Iraq: Out of the desert into Mosul (closed)

[davidbfpo]

Two different viewpoints from London. One by a Kings War Studies academic, who also lectures to Qatar's military, so may have extra value; entitled 'How to best externalize the R2P in Iraq?':http://kingsofwar.org.uk/2014/08/how...e-r2p-in-iraq/

Personally I think his option for regaining support from disaffected Sunni tribes is long past. Nor are regional 'powers' that willing to commit.

As the UK sends Tornado recce aircraft, Chinooks and Hercules transports, all ostensibly for humanitarian purposes Shashank Joshi, from RUSI, examines 'British Options in Iraq: Capabilities, Strategies, and Risks':https://www.rusi.org/analysis/commen.../#.U-t10aORcdW

His sub-title is:

Pressure is building for the government to recall parliament over the crisis in Iraq and consider intervening alongside US forces. But what are the options for Britain, and what risks do they carry?

I am not sure where this pressure is coming from - beyond Whitehall. Given this government's stance on supporting the USA, it is likely to be Washington that is applying pressure.

In anticipation of these choices, we should therefore ask – of ourselves, and of ministers – what is Britain’s strategy in any intervention? A non-exhaustive list would include:

1. One-off degradation of ISIS’ offensive capabilities;
2. One-off humanitarian relief;
3. Indirect support to Kurdish forces;
4. Indirect support to Iraqi government forces;
5. A longer mission to contain ISIS, until those local forces gain strength;
6. A direct and sustained aerial campaign to destroy ISIS – or even more broadly, 'the defeat of jihadism';
7. Some combination thereof.

[davidbfpo]

To look for the "root cause" of Isis is to miss the point. The group represents all the subterranean barbarism that every so often is apt to crawl, blinking into the light, out from the depths of the human subconscious.

Certainly an interesting POV and a reminder that ISIS is not new, nor just an extreme form of Islam IMHO:http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/...h-9664506.html

[JWing]

Outlaw

Haven't seen any numbers on how many insurgent forces were deployed in Sinjar but would not be surprised if it was just a few hundred. They have not been using more than that in any of their other ops of this size.

There are still on going ops in northern Babil which continue to fail. The 9th sec op of this year was started in Jurf al-Sakhr in mid-July. 1 day after it was finished and everyone claimed success Babil prov council official said IS had moved right back in. Around 3 days later the 10th sec op started, which is still on-going. Fighting in Diyala is actually pretty low level.

With all the press getting caught up on the attacks upon Sinjar & the Yazidis the insurgents main thrust was actually in Salahaddin which had the most casualties in the first week of August.

Finally Mosul Dam which was under Pesh protection is still under IS control. Was a report that it has asked the workers there to continue with their work and that they'll be paid. Even brought in some engineers from Syria to help!