Iraq's Shi'ite militia, Kurds use U.S. air strikes to further own agendas [View all]

[GeorgeGist]

Source: Reuters

(Reuters) - snip


Helped by the United States and Iran, Kurdish forces and Shi’ite militia are finally beating back Islamic State militants who overran most Sunni Arab areas in northern and central Iraq nearly three months ago.

But the aftermath illustrates the unintended consequences of the U.S. air campaign against Islamic State.

Kurdish and Shi'ite fighters have regained ground, but Sunni Muslims who fled the violence are being prevented from returning home and some have had their houses pillaged and torched.

Rather than help keep the nation together, the air strikes risk being used by different factions for their own advantage in Iraq's sectarian and ethnic conflicts.

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/09/09/us-iraq-security-consequences-idUSKBN0H40B820140909

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Ending one clusterfuck leads to another. Who'd a thunk it?