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Obama Considering Air Strikes in Iraq
#157576
08/07/2014 08:33 AM
08/07/2014 08:33 AM
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There are about 40,000 Yazidis, members of a tiny religious sect, trapped on a mountain top in Iraq, surrounded by ISIS militants. Now, President Obama is reportedly considering ways to help them, including air strikes . Here we go again. President Obama is considering options to assist trapped minorities in Iraq, including possible airstrikes and airdrops of food and medicine, a government official said.
The administration has been mulling options for weeks, but the issue has come to a head with a mounting humanitarian catastrophe in northern Iraq where the Yazidis, a small religious minority, are trapped on a mountain top surrounded by Islamic militants.
The source asked not to be named since he was not authorized to speak about the issue. No final decision has been made.
White House spokesman Josh Earnest has said the administration is working with Iraqi and Kurdish officials on efforts to address a looming "human catastrophe," but he did not provide specifics.
The Yazidis are a tiny religious group that were forced to flee their homes when militants attacked Sinjar in northern Iraq. The militants consider the Yazidis as apostates.
Tens of thousands of refugees fled into the mountains, perhaps hoping to reach the Kurdish region in the north, but were trapped because of militant activity between the mountain and the Kurdish area, and are running short on food and water.
Iraqi aircraft have attempted to air drop supplies to the Yazidis but with limited success. Dropping supplies, particularly on a mountain top, is difficult as packages of food and water break open on impact.
The U.S. Air Force has extensive experience with air dropping supplies, which they regularly do in the mountains of Afghanistan with accuracy.
Air strikes could be used to blunt the battlefield successes of the militants, which now control about one-third of Iraq's territory.... The 40,000 Iraqis stranded on a mountain and facing possible genocide at the hands of surrounding Islamic State fighters are the last surviving community in their ancestral homeland of the Yazidis, long misunderstood by the outside world as "Devil-worshippers".
One of the most persecuted minorities in the Middle East, the Yazidis in fact find even the mention of the word "Satan" profoundly offensive, and have kept their ancient religion alive despite centuries of oppression.
The Yazidis mark themselves out as different. They never wear the colour blue. They are not allowed to eat lettuce. Many of the men wear their hair in long plaits that make them resemble nothing so much as Asterix and Obelix.
They believe one of their holy books, the Black Book, was stolen by the British in colonial times and is being kept somewhere in London.
But in their home town of Sinjar, from where they have now fled to the mountains above, they were welcoming in a way that belied their fearsome reputation as Satanists.
For ordinary Iraqis, they are bogeymen to frighten children with. But for religious extremists through the centuries, they have been Devil-worshippers to be slaughtered.
The misidentification came about because the Yazidis worship a fallen angel, the Malek Tawwus, or Peacock Angel. But, unlike Lucifer, the Yazidis' fallen angel was forgiven by God and restored to heaven.
Their religion is not just an offshoot of Christianity or Islam. They do not believe in heaven or hell, but in reincarnation, which they describe as the soul "changing its clothes".
They have kept their religion alive through the Talkers, men who are taught the entire text of their missing holy book by memory as children, and who in turn pass it on to their own sons....
There are darker sides to the Yazidis. They have a tradition of killing any of their members who leave the religion, and 2007 it was reported that Du'a Khalil Aswad, a Yazidi woman, was stoned to death for converting to Islam and marrying a Muslim man.... Onward and upward, airforce
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Re: Obama Considering Air Strikes in Iraq
#157577
08/07/2014 03:32 PM
08/07/2014 03:32 PM
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Huskerpatriot
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13 years ago I had many Iraqi students. Some were yazidi. They were very interesting. They spoke Kurdish, but were equally persecuted by Sunni Shia and Christians.
In their story, they are directly descendent of one of Noah's sons.... And you can not join their faith or marry into it.
The believe that Gods chief angel (lucifer) was never kicked out to be a fallen angel. He is depicted as an angel with peacock wings. They believe that God god died in battle and his head angel has taken the responsibility for gods creation in his absence.
These people will wear peacock necalace rather then a cross, Star of David or cresent.
"Government at its best is a necessary evil, and at it�s worst, an intolerable one."
Thomas Paine (from "Common Sense" 1776)
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Re: Obama Considering Air Strikes in Iraq
#157578
08/07/2014 03:37 PM
08/07/2014 03:37 PM
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The lettuce thing.... The story was that a large settlement was driven from home, and the women and children hid in a large lettuce field where they were slaughtered (by the Turks if I remember the story)... The blood flowed and the plants were tainted with the blood of the martyred. To eat it is tantamount to cannibalism of your own people.
"Government at its best is a necessary evil, and at it�s worst, an intolerable one."
Thomas Paine (from "Common Sense" 1776)
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Re: Obama Considering Air Strikes in Iraq
#157579
08/07/2014 05:13 PM
08/07/2014 05:13 PM
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I won't say it's the most bizarre religion I've ever heard of, but it's up there somewhere. I'm surprised the Kurds would have anything to do with them, either. ABC News is reporting that the U.S. is already carrying out airdrops of humanitarian aid , and that President Obama has authorized airstrikes "if needed." It looks like Iraq 3.0 is getting closer and closer. Onward and upward, airforce
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Re: Obama Considering Air Strikes in Iraq
#157580
08/08/2014 02:31 AM
08/08/2014 02:31 AM
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Lord Vader
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I just received a News Report that Airstrikes have already occurred.
Next up, probably Ground Troops and then, who knows, but we can guess.
VINCE AUT MORIRE (Conquer or Die)
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Re: Obama Considering Air Strikes in Iraq
#157581
08/08/2014 04:57 AM
08/08/2014 04:57 AM
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Yeah, it looks like those airstrikes became "necessary" pretty quickly. Peter Suderman has an ironic look back at Obama in 2007 . Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama said Thursday the United States cannot use its military to solve humanitarian problems and that preventing a potential genocide in Iraq isn’t a good enough reason to keep U.S. forces there.
“Well, look, if that’s the criteria by which we are making decisions on the deployment of U.S. forces, then by that argument you would have 300,000 troops in the Congo right now — where millions have been slaughtered as a consequence of ethnic strife — which we haven’t done,” Obama said in an interview with The Associated Press.
“We would be deploying unilaterally and occupying the Sudan, which we haven’t done. Those of us who care about Darfur don’t think it would be a good idea,” he said.
