US getting back into Iraq fight

[TechBoyJK]

http://www.cnn.com/2014/08/08/world/meast/iraq-airstrikes-why-now/index.html?hpt=hp_t1

I wonder if ISIS is just going to roll with the punches and stay focused on mideast targets or take this as a declaration of war and do something more?

I think it's a good thing the US is doing this. The Iraqis and Kurds need the help.

 

[bshole]

http://www.cnn.com/2014/08/08/world/meast/iraq-airstrikes-why-now/index.html?hpt=hp_t1

I wonder if ISIS is just going to roll with the punches and stay focused on mideast targets or take this as a declaration of war and do something more?

I think it's a good thing the US is doing this. The Iraqis and Kurds need the help.

BIG MISTAKE! Obama, why? WHY? WHY?

 

[HomerJS]

The immediate actions are humanitarian. I don't think the administration is sure what they are going to do past that.

Obama doesn't want another Rwanda on his hands

 

[Fanatical Meat]

Not a fan but I do understand. Why are we afraid of the arming the Kurds better? They have proven themselves to be respectable allies? Why are we afraid of a Kurdish state?
Could someone please educate me on the matter?

 

[Oldgamer]

http://www.cnn.com/2014/08/08/world/meast/iraq-airstrikes-why-now/index.html?hpt=hp_t1

I wonder if ISIS is just going to roll with the punches and stay focused on mideast targets or take this as a declaration of war and do something more?

I think it's a good thing the US is doing this. The Iraqis and Kurds need the help.

They are saying ISIS is very different in some ways from Al Qaeda, that they are actually governing those areas they have concerqued and they want to govern and not just kill people who don't believe in their religion. I see ISIS as a much more dangerous threat in many ways than just the usual Al Qaeda terrorists we have been dealing with. Here we have allowed them to grow in force and get very organized.

I for one don't want to get into another damn war in a foreign country but we may have to do more than what we are doing now since things are becoming more rampant in these areas.

 

[Oldgamer]

The immediate actions are humanitarian. I don't think the administration is sure what they are going to do past that.

Obama doesn't want another Rwanda on his hands

Probably..

 

[Genx87]

I really like the reasoning why we aren't arming the Kurds. Because we fear the Kurds will break away from the Iraqi govt. Earth to the US govt. The country is split into three right now. With the Kurds able to hold off ISIS for now and the Iraqi govt ready to collapse and hand over billions in equipment to ISIS. Not that I support arming either side. But I found that logic defies reality.

 

[fskimospy]

Not a fan but I do understand. Why are we afraid of the arming the Kurds better? They have proven themselves to be respectable allies? Why are we afraid of a Kurdish state?
Could someone please educate me on the matter?

We are not afraid of a Kurdish state on its own merits, we're afraid of a Kurdish state due to the dynamics of the Middle East.

In short, Turkey, Iran, Syria, and Iraq all have sizeable Kurdish minorities that border one another. When you have a large group of similar people in this situation they tend to want to make a state. That state would involve tearing off large (and productive) segments of one of the US's principal allies in the region (Turkey) along with removing one of the only well-functioning parts of Iraq. Then Iran gets mad too, and Syria becomes even more of a shit-show.

It's just kind of a mess. Interestingly enough, one of the first things the Kurds did in this situation was occupy Kirkuk. A referendum on the status of this city was guaranteed in the Iraqi constitution, but has been continually put off because people fear that if the Kurds win the referendum (which they probably would), the oil around Kirkuk would make an Iraqi Kurdistan economically viable. (although it would still face geographic and trade isolation) It will be very interesting to see what the Kurds do about Kirkuk when this is over.

That being said, US bombing was very likely from the day we sent 300 "advisers" over to Iraq. Advisers, my ass.

 

[fskimospy]

I really like the reasoning why we aren't arming the Kurds. Because we fear the Kurds will break away from the Iraqi govt. Earth to the US govt. The country is split into three right now. With the Kurds able to hold off ISIS for now and the Iraqi govt ready to collapse and hand over billions in equipment to ISIS. Not that I support arming either side. But I found that logic defies reality.

Like I said in my other post, it's not just about Iraq.

 

[bshole]

Yea, I wonder how happy Turkey would be with America arming the Kurds. It would be nice way to introduce a civil war in Turkey. Can we just quit sticking our hands into the fucking tar baby? I am very surprised and extremely disappointed that Obama would support getting back in.

 

[realibrad]

Western "peacekeeping" has held back many civil wars for a while now. The conflicting views have been growing, and its not going to end well.

It used to be that a dominate view was taken, after the opposing view was killed off. That no longer happens and so both sides get bigger and stronger. This is going to get very bloody unfortunately.

 

[fskimospy]

Yea, I wonder how happy Turkey would be with America arming the Kurds. It would be nice way to introduce a civil war in Turkey. Can we just quit sticking our hands into the fucking tar baby? I am very surprised and extremely disappointed that Obama would support getting back in.

I'm not surprised at all. America is moving to defend one of its most consistent and reliable allies in the Middle East. The Kurds have been in our corner for decades now.

 

[Newell Steamer]

Boo!!

Fuck that. No boots or bombs in Iraq.

