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AnalystInParadise

(1,832 posts)
62. No not really at all what would happen
Sat Sep 13, 2014, 02:39 PM
Sep 2014

1. The Kurds have far more soldiers, far more tanks, and far more artillery than ISIS. The Peshmerga was not mobilized when ISIS left Mosul to advance towards Irbil. Now the Kurds are mobilized and ISIS has pulled back. So no, the Kurds would not be conquered. 31,000 total ISIS fighters versus 300,000 Kurdish fighters with the Kurdish Tank Brigade also mobilized is a losing proposition for ISIS.

2. Nothing we do (short of keeping 50,000 Americans in Iraq) will make the Shia-led government more inclusive to the Sunni's. Moderate Sunni's will cling to the Shia government because the alternative is worse. The Sunni moderates are largely secular and can work with the Shia, they can't do the same with ISIS.

3. The Saudi government and the Gulf state GOVERNMENTS are terrified of ISIS and what it represents to their own system of control. Individuals in those countries however willingly send money to ISIS. The governments do not fund them. ISIS receives funding through the Hawala system. It stuns me that no one EVER talks about this system. When I was in Iraq, we routinely seized Hawala brokers in Iraq who were giving money to Al Qaeda. Money from Europe, North America, all over the place. Hawala is the problem. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawala

4. Iran is already sending troops to Iraq. They will continue to do so, and those troops will march freely in the streets whether we do anything or not. http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-29186506

5. The Gulf states have next to no Armed Forces. Even the Saudis are largely a garrison army. The Gulf State would get destroyed. And by Gulf States we are really talking about the Saudis. Because even if the Gulf States sent HALF their armies into fight, leaving the other half to keep the peace back home, then the Gulf States would send less than 65,000 total soldiers into the fight. Even if the Iranians only committed 25% of their total combat strength, they would still outnumber the Gulf States. AND the Gulf States military forces would have to fight through SHIA controlled areas. Yeah that is so not happening.
Qatar military: 8,500 Man Army Iranian Army: 350,000 Army
UAE military: 21,000 man Army
Kuwait military: 11,000 man Army
Bahrain military: 9,000 man Army
Saudi Military: 75,000 man army

6. Why would Syria be in more trouble?

7. Oil would be just fine as the Gulf States would not get involved in Iraq, unless they are suicidal which they are not. Step 7 of your fantasy is predicated on the Gulf States ignoring all logic and common sense and sending their military's to certain defeat. As always the Arabs would make necessary deals to survive as they always have.

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0 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):

