Posted on May 29, 2015
Do you think the U.S. should be doing more to help Iraq fight the Islamic State? What 'more' should we be doing?
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The Obama administration has responded to the recent gains by the Islamic State in Iraq with several remedial measures, including accelerating a shipment of antitank weapons to Iraqi forces and pledging to push harder for the delivery of arms to Sunni tribes. But some senior administrative officials have adopted a defensive crouch, blaming the Iraqis for failing to defend the city of Ramadi and insisting that there is no alternative to current U.S. strategy.
The response has angered senior Iraqi officials, who point out that Iraqi soldiers and tribal fighters defended Ramadi for 18 months. It may have accentuated what has been a renewed turn by the government of Haider al-Abadi toward Iran, which sponsors the Shiite militias that have been dispatched to retake Ramadi. Above all, the blame-shifting has substituted for an honest and searching reexamination by Mr. Obama of his plan for defeating the Islamic State.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/the-us-can-do-more-to-help-iraq-fight-the-islamic-state/2015/05/28/c6b21506-048f-11e5-8bda-c7b4e9a8f7ac_story.html
The response has angered senior Iraqi officials, who point out that Iraqi soldiers and tribal fighters defended Ramadi for 18 months. It may have accentuated what has been a renewed turn by the government of Haider al-Abadi toward Iran, which sponsors the Shiite militias that have been dispatched to retake Ramadi. Above all, the blame-shifting has substituted for an honest and searching reexamination by Mr. Obama of his plan for defeating the Islamic State.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/the-us-can-do-more-to-help-iraq-fight-the-islamic-state/2015/05/28/c6b21506-048f-11e5-8bda-c7b4e9a8f7ac_story.html
Iraq
ISIS
War on Terror
Edited 9 y ago
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 10
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We really need to look at DOING less and influencing more. There are more than enough Arab states in the AO that are more than capable of getting in there and getting things done. This is not a "US" problem to tackle alone - or even spearhead. We just are because we let everyone else get by with doing nothing.
Just like with kids, you can't do it all for them, they won't learn - sometimes you have to let them fail.
Just like with kids, you can't do it all for them, they won't learn - sometimes you have to let them fail.
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Capt Seid Waddell
SFC James Sczymanski, not after 7 years of Obama, but I believe it can be rebuilt if we elect a leader in 2016.
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Capt Seid Waddell
Biden in 2010: Iraq Will Be 'One of the Greatest Achievements' of This Administration
Biden in 2010: Iraq Will Be 'One of the Greatest Achievements' of This Administration June 12, 2014 www.FreeBeacon.com
SGT William Howell, that is not true. We withdrew our support for their government before they decided not to sign a SOF with us. When we withdrew our advisors from their government they slipped back into factionalism and the Shia-led government turned to the only strong horse in the region - Iran.
Before Obama cut the legs out from under the Iraqi government the situation was well on the way to becoming a successful and prosperous state.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HOcPCrGRs6k
Before Obama cut the legs out from under the Iraqi government the situation was well on the way to becoming a successful and prosperous state.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HOcPCrGRs6k
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Capt Seid Waddell
SGT William Howell, from Obama's own mouth. Does that war look over to you?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KFqrBJ_1rro
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KFqrBJ_1rro
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MAJ Bryan Zeski
SFC James Sczymanski - I don't think there is any question as to whether we have significant influence in the world. We influence with our actions more than anything else. We wanted more local nations to be involved in the fight against ISIS in Syria and we influenced the area by how we engaged ISIS there. We kept our action minimal and limited to high value strikes against very specific targets. Some regional players thought there needed to be more and brought their own toys to the fight (Russia). That's good for us. We can't just be the hammer that runs around the world crushing things.
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We really have to get out of trying to be the Police for every other country but own. With all the recent attacks and shootings going on that should be our focus and not on another countries problems.
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SGM David W. Carr LOM, DMSM MP SGT
I keep asking why is rhe Arab nations failing coming to the front to end the blood shed. They hate our western way of life yet they keep fleeing to our borders. When I was in Saudi during the Gulf War. They have empty developments built in the desert like KKMC for the Nomads.
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GySgt Wayne A. Ekblad
What are we supposed to do when they say they don't want our help and we are violating their national sovereignty?
What are we supposed to do when they say they don't want our help and we are violating their national sovereignty?
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Maj Kevin "Mac" McLaughlin
Who's national sovereignty? Syria? Their problems spilled into Iraq, our ally and unfortunately our responsibility. I assure you that Assad is not too much concerned that we're attacking a threat trying to take him out.
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CPT (Join to see)
Maj Kevin "Mac" McLaughlin -
Sir, I was referring to Iraq's PM's statement in light of recent events.
On another note, I'm sure Assad is pleased with anything that helps his position.
http://america.aljazeera.com/articles/2015/12/2/iraqi-pm-foreign-troops-not-needed-on-the-ground-to-fight-isil.html
Sir, I was referring to Iraq's PM's statement in light of recent events.
On another note, I'm sure Assad is pleased with anything that helps his position.
http://america.aljazeera.com/articles/2015/12/2/iraqi-pm-foreign-troops-not-needed-on-the-ground-to-fight-isil.html
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Maj Kevin "Mac" McLaughlin
I really wasn't referring to a full up ground combat operation but rather, your suggestion that we're violating their national sovereignty. That simply isn't the case. While the Iraqi PM tells the press he doesn't need ground combat forces publically, he still wants the money, training, weapons, advice, and what he left out, air power. He also did not close the door on the SOF we're sending his way. From your own link:
"Abadi said his country needs training, weapons and advice from the international community and not "foreign ground combat forces fighting on Iraqi soil."
But he left the door open for such a possibility.
