Does the majority of the military community think that OIR is the same as OEF/OIF?

2015-09-22T17:46:39-04:00

BLUF: OIR is very, very different from OEF/OIF.

Let's remember that ISIL doesn't view Iraq and Syria as separate countries. As such, OIR is against the so-called Islamic State on both sides of the border. In addition, there's another war being fought concurrently in the Levant between the Syrian Regime and opposition forces.

OIR in Iraq and Syria can only be won with boots on the ground. The air campaign has been very effective in supporting US-backed groups that are fighting ISIL, but more cooperation is needed between those groups and others to make the gains last. There are several groups that (if they cooperated) would be very effective in retaking areas past the Mar'a line and into Ar Raqqah from ISIL, but these gains can only last if the Syrian Regime (now backed in force by Russia) doesn't wipe those groups out from the western front. Unfortunately, there are a lot of cogs in this war, and not all of them are spinning in support of each other.

Response by SSG Tim Jessen made Sep 22 at 2015 5:49 PM

2015-09-22T17:49:04-04:00

Not good.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 22 at 2015 6:02 PM

2015-09-22T18:02:24-04:00

I think the portion of the military community who was involved with OIF and is maintaining some semblance of familiarity with the subject (which should be everyone who has been in for more than about five years) should definitely know the difference between OIF and OIR, both in approach and setbacks. I think we should be educating our junior servicemembers about the region, even if they don't have an opportunity to deploy in support of OIR, as to why it is important.

Response by LCDR Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 22 at 2015 6:07 PM

2015-09-22T18:07:42-04:00

I think the majority are very confused about the differences. We don't exactly help ourselves making the acronyms near the same.

Response by SGT Bryon Sergent made Sep 22 at 2015 6:16 PM

2015-09-22T18:16:22-04:00

Okay might have had my head in the sand for a little to long. What is OIR?

Response by MAJ James Woods made Sep 22 at 2015 6:23 PM

2015-09-22T18:23:13-04:00

I agree that the fight against ISIL resembles nothing like the OIF or OEF campaigns but we must not take onus of the fight by putting troops on the ground. Continue supporting the nations in that region willing to fight ISIL and limit their reach to our borders.

Response by 1SG Cameron M. Wesson made Sep 22 at 2015 6:33 PM

2015-09-22T18:33:46-04:00

No... OIF and OIR were/are very different. Both in intent and execution.

Response by CPT Pedro Meza made Sep 22 at 2015 6:56 PM

2015-09-22T18:56:54-04:00

A Rose by any other name still smells as sweet as a Rose. The same applies to dung or feces ISIL/Daesh.

Response by Capt Richard I P. made Sep 22 at 2015 7:47 PM

2015-09-22T19:47:20-04:00

Same war different decade.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 22 at 2015 8:00 PM

2015-09-22T20:00:17-04:00

What about OFS??

Response by SSG Steven Dowell made Sep 22 at 2015 9:55 PM

2015-09-22T21:55:58-04:00

My dad asked me this when I was over in OEF 11-12. I assume it's the same but he never specified what that meant.

Response by Lt Col Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 22 at 2015 9:58 PM

2015-09-22T21:58:36-04:00

I'm not super-excited about the idea of invading Syria, against the will of the Assad regime, while they are being backed by Russia.

It's also not helping the cause that Turkey decided, as their first act in the war against ISIL, to attack our Kurdish allies in Iraq.

Response by SFC Michael Peterson made Sep 22 at 2015 10:15 PM

2015-09-22T22:15:06-04:00

I think it's time to take off the gloves. We can't defeat this kind of enemy by being "kinder and gentler". We need to kill them in the most violent and grotesque way possible. We should not only destroy them but, we should do it in a manner that prevents them from "going to paradise" according to the corrupt political ideology, also known as Islam. To them, kindness IS weakness. Take away what drives them, kill not only them but, kill any hopes of victory and/or martyrdom. Make them suffer and make their families grieve for their very souls that can never be admitted to their heaven.

Response by Sgt Kyle Garcia made Sep 23 at 2015 3:11 AM

2015-09-23T03:11:57-04:00

Similar in regards to history repeating itself and expecting a different outcome.

Response by SGT David T. made Sep 23 at 2015 8:33 AM

2015-09-23T08:33:05-04:00

OIR spawned from OIF. While related, it is something different entirely. OIR will be a waste of resources if we do not wholeheartedly commit to the eradication of ISIS. If we are unwilling to put boots on ground to close with and destroy them, then we just need to pack it up and cut our losses. I for one do not like the idea of putting Soldiers in harm's way again but in this case it is a necessity if we hope to have a positive outcome.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 23 at 2015 8:48 AM

2015-09-23T08:48:07-04:00

I'm down with boots on ground!! Sign me up.

