Posted on 12/23/2015 9:20:42 AM PST by SeekAndFind
Iraqi forces have crossed the Euphrates River from the West and are moving into downtown Ramadi, which has been under the control of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant since May, according to Col. Steven Warren, a U.S. military spokesman in Baghdad.
"The fall of Ramadi is inevitable," Warren told reporters this morning in his latest update on operations against ISIS. He said there were about 250 to 350 ISIS fighters left in the city and that Iraqi forces are working now to drive them from the dense, urban terrain.
He also noted that the Iraqi government had not requested the use of Boeing-made Apache helicopters in its effort to retake Ramadi. Earlier this month, Defense Secretary Ash Carter offered up the attack helicopters, telling a congressional panel the United States would be willing to provide them if requested.
Warren this morning added that Iraqi forces in Fallujah had recovered an ISIS document that instructed the group's fighters on how to behave as they exited the city. It directed them to impersonate Iraqi forces and commit atrocities to discredit the Iraqi government, according to Warren.
"We're starting to see a change in their behavior that may be related to desperation," he said.
(Excerpt) Read more at politico.com ...
And to think I was standing on that very real estate ten years ago today.
We gave it back to them, they screwed up and let ISIS in, and now they have to spill their own blood to get it back.
SMH
How long before Obama rushes to the microphone to take credit.
What hole is he on?
10 9 8 7 ....
Hmmmmm.....are those Iraqi / Iranian forces, Iranian / Iraqi forces, or mostly Iranian with a few Iraqi for ‘diversity.’
Since it is costing them their own blood to retake it, maybe this time they will fight harder to keep it.
Yep. My son was in Ramadi, and one of his good friends, earlier. It is heartbreaking to think of the sacrifices.
Thank you for your service.
When was he there?
Kill them all as the try to leave the city. No survivors allowed.
He was there approximately March to September of 2007, IIRC. USMC. His friend was there earlier, maybe 2005? on his 3rd Iraq tour with the USMC.
Maybe this time, they'll have a better understanding of what that real-estate is worth. Maybe they'll do a better job of keeping it.
Maybe.
Perhaps I should go outside and check for flying swine in the landing pattern ...
re: Kill them all as the try to leave the city. No survivors allowed.
If Obama has his way, they’d be in jail for a short while and then “released” to some place in QATAR for them to be “watched”.
SEE: BERGDAHL, BOWE
The Iraqis put up a pontoon bridge in order to get across the Euphrates and surprise ISIS.
My son and his company, 299th Army Engineers (Reserve), MRB, attached to the 3rd ID, put up the first Ribbon Brigade in combat on April 3, 2003 which let our support vehicles get across the Euphrates River at Hindaya (Operation Peach), with other elements of the 299th and 54th Ordnance Engineers launching a small boat amphibious attack that seized the main concrete bridge there.
This concrete bridge was not successfully destroyed by the Iraqi Republican Guard so our M1 Abrams were able to cross the river on their drive to Baghdad, aided by the parallel Ribbon Bridge build by the 299th for smaller armor and vehicles.
We’ve all had a “dog” in the fight only to have Obama betray all of them, like the traitor that he is.
Hopefully the Iraqis have learned enough, with American advisors help, to take on ISIS and wipe them out.
We must never forget our troops!
This will work as long as the Iraqi forces ( Shia Militia) who won Ramadi back, allow the Sunnis to control their territory after the win. If not......ALL the Sunna will eventually join ISIS.
The question is and always has been this -— The Iraqi’s take back their territory from ISIS -— THEN WHAT?
WE always have to remember that this country is MAJORITY Shiia and Minority Sunni with Most Kurds living in the North.
ISIS (a Sunni terrorist group) took over because the Sunni minority were oppressed by the Shiias and supported them.
Will this happen again?
And what can the USA do about it? You can win the war but how can you keep the peace?
Do you know how to pray? Well, now is the time. Hopefully the Iraqi Govt now knows what the price is they are and will pay if they don’t give the Sunnis a real voice in governance. The same for the Kurds.
Meanwhile, let them destroy ISIS.
that’s why it wasn’t the greatest idea to go in there under the guise of liberating people who didn’t ask for it.
you can’t fight the way you need to when you go in as “liberators”.
it puts our men at great risk.
that the brutal division among kurds, shia and kurds existed, should have been taken into account before the invasion and the necessary steps taken.
I never knew there were different factions.
but i’m not the president of the US. he shoulda kind of known.
I never knew there were different factions.>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Thats why its worth a ton to be on Free Republic. If you read a little , it doesn’t take long to get the full scoop.
You are welcome.
He is always on his A game, so he is most likely on his A hole.
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