"The Iraqi government underlines that any military operation or deployment of any foreign special or non-special forces in any part of Iraq can't be done without its approval, full coordination and with full respect to Iraqi sovereignty," he said."
"Abadi said his country needs training, weapons and advice from the international community and not "foreign ground combat forces fighting on Iraqi soil."
But he left the door open for such a possibility.
"The Iraqi government underlines that any military operation or deployment of any foreign special or non-special forces in any part of Iraq can't be done without its approval, full coordination and with full respect to Iraqi sovereignty," he said."
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Pentagon is weighing more involvement in Iraq but Obama is. Not convinced we need to. He didn't sign off on the raid to rescue ISIS captives last week. And he has promised not to have "Boots On The Ground" in Iraq again.
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While I agree with MAJ Bryan Zeski, we helped the Iraqi Army get back on its feet and trained them we also gave them the impression we would be there to support them for the long term. And the Iraqi Army or parts of it laid down thinking the US would always be there. So when The U.S. pulled up stakes and left it most likely came as a shock and then they find themselves fighting ISIS and they were not mentally prepared to do that. I have heard all the lame arguments about the war and why we went. We never got a drop of oil from Iraq, we did find WMDs. But we did destabilizes the area when we took out Hussein so we were obligated to stay and keep that area safe in my mind. But more importantly what was it for no oil, yes on WMDs and we killed off a murder. We lost brothers and sisters and then pulled out, Obama, Bush doesn't matter one bit we pulled out after all that. What was the Blood, Sweat and Tears for if we became a political tool it was a waste. I wasted my time there. But ISIS they must be stopped at all costs they murdering people daily and some Arab countries are fighting back but all the countries need to talk and coordinate which does not seem to be happening at this time a leader needs to step up but we don't have one to do that.
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COL Ted Mc
Master Sergeant; I'll just have to beg to differ with you (and the other [estimated] six people who think there were) on whether any actual, real, working, WMD were found in Iraq or even if any facilities actually capable of producing any were found.
When you say "What was the Blood, Sweat and Tears for if we became a political tool it was a waste." you are 100% correct. Lives were wasted in order to create a political tool.
Worse, lives were wasted in order to create a political tool that didn't work.
Even worse, lives were wasted in order to create a political tool that didn't work and which the people who built the political tool wouldn't have known how to use even if it did work.
This is what happens when people confuse "A Goal" with "A Plan" and start confusing reality with the labels they put on things.
Then you say "... a leader needs to step up but we don't have one ..." and I ask you to consider exactly who said that it was the United States of America that was responsible for ruling the Middle East? There are leaders in the Middle East and you have a Middle East problem - doesn't it seem strange (and rather the height of hubris) to think that the only solution is to crown someone from America to solve them in the best interests of the United States of America regardless of what the people actually and directly affected want?
When you say "What was the Blood, Sweat and Tears for if we became a political tool it was a waste." you are 100% correct. Lives were wasted in order to create a political tool.
Worse, lives were wasted in order to create a political tool that didn't work.
Even worse, lives were wasted in order to create a political tool that didn't work and which the people who built the political tool wouldn't have known how to use even if it did work.
This is what happens when people confuse "A Goal" with "A Plan" and start confusing reality with the labels they put on things.
Then you say "... a leader needs to step up but we don't have one ..." and I ask you to consider exactly who said that it was the United States of America that was responsible for ruling the Middle East? There are leaders in the Middle East and you have a Middle East problem - doesn't it seem strange (and rather the height of hubris) to think that the only solution is to crown someone from America to solve them in the best interests of the United States of America regardless of what the people actually and directly affected want?
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MSG Greg Kelly
I will be glad to one of the six Sir I know what I saw and I know what area we patrolled to ensure it stayed clear and secure until it was handed off to another element. And I know there was a lot of crap buried in that sand. But we can differ. As for crowning a leader I do not care if it is Arab or French leader to bring all the countries fighting ISIS together and coordinate a strategy to stop ISIS. But we cannot in my mind leave those people like we have. We created this monster when our politicians pulled us out. If we should have been there in first place is a dead point that historians can argue about I don't care we went there and right or wrong it is partly our fault no that area will never understand democracy as we know it and I would not even try and debate you on that point hell they may not even understand real freedom but we knew the Iraqi Army had no spine without a good leader hell we showed that on every combined OP we did they never wanted to go through the door first. All war is a waste and the military has always been a tool not sure if you were there and it doesn't matter I do not like being a tool on the losing side. And we lost in Iraq.
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http://editorialcartoonists.com/cartoon/display.cfm/142153/
Just follow the link for an interesting take on Iraq.
Just follow the link for an interesting take on Iraq.
05/28/2015 Cartoon by MStreeter
Political cartoons by MStreeter, member of the Association of American Editorial Cartoonists.. Cartoon originally published 2015/05/28 Cartoon caption = "No End In Sight" (Mark Streeter/Savannah Morning News)
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We should be hitting ISIS reinforcement columns more heavily, and arming effective troops like the Kurds at the very least.
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GySgt Wayne A. Ekblad
Keep in mind they are a divided nation and will work to suppress each other's ethnic tribe at all costs.
"While 3,000 U.S. trainers and other support troops are now in Iraq, they are not allowed to accompany Iraqi forces to the front lines or identify targets for airstrikes — crucial tasks that proved decisive when the United States helped local forces overthrow the Taliban government in Afghanistan."
When do we let them execute what they have been trained?
Keep in mind they are a divided nation and will work to suppress each other's ethnic tribe at all costs.
"While 3,000 U.S. trainers and other support troops are now in Iraq, they are not allowed to accompany Iraqi forces to the front lines or identify targets for airstrikes — crucial tasks that proved decisive when the United States helped local forces overthrow the Taliban government in Afghanistan."
When do we let them execute what they have been trained?
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