Posted on 10/05/2014 9:30:34 AM PDT by GonzoII
Three days after U.S. airstrikes in Iraq began, Islamic State militants fled west across the bridge spanning the Khazir River, destroying half of it with TNT..
The August explosion was meant to slow an offensive by Kurdish peshmerga forces to retake Iraqi towns seized by the Sunni Muslim extremist group. But the peshmerga created another path across the river and eventually regained control of a village in the shadow of the bridge.
In recent weeks, Kurdish fighters have made steady progress along this front line, pushing back Islamic State more than nine miles. But soon they are likely to find themselves on the far outskirts of Islamic State-controlled Mosul, Iraq's second-largest city, where they will face what is more than just a military challenge. It will be one also fraught with political and sectarian considerations.
Islamic State militants were initially welcomed in June by many in the majority-Sunni Arab city, who were happy to see the Shiite Muslim-led Iraqi army flee. And though the brutal militants may have quickly worn out their welcome in the metropolis of 1.7 million, any effort to liberate Mosul by the army and peshmerga fighters from Iraq's semiautonomous Kurdish region is bound to face huge hurdles.
"What allowed ISIS to come was the belief among Sunnis there was real oppression and that ISIS was the solution to get rid of the army," said Nineveh province Gov. Atheel Nujaifi, using one of the acronyms for Islamic State.
"Mosul — it is a big challenge," said Nujaifi, who was forced to flee to Irbil in nearby Kurdistan. "Not just the presence of ISIS, but the sensitivities in Mosul; the Sunni and Shiite sensitivities and the Iraqi army, which is seen as a Shiite army. As well as the Kurdish and Arab sensitivities."
(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...
Are they being armed with better weapons yet? They’ve been asking for this for the longest time.
They are the only “Iraqis” ( note the quotes ) who have proven their worth and courage in the battlefield unlike the pathetic others.
“Are they being armed with better weapons yet? They’ve been asking for this for the longest time.”
Yep, for well over a year. Obama has virtually done nothing to help the Kurds. I think maybe the Europeans are giving them some weapons.
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.