Obama Authorizes Targeted Airstrikes and Humanitarian Missions In Iraq

[Ace Nova]

@ Magisme. I think you're forgetting that Iraq has an army. And I think people are overrating ISIS and underrating how effective our smart weapons are in support of ground troops...which in this case is the Iraqi army.

[Dan H.]

If the Americans are bombing Iraq then that means the bombs will probably end up in Finland.

Nah. If there's one thing America is good at, it's bombing people

[Georgy Zhukov]

If the Americans are bombing Iraq then that means the bombs will probably end up in Finland.

Nah. If there's one thing America is good at, it's bombing people

We've learned from the best. The British.

@ Magisme. I think you're forgetting that Iraq has an army. And I think people are overrating ISIS and underrating how effective our smart weapons are in support of ground troops...which in this case is the Iraqi army.

They have an army. One that ran like bitches from an enemy they outnumber 30 to 1. One of the high ranking officers said "This is more shameful than rape victim" or something like that.

[DieselDaisy]

If the Americans are bombing Iraq then that means the bombs will probably end up in Finland.

Nah. If there's one thing America is good at, it's bombing people

Just not, the 'right' people!

[wasted]

Iran is on hold. Iraq 2!

[Ace Nova]

They have an army. One that ran like bitches from an enemy they outnumber 30 to 1. One of the high ranking officers said "This is more shameful than rape victim" or something like that.

Hopefully they learn from their mistakes as their country is getting dismantled by a bunch of rogue wannabe's. Knowing the U.S. has your back from above goes a long way.

[DieselDaisy]

They sound like the Italian army of a certain vintage.

[Ace Nova]

They sound like the Italian army of a certain vintage.

Ha. Ha. Ha.

[Ace Nova]

And on a side note, does anyone with any sense actually think that the U.S. hasn't already brought intelligence into Iraq (CIA, Military Intelligence units, Special Forces), giving the Iraqi army the 411 on how to beat these bozos? I guarantee this is what most of the hold up was about.

"The United States has hundreds of military personnel in Iraq, including advisers sent in recent weeks to coordinate with Iraqi and Kurdish military officials in response to the ISIS rampage. The USS George H.W. Bush and other Navy ships also are in the region."

http://www.cnn.com/2014/08/09/world/meast/iraq-crisis/

Before we start dropping million dollar bombs, we want to make sure the ground is ready. Common sense.

Edited August 9, 2014 by Kasanova King

[Georgy Zhukov]

They sound like the Italian army of a certain vintage.

Iraq's performance in Desert Storm was ranked as the most embarrassing since the Italian army's performance against the British in 1941.

It looks like they still have not improved.

Edited August 10, 2014 by Georgy Zhukov

[Ace Nova]

They sound like the Italian army of a certain vintage.

Iraq's performance in Desert Storm was ranked as the most embarrassing since the Italian army's performance against the British in 1941.

It looks like they still have not improved.

Until now. Watch and see.

[Georgy Zhukov]

You know who would kick ISIS's ass? If the Iraqi had an army of all women. Those guys would be goners.

[Ace Nova]

You know who would kick ISIS's ass? If the Iraqi had an army of all women. Those guys would be goners.

:lol:

That's the smartest thing you've said in weeks. I'm glad to see you still got it.

[foghat43]

Anyone miss Saddam Hussein yet? Bush's unconsitutional war, failed strategies and destabilization of the region continues to play out in Iraq. Meanwhile Obama plays golf.

"What these fools did was to open the gates of hell. The end result of Washington’s 20-year campaign to liberate Iraq, beginning with the first gulf war and followed by the devastating trade sanctions of the 1990s and the brutal desecrations of Bush II’s “shock and awe” and all the military mayhem which followed, was to aggravate, widen and mobilize all of the latent ethnic and religious conflicts and enmities that had been bottled up for decades inside the Sykes-Picot illusion.

Now the furies have come. Ironically, the bloodthirsty ISIS is comprised of fighters who were first enabled by the misbegotten Bush maneuver known as the “surge”; then armed and trained by the CIA for the campaign against Assad; and now brandish the best weapons that any ramshackle jihadist group ever had."

https://www.lewrockwell.com/2014/08/david-stockman/dc-opened-the-gates-of-hell/

[Georgy Zhukov]

You know who would kick ISIS's ass? If the Iraqi had an army of all women. Those guys would be goners.

