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Iraq crisis deepens; US directly arms Kurds
Associated Press ^ | Aug 11, 2014 6:10 PM EDT | Vivian Salama and Sameer N. Yacoub

Posted on 08/11/2014 3:35:57 PM PDT by Olog-hai

Iraq’s president snubbed incumbent Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki and picked another politician Monday to form the next government, setting up a fierce political power struggle even as the country battles extremists in the north and west.

The showdown came as the United States increased its role in fighting back Sunni extremists of the Islamic State group that is threatening the autonomous Kurdish region in the north. Senior American officials said U.S. intelligence agencies are directly arming the Kurds who are battling the militants in what would be a shift in Washington’s policy of only working through the central government in Baghdad.

U.S. warplanes carried out new strikes Sunday, hitting a convoy of Sunni militants moving to attack Kurdish forces defending the autonomous zone’s capital, Irbil. The recent American airstrikes have helped the Kurds achieve one of their first victories after weeks of retreat as peshmerga fighters over the weekend recaptured two towns near Irbil. The Pentagon’s director of operations said the effort will do little to slow Islamic State militants overall. …

(Excerpt) Read more at hosted.ap.org ...


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: armsbuildup; iraq; isis; kurdistan; kurds; oif; rop; yazidi; yazidis

1 posted on 08/11/2014 3:35:57 PM PDT by Olog-hai
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To: Olog-hai

Fustercluck!


2 posted on 08/11/2014 3:47:04 PM PDT by karnage
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To: Olog-hai

Bring in the BUFFS!


3 posted on 08/11/2014 3:48:48 PM PDT by tet68 ( " We would not die in that man's company, that fears his fellowship to die with us...." Henry V.)
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To: Olog-hai

The Kurds are the only worthy and freedom loving people in Iraq. As I have said many times before, they’re the most Pro-American people you can meet. If anyone deserves our help in Iraq, it’s the Kurds.


4 posted on 08/11/2014 3:51:45 PM PDT by Greetings_Puny_Humans (I mostly come out at night... mostly.)
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To: Greetings_Puny_Humans

Finally!!!


5 posted on 08/11/2014 4:49:44 PM PDT by gleeaikin
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To: Olog-hai

I want to see planes offloading tons of weapon, ammo, and food, before I believe any of this theater crap by Odumbo.


6 posted on 08/11/2014 5:25:12 PM PDT by SgtHooper (Anyone who remembers the 60's, was not there!)
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