Large portions of the key Syrian Kurdish town of Kobani fell today, and much of the Iraqi Anbar Province has fallen as well. Months of US air war hasn’t stalled ISIS’ gains even a little.
That’s fueled growing doubts about the US strategy against ISIS, to the extent that there even is a strategy. The losses are palpable, and that’s got the hawks pushing for even further escalation.
Former State Department adviser David Kilcullen warned that if anything, the US airstrikes were “going to improve the enemy’s quality by killing the stupid and unlucky ones and bringing more talented and savvy guys to the fore.”
The White House has insisted that the airstrikes aren’t going to work without a “viable” ground force, which in Syria isn’t going to exist for at least a year under optimal conditions.
Secretary of State John Kerry echoed the sentiment of other officials, that the strategy is a very “long-term” one, and that the recent ISIS gains aren’t going to change the strategy.
The reality is that the US knew it didn’t have a winning strategy when it entered the war, and sought to substitute an end-game strategy with an open-ended timetable and a huge coalition of hangers-on that don’t intend to actually do anything.
ISIS appears to be closing in on Baghdad from three sides.
I wonder if Saddam Intl a/p is already within Islamic State 155 range. If rounds start falling there you can bet the denizens of the Green Zone are going to have unanticipated laundry bills.
So, how can the US be seriously fighting this basically Wahabi group in Iraq and still be friends with the Wahabis in Saudi Arabia? My understanding is that Saudis are actually quite sympathetic to ISIS both politically and religiously, to the point of financial and religious backing.
Something weird is going on here.
The jackassery here is almost overwhelming. Long term strategy, my foot. Since their imaginary coalition – whomever it is that makes it up – will not be able to put any kind of ground force into Syria/Iraq at any time, talk of coalition "boots on the ground" is of a piece with the kind of delusion that had Hitler ordering non-existent divisions into the Eastern Front order of battle at the end of WWII. Mad men run our country and we, the powerless, are forced to pay the price. This can only end in a Mussolini-like finale with members of our ruling class hunted down and murdered by peoples' militias That's where we're headed.
Military Industrial stocks are at an all time high. I'd say their strategy is going exactly as planned.
Yes, arming one's putative enemy doubles sales, even before the conflict.
ISIS gains raise doubts about the entire story from beginning to end?
Patrick Cockburn
“I think that what’s coming out of Washington, saying somehow it doesn’t matter and they’re going to attack the infrastructure and the control headquarters of ISIS, is really a diversion. ISIS is a guerrilla organization. It doesn’t have many Pentagons scattered over Iraq and Syria from which it controls its operations. So I think that if Kobani does fall, this will be a symptom of a pretty massive military failure.”
Now that all depends upon what our military is trying to accomplish. For if the goal is to maximize the profit in trading war materials for Middle-East oil, then press on you Empire builders, you, press on.
the goal is a secret
I don't think the air strikes on the Islamic State are to do anything other than to remind its leadership who created them, the United States of America. These two terms blowback and unintended consequences have never existed in America’s empire establishment or its advancement. What we as every day citizens have is a belief that no way can be cruel and oppressive. Look to the general attitude towards soft marshal law imposition on my community, African Americans. We long ago set our site on becoming the global Pharaoh under the masquerade costume of Democracy (mod rule which is tyrant rule) and Humanitarian support (threats of military action or sanction blockages). This unfortunately is our government’s modern legacy. When we elected our 44th President whom I voted for the first time not the second was to be seismic. Yet this seismic occurrence was the remaking of not the world but makeover of George W. Bush's neocon driving foreign policy of accelerated global dominance. Which is really nothing but a changed face, the obvious face of white supremacy to red white and blue supremacy, the new glory( a republics ruin). So called Sunnis make for more effective suppression of the populace hence The Islamic State another Jedi mind trick.
why are people surprised? the plan seems to be working perfectly
chaos = more business for the military
If you look at what the new NATO cheif and Turkish foreign minster yesterday meeting had said indicates the fact that for ISIS to stay. Both of theses man referring to a "political solution" to what ISIS is and doing which is for Iraq to be divided as Joe Biden plan has been and for turkish Erdogan government use ISIS as a buffer zone between Turkish and Kurdish PKK and all other where Erdogan regime will rule the area by helping ISIS and for Turkish/EU/US oil mafia to continue buying ISIS black market oil priceses.
This is simply is the NATO Neo politics taking away the criminality of ISIS and making them a legitimate barbarians ruling the area according to USG plan by Barack Hussein Obama either islamization or militarization of middle east.
What strategy?
“going to improve the enemy’s quality by killing the stupid and unlucky ones and bringing more talented and savvy guys to the fore.”
If only that strategy were employed against the State Department…
The 'unlucky' bit is priceless. That's really more a category useful from a mass murderers perspective. Honest killers just call those 'whoopsie,' and/or 'bonus!'.
Three state civil war — Agree on boundaries and the war is over
O yes, I almost forgot, agree on how to split the oil profit or the war will never be over.
the military industrial complex is benefitting nicely.
a few hours from Kobane, NATO has…
NATO: NATO Secretary General thanks Patriot crews protecting Turkey
Visiting the Patriot deployment at Gaziantep, the NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg thanked personnel from the United States, Germany, the Netherlands, host nation Turkey and other Allies on Friday (10 October) for their contribution to reinforcing Turkey’s air defence…
Germany, the Netherlands and the United States currently provide two Patriot batteries each for the mission, located in Kahramanmaras, Adana and Gaziantep.
http://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/news_113858.htm
yet there are people who still believe we’re over there to fight ISIS, who cross into Syria nearby all the time!
Things are going as planned! The task for the USAF was to clear the path for ISIS to move from Iraq into Syria and by removing any obstacles standing in the way of ISIS for capturing city of Kobani in Syria! Why Kobani you may ask, because ISIS CAN NOW GET the SUPPORT it needs FROM TURKEY with no problem. Remember all those westerners that joined ISIS? Well they are doing a fine job on the ground as well!! The next task for ISIS is to move on towards Damascus! The length of time before ISIS gets to Damascus is enough for Assad to abdicate his power and leave his country of Syria! The next Task for ISIS is going to be Hezbollah in Lebenan after taking over the entire Syrian territory! US and EU will be watching ISIS FROM THE SIDELINE!!