Obama, a first-term senator from Illinois, said it’s likely there would be increased bloodshed if U.S. forces left Iraq.... Onward and upward, airforce
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Re: Obama Considering Air Strikes in Iraq
#157582
08/08/2014 06:08 AM
08/08/2014 06:08 AM
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For his part, Speaker John Boehner supports the President on the airstrikes. But he still managed to criticize Obama, apparently for not doing more . “The president’s authorization of airstrikes is appropriate, but like many Americans, I am dismayed by the ongoing absence of a strategy for countering the grave threat ISIS poses to the region. Vital national interests are at stake, yet the White House has remained disengaged despite warnings from Iraqi leaders, Congress, and even members of its own administration. Such parochial thinking only emboldens the enemy and squanders the sacrifices Americans have made. The president needs a long-term strategy – one that defines success as completing our mission, not keeping political promises – and he needs to build the public and congressional support to sustain it. If the president is willing to put forward such a strategy, I am ready to listen and work with him. For now, I wish Godspeed to all our men and women participating in these operations.” Yeah, that's what we need. :rolleyes: Onward and upward, airforce
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Re: Obama Considering Air Strikes in Iraq
#157583
08/08/2014 04:28 PM
08/08/2014 04:28 PM
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Eh, why not. By all appearances the ISIS militants are a collection of foreign fighters who could just as well end up facing our troops eventually, as they loudly promise to, so killing them to save the Yadzids sounds fine to me. I really don't think you are going to pacify the real hard core of ISIS with Ron Paul levels of intellectual engagement. Not when ISIS has started genocidal massacres.
Negotiating with them or eventually recognizing any legitimacy with them is like the Khmer Rouge, never a good idea. It might be beneficial to the US to do so at some point, but morally, no, gotta write those assholes off.
Yazids sound like they have their own issues though. Humanitarian aid and airstrikes, but no American blood on that situation.
Life liberty, and the pursuit of those who threaten them.
Trump: not the president America needs, but the president America deserves.
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Re: Obama Considering Air Strikes in Iraq
#157584
08/09/2014 04:48 AM
08/09/2014 04:48 AM
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U.S. airstrikes have "successfully destroyed arms and equipment" which could have been used by the ISIS. U.S. fighter jets and drones repeatedly bombed Sunni Islamic extremists in northern Iraq, targeting what officials described as ISIS artillery units and convoys advancing on the Kurdish regional capital of Irbil.
The airstrikes Friday ramped up America's involvement in Iraq where ISIS, which calls itself the Islamic State, is seizing control of towns and key infrastructure in an advance that has forced hundreds of thousands to run for their lives.
News of the second round of U.S. airstrikes came just after the governor of Irbil told CNN that ISIS may be as close as 30 kilometers (just over 18 miles) from the city of more than a million people.
The operation began hours after President Barack Obama authorized "targeted airstrikes," saying in a televised address late Thursday that the United States had an obligation to protect its personnel in Iraq and prevent a potential genocide of minority groups by ISIS.
Obama said there will be no buildup of U.S. combat troops in Iraq. "As commander in chief, I will not allow the United States to be dragged into fighting another war in Iraq," the President said.... Onward and upward, airforce
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Re: Obama Considering Air Strikes in Iraq
#157585
08/09/2014 06:05 AM
08/09/2014 06:05 AM
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If you're wondering what those airstrikes are targeting, we now have the answer. Two mortar positions, and a seven-vehicle convoy. Incredibly, those devastating attack haven't stopped the ISIL advance. The Islamic militants reportedly expanded their drive near Iraqi Kurdistan Saturday despite two U.S. airstrikes aimed at mortar positions and a seven-vehicle convoy to stop the advance on Kurdish capital of Irbil.
The Wall Street Journal reported that the militants appear to have their sights on connecting towns seized along the Kurdish-control territory. The most recent town to be seized was identified as Sheikhan.
News of the advance comes hours after U.S. warplanes launched two more rounds of airstrikes against Islamic militants in northern Iraq, taking out two mortar positions and a seven-vehicle convoy. President Obama authorized the use of force to protect U.S. personnel and Iraqi religious minorities facing a possible "genocide."
The chief spokesman for the Pentagon, Rear Adm. John Kirby, said the U.S. launched the latest airstrikes to help defend the city of Irbil, where U.S. personnel are "assisting the government of Iraq." The airstrikes were considered successful.... Onward and upward, airforce
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Re: Obama Considering Air Strikes in Iraq
#157586
08/09/2014 02:05 PM
08/09/2014 02:05 PM
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Huskerpatriot
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I'd like to see a sortie of B52s make a strike on a base that houses a barracks compound, munitions supply as well as a depot with much of their trucks, armor and fuel supply!
Show these 7th century throwbacks what just a hand full of 60 year old US planes can do!
Let the Kurdish militia come in to retake the region, collect any supplies of value.
"Government at its best is a necessary evil, and at it�s worst, an intolerable one."
Thomas Paine (from "Common Sense" 1776)
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Re: Obama Considering Air Strikes in Iraq
#157587
08/09/2014 02:09 PM
08/09/2014 02:09 PM
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Yet another warmonger is chiming in. Dianne Feinstein has joined folks like John Boehner, Bill Kristol, and Marco Ribio in calling for more than just a few airstrikes. Because if we don't, the ISIL will take over Washington or something. Senate Intelligence Chairwoman Dianne Feinstein warned Friday of the risk that the insurgent group ISIL could be preparing fighters to attack American and European targets.
“It has become clear that ISIL is recruiting fighters in Western countries, training them to fight its battles in the Middle East and possibly returning them to European and American cities to attack us in our backyard,” the California Democrat said in a statement backing military action authorized by President Barack Obama. “We simply cannot allow this to happen.”
Feinstein called for a broader military campaign against ISIL, not just the targeted missions authorized by the president.
“It takes an army to defeat an army, and I believe that we either confront ISIL now or we will be forced to deal with an even stronger enemy in the future. Inaction is no longer an option. I support actions by the administration to coordinate efforts with Iraq and other allies to use our military strength and targeting expertise to the fullest extent possible,” Feinstein said.... Just for the heck of it, here's Country Joe and the Fish . Warning, graphic language. Onward and upward, airforce
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Re: Obama Considering Air Strikes in Iraq
#157588
08/09/2014 03:02 PM
08/09/2014 03:02 PM
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Boots on the ground? Think we tried this out before.
