Yesterday, when Gen. Joe Dunford claimed Iraq “doesn’t want Russia’s help” in the ongoing ISIS war, it appears to have been less a statement of fact and more a US threat of further punishments if Iraq dares to ask for Russian help, making it clear Iraq would lose all sorts of US aid if that happened.
Officials are making that all the more clear today, saying they’d explicitly warned Iraq that they have to choose between getting help from Russia in the ISIS war or continuing to get help from the US, with Dunford adding there was “angst” in the US about Iraq’s interest in Russian help.
Prime Minister Hayder Abadi made it clear, the moment Russia started helping Syria in their battle with ISIS he would welcome similar help, but so far he hasn’t made a formal request. Russia has suggested they would help if such a request was made, but have so far limited their aid to information sharing a move that itself fueled some US anger and retaliation.
US threats don’t seem to have entirely quashed that idea, however, and Abadi is facing calls from powerful political figures as well as some key militia leaders to ask Russia for help irrespective of its impact on US-Iraqi relations.
Whether this suggests the Iraqi officials are willing to swap US help for Russian help, or simply reflects a bet that the US is bluffing with its threats to stop backing the war is unclear, and indeed it’s hard to envision the US, having made the ISIS war a cornerstone of their foreign policy, ditching it outright just because of increased Russian involvement.
On the other hand, the US was quick to scrap intelligence sharing with Iraq when the Baghdad office for intelligence sharing was opened, and included Russia, Iran, and Syria, and the US “angst:” about the Russian involvement is leading to a lot of shrill proclamations, suggesting an unpredictable reaction.
The USG done nothing to help Iraqis when it comes to fighting Isis in one hand and in the other USG washed its hands from Middle East when Obama was elected, which is one of the reasons for Syria being attacked by all kind of religious terrorists or paid mercenaries from every corner. These thugs are in Syria and Iraq for one reason and one reason only, they are paid by Saudis and supplied by Turkish Erdogan regime to fight Syrian-Iraqi people, if you ask them they wouldent know what the Syrian constitution or Iraqi is or what is a constitution or what is a political party, what is democracy or what democracy constitute, where is it from and what is principals are based on. As Saudi Arabia being a non democratic and, a non willing to accepte any dialogue so is these people mindsets are based on…, pay me and I will destroy or kill, that's their mentality. USG is losing and they know it, so as European tgey just won't admit to the fact because is embarrassing, and indead it is a embarrassing for all parties involved. Russia needs to take over what USG not willing to do, to defeat the most dangerous and barbaric system in modern time presented to man kind by one of the most immoral regime in this world, Saudi Arabia-Wahhabism, those who support Isis are not far away from barbarism themselves, no matter how they dress.
Clueless. Make it up as you go. That's what all these high-level clowns do for the millions they get paid by the American people.
Almost all americans are mushrooms fed excreta kept in the dark.
Agreed. The arrogance of these hacks is incredible.
The USG is responsible for the carnage happening in
Iraq. It then has the nerve to give the people
suffering in this shattered country an ultimatum.
It just shows the utter contempt and arrogance of American imperialism to democracy. This is the same BS the Americans pulled in Ukraine that has led to a complete disaster of the local populace and the Ukrainian nation state. Hopefully for once the U.S. will keep their word and the Iraqis will ask for Russian assistance and get America imperialism out of Iraq!
Incredible! What did we do to deserve the pack of stupid, childish jerks who run our Government?
you voted for them
Elected them…
For a very long time, Americans benefited by looking the other way while the government hand-in-hand with corporations used unethical tactics abroad (an understatement). Anyone trying to bring up ethics was told to stifle it. America was for "winners." Anyone warning about future consequences was told, "If it ain't broken, don't fix it." I don't know what those same people are saying now that the chickens are coming home to roost. I got out of there a while back. Richard, you are still there because you hoped that with enough effort it could be fixed. We both did what we could. I kept voting, but what good did it do? We both kept screaming. Who listened?
It helps when they don't get invaded by millions of migrants as a consequence.. but then again the Eurocrats more-or-less stood right by Washington as it poured the gasoline
Maybe someday soon the Europeans will wake up to the fact that Uncle Sam benefits as Europe tears itself apart over refugees they helped create.
I find it interesting that every year millions of people show up in Europe looking for accommodations and food and there is never any lack of either… but only when they are labeled "tourists".
America is a jealous cuckhold … 😀
Russia did not invade and destroy Iraq a failed state so why pick the US
I heard the Iraqi govt say 2 Iranian advisors in the field are worth 1000 American advisors sitting in their embassy. All the Russians have to do is send 4 advisors and the choice for the Iraquis will be clear. It’s just as well. The American position is untenable.
'US Tells Iraq to Choose Between Them and Russia in ISIS War…'
There would be no ISIS terrorists if thugs in the Bush regime
hadn't (liberated) the Iraqi people from their (evil) dictator,
Saddam in the first place.
If Iraqi PM had the balls, he would tell USG to stick it where
the sun don't shine, and go with Russia…
there wouldn't be millions of Syrian refugees in Europe if the US hadn't decided to fund Al Qaida and its ISIS splinter group to overthrow Assad! Does anyone remember the millions of refugees restraining at the bit to leave Syria under Assad! does anyone remember Assad killing Christians and other minorities like Americas paid Terrorist groups! Does anyone remember that under Sadaam Shiites and Sunnis intermarrying, now they kill each other! Seriously what has US intervention brought in the middle East, nothing but death!
And large profits for the MIC…and Congress, of course.
If the US goes does that mean the 'commitment' to freedom' offered by the 65 members of the anti-ISIS coalition will go with them?
Getting Putin bogged in Iraq would be very helpful. A typical European populist, Putin has no policies. He just struts up and down thumbing his nose at people and things he doesn't like. The best way to bog him down in Iraq is for the US to oppose his presence there. He then has to go in so as not to appear to his elderly supporters back home that he has capitulated to the US. Essentailly, the same stunt has got him bogged down in Syria, so it will probably work in Iraq as well.
Empire USA is hell-bent on expansion, surely if it had been for Russia and China, since 1945 the whole world would have been nuke terrorized into submission.
Let's try a thought experiment… I'm being forced to choose between a nation state that has been killing my fellow citizens for 25 years and a nation state that is actually attempting to get rid of the barbarians destroying the region.
The correct choice seems pretty obvious, doesn't it?
The US is the REA$ON for the RES-IS-STANCE SEASON.
Choose Russia over America…the exceptional, the indespensible nation……….and the coalition of the willing! How could they! Don't they know that when we invade a country they must stay invaded!