Anti War......
Officials are now describing the “Iraq first, then Syria” strategy for destroying ISIS as “untenable,” and while continuing to present the war goal as the destruction of ISIS, they seem to be heading down the road of less direct conflict with them.
Abadi announced today that 26 military commanders were being fired for corruption, incompetence, or both. This followed a sermon by Iraqi Shi’ite leader Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani blasted the Iraqi military’s corruption.
Evening Tweets....
US Will Focus on Ousting Assad ‘to Defeat ISIS’
US Concedes Initial ISIS Strategy 'Untenable'
by Jason Ditz, November 12, 2014
The Obama Administration today realized what everyone else has known for quite some time, that their strategy in the new ISIS war in simply not working. Unfortunately, they seem to be shifting toward even deeper escalation of the war, particularly in Syria.
Officials are now describing the “Iraq first, then Syria” strategy for destroying ISIS as “untenable,” and while continuing to present the war goal as the destruction of ISIS, they seem to be heading down the road of less direct conflict with them.
Instead, the new Syria strategy appears to be the military removal of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, even though his forces are the major significant anti-ISIS force inside Syria, and officials now seem to believe that ousting Assad first and cobbling together a new regime from the non-existent “moderate” factions that the Pentagon is supposed to be creating, is the key to the war.
Which is to say that the war is even less tenable than it was before, as between attacks on ISIS, Nusra, and Islamic Front fighters, and now the Assad government, the US is fighting materially all of the combat forces inside Syria at the same time, even the ones that are aligned with their publicly-stated goals.
Sen. Saxby Chambliss (R – GA) cheered the announcement, while pushing for further escalation, insisting the war needed more boots on the ground. Chambliss was similarly vague on how this new strategy would even conceivably work, saying only that the US would have to hope some moderate faction would emerge and benefit the US in some unforeseen way.
The policy, in that regard, isn’t so much changed as simply escalated, as US policy has from the start been to do things that don’t make any sense, and to keep fingers crossed that their war will be won in spite of themselves.
322 Killed in Bombs, Airstrikes Across Iraq
by Margaret Griffis, November 12, 2014
At least 322 were killed across Iraq today, and 49 more were wounded. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi fired 26 Iraqi commanders for corruption and incompetence. Also, Iraq is facing a worsening food crisis and needs support in planning next year’s wheat harvest. The country already imports a significant amount of its wheat, but with many of Iraq’s recently displaced being farmers, that amount could rise dramatically.
In Baghdad, a car bomb followed by a suicide bomber outside the federal police H.Q. in Nisour Square killed 11 people and wounded 21. Two bodies were discovered.
Six people were killed and 20 were wounded in a blast at an army checkpoint inYusufiya.
A suicide bomber targeting an Iraqi colonel in Diyala killed him and five of his men. At least four personnel were wounded.
Mortars injured four policemen in Jurf al-Sakhar.
In Mosul, seven civilians were killed or wounded in a coalition airstrike. Fifteen civilians were killed in a separate strike. Unidentified gunmen killed a militant.
Seventy people were kidnapped in al-Alam and al-Zawiya.
Airstrikes killed 45 militants in Jalawla and Saidiya.
Near Tikrit, 41 militants were killed in airstrikes.
Airstrikes in Aziz Balad, Rouacheda and Albu Handhal in Samarra left 37 militants dead.
Twenty militants were killed in strikes near Tal Afar.
Nineteen militants were killed in Mullah Abdullah and Rashad.
In Mutassim, 14 militants were killed and nine were wounded.
Near Baiji, 13 militants were killed in an airstrike. Forty were killed in separate operations.
Airstrikes killed a dozen militants, including two leaders, near Falluja.
At least 30 militants were killed in the Adhaim Dam region.
Iraq PM Fires 26 Army Commanders for Corruption and Incompetence
Purge After Summer Routs by ISIS Continue
by Jason Ditz, November 12, 2014
Iraqi Premier Hayder Abadi has continued the government’s purge of army commanders seen as responsible for the decisive defeats the Iraqi military suffered at the hands of ISIS over the summer, a policy started by former PM Nouri al-Maliki.
Abadi announced today that 26 military commanders were being fired for corruption, incompetence, or both. This followed a sermon by Iraqi Shi’ite leader Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani blasted the Iraqi military’s corruption.
Sistani’s sermon blamed corruption for the loss of large portions of the nation’s west to ISIS, and added to the push to speed up a purge aimed at purging the nation’s least competent military leaders.
The question, however, is how many of the purged leaders are actually involved in the fight with ISIS, and how many are being purged for political reasons. Either way, there is a risk that such moves will worsen the already atrocious morale problem in the Iraqi military.
Evening Tweets....
U.S. crude oil hits 4-year low, extends losses http://ara.tv/n5e3s
Hezbollah recruits non-Shiites for ISIS fight http://ara.tv/67euh
#Iraq finance minister Hoshyar #Zebari: Sending the salaries of the (KRG) employees is the condition of the visit... http://fb.me/30SytYG3g
Zebari: #KRG delegation will not visit #Baghdad until the salaries of the (KRG) employees delivered.
Just out: The Daily Star for Friday, November 14
Full statement of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi in English, he is not dead https://ia601403.us.archive.org/21/items/kalimah_201411/english.pdf …
Wladimir retweeted
#Breaking: Al-Baghdadi urges more attacks on Shiaa, army & security members & crusaders in #Saudi Arabia.
MAP: Nusra continues its campaign to chase US-backed rebels from Idlib province
NUSRA CLEANSES IDLIB PROVINCE: Nusra and its allies continue campaign against US-backed rebels in Idlib
Iraq Federal Gov to pay Kurdish region $500 million in return KRG commit to exporting 150,000 bpd via Federal Oil Company
Morning Tweets.... Note a blooger from Raqqa may have been arrested by ISIS , no posts have been seen from him since 11/9/14.....
Abdulkader Hariri retweeted
Un-confirmed = ISIS arrested @3bdUlkaed6r member of (@Raqqa_Sl Team)
Turkey’s reluctance to extend full support to Kobani may not be entirely related to the Kurdish issue - @TurkeyPulse http://almon.co/2a8d
#France has more citizens fighting with Islamic militants in #Syria and #Iraq than any other EU country - http://almon.co/2a8h
#Hungarian oil and gas company MOL will start production in Akri-Bijeel block of #Kurdistan region, the company... http://fb.me/6TRUnVfeL
#Kurdistan Region's premier and #Iraq's oil minister hold a meeting to resolve oil-disputes. http://fb.me/1lNPacoW3
Syria Deeply retweeted
Syria rebels in south emerge as West's last hope as moderates crushed elsewhere http://reut.rs/1zlULLi
Wladimir retweeted
Wladimir retweeted
Iraqi pilot Iranians fly helicopters and transport planes to drop barrel bombs on Sunni areas http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/nov/12/shia-militia-fightback-against-isis-leads-to-massacre-of-sunnis?CMP=twt_gu …
ISF: 26 relieved of duty
10 sent to retirement
18 reshuffled
Overhaul of Senior Milit/ISF Officers by Iraq PM @HaiderAlAbadi
More to come!
Brief review comparing Anbar 03-06 to Anbar 11-14 Many similarities w/tribes, insurgency, Baghdad & US http://musingsoniraq.blogspot.com/2014/11/understanding
Syria Deeply retweeted
Profile of Louay Hussein, Syrian opposition leader arrested today in Syria http://m.ceip.org/beirut/publica
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