Posted on 08/11/2014 2:26:22 AM PDT by markomalley
The Obama administration has begun directly providing weapons to Kurdish forces who have started to make gains against Islamic militants in northern Iraq, senior U.S. officials said Monday.
Previously, the U.S. had insisted on only selling arms to the Iraqi government in Baghdad, but the Kurdish peshmerga fighters had been losing ground to Islamic State militants in recent weeks.
The officials wouldn't say which U.S. agency is providing the arms or what weapons are being sent, but one official said it isn't the Pentagon. The CIA has historically done similar quiet arming operations.
The move to directly aid the Kurds underscores the level of U.S. concern about the Islamic State militants' gains in the north, and reflects the persistent administration view that the Iraqis must take the necessary steps to solve their own security problems.
(Excerpt) Read more at hosted.ap.org ...
(Don't get me wrong, arming the Kurds is necessary, but there will be a price...and feckless Obama will be shocked at the Turks' reaction to this)
Flintlock or matchlock?
Though late, this is probably the first actual acceptable thing this administration has ever done. About fecking time!
I thought kurds were kind of the local good guys, why would Obama arm them unless it is just a way to get Turkey into the conflaguration
“.........The CIA has historically done similar quiet arming operations.”.........
Wasn’t there something about arms going through Lybia that were to be redirected to Syria not too long ago?
The Current FReepathon Pays For The Current Quarter's Expenses?
“I thought kurds were kind of the local good guys, why would Obama arm them unless it is just a way to get Turkey into the conflaguration”
Actually, Turkey and the Kurds in Northern Iraq have come to terms with each other and have allied for the moment against ISIL’s attempted push into Kurdish territory. The reason for this alliance is, of course, oil. The Kurds have it, the Turks want it. And there is a pipeline plan (or maybe it already exists, can’t remember) down into Turkey from the Kurdish territory for shipment of oil to and through Turkey.
So, the Kurds and Turkey are momentarily allied and Turkey has come to terms with the idea that there may be a Kurdish state formed, as long as they can do mutually beneficial business together.
I guess mac daddy read in the news paper of the trouble in Iraq while there was a pause in his vacation/golfing schedule.
Whoa there. We need to know the specifics before jumping on this bandwagon. For example, US may be dropping in weapons, but the ammo arrives 4 weeks thereafter. You know, stupid stuff like that.
The Kurds may be the ones, along with Iran, to finally come out and quash ISIS. But it will be for their own purposes and to gain territory.
The Kurds are willing to fight to hold and gain territory against these animals. If that results in their getting a sovereign state, so be it. The Iraqi "army," though it outnumbered ISIS by a factor of 20+, turned and ran like rabbits when ISIS engaged them in Mosul. The central government in Baghdad can go piss on itself.
My understanding is that the pipeline for Kurdish oil through Turkey is already in use. Also a Kurdish Turk ran (was allowed?) against Erdowan in the election. Apparently we are arming the Kurds as well as Bagdad. Regarding the Yazidi/Christian problem, when we bombed ISIS that opened a small corridor which enabled some to walk 12 miles to Kurdish Syria area where they were transported to a bridge to walk back into Kurdish Iraq. One man had to leave his elderly parents and wife and 3 day old baby behind. Some supplies were dropped between refugees and ISIS and not recoverable. Hope helpers get dropped to help the helpless dying of thirst and starvation. This link has over 60 photos showing refuge church in Irbil, as well as people struggling toward rescue. Check out the link that shows detailed map of mountain, Yazidi villages, and ISIS positions. Also over 200 comments.
jennifer whats her name (i forget the last) the pentagon correspondent for fox just reported it was auto rifles and ammo the cia were funneling to the kurds also reported the us were conducting 60 recon missions daily
Mike
Turkey leaving NATO is a good thing. Kicking NATO forces out of Turkey? Mixed bag. Useful piece of real estate on one hand, difficult to keep secure in Islamicized country, on the other. I’m sure Greece and Cyprus would be happy to host the displaced forces, perhaps if Cyprus regains full control of Larnaca into the bargain.
Turkey’s gone anyway. I don’t want NATO to be on the hook when the Israelis attack Turkey’s next flotilla.
There’s that, too.
It will be interesting to see if Turkey aligns with Russia, what it will mean for Cyprus.
That would be an historical first. Turkey and Russia are old enemies, and the slavic Balkans, kin to Russia, would definitely have some problems with an alliance with their one-time oppressor. If it happened, it would definitely bring Cyprus firmly into western orbit, strengthen their ties with Israel and Greece, due to chronic dysfunctionality of EU, US and UN. Who else would protect them from the Russian bear and the Turkish jive.
Don’t get too excited, they are only sending ammo and guns. The Kurds will still not have the weaponry needed to stop ISIS.
The media only reports what makes Obama look good without the detail needed to judge his actions.
I’m pretty sure the Kurds will make the determination as to the sufficiency.
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