Mosul has fallen

[HoughMade]

Look like a tough guy 101

Denounce, drop bombs, but keep boots off the ground. Nevermind that no real military purpose is serve. The President gets to look like he's doing something without the bad pub that body bags bring.

 

[Kirk Freeman]

Anyone remember when the Light Bringer told us that Iraq was stable and self-reliant?

Instapundit » Blog Archive » FLASHBACK: Obama Says ?We?re Leaving Behind A Sovereign, Stable And Self-Reliant Iraq.? ?

 

[Blackhawk2001]

Anyone remember when the Light Bringer told us that Iraq was stable and self-reliant?

Instapundit » Blog Archive » FLASHBACK: Obama Says ?We?re Leaving Behind A Sovereign, Stable And Self-Reliant Iraq.? ?

I don't guess the MSM's been trumpeting that soundbyte over the airwaves the way they did GW Bush's little "Mission Accomplished" gaffe, are they?

 

[mrjarrell]

Looks like the airstrikes were a good thing. They allowed the peshmerga to clear a path to the mountains there and rescue the yazdi's. That's certainly a step in the right direction.

Kurds rescue Yazidis from Iraqi mountain

 

[Kirk Freeman]

ISIS mocks Obama. Here are the tweets: Islamist militants tweet gruesome images of dead American soldiers and vow to blow up embassies? | Catholic4Life

 

[Redhorse]

Looks like the airstrikes were a good thing. They allowed the peshmerga to clear a path to the mountains there and rescue the yazdi's. That's certainly a step in the right direction.

Kurds rescue Yazidis from Iraqi mountain

The more I read about the Kurds the more I like them.

 

[BogWalker]

Democrats cry out for more war: Feinstein Warns of Risk of ISIL Attack on America, Says Must Be Confronted | The World's Greatest Deliberative Body

We take a decade keeping the terrorist animals at bay and the Democrats **** and moan the entire time to end it. Now that we have ended it like they asked everything has turned to **** and they want to go back.

 

[mrjarrell]

The airstrikes have emboldened the peshmerga. They've recaptured two towns.

Kurdish Forces Seize Back Two Towns From Insurgents: Kurdish Official

 

[Kirk Freeman]

Coup in Baghdad? Here are the tweets:

?Something?s going down in Baghdad': Reports of possible coup | Twitchy

 

[Kirk Freeman]

Democrats bring out the long knives on Obama's debacle in Iraq:

Obama?s plan to stop ISIS panned by both sides of aisle | New York Post

 

[Kirk Freeman]

Remember when .gov was telling us about the troops marching home and a stable Iraq? Yeah, the Media does not remember either:

6 Times Obama Was Against Military Action in Iraq - Hit & Run : Reason.com

 

[HeadlessRoland]

Democrats bring out the long knives on Obama's debacle in Iraq:

Obama?s plan to stop ISIS panned by both sides of aisle | New York Post

Die Nacht der langen Messer hasn't even come to Obama yet - but one day, hopefully one day soon - it will. And, in the face of such political obstruction, he will be able to do nothing but gnash his teeth and wail. Remember, everyone, election day is November 4th, 2014. Obstruct, obstruct, obstruct.

 

[Kirk Freeman]

Obama, while on vacation, tells U.S. to expect long term war of continuation in Iraq, a "long term project".

Obama on Iraq Airstrikes: ?This Is Going to Be a Long-Term Project? - Reason 24/7 : Reason.com

 

[T.Lex]

My recollection of history is failing me. Can anyone think of a time that this kind of air-only strategy was ultimately successful?

The closest I can come up with is the Berlin airlift. But, even that, was a VERY different scenario.

 

[mrjarrell]

My recollection of history is failing me. Can anyone think of a time that this kind of air-only strategy was ultimately successful?

The closest I can come up with is the Berlin airlift. But, even that, was a VERY different scenario.

That would assume there was an "air only" strategy going on. Looks like it's air support for Iraqi and peshmerga troops on the ground, too. So, there is also a ground element here.

 

[ArcadiaGP]

My recollection of history is failing me. Can anyone think of a time that this kind of air-only strategy was ultimately successful?

Can't do it in Civ V with just air or just sea. Have to have at least one ground unit to enter the city for capture/razing when it's defense gets low enough.

 

[T.Lex]

Ok. Let's focus on the Peshmerga, unless you think the Iraqi army has suddenly found some zeal for combat.

I'm having trouble thinking of an example of US-air-only assets successfully helping an indigenous force.

Vietnam? (There, I said it.) Various banana republics? Iraqi no-fly zones?

Look, I'm open to enlightenment on this. Or is there something different about the Kurds that we think will work now?

 

[mrjarrell]

Ok. Let's focus on the Peshmerga, unless you think the Iraqi army has suddenly found some zeal for combat.

I'm having trouble thinking of an example of US-air-only assets successfully helping an indigenous force.

Vietnam? (There, I said it.) Various banana republics? Iraqi no-fly zones?

Look, I'm open to enlightenment on this. Or is there something different about the Kurds that we think will work now?

The no fly zones over Iraq did work as they planned, in the south and the Kurdish north. You're still assuming no boots on the ground, when there are boots on the ground. Just not American boots. I would hope that while all this is going on, (and Obama has said it will likely be a matter of months that it continues) plans are being made for other forces to mobilise. I'd like to see Turkey, Iran, Saudi, Kuwait and the others get their collective **** together and send expeditionary forces to Iraq to take on these guys. Sad to say, I don't think they'll do anything till the IS is on THEIR doorsteps. Till then, it's up to the Kurds, Shiites and Iranians.

 

[mrjarrell]

Looks like the CIA is seeing to the arming of the Kurds. Unfortunately, it's just small arms and not what they could really use. The Iraqis have smartened up some, too and are sending them supplies, too. Of course Maliki is making things worse by refusing to accept his ouster and that will only serve to embolden IS.

https://news.vice.com/article/the-us-arms-kurdish-troops-as-a-political-crisis-brews-in-baghdad

 

[T.Lex]

The no fly zones over Iraq did work as they planned, in the south and the Kurdish north.

Actually, I think the Kurds and the Shia in the south would have a different recollection of whether they worked. Any other examples?

Regardless, I agree that it will take more than an American presence. Those other countries should participate. But, and this will likely be unpopular, the US should be prepared to proceed alone if necessary.

The exit strategy should be what it (in retrospect) should have been 10 years ago - 3 countries: Kurdistan, Central Iraq, and Southern Iraq. If nothing else, the latter 2 will be proxies for other nations to protect.