Iraq's ruling alliance, militias urge PM to seek Russian strikes

Iraq's ruling alliance and powerful Shi'ite militias have urged Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi to request Russian air strikes on Islamic State militants [...], members of the coalition and militias told Reuters. Growing pressure on Abadi to seek Russian support puts him in the delicate position of trying to appease his ruling coalition, as well as militias seen as a bulwark against Islamic State, while keeping strategic ally Washington on his side.Two members of parliament said the prime minister was under "tremendous pressure" from the ruling National Alliance to request Russian intervention.

MPs and alliance members said an official request for Russian air strikes was relayed to Abadi last week and that he has not officially responded.

America's top general, Joseph Dunford, said on a trip to Baghdad on Tuesday that the United States won assurances from Iraq that it would not seek such strikes. Iraq received over $20 billion in U.S. military training since the fall of Saddam Hussein in 2003 but its army virtually collapsed when Islamic State fighters swept through the north last year and made gains in the west. U.S.-led air strikes have failed to turn the tide in the war against the ultra-hardline Sunni militants who have declared a caliphate and want to redraw the map of the Middle East.

reported previously:

Shortly after leaving Baghdad, Dunford told reporters travelling with him that he laid out a choice when he met with Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi and Defence Minister Khaled al-Obeidi earlier Tuesday. “I said it would make it very difficult for us to be able to provide the kind of support you need if the Russians were here conducting operations as well,” Dunford said. “We can’t conduct operations if the Russians were operating in Iraq right now.” Global News"

Looks like the USA can leave Iraq to Russia.

I wondered what was holding up Iraq - US pressure

As Russia cleans out militants and moves into Eastern SYRIA Uraq is going to face a bigger problem as the rats flee into their country

If Iraq does not want to cede part if its country to an insane ISIS caliphate, then it is going to have to get Russian help

I just don’t see obama or his Saudi and turkey buddies as willing to take down the sunni extremist network they built armed and funded to overthrow Assad at any expense. Any expense. Slave markets, hills covered with crucified bodies and heads on spikes .... Tolerated and even funded by the US government which is busily bombing civilian infrastructure in Syria to make it more difficult for the Syrian givernment to reassert control in liberated areas

So if Russia was losing, or not attacking ISIS (as the western media claims), the Iraqi PM (read: U.S. puppet) certainly wouldn't be considering asking Russia for help, now would he?

Translation of story: The Iraqi PM has probably sent an envoy to Russia already asking for intervention quietly (just like some of our European allies).

Permission to speak freely? Thank you...

I can't help but to notice how many in FreepLand who insist that everything about Russia is mere propaganda for Putin, and nothing more. Some around here are buying the Western media line that 'he isn't even bombing ISIS'.

But those who hang around here know the treasonous acts of this administration (and the republicans who protect it) are too numerous to count. So are the lies. I am witnessing the last Caucasian country willing to defend Christian beliefs and Christian people - and they have got an active coalition of their own - and they are getting results. Its much easier when you don't use our Rules of Engagement

And while I'm at it: Say what you want about [dictator] Putin. But at least he did ask his legislature for permission to go into Syria (and Iraq, BTW)

Look folks, I gotta run to work. But my reading of the tea leaves out there are telling me that we don't have as many 'friends' out there as we think, thanks to the occupant at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, and the republicans that protect him.

Currently, he seems to have only two major goals left: Disarm the population, and import mercenaries to complete the work of death and destruction (where have I heard that before).

When we wake up on that fateful day when 9/11 will look like kids playing with firecrackers, I pray America finally wakes up, and rights the ship jimjohn - out.

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.