Bomb the evil bastards to oblivion, and arm the Kurds to defend the region... Might piss the Turks off, but they have been supporting Hamas, so I don't care.
No more American soldiers or marines should shed one drop of blood in that land.
"Government at its best is a necessary evil, and at it�s worst, an intolerable one."
Thomas Paine (from "Common Sense" 1776)
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Re: Obama Considering Air Strikes in Iraq
#157589
08/09/2014 04:44 PM
08/09/2014 04:44 PM
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Originally posted by Huskerpatriot:
...arm the Kurds to defend the region... I'm not convinced we should be doing anything, but if we absolutely have to do something, that would be it. Lord knows we've armed and trained everybody else over there - including Al Qaeda and the ISIL - so we might as well arm them, too. Iraq, Iran, and Turkey probably won't like it, but they'll get over it. The ISIL definitely is a problem, but I just don't think they're our problem. Let Iraq, Iran, Syria, and everybody else over there handle them. I'm just not too concerned that the ISIL will raise their flag over the White House. Onward and upward, airforce
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Re: Obama Considering Air Strikes in Iraq
#157590
08/10/2014 11:10 AM
08/10/2014 11:10 AM
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Here is Sen. Lindsey Graham, showing again why he is a disgrace. According to Graham, if President Barack Obama doesn’t beef up military operations in Iraq, the ISIS terrorist organization is bound to come to the United States.
“So Mr. President, you have never once spoken directly to the American people about the threat we face from being attacked from Syria, now Iraq. What is your strategy to stop these people from attacking the homeland? They have expressed a desire to do so,” Graham said to Fox News’ Chris Wallace.
“If he does not go on the offensive against ISIS, ISIL — whatever you want to call these guys — they are coming here…This is just not about Baghdad, this is just not about Syria, this is about our homeland,” Graham continued. Yeah, I can see them boarding their troop ships right now. Onward and upward, airforce
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Re: Obama Considering Air Strikes in Iraq
#157591
08/10/2014 12:03 PM
08/10/2014 12:03 PM
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Lord Vader
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airforce
Yeah, I can see them boarding their troop ships right now.
I really don't see ISIS doing an airborne Assault ect on American Soil. But they don't have to physically land on our soil to case us a a lot of problems and even cost the lives of some Americans. What if ISIS does take over Iraq and maybe even Syria. And what if either ISIS then attacks Saudi Arabia or their Victory results in Anti House of Saud extremists attempting to overthrow the Saudi Royal Family. And what if they succeed. And what if Muslim Extremists take control of most of the Persian Gulf and Middle East except for Israel. This most likely sounds extreme but stranger things have happened. And even without all of this occurring, what would be the result of most if not all of Oil Producing Regions of the Middle East becoming Islamic Republics under control of Fundamentalist Muslims who HATE Israel and the United States.
VINCE AUT MORIRE (Conquer or Die)
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Re: Obama Considering Air Strikes in Iraq
#157593
08/10/2014 01:23 PM
08/10/2014 01:23 PM
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Lord Vader
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Yes they should fight but if they don't then what. Yeah, We've done enough damage over there already. That is so very true, but do we cause the problems and then say well it is too bad you have to fix what we have screwed up on your own. The United States should never have started the War with Iraq in the first place and then we really screwed things up by that Moronic Idea of Regime Change and getting rid of Saddam. Even though Saddam was a walking pile of stinking dog crap he was their stinking pile of dog crap and if he was still in power I think Iraq would still have a functioning government and ISIS would be in a world of hurt. Damn even Iran might not be as much of an enemy to the United States if our wonderful Government had not replaced Iran's Elected Leader with the Shah.
VINCE AUT MORIRE (Conquer or Die)
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Re: Obama Considering Air Strikes in Iraq
#157594
08/11/2014 04:26 AM
08/11/2014 04:26 AM
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Why did the ISIS come into power? According to Hillary Clinton, it's because of President Obama's failure to help the Syrian rebels . ...In an interview with me earlier this week, she used her sharpest language yet to describe the "failure" that resulted from the decision to keep the U.S. on the sidelines during the first phase of the Syrian uprising.
“The failure to help build up a credible fighting force of the people who were the originators of the protests against Assad—there were Islamists, there were secularists, there was everything in the middle—the failure to do that left a big vacuum, which the jihadists have now filled,” Clinton said.
As she writes in her memoir of her State Department years, Hard Choices, she was an inside-the-administration advocate of doing more to help the Syrian rebellion. Now, her supporters argue, her position has been vindicated by recent events.... Onward and upward, airforce
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Re: Obama Considering Air Strikes in Iraq
#157595
08/13/2014 09:38 AM
08/13/2014 09:38 AM
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Remember that bit about no ground troops in Iraq? Well, we can scratch that one off the list . A senior White House official said on Wednesday that the United States would consider using American ground troops to assist Iraqis in rescuing Yazidi refugees if recommended by military advisers assessing the situation.
Benjamin J. Rhodes, the deputy national security adviser, told reporters on Martha’s Vineyard that President Obama would probably receive recommendations in the next several days about how to mount a rescue operation to help the refugees, who are stranded on a mountaintop surrounded by Sunni militants. He said those recommendations could include the use of American ground troops.... The catch is, of course, they won't be there to engage in combat. They'll be there to, um, not engage in combat, or something. ...
"What he’s ruled out is reintroducing U.S. forces into combat on the ground in Iraq," Mr. Rhodes said. He added, using an alternative name for the militant group, that the deployment of ground troops to assist a rescue was "different than reintroducing U.S. forces in a combat role to take the fight to ISIL."
He acknowledged that any ground troops in Iraq would face dangers, even if they were there to help the refugees find a safe way off the mountain. He said that like American forces anywhere, the troops would have the ability to defend themselves if they came under fire.... So, to clarify, the ground troops won't be there to engage in combat, unless they do. Got it. Onward and upward, airforce
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Re: Obama Considering Air Strikes in Iraq
#157596
08/13/2014 10:07 AM
08/13/2014 10:07 AM
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I am old enough to remember Hell No We Won't Go
And I also hearing and reading about a situation during America's escapade in Vietnam where a large number of Soldiers after having taken an objective, I believe it was one of those hills and then lost it several times, finally got ticked off enough to say no to their officers and refused to go up that hill any more.
What they did was mutiny and since I believe it was an entire Company the Officer in command didn't do anything to to punish them.