I doubt it. The other countries don't want to fight. CJCRANE Sep 2014 #1
Why haven't they already pulled the plug? n/t Uncle Joe Sep 2014 #2
Because we're there to rescue the situation CJCRANE Sep 2014 #3
Why did they have the plug there in the first place? n/t Uncle Joe Sep 2014 #4
TBH I'm not sure they can switch them off so easily CJCRANE Sep 2014 #5
That takes me back to my OP if we pulled out it would become even more difficult to Uncle Joe Sep 2014 #7
Please explain the antecedent to "They" in the sentence, "They would just pull the plug on ISIS"? JDPriestly Sep 2014 #6
I think they're an artificial group CJCRANE Sep 2014 #8
The extremists the MIC is funding and supporting would suddenly disappear and... 951-Riverside Sep 2014 #9
Many make huge profits from war and destruction, policy making and rebuilding. It's often hard to RKP5637 Sep 2014 #28
If nothing else . . . Brigid Sep 2014 #10
Better question, IMO: What has history taught us about NOT pulling out? merrily Sep 2014 #11
Agree! See #28. There is no clean cut solution, there are, as you say, RKP5637 Sep 2014 #30
Help them how? Like we helped the Iraqis free themselves of Saddam's brutality? merrily Sep 2014 #33
What would you do? n/t RKP5637 Sep 2014 #37
Not continue to bomb Iraqis. Honestly, did everyone here oppose pulling out in 2007? The neocons Chathamization Sep 2014 #48
It's a rut! Given our track record, and the current direction, we will be there for decades. RKP5637 Sep 2014 #55
Yeah, we used to say that if you find yourself in a hole, stop digging. Now folks say, "if you don't Chathamization Sep 2014 #60
Uncle Joe can't we just yuiyoshida Sep 2014 #12
Why is is so either/or in your scenario? cali Sep 2014 #13
I've often wondered that ... a radical change! Years ago as a student I worked for a RKP5637 Sep 2014 #31
Those in the MIC who get rich on our tax dollars would fight it? merrily Sep 2014 #34
The difficulty is we have a government infilitrated by the MIC, much as Eisenhower warned. That, is RKP5637 Sep 2014 #35
Back in the 1960's . . . OldRedneck Sep 2014 #14
I wasn't thinking of the 1960s so much as the 1910s Uncle Joe Sep 2014 #16
Well said OldRedneck coldbeer Sep 2014 #18
Golf courses. merrily Sep 2014 #36
Yes, it's there on DVD. Thanks, will watch it. RKP5637 Sep 2014 #38
Remember it's pre-Vietnam. Must have seemed funnier then. merrily Sep 2014 #41
Preview... Bluenorthwest Sep 2014 #57
It seems pretty simple quakerboy Sep 2014 #15
I don't know whether this is true or not Uncle Joe Sep 2014 #17
Turkey quakerboy Sep 2014 #25
Turkey Uncle Joe Sep 2014 #26
Turkey wants those things quakerboy Sep 2014 #63
And yet China seems unconcerned. FlatStanley Sep 2014 #19
Why should they be? Either the U.S. stays in to stablize the situation Uncle Joe Sep 2014 #20
China and Russia play a better game of chess, I guess. FlatStanley Sep 2014 #21
I'm of the mind that if they could switch positions they would. n/t Uncle Joe Sep 2014 #22
We should let them. We have a country to rebuild and reeducate. FlatStanley Sep 2014 #23
There is something to be said for that, but be careful what you wish for. Uncle Joe Sep 2014 #24
The world is going to be dominated by China if we remain in the Middle East, not if we vacate it. FlatStanley Sep 2014 #27
Timing is everything, we must accelerate renewable energy sources and wean ourselves Uncle Joe Sep 2014 #29
And, realistically, when will we be off oil? Manhattan Project? Fuck that. merrily Sep 2014 #40
They spent a lot of money and brainpower on the Manhattan Project "that was the point," I also Uncle Joe Sep 2014 #47
Planet of the Apes. merrily Sep 2014 #45
Then, we should stop borrowing from China to pay for wars. merrily Sep 2014 #42
I agree with that. n/t Uncle Joe Sep 2014 #49
Point by point... Scootaloo Sep 2014 #32
Good job. Strong arguments can be made on both side of any war issue. merrily Sep 2014 #43
Point by point... Uncle Joe Sep 2014 #44
More... Scootaloo Sep 2014 #56
There is more. Uncle Joe Sep 2014 #65
"I believe President Obama is pursuing the best course of action in a bad situation." merrily Sep 2014 #39
Do you mean about any issue? Uncle Joe Sep 2014 #46
Fair enough, Uncle Joe. Get some sleep. merrily Sep 2014 #50
Gives us a better excuse to steal their resources later, though. Erich Bloodaxe BSN Sep 2014 #51
With my belief of the probabilities, cynicism is a luxury that I can't afford, see my post #16. n/t Uncle Joe Sep 2014 #53
We were told years ago that we couldn't leave Iraq because it would fall apart and there would be Chathamization Sep 2014 #52
McCain and the others won't rest until.... rgbecker Sep 2014 #54
If we do that, and I believe we should, MineralMan Sep 2014 #58
Recommend....Whole thread & Comments are Good Read/Discussion. KoKo Sep 2014 #59
The Kurds can hold their own. Iran would help out the shiite regions. Warren Stupidity Sep 2014 #61
No not really at all what would happen AnalystInParadise Sep 2014 #62
Regarding Point #1 Uncle Joe Sep 2014 #67
Yes, we created a huge power vacuum when we executed Saddam. Rex Sep 2014 #64
Not to mention disbanding the Iraqi Army when Cheney/Bush were in power. Uncle Joe Sep 2014 #66
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