Anti War......
Today, Australian officials confirmed they’ve been given approval by the Abadi government for the deployment of their special forces ground troops into Iraq to fight against ISIS.
The target appears to have been an error, with reports that an ISIS meeting was going on in a building just down the street from the one attacked. It is the first major civilian death tollin Iraq from US strikes in the new war.
Officials are presenting the helicopters as likely to bemore accurate than the warplanes flying 30,000 feet overhead, in spite of a long line of civilian casualtiescaused in helicopter attacks during the last Iraq war.
Iraq Clears Aussie Troops for ISIS Ground War
PM Ruled Out Any Foreign Troops in Iraq Only Last Week
by Jason Ditz, October 06, 2014
Less than a week ago, Iraqi Prime Minister Hayder Abadi insisted that no foreign ground troops would be welcome in his nation, and that he was confident the Iraqi military could defeat ISIS with Western air support alone.
Today, Australian officials confirmed they’ve been given approval by the Abadi government for the deployment of their special forces ground troops into Iraq to fight against ISIS.
Australian officials familiar with the situation say that the approximately 200 troops will be “bolstering local forces on the ground,” and that part of their mission will be spotting for US airstrikes.
The terms of the agreement with Iraq were not made public, but officials say that the troops were given needed legal cover in case they end up killing Iraqi civilians in the course of the conflict.
Reports: US Attacked Iraqi Market, Killing 22 Civilians
Attack on Popular Marketplace in Hit
by Jason Ditz, October 06, 2014
According to multiple reports coming out of Iraq today, US warplanes attacked the town of Hit in Anbar Province, a town recently taken over by ISIS. But the airstrikes hit a crowded marketplace and nearby apartment buildings, killing 22 civilians and wounding 43 others.
The target appears to have been an error, with reports that an ISIS meeting was going on in a building just down the street from the one attacked. It is the first major civilian death tollin Iraq from US strikes in the new war.
Security sources in Anbar Provinces also reported an increase in civilian displacement from Hit, with hundreds of families fleeing because of the “intensification of the bombing of airplanes” as well as mortar strikes on the town.
The lack of decent intelligence on what the US is actually hitting in airstrikes is likely to give way to more such incidents in the weeks, months, and years to come, as officials continue to ratchet up the air war.
US Helicopter Strikes Against ISIS Increase Shootdown Risk
Low-Flying Apache Helicopters Could Be Easy Targets
by Jason Ditz, October 06, 2014
On Sunday, the Pentagon had announced that its air war against ISIS in Iraq was now including attacks by AH-64 Apache attack helicopters, operating out of the Baghdad airport and carrying Hellfire and other missiles.
Officials are presenting the helicopters as likely to bemore accurate than the warplanes flying 30,000 feet overhead, in spite of a long line of civilian casualtiescaused in helicopter attacks during the last Iraq war.
The big difference, rather, is that the Apaches are far more likely to be shot down by ISIS, flying at much lower altitudes more readily reached by the shoulder-fired missiles ISIS is awash in, provided to target Syrian helicopters doing the exact same thing
The eventuality of such a shootdown is likely to mean US ground troops sent on rescue missions to try to recover the downed pilots. This could end up being the pretext for launching a ground operation against ISIS, and such an incident seems only a matter of time.
Tweets of the day.....
Violent anti-#ISIS rallies across #Turkey, 12 people dead & scores wounded (PHOTOS, VIDEO) http://on.rt.com/11xmpt
#Iraq: #US stationed a AH-64 Apache-squadron in #Baghdad- mainly to defend international airport &
US-army HQ inside
Hannah Allam retweeted
Jason Ukman
US-led coalition carried out five airstrikes around Kobane yesterday and today, @CENTCOM says.
BREAKING: Israel shells south #Lebanon after border blast http://bit.ly/ZrMHw5
#Kobane is about to fall, says #Turkish President #Erdoğan, calls for no-fly zone and safe havens http://bit.ly/1s8E9FU
#Syria #IS shelling #Kobane city center with tanks & artillery from Mount Mishtenur- after airstrikes http://wikimapia.org/#lang=de&lat=36.868498&lon=38.367519&z=14&m=b …
Kurds on border area very tensed. Almost daily riots &daily teargas by Turkish police. This is happening now @akhbar
Kobane/Ayn ElArab same place!! --> @DefenseOne: all locations where strikes have fallen, again all data per @CENTCOM
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