It would have been a major news story and very very very bad PR if an entire Company was Court Martialed, which is not something the Government would have wanted.
Maybe it is about time that our Military Personal in mass just said no to the Government and refused to risk their lives for what is not the concern of United States.
At this time anyone who wants to join the Military I consider TOTALLY NUTS bordering on being Mentally Retarded or Mental Illness.
At the very least it is now time for No ONE to join the Military and if the Government wants to send troops back to Iraq they will have to reinstate the Draft and this time lets have more then just the young people tell the Government to F-Off and start Chanting HELL NO WE WON'T GO
VINCE AUT MORIRE (Conquer or Die)
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Re: Obama Considering Air Strikes in Iraq
#157597
08/27/2014 03:31 AM
08/27/2014 03:31 AM
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The Obama administration (led by a ...or allies for bombing missions in Syria. ...The political calculus of such maneuvering among America's Western allies is unclear. Last year, British Prime Minister David Cameron experienced one of the most humiliating defeats of his premiership when a motion to join potential airstrikes against Bashar al-Assad's government was rejected by Parliament. However, the atrocities committed by ISIS since its overrunning of broad swathes of Syria and Iraq, have seemingly galvanized Cameron to press for action. In a recent opinion piece in the Sunday Telegraph, Cameron said that Britain was "in the middle of a generational struggle against a poisonous and extremist ideology."
Late Monday, the Pentagon began sending surveillance drones on flights over Syria to gather intelligence on ISIS positions after Obama approved their use over the weekend. The Times cited a report from the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights that “non-Syrian spy planes” on Monday carried out surveillance of ISIS positions in the eastern province of Deir Ezzor.
The Assad government in Damascus has warned the U.S. not to strike ISIS positions on Syrian territory without asking permission. However, on Tuesday, State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki emphatically rejected that condition, telling reporters "We're not going to ask permission from the Syrian regime." However, Psaki also noted that Obama had not made a final decision on whether to approve airstrikes in Syria.... Here we go again. Onward and upward, airforce
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Re: Obama Considering Air Strikes in Iraq
#157598
08/27/2014 04:01 AM
08/27/2014 04:01 AM
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ON THE MIDDLE EAST ITS NOT JUST US PUSHING BUTTONS FOR AN MIC PROFIT VENTURE>>>
I wasn't going to put this up but oh well here is the truth,,,,,,,,
TOPSECRET//SI//NOFORN
VISIT PRÉCIS
Sir Iain Lobban, KCMG, CB
Director, Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ)
30 April 2013 - 1 May 2013
GEN A Hosted Dinner: 30 April 2013//1830Hrs - Quarters
GEN A Hosted Discussions: 1 May 2013//0800-08300800-0830
Accompanying Senior: Mr. James M. Cusick, Director Foreign Affairs (DIRFA)
BACKGROUND: (U//FOUO) As General Alexander’s UK counterpart, Sir Iain has visited
NSA on several occasions as one would expect, both in his current position and previous ones.
Sir Iain most recently visited NSA on 27 March 2012, when he accompanied Air Chief Marshal
Sir Stuart Peach. That visit had a more defined purpose of introducing Sir Stuart to
USCYBERCOM and NSA leadership as the Commander of the UK’s newly-established Joint
Forces Command. This will be the first visit in some time that will allow the visitor to reconnect
with NSA Leadership on NSA/GCHQ matters.
PURPOSE OF THE VISIT: (U//FOUO) As the Director of GCHQ, Sir Iain wants to reconnect
with NSA Leadership on matters of mutual concern, and to ensure each partner is aware of the
other’s activities and future plans.
CDR/DCDR/DDIR GUIDANCE: (U) N/A
PREP SESSION GUIDANCE: (U//FOUO) NONE
NSA/CSS REQUESTED: (U//FOUO) NONE
CYBERCOM REQUESTED: (U//FOUO) NONE
KEY TOPIC AREAS:
(TS//SI//NF) FAD and SUSLOL are not aware of any particular issues that Sir Iain will want to
address. NSA leadership should still be aware of the following topics that may pertain to their
organizations or areas of responsibility, as the potential exists for them to be brought up by the
visitor:
-
(TS//SI//NF) FAA 702 Data: Unsupervised access to FAA 702 data, in a manner similar
to Olympics Option, remains on GCHQ’s wish list and is something its leadership still
desires. NSA and SID leadership are well aware of GCHQ’s request for this data, and the
steps necessary for approval. NSA leadership could be asked whether we’re still
supportive of this initiative. On a related topic, progress continues on “Triage 2.0,”
GCHQ access to FAA 702 data under supervised conditions. The MOA is now back in
Derived From: NSA/CSSM 1-52
Dated: 20070108
Declassify On: 20380401
TOPSECRET//SI //NOFORN
TOPSECRET//SI//NOFORN
GCHQ’s court awaiting signature. With that said, GCHQ seems less enthused about
Triage, perhaps in part because of the long steps necessary to gain approval. For
additional background about these topics, see the attached paper that Mr.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxXXXX, SID Associate Deputy Director, Counterterrorism
(ADD/CT) SIGINT Authorities Lead, NSA/CSS Counterterrorism Mission Management
Center (CTMMC) prepared for D/DIR’s April 2013 UK visit.
-
(TS//SI//NF) UK Intelligence Community Oversight: GCHQ and its sister intelligence
agencies are challenged with their activities and operations being subject to increased
scrutiny and oversight from their government (and public). As a result, closer attention is
being paid to how UK-produced intelligence data is being used by NSA, and other
partners. It is possible that Sir Iain may ask about what safeguards NSA may be putting
in place to prevent UK data from being provided to others, the Israelis for instance, who
might use that intelligence to conduct lethal operations. For additional information about
this subject, and other UK Intelligence Community legal issues and legislation, see the
attached paper prepared by Mr. xxxxxxxxxxxxxx, Office of the General Council, London.
