ISIS/ISIL make major gains in Iraq

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

Of course.  The way Malaki has treated them, I don't blame them too much for thinking that ISIL is the lesser of the two evils.

I can - they should be smart enough to know better.

I think both sides are thinking of themselves as a temporary allies, nothing more.

[Tender Branson]

Iraq Crisis Offers Hint of Vindication for Joe Biden

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http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory/biden-iraq-crisis-offers-timely-vindication-24243232

[StateBoiler]

The notion that all parties would've been happy with the borders they were given and conflict would not result is naivete to the extreme. The Kurds for example would've likely not been given Kirkuk and the Sunnis would want far more than they'd end up with and Baghdad is not easy to resolve. This is the ISIL target map for example, published in Turkish paper Milliyet a week ago:



Not saying that's what they're aiming for right this second, but to publish it shows you're pretty expansionist in belief and not accepting of a triangle of Iraq and the northeastern corner of Syria. This conflict is far far far beyond just Iraqi locals being involved or a Syrian Civil War. Anyone that suggests so such as the ABC journalist there should be given another assignment because they don't understand what's going on. This is a pan-Arabian Peninsula conflict now where the sides are something along the lines of:

Iran/Syria/Alawites/Shiites/Assad/Hezbollah/Iraq/Maliki/Egyptian military/Sadrist militias et al

vs.

al-Qaeda/Muslim Brotherhood/Syrian rebels/Qatar/ISIL/Saudi Arabia/Bahrain/Libyan rebels/Sunnis/Islamists

Neutral or close to it/hoping they don't get dragged in: Turkey/Israel/Kurds/Jordan/local Christians/millions of civilians that likely don't back either side

Hopefully this won't get any larger than it has while western leaders and the UN play the fiddle as Babylon burns.

Today's news:

-ISIL and al-Nusra Front have joined together, which is major news for the conflict in Syria. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/al-qaeda/10925602/Al-Qaeda-merges-with-Isis-at-Syria-Iraq-border-town.html

-A message board post from an Iraqi 36 minutes ago: "ISIS mobilized a big force and is reportedly attacking Peshmerga forces in Hamdnaya and Qaraqush in Nineveh right now."

[StateBoiler]

The Saudis are in glee. Written a few days ago prior to the reported al-Nusra/ISIL merger.

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http://english.alarabiya.net/en/views/news/middle-east/2014/06/24/Save-Syria-Iraq-is-already-lost.html[/quote]

[🦀🎂🦀🎂]

On the bright side, we now have an easy compromise in the Crimean crisis. Just give it to ISIL!

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

-A message board post from an Iraqi 36 minutes ago: "ISIS mobilized a big force and is reportedly attacking Peshmerga forces in Hamdnaya and Qaraqush in Nineveh right now."

If true, that would be extraordinarily dumb of ISIS.  The Kurds were content to let ISIS have a free hand with Malaki for now.  They didn't need to needlessly antagonize them.  You'd think ISIS would have learned their lesson from before that you can't simply attack and butcher everyone at the same time.

[SUSAN CRUSHBONE]

On the bright side, we now have an easy compromise in the Crimean crisis. Just give it to ISIL!

i'm sure the uk will be happy too, with greece/romania/bulgaria out of the eu.

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

Our "allies" Saudi Arabia are still funding these lunatics.

It's time to hit the reset button on US foreign policy because it's been an unbelievable epic fail.

Also, anyone who supported the Iraq war should be ridiculed. That includes Hillary.

[StateBoiler]

It's time to hit the reset button on US foreign policy because it's been an unbelievable epic fail.

Well, George W. Bush and Barack Obama were ****ing morons. When you vote for president or vote in primaries for 2016, vote for someone that actually carries an ounce of intelligence when it comes to foreign affairs.  

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/03/28/p-j-o-rourke-orwell-was-right.html#

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I really love the bit at the end comparing achievements in foreign policy.

[bgwah]

Iraqi PM Nouri Maliki: Russian jets will turn tide

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Shia Iraq's alignment with Syria/Iran/Russia seems natural and inevitable.

[Silent Hunter]

Not only Russian; it appears that Iran has given back the Su-25s it confiscated in 1991.

[Tender Branson]

Apparently, Saudi-Arabia has moved 30.000 soldiers to the Iraq border today, because the Iraqi soldiers abandoned their posts there.

[FDRfan1985]

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/11/world/middleeast/iraq.html
"Low-Grade’ Nuclear Material Is Seized by Rebels in Iraq, U.N. Says"

[Deus Naturae]

Iraqi Kurds demand Maliki's resignation.

[Deus Naturae]

Are the Saudis behind it all?

[Chancellor Tanterterg]

It's time to hit the reset button on US foreign policy because it's been an unbelievable epic fail.

Well, George W. Bush and Barack Obama were ****ing morons. When you vote for president or vote in primaries for 2016, vote for someone that actually carries an ounce of intelligence when it comes to foreign affairs.  

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/03/28/p-j-o-rourke-orwell-was-right.html#

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I really love the bit at the end comparing achievements in foreign policy.

[Simfan34]

I enjoyed reading that.

[Clarko95 📚💰📈]

NYT has a short article detailing how ISIS is really, sincerely attempting to set up a governing state centered on their de facto capital Raqqa,  if you'd like to read:

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/24/world/middleeast/islamic-state-controls-raqqa-syria.html?_r=0

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