Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[10ebbor10]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Axis_of_evil

[burningpet]

Looks like the peshmerga managed to retake the Dam in mosul with the help of Iraqi and American air support.
When the Americans takes out ISIS's heavy machinery the Iraqi army left behind them, the pashmerga which is a light infantry army can stand a really good chance against ISIS, so the west doesn't necessarily needs boots on the ground to hinder ISIS in iraq, it can achieve the goal by providing vehicles and ammunition to the Kurds as well as crucial intelligence via satellites/drones. 

http://www.smh.com.au/world/kurds-push-back-islamic-state-retake-key-mosul-dam-20140818-105777.html

Also, the syrian rebels are pleading for a Western intervention in syria against ISIS
http://rt.com/news/180856-syria-rebels-us-airstrike-isis/

[Strife26]

The Kurds aren't a complete solution against ISIS because, for very good reasons, they're concerned with their own security (and that of everyone who lives in Kurdish areas), not that of the rest of Iraq or Syria.

[burningpet]

http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Middle-East/2014/Aug-18/267582-truce-deal-in-district-of-syrian-capital-news-agency.ashx#axzz3Algowjpr

Truce has been achieved between several rebel organizations and the syrian government.

"Monday's accord came after government forces took the key Mliha area on the road to Damascus airport after months of fighting."

ISIS probably weakened those rebel organizations in other fronts and cut their logistics lines from the north and iraq, so they couldn't resupply the fighters that are near Damascus with men and weapons, or that maybe the rebels figured out even Assad is better than ISIS so they should just work together toward eliminating the real threat. i haven't read anywhere that this truce also comply to other fronts, mainly the parts that are on the israeli borders which are held by rebels. (Assad has difficulties fighting in that area so i will be surprised if the rebles just hand over the control of these parts back to assad)

[Darvi]

Note the two turkish enclaves

Exclaves. Also there's three of them.

[10ebbor10]

It's probably a partial truce. That kind of thing has been a going on for a long time in the Syrian civil war.

[burningpet]

Yeah probably, which is pretty weird actually (Area specific truce)

[10ebbor10]

Not really, the rebels aren't one homogenous entity, and Assad's entire strategy appears to be divide and conquer.

[Dutchling]

So apparantly an American journalist has been beheaded by ISIS in an attempt to stop (escalate?) US involvement in Iraq. They're threatening to kill another American.

I'm not sure if posting a direct link to the video is a good idea. It's on Liveleak.

[Zangi]

So apparantly an American journalist has been beheaded by ISIS in an attempt to stop (escalate?) US involvement in Iraq. They're threatening to kill another American.

I'm not sure if posting a direct link to the video is a good idea. It's on Liveleak.

Beheading murricans to scare off murrican involvement ain't a great tactic.  Don't really got anything else to them that makes em intimidating and its just more likely to get the little people in the murrican gov't to say: "Kill em all!  They is a threat!"
(Cause most murricans and murrican gov't folk won't take part in the war themselves anyways.  The ones that do are just mainly the soldiers.)

[Neonivek]

Yeah I agree it is a really stupid move on their part... but then again they likely don't have the knowledge we do...

They don't know that we have so much fatigue that, honestly, just letting journalists come and go unharmed would actually pose a pretty good chance that not only would they be unharmed, but that America would not remain in Iraq.

[Leafsnail]

IS seems to have pretty canny PR men. This is probably less about deterring the USA and more about acting tough for their base and maintaining their terrifying image.

[burningpet]

What makes me wonder is if its really a hasty reaction to the american intervention or because of various (my own estimated) reasons:

1) As i said, ISIS strength lies almost solely in their ability to inflict, well, terror. when they show their defiance against americans, they strengthen the notion that they can not be opposed.

2) ISIS ability to recruit members is based on two main reasons: Fame and Agenda. by involving the west, they are drawing the radicals that were on the fence because they saw that ISIS doesn't make too much threats or actions against the West/Israel. now that they are dragging the Americans in, they will not only get more donations, they will get more recruits.

Fame is self explanatory. despite all their horrors, the beheading of the american journalist caught the media attention and brought them back to the front pages. also worth mentioning that their recent showing in the western media was related to their failures against the kurdish rather than to their success.

3) Al qaeda profits greatly from capturing westerners and then releasing them for ransom. at first, they beheaded their kidnapped westerners to show they are serious about their threats (look back at the rate of westerners beheadings by al-qaeda in the past in comparison to the present. they may also capture less, but the relation is not linear. they simply release more for profit). maybe ISIS plan to move to that profitable side of terror.
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/30/world/africa/ransoming-citizens-europe-becomes-al-qaedas-patron.html

So in essence, just like what Leafsnail said, this beheading is less about americans and more about ISIS.

[Muz]

Not really a dumb strategic move on their end. ISIS probably WANTS to be bombed. The more hate and anger they can rile up, the more support they get. Also it's drawing America into their territory, where they have an advantage. And I'm sure they realize that the US can't afford extended wars overseas and can claim it as a victory.

[Zangi]

Not really a dumb strategic move on their end. ISIS probably WANTS to be bombed. The more hate and anger they can rile up, the more support they get. Also it's drawing America into their territory, where they have an advantage. And I'm sure they realize that the US can't afford extended wars overseas and can claim it as a victory.

So drawing em into a messed up mutual pyrrhic win/lose thing?  Of course, long term, I guess it may be in the favor of the extremists... what with the US(and the 'West') further losing its appetite for intervention in the Middle East.

@Kidnapping

Interesting read.  ...  If I was them, I'd also make a point to kidnap nationalities that do not pay.  Make examples of them on every opportunity. 
But, maybe ISIS will do that if they are also in the business.  Scoring points on both finance and whatever sort of 'respect' at the same time.