-
(TS//SI//NF) Syria: Prime Minister Cameron continues to look to the UK security and
intelligence agencies for recommended courses of action to influence the outcome in
Syria, but to this point GCHQ has not offered much beyond messaging and limited online
effects operations. GCHQ’s ability to contribute significantly to the overall Syria SIGINT
effort is hampered by GCHQ’s limited resources. It should be noted that the UK
Intelligence Community is just as concerned about the end state of Syria’s chemical and
biological weapons as the U.S. Intelligence Community. Sir Iain may want to discuss
Syria’s use of chemical weapons and how the U.S. Government intends to react. For
more information about NSA’s posture against Syria, see attached Near East Divisionproduced paper on Syria.
o (TS//SI//OC/REL TO USA, FVEY) Director Talking Points: Syria remains
locked in a protracted struggle, with both the opposition and the regime firmly
entrenched in their positions. Attempts to coalesce the opposition have moved
extremely slowly, while the regime has not in any way indicated that it would
willingly stand aside. Given this lack of movement in negotiations and the
stalemate on the ground, we anticipate the conflict will not be resolved in an
expedient manner.
o (TS//SI//OC/REL TO USA, FVEY) NSA continues to monitor the situation in
Syria from all angles, including from the viewpoint of the regional, international,
and radical actors. NSA remains concerned about chemical weapons security and
continues to monitor the situation closely, to the best of our ability.
-
(TS//SI//NF) Iran: GCHQ and the UK Government remain concerned about events in
Iran and the possibility that tensions with the West or Israel could escalate. The visitor
may ask NSA and SID leadership to share their views on what is going to happen with
Derived From: NSA/CSSM 1-52
Dated: 20070108
Declassify On: 20380401
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TOPSECRET//SI//NOFORN
Iran, to include potential Israeli response. For information about NSA’s posture against
Iran, see attached Iran Division produced paper on Iran.
o (TS//SI//REL TO USA, FVEY) Director Talking Point: Emphasize that we have
successfully worked multiple high-priority surges with GCHQ that have allowed
us to refine maintaining mission continuity and seamless transition, and maximize
our target coverage. These jointly-worked events include the storming of the
British Embassy in Tehran, Iran’s discovery of FLAME, and support to
policymakers during the multiple rounds of P5 plus 1 negotiations.
-
(S//SI//REL TO USA, GBR) Global Collaboration Environment (GCE): On 2 April
2013, SID Foreign Partner Strategist (FPS) Mr. XXXXXXXX, held a discussion with
Mr. XXXXXX (Head of Bilateral and Multilateral Relations, GCHQ International
Relations) to discuss the future of GCE in a post-Afghanistan era. GCE is the next
generation of PARTNERMALL (PMP) and should be the future partner collaboration
solution of choice. GCE expands the current single collaboration environment PMP
capability into a bilateral and multilateral model. The two discussed the benefits of NSA
and GCHQ having a united front in its dealings with the other foreign partners on this
issue. They also discussed the possibility of the UK hosting a permanent facility where
analysts from partner nations could be co-located, along with ways to better integrate
GCE into each partner’s analytic workflow. For information about this discussion, see
the attached paper prepared by SID’s Foreign Partner Strategist Office.
o (S//REL TO USA, GBR) Director Talking Points: Thank GCHQ for giving full
support to GCE, and for partnering with NSA to engage in synchronized
messaging to other organizations.
o (S//REL TO USA, GBR) Encourage GCHQ to host the permanent facility for the
joint SIGINT Seniors Europe (SSEUR) collaboration center, in order to maximize
the benefit for the Five Eyes partnership.
o (S//REL TO USA, GBR) Offer NSA’s assistance in finding good solutions for
incorporating GCE access into GCHQ’s analytic workflow. Encourage GCHQ to
engage with NSA’s TD on this subject.
KEY TAKEAWAYS: (U//FOUO) See above.
VISIT FORMAT: (U//FOUO) General Alexander will host a dinner in honor of Sir Iain at his
residence on 30 April 2013. The two directors will also have a one-on-one discussion on 1 May
2013. The remainder of Sir Iain’s agenda will involve NTOC and TAO tours/demos, along with
discussions with NSA Leadership, including Ms. Teresa H. Shea, SIGINT Director, Mrs. Debora
A. Plunkett, IAD DIR, Mr. Rajesh De, General Council, Mr. Wayne M. Murphy, D/DIR
Analysis and Production, Mr. XXXXXXXXXXXXXX, D/DIR Data Acquisition Mrs. XXXX
XXXXXX, D/DIR NSA/CSS Threat Operations Center (NTOC), Mr. Robert E. Joyce, CH
Derived From: NSA/CSSM 1-52
Dated: 20070108
Declassify On: 20380401
TOPSECRET//SI //NOFORN
TOPSECRET//SI//NOFORN
Tailored Access Office, Mr. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, Incoming SUSLOL, and Mr. XXXXXXXXXX,
Cryptanalysis and Exploitation Services (CES).
PREVIOUS VISITS AND RESPECTIVE TOPICS: (U//FOUO) As General Alexander’s UK
counterpart, Sir Iain has visited NSA on several occasions, in both his current position and
previous ones. Sir Iain most recently visited NSA on 27 March 2012, when he accompanied Air
Chief Marshal Sir Stuart Peach. During that visit, Sir Iain met with General Alexander,
Mr. Inglis, and other NSA and USCYBERCOM leaders.
POTENTIAL LANDMINES: (TS//SI//NF) GCHQ has long advocated that it work with NSA
and the Israeli SIGINT Service (ISNU) in a trilateral arrangement in prosecuting the Iranian
target. SID policy has been opposed to such a blanket arrangement, and the specific trilateral
explained in the attached paper on Iran should not be interpreted as a broad change of approach.
In other areas, NSA and GCHQ have agreed to continue to share information gleaned from the
respective bilateral relationships with ISNU.
OTHER INFORMATION (GOOGLE SEARCH, SITUATIONAL AWARENESS,
INTERESTING FACTS, NCR/LNO ADVICE…) (U) NONE
RECENT PRESS INDICATIONS: (U) N/A
Derived From: NSA/CSSM 1-52
Dated: 20070108
Declassify On: 20380401
TOPSECRET//SI //NOFORN
erwy 436 t7u65478u4we6bhp8u5ureuet45ujdb4tyu57uwetr6ukuilkr
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Re: Obama Considering Air Strikes in Iraq
#157599
08/28/2014 10:40 AM
08/28/2014 10:40 AM
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airforce
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President Obama is worried that asking Congress for support in fighting ISIS might blemish his anti-war record . Um, I think it might be a little late for that, Barry. ...It is not just that many Democrats and even some Republicans are wary about endorsing a new American military venture. The White House is also wrestling with how to define the president’s war-making authority in a way that does not undermine his claim last year that he had finally taken the United States off a permanent war footing.