:lol:

That's the smartest thing you've said in weeks. I'm glad to see you still got it.

You implying I haven't said smart things in the last few weeks? I am offended.

In all seriousness though, their women are tough. All the men want to do is sit down, drink espresso and smoke hookah's all day. Very similar to Italian men, but except Hookahs, just cheap cigarettes.

Obviously they were better off under Saddam. Someone should have just killed his two sons and leave it at that. Saddam had plenty of daughters, he must have at least one son-in-law he did not have shot.

[Ace Nova]

Anyone miss Saddam Hussein yet? Bush's unconsitutional war, failed strategies and destabilization of the region continues to play out in Iraq. Meanwhile Obama plays golf.

"What these fools did was to open the gates of hell. The end result of Washington’s 20-year campaign to liberate Iraq, beginning with the first gulf war and followed by the devastating trade sanctions of the 1990s and the brutal desecrations of Bush II’s “shock and awe” and all the military mayhem which followed, was to aggravate, widen and mobilize all of the latent ethnic and religious conflicts and enmities that had been bottled up for decades inside the Sykes-Picot illusion.

Now the furies have come. Ironically, the bloodthirsty ISIS is comprised of fighters who were first enabled by the misbegotten Bush maneuver known as the “surge”; then armed and trained by the CIA for the campaign against Assad; and now brandish the best weapons that any ramshackle jihadist group ever had."

https://www.lewrockwell.com/2014/08/david-stockman/dc-opened-the-gates-of-hell/

Anyone who would even slightly compare this to the Iraq war is completely out of their mind....or nonsensical....or most likely a combination of the two.

Edited August 10, 2014 by Kasanova King

[foghat43]

Anyone miss Saddam Hussein yet? Bush's unconsitutional war, failed strategies and destabilization of the region continues to play out in Iraq. Meanwhile Obama plays golf.

"What these fools did was to open the gates of hell. The end result of Washington’s 20-year campaign to liberate Iraq, beginning with the first gulf war and followed by the devastating trade sanctions of the 1990s and the brutal desecrations of Bush II’s “shock and awe” and all the military mayhem which followed, was to aggravate, widen and mobilize all of the latent ethnic and religious conflicts and enmities that had been bottled up for decades inside the Sykes-Picot illusion.

Now the furies have come. Ironically, the bloodthirsty ISIS is comprised of fighters who were first enabled by the misbegotten Bush maneuver known as the “surge”; then armed and trained by the CIA for the campaign against Assad; and now brandish the best weapons that any ramshackle jihadist group ever had."

https://www.lewrockwell.com/2014/08/david-stockman/dc-opened-the-gates-of-hell/

Anyone who would even slightly compare this to the Iraq war is completely out of their mind....or nonsensical....or most likely a combination of the two.

Not sure what you mean...the context of what I said or the article I posted is not really about comparing the two, but rather about cause and effect and the consequences of Bush's war. And anyone who thinks what is happening today in Iraq isn't a consequence of Bush's war is completely out of their mind....or nonsensical....or most likely a combination of the two.

[Georgy Zhukov]

This is really one of those awkward moments in US foreign policy. Helping defeat ISIS would also mean helping Syria's government, that we are supposed to hate because they hate Israel and are buddies with Iran who we are also supposed to hate because they humiliated us in 1979 and also hate Israel but they also hate ISIS.

Iran would kick their ass. If they hate anyone more than Israelis, it is Sunni extremists who dare to call themselves a Caliphate.

[Ace Nova]

Anyone who would even slightly compare this to the Iraq war is completely out of their mind....or nonsensical....or most likely a combination of the two.

Not sure what you mean...the context of what I said or the article I posted is not really about comparing the two, but rather about cause and effect and the consequences of Bush's war. And anyone who thinks what is happening today in Iraq isn't a consequence of Bush's war is completely out of their mind....or nonsensical....or most likely a combination of the two.

You are linking the two by bringing up the Iraq war. As if the two were one in the same? Part of Obama's legacy has been that he has ended the Iraq war....and you acting as if this....and that... were some sort of combined conspiracy... is laughable. Or pathetic, at best.

This is really one of those awkward moments in US foreign policy. Helping defeat ISIS would also mean helping Syria's government, that we are supposed to hate because they hate Israel and are buddies with Iran who we are also supposed to hate because they humiliated us in 1979 and also hate Israel but they also hate ISIS.

