Airstrikes launched amid intelligence gaps

AP via MSN News ^ | October 1, 2014 | KEN DILANIANAP

[John W]

WASHINGTON — The Pentagon is grappling with significant intelligence gaps as it bombs Iraq and Syria, and it is operating under less restrictive targeting rules than those President Barack Obama imposed on the CIA drone campaign in Pakistan and Yemen, according to current and former U.S. officials.

The U.S. military says its airstrikes have been discriminating and effective in disrupting an al-Qaida cell called the Khorasan Group and in halting the momentum of Islamic State militants. But independent analysts say the Islamic State group remains on the offensive in areas of Iraq and Syria, where it still controls large sections. And according to witnesses, U.S. airstrikes have at times hit empty buildings that were long ago vacated by Islamic State fighters.

Human rights groups also say coalition airstrikes in both countries have killed as many as two dozen civilians. U.S. officials say they can't rule out civilian deaths but haven't confirmed any.

[pieceofthepuzzle]

Interesting read. When I think of how Americans on the ground when door to door to secure Mosul, and that now we have to lob ordinance at unclear targets in a pre-election attempt to look like we're doing something to stop the complete fall of Iraq, it is very depressing.

[4Liberty]

Bombing empty fields to boost Low-fo poll numbers.
Sad, frustrating, and insane.

[EQAndyBuzz]

Where is Stormin Norman when you need him?

[John W]

Amen to that.

[blackdog]

So now Odumbo is blowing the wrong stuff up and blaming "Intelligence Gaps"?

Now he's got both feet in the hole he dug himself.

[DaveA37]

If we are going to spend a million dollars plus per shot, we had damned well know its going to give us something in return other than just abandoned buildings.

Odumbo is TOTALLY incompetent and NEEDS TO BE/MUST be replaced before we are the ones getting killed by the ISIS cancer.

[RetSignman]

Time to ditch the drones and use older weapons.