A broad authorization — like those passed after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks and before the Iraq war — would carry echoes of the George W. Bush administration, outrage Mr. Obama’s antiwar liberal base and raise the specter of an open-ended conflict in Syria.
“For the White House, the bottom line is tailoring legal authority to match the policy objectives it shares with Congress and our allies,” said Harold H. Koh, a professor of international law at Yale. “The problem is those policy objectives vary from place to place.” (...) It sure as heck hasn't bothered him up to now. Onward and upward, airforce
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Re: Obama Considering Air Strikes in Iraq
#157601
09/10/2014 07:38 AM
09/10/2014 07:38 AM
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airforce
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Thi has nothing to do with the speech tonight, but does anyone else remember this? She was hot. ![[Linked Image]](http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s31/airforce682000/mightyisis_zps0c4bf778.jpg) Onward and upward, airforce
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Re: Obama Considering Air Strikes in Iraq
#157602
09/10/2014 09:15 AM
09/10/2014 09:15 AM
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Joined: May 2002
Posts: 1,806
6437 457n 64357n5u 79i 57
Deactivated
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6437 457n 64357n5u 79i 57
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Is She zapping Oblamea with a common sense ray ?
erwy 436 t7u65478u4we6bhp8u5ureuet45ujdb4tyu57uwetr6ukuilkr
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Re: Obama Considering Air Strikes in Iraq
#157606
09/10/2014 02:51 PM
09/10/2014 02:51 PM
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Joined: May 2002
Posts: 1,806
6437 457n 64357n5u 79i 57
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Sounds like deja poo all over again
erwy 436 t7u65478u4we6bhp8u5ureuet45ujdb4tyu57uwetr6ukuilkr
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Re: Obama Considering Air Strikes in Iraq
#157607
09/10/2014 06:14 PM
09/10/2014 06:14 PM
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Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 381
San Antonio, TX
Mexneck
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"I'm pretty sure the Constitution says something different." Constitution? What Constitution? He makes it up as he goes and Congress plays along as long as they're all pulling down 7 figures a year. They know they're not the ones who have to go to the sandbox.
Well, this is it.
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Re: Obama Considering Air Strikes in Iraq
#157608
09/11/2014 04:04 AM
09/11/2014 04:04 AM
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Here is Rep. Justin Amash\'s response to Obama\'s declaration of war , or whatever the heck it is he plans to do: When our government orders our young men and women into harm's way, our leaders have a duty to define the mission, set a plausible strategy, and explain why the risk of our children's lives and our citizens' resources is justified. President Obama has failed to fulfill those obligations.
The president boldly claimed, contrary to the Constitution, that he alone can order our Armed Forces into a protracted war. And he left unanswered the basic questions responsible Americans and their representatives must ask before going to war.
Whom, specifically, will the mission target and what, specifically, is the threat to our homeland?
For how long do we expect to put our young people's lives at risk? The administration leaked to newspapers Wednesday morning that Americans must prepare for at least a three-year war, long after the president has left office. In his address, the president did not limit his proposed war to even that time frame.
Who are our partners and what resources will they commit? Will the president stop our military involvement at air strikes regardless of how our allies are faring?
Which rebel groups does the president intend to arm in Syria and Iraq? How do we know that those weapons won’t be turned against us and our allies?
When will we have accomplished our objectives? After we've successfully occupied northern Iraq and installed a more functional government? After the United States has done the same in Syria? Does this disregard the lessons we should have learned from the president’s war in Libya or the previous war in Iraq?
Before risking our young people's lives, the president must analyze the serious actions he proposes our country take. He must engage the public in a frank assessment of the objectives and grave risks. The Constitution and the American people demand it. Onward and upward, airforce
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Re: Obama Considering Air Strikes in Iraq
#157609
09/11/2014 05:10 AM
09/11/2014 05:10 AM
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Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 165
Port Huron,Michigan
Bill Alexander
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Had to get the Barf bag and make sure I could find the Mute Button, what a Traitor!!! He had a Very hard time calling them Terrorist ..Almost choked him, talking about his Brothers,,this POS POTUS has cause more trouble by his Do nothing Stupid Policy, than he could have by Just Playing Golf!!!
He needs to Resign!!!
Semper Fi
Semper Fi
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Re: Obama Considering Air Strikes in Iraq
#157610
09/11/2014 05:37 AM
09/11/2014 05:37 AM
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Posts: 1,806
6437 457n 64357n5u 79i 57
Deactivated
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6437 457n 64357n5u 79i 57
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The MIC needs the money.And with us getting kicked out of Afghanisatn soon the POSUS needs to find another job for his corporate sponsors. He may be able to order people but lets see him do it with no money. This is what the first bush meant when he said the middle east was bad because there was no exit strategy. He wasnt just referring to Iraq. But his brain fried lil boy had to screw the pooch any way. And then his boyfriend Oblamea steps in and says I can do better. Let me show you how a Lawyer deals with rights and war and In order to Create a More Perfect Police State we the Oblamea Peeps will eat rights and shit nazis.
As you saw in the document I posted The US and her allies have been pushing political and Corporate buttons for war in Sysria since 2006. The last doc is the sealing of the deal.
erwy 436 t7u65478u4we6bhp8u5ureuet45ujdb4tyu57uwetr6ukuilkr
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Re: Obama Considering Air Strikes in Iraq
#157611
09/11/2014 06:14 AM
09/11/2014 06:14 AM
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Peter Suderman has made his point pretty simply, by assembling clips of Presidents George H. W. Bush, Bill Clinton, George Bush, and Barack Obama, all announcing that they were bombing Iraq . All that bombing sure hasn't done much good, has it? Onward and upward, airforce
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Re: Obama Considering Air Strikes in Iraq
#157612
09/11/2014 06:43 AM
09/11/2014 06:43 AM
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Joined: May 2002
Posts: 1,806
6437 457n 64357n5u 79i 57
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Well if your Du'Pont it has.
And this is what ISIS wants. A validation of their point that the US wants to eliminate the Middle East. Iraq/Ashcanistan/Libya/Syria Whos next Iran? Sooner or later the ISIS PR strategy will shift into the US just wants to smoke all durka durkas. and Oblamea is falling for it.
erwy 436 t7u65478u4we6bhp8u5ureuet45ujdb4tyu57uwetr6ukuilkr
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Re: Obama Considering Air Strikes in Iraq
#157613
09/11/2014 08:11 AM
09/11/2014 08:11 AM
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Well, President Obama has another ally in Congress, Speaker of the House John Boehner . I know, that's a real surprise, right? John A. Boehner, the House speaker, on Thursday forcefully backed President Obama’s call for congressional action to train and arm Syrian rebels battling the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, joining Senate Democratic leaders to promise a vote next week in a rare display of unity.