We had no business in there to begin with. No way in hell will we be able to fix this - ever.

 

[Capt Caveman]

First Air Strikes Launched:

NEW DELHI (AP) — The Pentagon says two U.S. fighter jets dropped bombs on Islamic militants in Iraq towing artillery outside Irbil near U.S. personnel.

Pentagon press secretary Rear Adm. John Kirby says two F/A-18 jets dropped 500-pound bombs on a piece of artillery and the truck towing it.

President Barack Obama authorized such airstrikes Thursday when the Islamic state militant group advanced on Irbil, in northeaster Iraq, where U.S. military trainers are stationed.

 

[Engineer]

BIG MISTAKE! Obama, why? WHY? WHY?

This...This....This!!!

 

[IndyColtsFan]

I'm torn on what should happen here. One thing I definitely do NOT want to see, however, is American boots on the ground.

I hate to see innocent people die, but where do you draw the line? Innocent people have been dying in Africa and North Korea for decades and we haven't intervened (and yes, with respect to NK, I know the political landscape made it difficult).

I said it then, and I'll say it again -- we should never have invaded Iraq and toppled Hussein. Bush created a huge mess with his fool's errand.

They are saying ISIS is very different in some ways from Al Qaeda, that they are actually governing those areas they have concerqued and they want to govern and not just kill people who don't believe in their religion.

That isn't the case at this stage, as I know they have killed some Christians. Whether those were rogue groups of ISIS members or official policy of their group, I'm not sure because at least at first, I thought they WERE letting Christians leave the areas unharmed.

 

[kage69]

I approve of this, insofar that it is limited to bringing the pain to the appropriate fundie assholes bent on terror and ethnic cleansing. Was nice to hear Obama specifically state that American military power is not a solution to an Iraqi political problem.

I hope we do everything we can to help the Kurds, their time has come. Might make things messy with the Turks for awhile, but they've proven themselves as reliable allies and represent a lot of potential for region IMO.

 

[kage69]

I'm not surprised at all. America is moving to defend one of its most consistent and reliable allies in the Middle East. The Kurds have been in our corner for decades now.

This.


Aside from air support, I hope we gift them with communications equipment, first aid, anti-armor weapons and even night vision. I have a feeling the peshmerga will be seeing a lot more ISIS soon, and I'd prefer them to have a bit more parity with their adversaries regarding equipment (thanks corrupt Iraqi leadership).

 

[Doc Savage Fan]

I'm torn on what should happen here. One thing I definitely do NOT want to see, however, is American boots on the ground.

I hate to see innocent people die, but where do you draw the line? Innocent people have been dying in Africa and North Korea for decades and we haven't intervened (and yes, with respect to NK, I know the political landscape made it difficult).

This is where you draw the line imo and I agree with Obama's actions on this one. However, he should never had said that he wouldn't put boots on the ground. He should just STFU and leave our options open even if he doesn't intend to put boots on the ground. One would think he would have learned something from his "red line" debacle.

 

[Londo_Jowo]

First Air Strikes Launched:

Bravo Zulu President Obama!!!!

 

[blankslate]

This is a thorny one. ISIS does seem like they're happy to kill off every member of the religious sect that they have trapped on the mountain because their religion offends ISIS.

It's the law of unintended consequences....

<sarcasm> yes, Obama you shouldn't have limited your options since you got the U.S. involved in the Middle East in the 1900s </sarcasm>



.....

 

[soulcougher73]

I say let them fight it out and last one standing wins. Tired of that region of the world and could care less what happens to any of them anymore. Isolate them from the world stage and let em go crazy.

 

[Fanatical Meat]

I wonder if this could be a doorway to better relations with Iran? They seem to dislike ISIS and don't approve if their form of Islam. Could we see a day that an Iranian of importance says its ok for the West to remove ISIS?

 

[runzwithsizorz]

I say let them fight it out and last one standing wins. Tired of that region of the world and could care less what happens to any of them anymore. Isolate them from the world stage and let em go crazy.

Isolate them from whom??? Israel? The U.S.? How soon we forget 9-11, when the "isolated" Al Qaeda murdered 3,000 Americans. So your solution is to wait for another 9-11 before the U.S. acts (or rather reacts)?
The U.S. should support one of our closest allies, the Kurds. They are the only secular government in the area (aside from Israel).
Edmund Burke said it best: "All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing" and "Better be despised for too anxious apprehensions than ruined by too confident security."

The Wife

 

[bshole]

Isolate them from whom??? Israel? The U.S.? How soon we forget 9-11, when the "isolated" Al Qaeda murdered 3,000 Americans. So your solution is to wait for another 9-11 before the U.S. acts (or rather reacts)?
The U.S. should support one of our closest allies, the Kurds. They are the only secular government in the area (aside from Israel).
Edmund Burke said it best: "All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing" and "Better be despised for too anxious apprehensions than ruined by too confident security."

The Wife

So in another words...... lets go kill some more muslims.... this time it will work out for us... there will be no blowback.... there will be no unintended catastrophic consequences..... America will ride in, save the day and be welcomed as liberators....

Dropping the bombs on people, the new American foreign policy is now becoming the ONLY American foreign policy.