"In the Battle of Iraq, the United States and our allies have prevailed." w bush 5/1/2003 [View all]

[Botany]

Mosul is burning, and Iraq could still get worse. Washington Post

The northern Iraqi city of Mosul is burning, as insurgents from an offshoot of al-Qaeda take control while Iraqi security forces leave behind their military uniforms and flee the region. It’s an ugly situation, and it’s unlikely to turn around soon, said a former senior U.S. military commander in Iraq. Here’s why:

1) The insurgents have the momentum. The situation is even more serious than most people in the United States realize, the former U.S. commander said. In capturing parts of Mosul, the insurgents have captured Iraq’s second-largest city, likely giving them additional resources to use in their fight against the central government in Baghdad. That could include money, arms and ammunition.

“When a force like that gets momentum and the security forces start to crumble, it becomes difficult to stop,” said the former U.S. commander in Iraq.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/checkpoint/wp/2014/06/10/mosul-is-burning-and-iraq-could-still-get-worse-here-are-5-reasons-why/