After months of fighting in Anbar Province, the recent al-Qaeda in Iraq (AQI) gains in Mosul and Tikrit have been surprisingly quick and decisive, with massive Iraqi Army defense forces in Mosul dropping their weapons and fleeing in the face of the offensive,
Iraqi government officials are complaining loudly about the military’s ineffectiveness, arguing they have “betrayed” Iraq by allowing the important city of Mosul to fall so quickly.
Soldiers defended the retreat, saying AQI fighters were trained in urban combat and they were not, and that it would take a whole army to fight them off.
That seems to be the trend now, as in the wake of the decisive Mosul victory AQI seized the Salaheddin capital of Tikrit in short order, and with virtually no resistance. Other AQI fighters have moved along the highway from Mosul toward Kirkuk.
Kirkuk’s defense also collapsed pretty well immediately, with troops fleeing long before AQI even got there. Instead, the Kurdish Peshmerga marched on the city and seized it.
US-supplied weapons work as well for ISIS as they do for Iraq's government, and ISIS soldiers fight for a cause, whereas Iraqi soldiers are paid a pittance.
Wonder if Maliki is getting that Saddam Hussien feelings? Feeling trapped in a spider hole.
At this rate, the "rebel" invaders will be comfortably housed in the Green Zone by Monday.
As for the US sending "emergency" weapons and supplies to Baghdad…don't bother. By the time they get loaded onto cargo planes, it'll all be over and Maliki will be safely in Teheran – along with the Treasury – for safe keeping, of course.
I'll bet the US Embassy has already moved all non-essentials out of country – probably the Ambassador – wouldn't want to lose another one of those. Any bets on whether Sec. Ketchup is planning a Maliki hand-holding excursion to Baghdad?
they won't be taking Kirkuk any time soon. the Kurds have got it now. http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-2780905…