The speaker somberly acknowledged divisions within his Republican ranks, but he vowed to lead the fight.
“The president made clear he does not want boots on the ground. Well, somebody’s boots have to be on the ground,” he said. “At this point in time, it’s important to give the president what he asked for.” (...) Between Obama, Boehner, and McCain, I honestly don't know which is worse. Onward and upward, airforce
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Re: Obama Considering Air Strikes in Iraq
#157615
09/12/2014 04:09 AM
09/12/2014 04:09 AM
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airforce
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John Kerry says this isn\'t a war, and there\'s no need for "war fever." Well, that makes me feel better. Secretary of State John Kerry on Thursday rejected the word "war" as a description for the U.S. fight against the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), and he said people should not "get into war fever" over the conflict.
"We're engaged in a major counterterrorism operation, and it's going to be a long-term counterterrorism operation. I think war is the wrong terminology and analogy but the fact is that we are engaged in a very significant global effort to curb terrorist activity," Kerry told CBS News State Department Correspondent Margaret Brennan in an interview from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, where he is traveling as part of American effort to build a global coalition to battle ISIS.
"I don't think people need to get into war fever on this. I think they have to view it as a heightened level of counter terrorist activity...but it's not dissimilar to what we've been doing the last few years with al Qaeda in Afghanistan and Pakistan and in Yemen and elsewhere," Kerry said.... Does this remind anyone else of that doublespeak from Orwell's 1984? Right is wrong. Bad is good. And war is, well, something else, but definitely not war. Onward and upward, airforce
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Re: Obama Considering Air Strikes in Iraq
#157616
09/13/2014 12:18 PM
09/13/2014 12:18 PM
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ISIS claims it has beheaded a British prisoner. Note to ISIS: This is probably not good public relations. The Islamic State in Iraq and Syria released a video on Saturday that showed what appeared to be the beheading of a British citizen, David Cawthorne Haines, an aid worker.
He is seen kneeling on a bare hill in a landscape that appears identical to the one where two American journalists were killed by the group in back-to-back-executions in the past month, according to the footage and a transcript released by SITE Intelligence, which tracks the terrorist group.
In the moments before his death, Mr. Haines, 44, as the two slain journalists before him did, reads a script in which he blames his country’s leaders for his killing. Addressing Prime Minister David Cameron of Britain, he says, “You entered voluntarily into a coalition with the United States against the Islamic State, just as your predecessor Tony Blair did, following a trend among our British prime ministers who can’t find the courage to say no to the Americans.” Onward and upward, airforce
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Re: Obama Considering Air Strikes in Iraq
#157617
09/14/2014 11:36 AM
09/14/2014 11:36 AM
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airforce
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British special forces are said to be closing in on "Jihadi John." And taking him alive doesn't seem to be real high on their list of priorities. The British terrorist dubbed ‘Jihadi John’ has been described as a 'dead man walking' by commentators as the UK's security services seek to track him down and bring him to justice.
But while some experts have suggested he has been identified by MI5 and MI6, his sickening appearance in this ISIS video is a reminder of how much work British agents must do before they bring his reign of terror to an end.
The best hope for eliminating him may come from the skies. Last week it was revealed the US has begun sorties using drones equipped with the latest cameras and weapons over Raqqa in northern Syria – where it is believed ISIS is holding Western hostages.
It has also been reported that President Obama would approve an immediate strike on Jihadi John if drone operators reported they had found him....
It is understood that hundreds of British Special Forces and intelligence-gathering personnel are currently working in the region in an effort to capture Jihadi John.
The operation also involves liaison with Kurdish and Iraqi soldiers. They are using an array of sophisticated equipment to track him down and free other hostages.
Jihadi John is believed to have travelled to the war-torn country from London over a year ago after becoming radicalised and raising money for the jihadists whilst in Britain.... Onward and upward, airforce
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Re: Obama Considering Air Strikes in Iraq
#157618
09/15/2014 07:12 AM
09/15/2014 07:12 AM
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Former Director of the CIA is predicting there will be 5000 troops on the ground by December . Former CIA Director Gen. Michael Hayden on Sunday said he predicts there could be nearly 5,000 U.S. personnel on the ground overseas by the end of the year to fight the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS).
“In terms of intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, logistics, advice, command and control assistance, tactical air control parties, look I’m betting we’re up close 5,000 by the end of the year,” he said on “Fox News Sunday.”
Hayden explained he doesn’t think they will be “combat maneuver units,” but predicted U.S. special operations forces could wind up on the ground in Syria.
“I think we will at some point. It might be through covert action rather than more overt activity,” he said. “I actually think we will end up with small American special operations forces active within this broad theater in Syria and Iraq.”
The most difficult plan to execute, Hayden said, will be training and arming the Free Syrian Army, or vetted moderate opposition groups in Syria.
The U.S. would be “starting from zero” to create a “substantial” combat power, said Hayden, who served as director of the CIA under President George W. Bush and director of the National Security Agency under Bush and President Bill Clinton.
“That is a result of an American policy not to help that group over the last few years,” he said.
Hayden said the U.S. military campaign to defeat ISIS will likely last three to five years even if it is successful. Onward and upward, airforce
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Re: Obama Considering Air Strikes in Iraq
#157619
09/15/2014 09:52 AM
09/15/2014 09:52 AM
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The White House is pressuring Congress to arm and train Syrian rebels . What could possibly go wrong? Onward and upward, airforce
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Re: Obama Considering Air Strikes in Iraq
#157620
09/16/2014 08:16 AM
09/16/2014 08:16 AM
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As much as I detest Sen. John McCain, he actually asked a pretty good question at the Senate Armed Services Committee hearing this morning. If we arm and train "moderate" Syrian rebels, and the Syrian Army under President Assad attacks them, then what? They will be fighting against [Bashar] Assad and Assad will attack them from the air, which he has done with significant success …if one of the Free Syrian Army is fighting against Assad and he is attacking them from the air, would we take action to prevent them from being attacked from Assad? McCain, to no one's surprise, would like to see American troops in Syria. Secretary Hagel would only give McCain a vague, not-even-an-answer answer: Any attack on those we have trained, we will help. This whole thing is just getting better and better. :rolleyes: Anybody else thing it might be a good idea to just stay the hell out of Syria, period? Onward and upward, airforce
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Re: Obama Considering Air Strikes in Iraq
#157621
09/16/2014 04:16 PM
09/16/2014 04:16 PM
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Joined: Feb 2012
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West
Archangel1
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I personally believe we should have built a large fence around the middle east, thrown a bunch of knives into the middle of it and let them fight it out.
