Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Islamic State Routs Last Elite Iraqi Units from Ramadi in Huge Defeat for Baghdad
McClatchy ^ | Sunday, May 17, 2015 | Mitchell Porthero

Posted on 05/17/2015 11:04:44 AM PDT by kristinn

Iraqi security forces attempting to retake control of the western city of Ramadi were routed in heavy fighting Sunday, the worst defeat for Iraq’s central government since Islamic State militants stormed across the country.

In a replay of last year’s military debacle, elite units abandoned their U.S.-provided equipment to Islamic State fighters and fled the area, leaving several hundred soldiers surrounded in the last government-held enclave in the city.

Multiple security sources, none of whom agreed to be identified, speaking from both within the besieged Anbar Provincial Operation Center as well as with the units fleeing the city, described the fight for control of the provincial capital of Iraq’s largest province as essentially over after reinforcements sent on Saturday to retake the city were crushed by Islamic State fighters.

“Only God can save us,” said one officer speaking by phone from inside the Anbar operations center, the last government-held position inside the city, where officers had been coordinating the operation. The officer said that several hundred policemen and soldiers were surrounded inside the command center, which was repeatedly struck by suicide bombers and heavy artillery fire as militants cut off their last routes of escape.

Social media accounts credibly associated with the Islamic State hours later announced the operations center had been overrun, a claim that could not be immediately confirmed. Efforts to reach sources inside the facility were unsuccessful.

The units that had been attempting to retake Ramadi, which was attacked late Thursday evening and had fallen mostly into militant hands by Saturday, were in the process of fleeing the city and had abandoned dozens of U.S. supplied armored vehicles...

...One police officer confirmed that at least 30 U.S. supplied armored Humvees, which had been sent as reinforcements on Saturday, had been abandoned in the neighborhood of Malaab alone.

(Excerpt) Read more at mcclatchydc.com ...


TOPICS: Egypt; Foreign Affairs; Israel; News/Current Events; Syria; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: anbar; egypt; iran; iraq; isis; israel; kurdistan; muslimworld; postwariraq; ramadi; russia; syria
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-40 last
To: Husker24
By elite, they mean had uniforms.

Can they tie their shoes?

21 posted on 05/17/2015 12:09:21 PM PDT by stboz
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: AdmSmith; AnonymousConservative; Berosus; bigheadfred; Bockscar; cardinal4; ColdOne; ...

22 posted on 05/17/2015 12:23:02 PM PDT by SunkenCiv (What do we want? REGIME CHANGE! When do we want it? NOW!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: Parmy; Old Sarge
I fought over that filthy city.... To think that it’s all gone...

That is same for me and Vietnam.

I second that, Parmy. I still get sick to my stomach thinking about it and how we won it with our effort, treasure and blood only to have the Democrats purposely throw it all away at the end.

They used to call Great Britain "Perfidious Albion". I think we have rightly taken over the title. Maybe we can be called "Perfidious Liberal Land"?

23 posted on 05/17/2015 12:27:12 PM PDT by Gritty (The more we submit to violent jihadi intimidation, the more we are going to get-Robert Spencer)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]

To: kristinn

Hey, iraquis. It’s you’re country. Fight for it, you ingrates.


24 posted on 05/17/2015 12:47:48 PM PDT by hal ogen (First Amendment or Reeducation Camp?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Old Sarge
Ten years ago, I fought over that filthy city. You can still see the FOB perimeter clearly on GoogleEarth. We lost hundreds of US troops in that town just in the year I was there. I documented my time there, right here on FR. To think that it’s all gone...

Here are a few questions - how is ISIS able to use artillery on Iraqi forces? Why aren't coalition air forces plinking their big guns every time they raise their heads? And how is ISIS able to mass against Iraqi forces, in the face of coalition air cover? And where the heck is Iraqi artillery and armor? And what about their rotary and fixed wing close air support units?

25 posted on 05/17/2015 1:46:18 PM PDT by Zhang Fei (Let us pray that peace be now restored to the world and that God will preserve it always.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: kristinn

amazing. If you want to use drones, if you want pinpoint strikes, then this is the place. Several hundred more videos of murders are whats coming if they don’t get them out.
If theres a good fight in this world, taking ISIS and Boko Harum is it. Obama is more concerned with taking Assad out than these savages.


26 posted on 05/17/2015 1:48:23 PM PDT by wiggen (#JeSuisCharlie)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: hal ogen

Seems they would rather surrender only to be gunned down in road side ditches.


27 posted on 05/17/2015 1:49:47 PM PDT by mcshot (I pray someone comes forth with the strength, fortitude and burning desire to save our Republic)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 24 | View Replies]

To: mcshot

If they’re lucky they get gunned down. Only if they’re very lucky. I’d never let them take me alive. Screw that. Hug a grenade.