Response by SGM Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 23 at 2015 9:53 AM

2015-09-23T09:53:30-04:00

TSgt Rick "y-Bobby" Pelrine,
Operation Inherent Resolve (OIR) in Iraq and Syria is different from operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) Afghanistan and Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) Iraq. For one it's ISIL or ISIS which was created by the US to counter the Syrian Government of Assad’s oppressive aggression against his own people which included sarin gas attacks and has morphed into this Caliphate that covers Iraq and Syria. So, no I do not believe there are any current or previous Soldiers that served during OIF (the goal of which was to remove Sad am Hussein and eliminate Weapons of Mass Destruction) and/or OEF (The goal of which was to attack Al Qaeda and the government that was harboring them, the Taliban, and to eliminate Osama Bin Laden the leader of Al Qaeda). However, it is still the Global War on Terrorism and thus the reason service members serving under its umbrella will be eligible for a service medal — the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal.

Response by CH (MAJ) Thomas Conner made Sep 23 at 2015 12:45 PM

2015-09-23T12:45:03-04:00

Unless the ROE changes, it may have a different name but the outcome will be the same. Leaders need to quit worrying about the "60 Minutes" question and eradicate ISIS from the face of the earth!

Response by PO1 Andrew White made Sep 23 at 2015 3:56 PM

2015-09-23T15:56:19-04:00

On Sept 2 1945, Japan made peace with the U.S.
They've been peaceful ever since.

Response by SGT Frank Leonardo made Sep 23 at 2015 4:52 PM

2015-09-23T16:52:43-04:00

I don think we can do crap as long as a push over is a President which is what we have now. Yep boots on the gnd are 1 of the best answers backed with air support and a President with a pair.

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Sep 23 at 2015 5:06 PM

2015-09-23T17:06:48-04:00

The size of the insurgency in Iraq makes this a completely different operation.

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 23 at 2015 8:46 PM

2015-09-23T20:46:28-04:00

As an Operation New Dawn veteran I find it interesting my part of the war was left out. Out of curiosity, did you lump it in with OIF or forget about it entirely?

Response by SFC Wesley Arnold, Jr made Sep 24 at 2015 6:19 PM

2015-09-24T18:19:26-04:00

Not exactly the same mission ... but yes the same focus. It is easy for me to "Monday Night Quarterback" this since I'm retired; however, my answers would still be the same ... We need to totally commit or get completely out of the entire region.

As Nation we have nearly the same view (or we use too) about Iran and yet we don't have a continued "Conflict" with them. If we had pulled out more and faster out of Iraq (OIF) it might be the Iranian instead of ISIS. We stuck around and trained their "police" and army and offered up our "used up" in county war stock, and we with drew slowly to re - establish the government under or ideas. The US Constitution does not work for the Iraqi people due to religious ideas. We give everyone "freedom choice" and all of our law way of life has been by the Quran dictates otherwise

To find an answer you need to go back through the History of the region ... The Middle East has had an ongoing conflict of some sort since about the dawn of time (or at least it seems that way) when Iraq had their "revolution" of the 1st Ba'ath party from a Presidency. We gave military support against Russian as part of the "Cold War" ... later the Ba'ath party was over thrown in a coup, back to a presidency, than the 2nd Ba'ath party. Iran was give military "surplus" for protection from Russia (and they signed a treaty with them afterwards. Again during the Iran v Iraq war the US was at the side of Iraq ("on the down low"). Oh, and we can't forget the Conflicts with the Kurds (Nomads that move between Iraq, Iran, Turkey & Syria ... Kurdistan was carved out in early 70's, Iraq and Saddam Hussein didn't recognize the region, people or government. Saddam Hussein push to remove them from what was part of Iraq; later he invade Kuwait under the pretense that historically that was part of Iraq and should have never been release on it's own.

The Kurdistan were able to establish a Regional Government until 1992 after the Gulf War, and a Transitional Constitution 2005.

The minute Saddam Hussein was removed from power (don't get me wrong I think it should happen at the Gulf War), the country nearly imminently divide based on religion between the Sunnis & Shi'ites.
Ex post facto ISIS jumps out of the deepest crack in a dried pile of dung.

Saddam Hussein was a butcher but everyone kept there thoughts to themselves in fear of capital punishment. His Regime even used chemical weapons against Kurdistan civilians.

Ok, ... to long, get of my soap box ... bottom line is the only way to stop ISIS is to put "boots on the ground"; hope and (dare I ?? ) pray that the next generation or a decade from now we start this all over.

** cliff note version but you get the gist

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 24 at 2015 8:42 PM

2015-09-24T20:42:00-04:00

I just hope to get into this fight! I missed Iraq the first time around...

Response by TSgt Jennifer Disch made Jan 4 at 2016 7:27 PM

2016-01-04T19:27:48-05:00

ISIL's beliefs go all the way back to 600 A.D. or before. It is worldwide and not concentrated in one country. Create confusion from within. Get them arguing about who are the true descendants of Mohammed. Then they will fight from within and they will fall. Just an opinion from a retiree.

Response by SFC Marcus Belt made Jan 11 at 2017 5:17 AM

2017-01-11T05:17:14-05:00

No they are different, and additional American force will solve THIS problem, but won't solve radical extremism that grows in the ungoverened areas of Iraq and Syria.

Additional Americans on the ground would mean additional Americans dead which seems a very high price to pay to NOT solve a problem.