Wednesday, September 10, 2014

Iraq / Syria Regional War Update ( September 10 , 2014 ) -- State of Play on the political fronts and battlefields....


Secret US-Syrian dialogue for coordinating counter-ISIS operations in Syria led up to Obama speech
Old enemies, new buddies?
Old enemies, new buddies?
DEBKAfile Exclusive Report Sep 10, 2014, 7:45 PM (IDT)
Shortly before President Barack Obama was to unveil his strategy for tackling ISIS in Iraq and Syria Wednesday, Sept. 10, US and Syrian officers held secret talks for coordinating their military efforts in Syria against the common foe, DEBKAfile reveals exclusively. The Syrian officers, on the authority of President Bashar Assad, met on the quiet several times with American officers in the capital of one of the Gulf emirates – probably Muscat in Oman. The Syrian side of the US campaign is judged to be more complicated than the operation in Iraq.
 More
>
From Debka....













Anti War......

Despite ISIS Getting US Arms, Obama Wants to Send More to Syria Rebels

White House Continues to Claim They're Being Careful With Arms

by Jason Ditz, September 09, 2014
Yesterday’s big report was that much of the weaponry that ISIS is using, both small arms and anti-tank missiles, were actually provided by the US, for the “moderate” Syrian rebels.
It wasn’t a big surprise that this was going to happen, though the White House tried to spin this as vindication for their decision not to send even more weapons to the rebels, because they had to be super careful to avoid the arms falling into ISIS hands. Which they did anyway.
But they did manage to avoid making matters much, much worse, an oversight that President Obama is seeking to correct with today’s announcement that he’s going to push Congress to dramatically increase funding for the arms for the Syrian rebels.
With US arms sent to Syria and US vehicles stolen from Mosul the bulk of the ISIS arsenal, the Obama Administration now believes that the solution to the ISIS problem would be to throw even more arms at Syrian rebels, and even more vehicles to Iraq, doubling down on that problem.


ISIS Bombs Meeting of Rival Islamic Front, Killing 28 Leaders

Bombing Took Out Most of Ahrar al-Sham's Leadership

by Jason Ditz, September 09, 2014
A bombing tore through a house in northwestern Syria’s Idlib Province today, where the leaders of the Islamic Front’s largest faction, Ahrar al-Sham, had organized a meeting.
The blast killed at least 28 of the faction’s 50 attending leaders, and its chief, Hassan Aboud, was either seriously wounded or killed in the incident as well.
Ahrar al-Sham led the Islamic Ahrar al-Sham led the Islamic Front’s charge into ISIS territory earlier this year, and has accused ISIS of targeting their leadership in the past. There seems to be little question that today’s attack was more of ISIS handiwork.
The Ahrar al-Sham is funded predominantly by GCC member nations, primarily Kuwait, and aims to implement a strict form a Sharia law in Syria. Members of the group’s leadership have stated their long-time membership in al-Qaeda.
The leader most public in his al-Qaeda affiliation, Abu Khalif al-Suri, was assassinated by ISIS back in February, which led the group to push a more intense offensive against ISIS. It is unclear how well they will rebound this time, after losing such a large portion of their key leaders.


    FOUR POINT PLAN...


    http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/obama-pledge-relentless-effort-destroy-isis-address-nation/story?id=25407383

    Here’s Obama's four-point plan to destroy ISIS:
    AMPING UP AIRSTRIKES
    • The president vowed to expand the air campaign beyond its original two missions: protecting Americans and providing humanitarian aid. Instead, airstrikes will be used a part of a broader effort to roll back ISIS in Iraq.
    • The military will not be constrained by the Syrian border, Obama said.
      “We will hunt down terrorist who threaten our country, wherever they are,” he added.
      The administration will work with DOD to develop and advance whatever options are necessary to take targeted action wherever ISIS is – whether in Iraq or Syria.
    STRENGTHENING TROOPS
    • The president plans to send an additional 475 US service members to Iraq to assist Iraqi and Kurdish forces there. Troops will build on the work of assessment teams already in place in Baghdad and Erbil, teams embedded with Iraqi security forces, and existing surveillance assets, but will not be introduced into combat.
    • Calling for Congress to authorize and resource a train and equip mission for Syrian opposition. We have support from key countries in this effort. The president spoke with King Abdullah on this today.
    PREVENTING TERROR
    • The U.S. will draw on a range of counter-terrorism tactics to prevent attacks on the homeland.
    • It will also take steps to counter ISIS’ “warped” ideology, Obama vowed.
      “Let’s make two things clear,” said the president. ISIL is not ‘Islamic’ … it was formerly al Qaeda’s affiliate.”
    • The U.S. will work to stem the flow of fighters traveling to and from the region.
    PROTECTING CIVILIANS
  • In the interest of protecting ancient communities, such as Iraqi Christians, the United States’ humanitarian efforts will continue, Obama said.