Iran would kick their ass. If they hate anyone more than Israelis, it is Sunni extremists who dare to call themselves a Caliphate.

You're reading too much into it. Watch and see what happens.

[Georgy Zhukov]

They also need to do something about Syria. ISIS has taken over a chunk of it. I think it is time to back Assad.

[Ace Nova]

They also need to do something about Syria. ISIS has taken over a chunk of it. I think it is time to back Assad.

The U.S. may never do it openly. But part of the reason he is still in power is because we (sort of) have been backing him.

(The rebels cutting the throat of the Catholic Priest was the last of the U.S. backing them, FYI).

[foghat43]

This is really one of those awkward moments in US foreign policy. Helping defeat ISIS would also mean helping Syria's government, that we are supposed to hate because they hate Israel and are buddies with Iran who we are also supposed to hate because they humiliated us in 1979 and also hate Israel but they also hate ISIS.

Iran would kick their ass. If they hate anyone more than Israelis, it is Sunni extremists who dare to call themselves a Caliphate.

I think "awkward" is an understatement. The US was backing these extremists in Syria (even as they were chopping the heads off of Christians there). Now these "junior varsity" radicals are using US tanks and weapons to wreak havoc in Iraq. Embarrassing to say the least. Perhaps the founding fathers were right about avoiding entangling alliances? American foreign policy has sure made for some strange bedfellows...anyone remember the freedom fighter terrorist Bin Laden? Not to mention that we send billions of $$$ in foreign aid to Israel's enemies.

[Georgy Zhukov]

They also need to do something about Syria. ISIS has taken over a chunk of it. I think it is time to back Assad.

The U.S. may never do it openly. But part of the reason he is still in power is because we (sort of) have been backing him.

(The rebels cutting the throat of the Catholic Priest was the last of the U.S. backing them, FYI).

Wasn't he beheaded?

The weird thing about Syria is that the rebels (some are good some are bad, some are fucking awful) kind of screwed up by arming themselves and take on the Syrian forces. If they just peacefully protested, demonstrated non-violence. The world would have backed them. Instead they are killers themselves. Maybe they thought they would got the same treatment the Libyan rebels did. Well they were wrong.

[Ace Nova]

Wasn't he beheaded?

The weird thing about Syria is that the rebels (some are good some are bad, some are fucking awful) kind of screwed up by arming themselves and take on the Syrian forces. If they just peacefully protested, demonstrated non-violence. The world would have backed them. Instead they are killers themselves. Maybe they thought they would got the same treatment the Libyan rebels did. Well they were wrong.

Very enlightening post, Georgy. So much truth to this. Very well said.

[foghat43]

Anyone who would even slightly compare this to the Iraq war is completely out of their mind....or nonsensical....or most likely a combination of the two.

Not sure what you mean...the context of what I said or the article I posted is not really about comparing the two, but rather about cause and effect and the consequences of Bush's war. And anyone who thinks what is happening today in Iraq isn't a consequence of Bush's war is completely out of their mind....or nonsensical....or most likely a combination of the two.

You are linking the two by bringing up the Iraq war. As if the two were one in the same? Part of Obama's legacy has been that he has ended the Iraq war....and you acting as if this....and that... were some sort of combined conspiracy... is laughable. Or pathetic, at best.

This is really one of those awkward moments in US foreign policy. Helping defeat ISIS would also mean helping Syria's government, that we are supposed to hate because they hate Israel and are buddies with Iran who we are also supposed to hate because they humiliated us in 1979 and also hate Israel but they also hate ISIS.

Iran would kick their ass. If they hate anyone more than Israelis, it is Sunni extremists who dare to call themselves a Caliphate.

You're reading too much into it. Watch and see what happens.

Yes, that's correct...I am absolutely linking the two because the two are related, but not because they are one in the same. Two things can be related or can be in a cause/effect relationship without being one in the same....I'm sorry if you can't grasp that distinction. And I'm not suggesting any type of conspiracy, but I realize that it is a common tactic on this forum to bring out the "tin foil hat, conspiracy theorist" accusations whenever someone disagrees with the accepted point of view. The Iraq war left the country destabilized and ripe for what is now taking place. Bush's regime change/nation building strategy hasn't played out so well.