ISIS claims gains, takes control of Iraq's largest hydroelectric dam

[abovesobelow]

This discussion thread was locked as off-topic by DonViejo (a host of the Latest Breaking News forum).

Source: CNN

"Fighters with the militant group the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria reached the triangle border between Iraq, Syria and Turkey, it said in a message posted on Twitter on Sunday.

ISIS took control of Iraq's largest hydroelectric dam on Iraq's Tigris River, which provides power to the city of Mosul about 50 kilometers (31 miles) to the south, the commander of the Peshmerga Kurdish fighters who had been defending the facility said Sunday.

The dam workers remained inside the facility, which fell after a 24-hour battle, Lt. Col. Herash said.

A "horrendous prospect"

ISIS -- known for killing dozens of people at a time, while carrying out public executions, crucifixions and other acts -- has taken over several cities as it seeks to create an Islamic caliphate that encompasses parts of Iraq and Syria."



Read more: http://www.cnn.com/2014/08/03/world/meast/iraq-crisis-isis/

---

Isis leaders message to America:

"This is a message that we address to America.

You should know O protector of the cross, that the proxy war in Ash-Sham will not benefit you just as it has not benefited you in Iraq, and you shall soon be forced to be in direct confrontation by the permission of Allah, and the sons of Islam have been waiting for this day."

{So wait; for indeed we along with you are waiting.} (9:52)

[jwirr]

1. I think we should take this threat seriously just as we shuld have taken the one about 9/11 years

ago. If this group takes over and creates their own state there is going to be one atrocity after another that will make anything we have seen before look tame.

[big_dog]

6. Mosul Dam

[mahatmakanejeeves]

2. No Google street view.

Not much of a surprise in that, but it is huge and easy to find in the satellite view.

[RandiFan1290]

3. The 'publicons and the Democrats spent billions arming Iraq

Where is our money?

[flamingdem]

4. K&R

[bluestateguy]

5. That's really unfortunate

Anyway, when can we expect Congress to hold a vote on raising the minimum wage?

[hedda_foil]

7. I wonder just who is paying the tab for this supposedly ad hoc but Al Quedaish Army?

The Saudis? There has to be a huge money trail to field an army of this size and sophistication.

[happyslug]

8. This is called the "Most dangerous Dam in the World" for its foundation dissolves under water.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mosul_Dam

Thus a Dam that needs constant maintenance, more maintenance then is normal for any dam is now in the hands of people who know almost nothing about dams. What can go wrong??

The earthen embankment dam is located on top of gypsum, a soft mineral which dissolves in contact with water. Continuous maintenance is required to plug, or "grout" new leaks with a liquefied slurry of cement and other additives.[7] More than 50,000 tonnes (49,000 long tons; 55,000 short tons) of material have been injected into the dam since leaks began forming shortly after the reservoir was filled in 1986, and 24 machines currently continuously pump grout into the dam base. A September 2006 report by the United States Army Corps of Engineers noted, "In terms of internal erosion potential of the foundation, Mosul Dam is the most dangerous dam in the world." The report further outlined a worst-case scenario, in which a sudden collapse of the dam would flood Mosul under 65 feet (20 m) of water and Baghdad, a city of 7 million, to 15 feet (5 m), with an estimated death toll of 500,000.[8] A report on 30 October 2007 by the US Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction (SIGIR) said that the dam's foundations could give way at any moment.[9]

[DonViejo]

9. Locking...

This is a duplicate of an OP entered here:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/1014861764

The article is also over 12 hours old.