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former9thward

(31,805 posts)
Fri May 15, 2015, 04:14 PM May 2015

Islamic State seizes capital of Iraq’s largest province

Source: Washington Post

BAGHDAD —Islamic State fighters took control of key sites Friday in the heart of Ramadi, capital of Iraq’s largest province, in what appeared to mark a significant blow to a U.S.-backed military campaign to retake territory from the militants.

The Islamic State offensive — which began with ambush-style attacks after sundown Thursday — touched off panicked attempts to flee the city and avoid the militant’s tightening noose on routes to safety.

“It was just like scenes of carnage in a World War II movie with bombing all around and dead people in the streets,” said Ali Dulaimi, a 28-year-old student at Anbar University.

He fled central Ramadi for calmer neighborhoods with his three brothers and parents, but has been unable to find way out of the city. “There were dead people lying all over the street as we ran away,” he said.

Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle_east/isis-gains-control-of-major-iraqi-city/2015/05/15/68a8036c-fb0c-11e4-a47c-e56f4db884ed_story.html?hpid=z1

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Islamic State seizes capital of Iraq’s largest province (Original Post) former9thward May 2015 OP
Another city we can bomb to dust chasing yet another terrorist group. dixiegrrrrl May 2015 #1
We have to pull out. former9thward May 2015 #2
Considering JonLP24 May 2015 #6
+1 former9thward May 2015 #8
We've got them on the run now. bemildred May 2015 #3
JV's 840high May 2015 #4
I'll tell you who the naive fuckwits are in all this, and it's not the jihadis. bemildred May 2015 #10
The black flag terror group from Jordan JonLP24 May 2015 #5
I think we should refer to them as the Islamic "W" State in honor of their founder. mackdaddy May 2015 #7
Their founder was the British and French after WW I. former9thward May 2015 #9
Generally the colonial corps got the dregs of the mother state, bemildred May 2015 #11

dixiegrrrrl

(60,010 posts)
1. Another city we can bomb to dust chasing yet another terrorist group.
Fri May 15, 2015, 08:23 PM
May 2015

"We had to destroy the village to save it"

former9thward

(31,805 posts)
2. We have to pull out.
Fri May 15, 2015, 08:28 PM
May 2015

We can argue all day about what the conditions were that created this mess but we need to butt out. There is no good coming from our involvement.

JonLP24

(29,322 posts)
6. Considering
Fri May 15, 2015, 11:15 PM
May 2015

These groups that all merged together with ISIS -- terrorists were prodiment in this area (Al-Anbar was notable for its daisy-chain IEDs mid 2000s).

The only thing that helped is when they starting indiscriminately killing civilians they fought back in what was known as the "Sunni awakening" but I don't think, if the situating repeats itself, they'd do the same because for fought the new Iraqi government only to be left with a brutal oppressive regime & unregulated Shia militias who went on unchecked. Don't matter though, the officially sanctioned Army are torturing, war criminals too.

What I'm saying is I agree with you and you're right, just relaying my thoughts on the conditions before & now.

bemildred

(90,061 posts)
3. We've got them on the run now.
Fri May 15, 2015, 08:56 PM
May 2015

Our precision bombing is degrading their ability to conduct operations.
Their momentum is stalled.

bemildred

(90,061 posts)
10. I'll tell you who the naive fuckwits are in all this, and it's not the jihadis.
Sat May 16, 2015, 03:35 AM
May 2015

All of these military morons we have running around killing people with no clue whatsoever as to what they are trying to do or what the effects or what they are doing are going to be. Thus they are always blindsided by reality, and lots and lots of people get killed for nothing, for less than nothing.

JonLP24

(29,322 posts)
5. The black flag terror group from Jordan
Fri May 15, 2015, 11:08 PM
May 2015

and a loose band of affiliates roughly had control of that area, the roads around Fallujah & Ramadi were torn up. I'm not sure what to make of it but it isn't like Iraqi Army & Iran-backed militias are much better and they have control of the prisons. They go in there and ethnically cleanse neighborhoods after a battlefield takeover -- creating the chaotic situation to enable the ISIS offensive.

mackdaddy

(1,520 posts)
7. I think we should refer to them as the Islamic "W" State in honor of their founder.
Fri May 15, 2015, 11:21 PM
May 2015

and IWS as their short initial only form.

former9thward

(31,805 posts)
9. Their founder was the British and French after WW I.
Sat May 16, 2015, 01:02 AM
May 2015

WW I brought the destruction of the Ottoman Empire which controlled the area. Britain and France claimed the area because their troops had done the fighting. They arbitrarily divided the area into areas they controlled without regard to religious sects or tribes. So now we are left with that legacy.

bemildred

(90,061 posts)
11. Generally the colonial corps got the dregs of the mother state,
Sat May 16, 2015, 03:42 AM
May 2015

and generally speaking, they got no supervision at all. The colonies were viewed in much the same way we now view Samoa or Puerto Rico. Same today in the USA, overseas the rules do not apply, and we send the dregs of our society and call them heroes. The war on terror has much to do with a desire not to give up that "freedom".

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