Having ditched the Yazidi rescue pretext for the new US war in Iraq, after discovering there weren’t really many Yazidis to rescue in the first place, the US has reportedly set its sights on the Anbar Province, site of some of the bloodiest US battles during the previous occupation.
In an interview with Reuters, Anbar Governor Ahmed Khalaf al-Dulaimi confirmed meetings with US diplomats and senior military officials, and secured a promise of not only air strikes against ISIS holdings in the province, but a military presence on the ground.
“No date was decided but it will be very soon and there will be a presence for the Americans in the western area,” Dulaimi confirmed. ISIS controls materially all of the Anbar Province at this point.
Anbar was the first major territorial gain for ISIS in Iraq, way back in January when they seized Fallujah and Ramadi, the main cities in the province. Since then, they’ve expanded, and were believed to have recently taken the Haditha Dam, one of the last sites outside their control in the province.
The US launched several major invasions of Fallujah during the last war, in both 2003 and in 2004, During Operation Phantom Fury, the last of the sieges, the US Marines invaded the city in a battle that left an estimated 1,500 insurgents and 800 civilians dead, along with 95 US troops.
Anbar is also the site of the city of Haditha, where in 2005 US Marines carried out the notorious Haditha Massacre, where they killed 24 unarmed Iraqi civilians, including women and children, in response to an IED explosion that killed a solider near the city.
In addition to being the ISIS heartland in Iraq, the checkered history of US military operations in the major cities suggest troops will not be particularly welcomed in this new invasion. The Pentagon has yet to confirm the details of the plan, but Governor Dulaimi’s comments suggest it is already a done deal, and will begin with airstrikes before expanding to a ground war.
The Iraqi military cannot be trusted to guard key oil installations, to protect the city of Erbil with its CIA station, the international airport and the local headquarters of various "western" oil companies. Surely there are concerns for ISIS endangering Israeli ops against Iran out of Kurdistan as well.
Let's not pretend for even a second it was concern for Yazidi Christians…."Christian" America didn't care for helping Christians when they were getting slaughtered and driven out during our Iraqi occupation, nor did she care that much when Christians were getting killed off in Syria.
Who does the White House moron and his shadowy handlers think they are fooling?
We certainly didn't care when the Hutu and Tutsi tribes in Rwanda were going at each other with machetes back in '94, either. Oh, wait- they weren't sitting on top of resources we wanted, and they were black.
All America care is self-interest, other considerations like morality, fairness are secondary.
"bloodiest battles" in Anbar? Nay, they were "bloodiest massacres" compliments of the U.S.A. troops.
"Who does the White House moron and his shadowy handlers think they are fooling?"
They don't think…they know how easy it is to fool the peasants. All the gov. has to do is to ensure that they can have credit on easy terms so that they can go and buy their cars, TV's etc. and enjoy life.
After all, how many Americans know any thing about the world.
WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCKETY FUCK??
BONKERS WITH A SIDE ORDER OF FRIES!!
DIDN'T THE US JUST SHRED ALL THE MRAPS WHICH WILL COME IN HANDY NOW??
I HOPE THEY HAVE BREAKING MASKS AGAINST ALL THE DU THEY LEFT LYING AROUND.
Guess they'll have to repurchase all those MRAPs from the local PDs to whom they gave them.
Fallujah, Fallujah, damn if that doesn't sound familiar. Oh wait, we've been there and done that. What is America doing? Rational and/or reasoned explanations? Anyone?
I'm wondering if the troops going into Fallujah this time have been made aware of the long-term effects of exposure to the depleted uranium residue in the city that is still causing cancer and birth defects? I assume they'll be going in with protective suits and will decontaminate themselves and all their gear at least once a day?
no no, they are just advisers
The War Powers Resolution section 5(b) requires that the use of forces must be terminated within 60 to 90 days unless Congress authorizes such use or extends the time period.
Obama sent the first contingent around June 16.
So, when are Congress coming back?
Or is a DOD lawyer furiously composing a new memo?
Or does nobody care about all that quaint law stuff anymore?
When Bush dropped "Stop throwing the Constitution in my face, it's just a god damn piece of paper!" on the world and no one in Congress really minded, then I think the answer to that last one is pretty obvious. If you were referring to the global "nobody", I contend that what we think really doesn't matter to our "leaders."
I'm still completely mystified (from a legal point of view, not the pork barrel point of view) why Congress doesn't shut down the AUMF altogether. The President ALREADY has a military force he can deploy for up to 90 days without Congressional approval- it's called the Marines Corps. On top of that, the Marines carry their own gear with them wherever they go, so it's not like a huge air or sea lift needs to be done. Granted, sending in the Marines cuts the Army out of the action but I'm sure there are plenty of soldiers who wouldn't mind that one bit.
This is why the President is authorized to use the Marines- for short, sharp clashes with limited duration and limited objectives when time is of the essence.
On the other hand, don't hold your breath for any sort of logic and sanity to be put into play- but do expect more American men and women coming home in body bags.
who is this guy again? governor? of what? I suspect his orders don't carry much weight in Anbar anymore but it amusing to to see him act like a governor since he obviously paid Maliki far too much for the post.
Once again a manipulative international politics played by USG, whatever Bush Neo fascism regime said and done, Barack Hussein Obama have topped the argument, the notions and everything in between. But his not alone, look at those whom are in charge of us Democratic Party.
Time for another round of uncontrolled experiments on the efficacy of DU in producing birth defects. The Nobel committee will be very pleased.
How can this not go badly? If Obama and the Pentagon wanted a real flash point event, then this will be it. Do they think the people of Fallujah will have forgiven the US for basically destroying the entire city? I'm willing to be that the Anbar Governor is working for ISIS, playing the US to get them to come help them…setting them up for payback.
I know. It worked out so well the first time, we decided to do it again.
Sometimes it's better when civilians making the decisions, who never had to face combat themselves, take the more prudent route in conflict.
Haven't the Iraqi people suffered enough of our meddling since 1991?
The bloodthirsty beast America has become in the 21st century needs to be stopped!
Belphegor69
“White House moron”
True, for the baby bomber Obama missed his calling, as he should have gone to Hollywood, as he has not a moral mentality that could do anything more then act. Paid actor puppy-puppet that he be.
John I can totally see him doing a kid's show like "The Reading Rainbow" or "The Great Space Coaster" or even "Romper Room."
Read the lines, smile to the kids, real non-threatening.
As noted above, let's hope our troops have lead-lined underwear. The VA has enough problems without all the depleted uranium stuff appearing–even if it was from the US.
This may not occur. The average US citizen (nearly all outside of the DC beltway) cares not one whit about who rules Iraq or why. So if it fragments into the three natural pre imperial pieces (Shia, Sunni, Kurd) and who really cares? There will be more lines to draw on maps, that's about it.
After Saddam's forcible removal (and Gaddafi's) how to put the Humpty Dumpty egg back together again? No amount of "advising" or "training" can make that work if the locals refuse to cooperate.
Yes, some of the new post-Iraq will be run for a time by religious nuts, but that isn't sustainable. And it isn't any of our business to dictate the outcomes. Not in the past and not today.