28 posted on 05/17/2015 1:51:45 PM PDT by wiggen (#JeSuisCharlie)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 27 | View Replies]

To: Old Sarge

Except for the innocent civilians that are about to have Satan minions take over their city. I feel the worst for those of you who shed your blood taking and holding that city.


29 posted on 05/17/2015 1:52:24 PM PDT by mware
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: kristinn
We should nuke the city while they're celebrating their victory.


30 posted on 05/17/2015 2:06:10 PM PDT by McGruff (What did Hillary know and when did she know it?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: kristinn
So much for Obama's promise to provide US air support. Just how would ISIS be able to set up and use artillery if the US, and other nations were really providing air support?

Does anybody really think that the US can't locate and target artillery on the ground? Particularly in open terrain with no forest cover.

And how did ISIS manage to mass their forces to surround and overwhelm the Iraqi troops if there were US fighter bombers in the area?

The answer is simple - there was no air support, or it was done at such a minimal level as to be ineffective.

31 posted on 05/17/2015 2:42:42 PM PDT by freeandfreezing
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Old Sarge

What does this say to our fallen and thier families? This despicable administration and the imposter have spat in all thier faces


32 posted on 05/17/2015 3:00:14 PM PDT by ronnie raygun
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: kristinn

God’s Busy.. Send PUFF.


33 posted on 05/17/2015 3:25:50 PM PDT by NormsRevenge (SEMPER FI!! - Monthly Donors Rock!!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Gritty
I second that, Parmy. I still get sick to my stomach thinking about it and how we won it with our effort, treasure and blood only to have the Democrats purposely throw it all away at the end.

I totally am with you on this. When I tell my liberal, democrat relatives and friends that their perfect icons, Kennedy, Biden, Dodd, et al, stopped funding the ARVINS and caused Vietnam to fall, plus the 1.5 million Cambodians and .5 million Laotians and .5 million Vietnamese to be exterminated. Then I throw this at them. Because they voted for these guys, they have blood on their hands as if they voted to cancel the funding as well.

34 posted on 05/17/2015 3:43:06 PM PDT by Parmy
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 23 | View Replies]

To: Zhang Fei
Here are a few questions - how is ISIS able to use artillery on Iraqi forces? Why aren't coalition air forces plinking their big guns every time they raise their heads? And how is ISIS able to mass against Iraqi forces, in the face of coalition air cover? And where the heck is Iraqi artillery and armor? And what about their rotary and fixed wing close air support units?

By artillery, they likely mean a few random dudes with mortars. Not anything large at all. And I don;t think we're supplying that much air cover to where ISIS can;t make any gains at all. And then the Iraqi Army is poorly manned, led, and organized. Once US support left, the crutch was pulled and Iraq just fell over.
35 posted on 05/17/2015 3:47:41 PM PDT by Svartalfiar
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 25 | View Replies]

To: Old Sarge

Tragic, heart breaking, pathetic, shameful.
To throw away such sacrifice..............
Incredible.


36 posted on 05/17/2015 6:46:16 PM PDT by Travis McGee (www.EnemiesForeignAndDomestic.com)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: Zhang Fei
How? Why? It's not complicated.


37 posted on 05/17/2015 6:47:58 PM PDT by Travis McGee (www.EnemiesForeignAndDomestic.com)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 25 | View Replies]

To: Parmy

“I totally am with you on this. When I tell my liberal, democrat relatives and friends that their perfect icons, Kennedy, Biden, Dodd, et al, stopped funding the ARVINS and caused Vietnam to fall, plus the 1.5 million Cambodians and .5 million Laotians and .5 million Vietnamese to be exterminated. Then I throw this at them. Because they voted for these guys, they have blood on their hands as if they voted to cancel the funding as well.”

Amen, brother. Amen.


38 posted on 05/17/2015 6:48:42 PM PDT by Travis McGee (www.EnemiesForeignAndDomestic.com)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 34 | View Replies]

To: Svartalfiar
By artillery, they likely mean a few random dudes with mortars. Not anything large at all. And I don;t think we're supplying that much air cover to where ISIS can;t make any gains at all. And then the Iraqi Army is poorly manned, led, and organized. Once US support left, the crutch was pulled and Iraq just fell over.

Thanks. It's a crying shame. Whatever their reason for losing, it's not a lack of resources vis-a-vis ISIS, given that the Iraqi government controls the oil.

39 posted on 05/17/2015 7:41:58 PM PDT by Zhang Fei (Let us pray that peace be now restored to the world and that God will preserve it always.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 35 | View Replies]

To: Svartalfiar

The Iraqi Army is manned by Shiites who doesn’t want DTP fight in the Sunni heartland.


40 posted on 05/25/2015 6:23:36 PM PDT by MinorityRepublican
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 35 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-40 last

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.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson