01|| Front Page Top

#8 We keep getting told the Iraqi Army is not yet prepared for the assault.

Posted by newc 2015-03-01 14:03|| 2015-03-01 14:03|| Front Page Top

#9 The Iraqi Army will never be ready - because it has been rebuiolt by Maliki and people like him. Our trainers ahnds were tied - and it takes a long time to root out the sort of bigotry, cultural rot, and corruption that the Shia Iraqis have embedded into their military and government. Even more importantly, it takes political will, something they do not have.

Had we left a full brigade (reinforced) combat team, and a training brigade, and forced Maliki from office, at covert gunpoint if necessary, then they might have stood a chance for reforms to kick in while we are still there to squash things like ISIS (as well as reaching out to the Sunnis, which was the real success of the Surge).

Obama's (And Sec State Clinton) failures have consequences, even if nobody in the press has the courage to call them out on it.

Posted by OldSpook 2015-03-01 14:16|| 2015-03-01 14:16|| Front Page Top

#10 Cant have shia officers commanding sunni troops on a old Soviet style army where there is no strong leadership from NCO's. Better to go to heavy armed territorial brigades. They would need arty and choppers and be fighting for their own homes. Set them up with ground support from a national air force and heavy reinforcement brigades.

Posted by Jiggs White1864 2015-03-01 14:24|| 2015-03-01 14:24|| Front Page Top

#11 I'd like to think they are that clever Pappy. I would certainly like to think that, but I'm just not there yet.

The briefing was given on the last day of (and at) Mr. Obama's " summit on violent extremism."

The rump Iraqi government nor the Kurds were supposedly not briefed beforehand, yet their comments were quite mild. There were also no comments from the other members of the coalition.

It's safe to surmise that this (much like the summit itself) was political theater. Likely it was also a test-balloon to see how it would be received by US domestic factions.

My cynical opinion is that planning is being done and preparations are being made. However, most of this sturm und drang, for now, is for the US domestic political battlefield, and for the world's "muslim community" Mr. Obama seems so concerned about.

Posted by Pappy 2015-03-01 15:30|| 2015-03-01 15:30|| Front Page Top

#12 I'll give you credit for the 'political theater.' Every move he makes is politically framed in one manner or another. His public affairs/relations apparatus is second to none.

Posted by Besoeker 2015-03-01 15:33|| 2015-03-01 15:33|| Front Page Top

#13 politically framed, but King Reverse-Midas turns everything to shit and blames others or waves it away as a "distraction". Think about the accomplishments Queen Hillary can run on next year: Egypt? Libya/Benghazi? Russia? Syria? Iraq?....

Posted by Frank G 2015-03-01 15:37|| 2015-03-01 15:37|| Front Page Top

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