Posted on 08/08/2014 2:53:01 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
U.S. airstrikes on Islamic State positions have begun. Fighter jets also bombed Islamic State militants in northwest Iraq on Thursday night. But it's not clear who the pilots were.
The Pentagon immediately denied a New York Times report that the U.S. carried out Thursday's strikes. Iraqi military officials told CNN and the Wall Street Journal that the Iraqi Air Force had struck ISIS targets near Erbil, which is the regional capital of Iraqi Kurdistan and host to hundreds of U.S. military advisers.
The Iraqi Air Force is poorly equipped, consisting of several Cessna planes carrying American-supplied Hellfire missiles, some American- and Russian-supplied helicopters, and Russian-made Su-25 aircraft.
Last month a Pentagon official told the Hill that the U.S. believed Iranian pilots were in the air in Iraq while denying that Russian personnel were operating in the area. But diplomatic sources told the Daily Beast that "Russian pilots will fly the planes due to a lack of Iraqi pilots with the proper training."
(Fittingly, geopolitical expert Ian Bremmer of the Eurasia group told Bloomberg TV this morning that the U.S. was "fighting shoulder-to-shoulder, as it were, with the Russians and the Iranians.")
Garrett Khoury, the director of research at The Eastern Project, explained that the Iraqi Air Force "recently acquired around a dozen SU-25 ground attack aircraft from Russia (with more possibly coming from Belarus) ... [which] give them the ability to conduct serious ground-support operations.
Thursday's attack came two days after Iraqi jets struck an ISIS convoy near the northern city of Mosul.
"[The Su-25s] are Russian jets bearing Iraqi insignia, but possibly piloted by Russians," Khoury continued....
(Excerpt) Read more at slate.com ...
“...consisting of several Cessna planes carrying American-supplied Hellfire missiles”
Now THAT is something I’d like to see on Youtube!
I am of the opinion that the Kurds could use some A10s
I wonder if the congressional authorizations for use of force in Iraq were still in effect, of if Obama is about to be in violdation of the war powers act and the constitution again.
10 years in Iraq and they don’t have qualified pilots?
They can’t defend against terrorists with all the training and superior equipment they were given? I realize its the man holding the gun, not the gun that matters but really?
Iraq and Afghanistan have been a complete and colossal waste of time money resources and more importantly Americas Finest men and women.
I have no idea how to post a picture on here but a huge (facepalm) I believe is in order.
There is no more Constitutional Government in the US any longer therefor you are not entitled to the truth about the US Military bombing ISIS.
It way WAY above your pay grade.
Get used to the Fundamentally Transformed United States
A lot of the guys we trained are ISIS fighters now.
“Who Else, Besides Americans, Are Flying Fighter Jets in Iraq?”
That is always the question. THAT is why the third world countries look to Americans for help and justice and want to be here. Only a small handful of other countries really care, and we usually take the lead. GOD BLESS AMERICA!
Egypt?
I don’t know but I’d happily fly a hellfire equipped drone for our side from right here at home.
Hell the government could probably get people to pay for the privilege.
Thailand?
lol
long distance!
Assuming we put enough planes in the sky, ISIS should be done. Using American air support, the Northern Alliance pushed the Taliban across the Pakistani border. I don’t see why this performance can’t be repeated in Iraq, assuming enough American air power appears on the scene. This would mean B-52’s, B-1’s, F-15’s, F-16’s, A-10’s and so on. With an executive decision, Obama can wipe ISIS off the map in Iraq.
Yeah, we could wipe out any country on Earth .... but we don’t have the will.
i was thinking one AC130 gunship might do the job
Obama has the will to do anything he wants to do (Obamacare, disparate impact, et al). He just doesn't give a damn about foreign policy, and thinks (correctly) that it takes funding away from his domestic wish list.
“Iraq and Afghanistan have been a complete and colossal waste....”
.
Both are muzzie countries.
What do you expect?
Nope, but wouldn’t be surprised if the planes have a 6 pointed star. Why else would the halfrican be shamed into attacking his friend the ISSA?
Can't even defend against a man with a pointed stick.
His Majesty King Barry the Froggy probably only jumped because Russia was ready to do more than send planes and pilots.
He beat the anti-Russia wardrums and if Russia turns up helping Christians in the ME his whole misdirection propaganda line starts to fray around the edges.
JMHO
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