"Iraq’s Attack Against ISIS Catches U.S. ‘By Surprise’" Topic

"The biggest offensive against ISIS so far happened without American help—but with plenty of assistance from Iran.The Iraqi military launched a major campaign to take back a key city from the self-proclaimed Islamic State over the weekend—a move that caught the U.S. "by surprise," in the words of one American government official.

The U.S.-led coalition forces that have conducted seven months of airstrikes on Iraq's behalf did not participate in the attack, defense officials told The Daily Beast, and the American military has no plans to chip in.

Instead, embedded Iranian advisers and Iranian-backed Shiite militias are taking part in the offensive on the largely Sunni town, raising the prospect that the fight to beat back ISIS could become a sectarian war…"
Full article here
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Amicalement
Armand

"It's very important because they made two runs at Tikrit over the last year, year and a half, and failed," Scales said. "They are going in very heavy here – 25,000 people – if they fail again against a defensive force of only 1,500 people, they will never continue the fight up the Euphrates to Mosul -- which is their key objective. That's the heartland of ISIS in Iraq."

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"raising the prospect that the fight to beat back ISIS could become a sectarian war…"

Since when was it not?

If you hardly know about your allies/ cronies/ vassals, can we expect you know more about the enemy?

IMO … the Iraqi Shia majority has more affiliations with the Persian Shia majority forces supporting and assisting them in their war with Deash. Even if some Sunni Militias are helping out. They hate Deash as well. And remember … the Persians are not infidels/crusaders. Something that many moslems in the region or even worldwide can't seem to forget. The non-Deash Sunni will temporarily set aside their centuries of religious, tribal, etc. difference for now. What I see coming about. The Shia majority of Iraq supported by the Shia Persians actually may go on their own bloody Jihad/Crusade against the Sunni Deash. And Iraq will become even more in Iran's influence/orbit. The Kurds who the West supports and is Sunni. Who the Iraqi Shia gov't won't let the West support directly with arms, etc. … Because I think the Iran/Iraq Shia are looking ahead to a time when Deash is dead/gone. And they don't want to have to deal with well armed Kurds. Plus the Sunni Turks don't want to see arms going to the Kurds, as they have a long negative history. And the Turks want to revive past glories. And are more and more has islamists leanings. They could have helped out the Kurds in their battle with Deash. But thought it might be better to parade along the border and watch the slaughter. Maybe eventually there will be in battle with the Iran/Iraqi Shias vs. the Kurds ? Regardless, we are dealing with extremely duplicitious factions here. Who base allegiances to religious, tribal, ethnic, etc. groups, etc. over any "real(?)" central gov't at least when it comes to Iraq, Syria, Yemen, and don't forget A'stan. Hopefully the Iran/Iraq/Militias forces can defeat Deash. Which as far as I'm concerned is a good thing. And we can have little involvment and watch the slaughter on CNN. Which that being said, we all may have to worry about a nuc armed Iran … and that will be another Cluster . Considering among other things the Sunni Saudis don't like or trust the Shia Persians … War without end comes to mind …

Complicated! (smile)

Amicalement
Armand

Like most things in that region … eveything is mired with a mix of religious, tribal, ethnic, etc., differences. As long as this is the norm, much of the region and areas to the East will always remain behind the West in many aspects …

The Iraqis were probably afraid that we'd tell ISIS about the assault plans if we were informed ahead of time.

Can't really blame them for that, since we tend to leak like a worn out, rusted, colander.

@Coopman: Which is really funny, since we used to accuse them of that same issue…

The Iraqis were probably afraid that we'd tell ISIS about the assault plans if we were informed ahead of time.

So very true with our current government.