    •







    Tweets.....

     Speech nuggets and rapid reactions...
     53s
    Obama's legal rationale for strikes? Shoot first, ask the US Congress later via

     Retweeted by 
     4m
    No mention of coalition members. No mention of 's role.

    2.  15m
      US will lead coalition to degrade and ultimately destroy ISIL. Escalate air campaign, deploy additional 475 troops to Iraq (1/2)
      Expand
    3.  13m
      no ground combat mission. In 2004 US had 150,000 troops in Iraq and that was working really well (2/2).
     Retweeted by 
     17m
    So the strategy is airstrikes, arab moral support to get sunnis on message, and rebuilding iraqi army (again) . Tough


     8s
    U.S. will lead a broad coalition to roll back this threat. Our objective is clear: we will degrade, destroy ISIL.



     4m
    "Third, will continue to draw on our substantial counterterrorism capabilities to prevent ISIL attacks"


     9m
    "Let's be clear... ISIL is not 'Islamic'...And ISIL is certainly not a state"


     Retweeted by 
     12m
    'As Commander-in-Chief, my highest priority is the security of the American people' - Pres. Obama

     3m


    : Obama to target fighters 'wherever they exist'


     Retweeted by 
     5m
    President again compared this strategy to yemen. In yemen there is a partnered government. In syria there is a hostile adversary.
     Retweeted by 
     9m
    "We have ramped our military assistance to opposition forces in Syria" - Obama on strategy

     9m
    "We will not get dragged into another ground war in Iraq." - President Obama
     10m


    Obama: Our objective is clear: we will degrade and ultimately destroy ISIS through a comprehensive and sustained counter-terrorism strategy
     Retweeted by 
     14m
    US to send an additional 475 service members to Iraq - live updates




     Retweeted by 
     12m
    Map: Known locations of US attacks in Iraq since 8 August







     · 37m
    Today's car bombings in Baghdad part of 2nd VBIED wave of Sep launched by IS One day break from last wave in 1st week of month
     Retweeted by Joel Wing
     · 9h
    Just to underline this: Abadi agreed to meet not even one demand of the Sunnis & the Kurds. Both capitulated, each with its own fig leaf.

     · 10h
    Kurdish parties given Abadi 3 months to meet their demands on oil budget & disputed areas


     · 10h
    US has vetoed Ameri gaining Interior because he's a militia leader & Badr's past run of office in 05



     · 10h
    Badr objecting to new Abadi govt because Haid Ameri not given Interior Ministry



     · 4h
    Obama authorizes $25 mln in immediate military aid to Iraq: White House



     · 5h
    Attacks kill 30 people in Iraq's capital, Baghdad



     · 3h
    Attack on the HASI leadership involved a gas attack and SVEST operative from ISIS-aligned Liwa' Dawud via :



     Retweeted by Memlik Pasha
     · 4h
    Check out ISW's most recent ISIS Sanctuary Map here:



     · 7h
    Last-minute in as Poised for anti- Address



    Can Iraq Survive? -INYT event with , , , & Ali Allawi






     · 30m
    — Peshmerga and Syrian forces agree to fight together for .

    Moqtada al-Sadr says Iraq should not cooperate with 'occupiers'

     · 6h
    Government offices in Mosul are smuggling in money to pay employees & trying to keep it away from IS






    Posted by at

    No comments:

    Post a Comment

    Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)