Posted on 06/24/2014 5:07:02 PM PDT by kristinn
IRBIL, Iraq — Iraq’s dire situation has gone from bad dream to nightmare in two weeks of fighting that have seen Sunni Muslim gunmen assert control over a growing area, including, Kurdish officials said Tuesday, at least two towns that lie on a crucial supply route linking Baghdad, the capital, with the mostly Shiite Muslim south.
The fall of towns in an area that American troops knew as the “triangle of death” because of its propensity for violence provided an ominous signal, the Kurdish officials said, that the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria and its Sunni allies are working to encircle Baghdad.
“The picture is no longer scary,” said Shafin Dizayee, the spokesman for the autonomous Kurdistan Regional Government in Irbil. “It has become close to a nightmare scenario, where we see Daash expanding and taking control of its borders.” “Daash” is the Arabic acronym for ISIS.
Another Kurdish official, Jabbar Yawar, the spokesman for the Kurdish peshmerga militia, said ISIS fighters apparently had seized control of the towns of Iskandariya and Mahmoudiya, south of Baghdad, and were reported in some instances to be just six miles from Baghdad.
“This area controls access to southern Iraq, and it appears as if they might try to push into Baghdad or even south towards the city of Hilla,” he said.
Southern Iraq is mostly Shiite, and it supports the embattled government of Prime Minister Nouri al Malaki. Thousands of young men from the south have flocked to Baghdad to bolster the flagging army, and many observers have assumed that the flow of southern militiamen would help stem an ISIS advance that’s captured much of northern and central Iraq in the weeks since the city of Mosul fell under ISIS control June 10.
(Excerpt) Read more at mcclatchydc.com ...
Nearly a decade long war, hundreds of billions in American treasure, and over 4,000 American loves lost. Things were reasonably stable there until this idiot Administration decided to walk away.
I hate my government.
Isnt southern Iraq where the oil infrastructure is with access to the Gulf ?
Freightening scenario if they seize that or all access to it.
obama needs to go there now
Maybe at least they can give al-Sadr his just desserts.
The EXEMPT US gov’t has trained
every side of these terrorists.
Trained and armed them ... against the American people.
The American people
hate the treasonous EXEMPT in DC for very good reason.
There is oil in the Kurdish controlled areas as well.
Encircled is not a good place to be.
If they are able to mass a sufficient force and press the attack before reinforcements from Iran show up, Maliki is a goner.
Most likely they will leave the US embassy alone, although I expect there will be lots of taunting going on, and we will have to ask their permission for our people to get out alive.
Ditto!
Oh dear, I hope they don’t capture Kerry.
They'd give us 5 terrorists to take him back.
Now the Miliki Iraqis could use those 400 surface to air missiles stolen in Benghazi by terrorists...OH I forgot ISIS are the terrorists.
The conduct of the Executive branch..."feckless" is as good a word as any, I guess.
So many high crimes, so little time.
So starts the seige of Baghdad—next they will turn off the elecricity and water-—watch for bombs to go off and aircraft shot down at the airport—the next big battlefield.
Why would you say that? I've seen no sign of compassion or adherence to international norms of behavior from them so far.
Did you watch their video? They are really like mad dogs. I expect they will kill every American then can find.
Obama needs to start the evac now.
“Most likely they will leave the US embassy alone, although I expect there will be lots of taunting going on, and we will have to ask their permission for our people to get out alive. “
I would not bet the farm on that happening. These thugs would love nothing better than to be seen parading our embassy people around as hostages. I am very afraid we are going to end up seeing a tragedy unfold on TV if Obama does not evacuate that embassy.
Isnt southern Iraq where the oil infrastructure is with access to the Gulf ?
Freightening scenario if they seize that or all access to it.
They are stupid, but not that stupid.
I don’t know we need embassies in every country. Especially really small and unimportant ones. Whatever happened to sending envoys when they were needed, why do we need full-sized permanent diplomatic presence in so many countries?
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