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Pentagon plan to seize Raqqa calls for significant increase in US participation
Stars and Stripes ^ | 04 March 2017 | Karen DeYoung, LIz Sly

Posted on 03/06/2017 6:30:07 PM PST by Lorianne

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To: Lorianne

The caliph of the Islamic State made an American woman his personal rape slave. I want him tried in America.

Thank God we have Trump on our side.


21 posted on 03/06/2017 7:23:39 PM PST by BestPresidentEver
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To: Alberta's Child

Yeah what’s wrong with providing even air cover and equipment?


22 posted on 03/06/2017 7:27:01 PM PST by dp0622 (The only thing an upper crust conservative hates more than a liberal is a middle class conservative)
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To: Sax

“Better there than here.”

A silly argument. They wont be here if we don’t import them. They wont be building an invasion fleet. This war isn’t about home defense, its a war of influence peddling and nation building and making the Saudis happy.


23 posted on 03/06/2017 7:31:05 PM PST by DesertRhino (Dog is man's best friend, and moslems hate dogs. Add that up.)
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To: BestPresidentEver

“The caliph of the Islamic State made an American woman his personal rape slave.”

She went there as a volunteer as I recall. Play stupid games, win stupid prizes.


24 posted on 03/06/2017 7:32:34 PM PST by DesertRhino (Dog is man's best friend, and moslems hate dogs. Add that up.)
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To: DesertRhino
Reports have described the Raqqa operation as a "take no prisoners" plan - which is in line with the President's public guidance.

The Kurdish-led SDF which will be the assault force, has cheerfully and efficiently executed ISIS jihadis over the last two years - no reason to believe they will change now.

What does SecDef Mattis say?


25 posted on 03/06/2017 7:33:38 PM PST by BeauBo
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To: DesertRhino
Officials involved in the planning have proposed lifting a cap on the size of the U.S. military contingent in Syria, currently numbering about 500 Special Operations trainers and advisers to the combined Syrian Democratic Forces, or SDF. While the Americans would not be directly involved in ground combat, the proposal would allow them to work closer to the front line and would delegate more decision-making authority down the military line from Washington.

Sounds hauntingly familiar....

26 posted on 03/06/2017 7:36:05 PM PST by TADSLOS (Reset Underway!)
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To: DesertRhino

It absolutely is. The world is very small now, and there is no putting the genie back in the bottle. If we don’t stiffle radical momentum in the source loctations, we lose control of where it grows and where it goes. We will have to confront it. Where and when is still under our control.


27 posted on 03/06/2017 7:36:15 PM PST by Sax
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To: Sax

They should be there and we should be here.


28 posted on 03/06/2017 7:44:44 PM PST by Lorianne
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To: BestPresidentEver

She should have stayed here.
We stay here, they stay there ... it would work.


29 posted on 03/06/2017 7:46:07 PM PST by Lorianne
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To: Sax

Ridiculous. We have been at war there for 15 years and are worse off than the day we started. I’ve heard the roach motel theory of “fight them over there”.

Its BS. They aren’t coming here except the ones we import. And blowing up the whole middle east doesn’t make them less likely to attack us here. It makes it MORE likely.


30 posted on 03/06/2017 7:48:25 PM PST by DesertRhino (Dog is man's best friend, and moslems hate dogs. Add that up.)
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To: BeauBo

Yeah, Mattis the tough guy who prosecuted the Haditha marines who actually fought the way he talks.


31 posted on 03/06/2017 7:50:00 PM PST by DesertRhino (Dog is man's best friend, and moslems hate dogs. Add that up.)
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To: BeauBo

“The Kurdish-led SDF which will be the assault force, has cheerfully and efficiently executed ISIS jihadis over the last two years - no reason to believe they will change now.”

SDF isn’t lead by Kurds. Its mostly Sunni Arab. And SDF is just as jihadi as ISIS. ISIS will fall, and a Sunni government will take over.

Lot of tough talk, just changing owners in Raqqa.


32 posted on 03/06/2017 7:52:55 PM PST by DesertRhino (Dog is man's best friend, and moslems hate dogs. Add that up.)
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To: Lorianne

The ISIS Caliphate is being systematically destroyed. Their last major strongholds of Mosul and Raqaa will be retaken in a few months.

The Mosul operation is very well supported, but the Raqqa assault force (the Kurdish-led SDF) is lean and lightly equipped. Doing the numbers, it would take them a long time, and a lot of casualties (we want Raqqa more than they do - its majority Arab).

US Army Rangers are already landing in Syria, and there has been talk of elements of the 82nd Airborne Division deploying as well. They might provide artillery and logistic support, as well as guarding roads and key assets (able to destroy suicide vehicles with their TOW missiles) rather than go door-to-door.

Turkey has threatened to block the use of Incirlik Air Base for the Raqqa operation, so they have to have the firepower to replace air support, or (less likely) build, operate and defend an air base nearby.

Just doing what it takes, to get it done.


33 posted on 03/06/2017 7:56:12 PM PST by BeauBo
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To: DesertRhino

It really is not exactly about here or there, as much as it is about attacking radicalism as it emerges, before it can develop, organize, and become more effective and efficient. History does show that if you allow radicalism the space to develop, it becomes much more painful to deal with. The distance between here and there, doesn’t matter as nearly as much as it did 40-50 years ago.


34 posted on 03/06/2017 7:56:43 PM PST by Sax
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To: DesertRhino

It really is not exactly about here or there, as much as it is about attacking radicalism as it emerges, before it can develop, organize, and become more effective and efficient. History does show that if you allow radicalism the space to develop, it becomes much more painful to deal with. The distance between here and there, doesn’t matter as nearly as much as it did 40-50 years ago.


35 posted on 03/06/2017 7:56:44 PM PST by Sax
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To: BeauBo

They have to die, there is nowhere safe in the world for them to be.


36 posted on 03/06/2017 7:59:57 PM PST by ichabod1 (The Wise Cracker)
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To: DesertRhino

Going to war overseas and refusing to shore up the US borders should have been our clue w was never really serious about it all.


37 posted on 03/06/2017 8:01:34 PM PST by ichabod1 (The Wise Cracker)
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To: DesertRhino

“SDF isn’t lead by Kurds”

From Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syrian_Democratic_Forces):

“The SDF is dominated in manpower and militarily led by the People’s Protection Units (YPG), a mostly Kurdish militia.”

That is why Turkey is putting up such resistance - those Kurds are affiliated with the PKK, all followers of Abdullah Ocalan, who is in prison in Turkey as a terrorist.

SDF was an American-inspired effort, to put a multi-ethnic/Arab face on the YPG Kurds, as we ramped up our train and equip mission to them, and cut out the Turkish “moderate” rebels in the NW of Syria, who kept “losing” their heavy weapons to ISIS and al Queda. The non-Kurdish elements have really grown this last year, but it is still majority Kurd, and all the top commanders are YPG/YPJ Kurds.


38 posted on 03/06/2017 8:06:43 PM PST by BeauBo
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To: Lorianne

Non-stop war actually seems to benefit the Left as it ultimately supports big government, its cronies, and their suck up media


39 posted on 03/06/2017 8:11:05 PM PST by PGR88 (The)
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To: DesertRhino
Declaration of Operation Wrath of the Euphrates, to capture Raqqa, on 6 November 2016 in the village of Ayn Issa:

As is their custom, Co-Commanders are designated - a man for the YPG, and a woman (media darling Rodja Felat) for the YPJ. They are Kurds, and only Kurdish YPG and YPJ flags are flown, although token reps of subordinate militia are allowed in the photo.

40 posted on 03/06/2017 8:34:49 PM PST by BeauBo
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