If we developed our domestic shale oil, we would not need their oil or their religious problems.
"Power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always Bad Men." Lord Actin 1887
I fear we live in evil times...
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Re: Obama Considering Air Strikes in Iraq
#157622
09/16/2014 04:56 PM
09/16/2014 04:56 PM
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Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 3,823
Trapped in Rhode Island
Lord Vader
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Archangel1
If it wasn't for the Anti-Nuclear assholes we would not need as much Oil. And if it wasn't for the DOD we would have cars that get over 75 MPG and also be a lot of fun to drive.
We need to stop using Oil for Auto Fuel and save it for the Petro-Chemicals.
As for the Middle East I feel that we should pull out and tell them if any terrorist uses one of their Countries as a bass to attack us we will nuke the terrorists and any Collateral Damage, well crap just happens.
VINCE AUT MORIRE (Conquer or Die)
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Re: Obama Considering Air Strikes in Iraq
#157623
09/17/2014 03:53 AM
09/17/2014 03:53 AM
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The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Martin Dempsey, now says that American troops could become involved in ground attacks against ISIS . Well, when they do, General, make sure they're barefoot. That way you can still tell Obama we don't have any boots on the ground. Onward and upward, airforce
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Re: Obama Considering Air Strikes in Iraq
#157625
09/17/2014 11:25 AM
09/17/2014 11:25 AM
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The House has passed the bill authorizing Obama to arm and train Syrian rebels. How did your representative vote? I'm happy to say that mine, Rep. Bridenstine, voted NO. Onward and upward, airforce
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Re: Obama Considering Air Strikes in Iraq
#157626
09/18/2014 02:08 AM
09/18/2014 02:08 AM
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Joined: May 2002
Posts: 1,806
6437 457n 64357n5u 79i 57
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Mine voted three times for the Right to arm Bears and four to arm the Taliban and 5 to arm the rebels and issue them student visas and give them a DNC Membership card an Obama phone a car and an M4 In conjunction with the best Police Academy training to hunt down white people and Red People who partake of the firewater.
LOL but on the Syrian rebs he said no!!! I think he did vote for the arming of the Bears though.
erwy 436 t7u65478u4we6bhp8u5ureuet45ujdb4tyu57uwetr6ukuilkr
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Re: Obama Considering Air Strikes in Iraq
#157627
09/19/2014 03:25 AM
09/19/2014 03:25 AM
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The Senate has voted 78-22 to arm and train the Syrian rebels. But the authorization is only good until December 11. I guess if the Senate changes its mind, we can disarm the Syrian rebels then. Onward and upward, airforce
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Re: Obama Considering Air Strikes in Iraq
#157628
09/22/2014 06:07 AM
09/22/2014 06:07 AM
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What three potential allies in the war (or whatever you want to call it) against ISIS haven't yet joined? Would you believe the three countries that have the most to lose from an Islamic Caliphate ? Yep. Saudi Arabia, Yemen, and Turkey aren't exactly beating the war drums. (Iran is, but their motivations are somewhat different.) Is this a little embarrassing for Obama? Yes. The U.S. plan to step up attacks against militants in Iraq and Syria is being delayed until more Arab governments agree to contribute to the operation, the Pentagon's top officer said Sunday.
President Obama wants to see more specific pledges from allies to join and help pay for the military operation against Islamic State militants before he will give final approval to the Pentagon's war plan, Gen. Martin Dempsey, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told reporters traveling with him in Europe.
"The president has not yet approved the campaign plan in part" because we have not yet completed our work of building the coalition, especially of Arab nations, Dempsey said. "I think that would be the point at which the campaign plan would go into its next phase."
The delay provides the latest example of the stop-and-go nature of the U.S. effort against Islamic State, which has the potential to cause friction between the White House and the nation's military leadership. Pentagon officials worry about ambivalence on Obama's part regarding involvement in another war in Iraq, despite what the president has said is the risk that Islamic State could one day threaten the United States.... Onward and upward, airforce
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Re: Obama Considering Air Strikes in Iraq
#157629
09/22/2014 03:29 PM
09/22/2014 03:29 PM
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The United States is bombing Syria. Congressional authorization? Man, we don't need no stinkin' authorization. American airstrikes against up to 20 ISIS targets are under way in Syria, according to Pentagon officials.
"I can confirm that U.S. military and partner nation forces are undertaking military action against ISIL [ISIS] terrorists in Syria using a mix of fighter, bomber and Tomahawk Land Attack Missiles," Pentagon Press Secretary Rear Admiral John Kirby said. "Given that these operations are ongoing, we are not in a position to provide additional details at this time. The decision to conduct theses strikes was made earlier today by the U.S. Central Command commander under authorization granted him by the commander in chief."
Several Arab nations are involved in the ongoing U.S.-led operation, a defense official said. A diplomatic source identified the nations as Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.
Another U.S. official said the Arab nations will be dropping bombs, not just providing support. Up to 20 locations have been targeted in the operation, many of the sites in Raqqa, the official said.
In a national address on Sept. 10, President Obama said the first part of his strategy to counter ISIS was to “conduct a systematic campaign of airstrikes against these terrorists.”
“Moreover, I have made it clear that we will hunt down terrorists who threaten our country, wherever they are. That means I will not hesitate to take action against ISIL [ISIS] in Syria as well as Iraq,” Obama said. “This is a core principle of my presidency: If you threaten America, you will find no safe haven.” Onward and upward, airforce
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Re: Obama Considering Air Strikes in Iraq
#157630
09/23/2014 03:38 AM
09/23/2014 03:38 AM
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Re: Obama Considering Air Strikes in Iraq
#157632
09/29/2014 06:53 AM
09/29/2014 06:53 AM
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President Obama said on 80 minutes last night that the intelligence community misjudged ISIS. That, it turns out, is bullpuckey . ...Reached by The Daily Beast after Obama’s interview aired, one former senior Pentagon official who worked closely on the threat posed by Sunni jihadists in Syria and Iraq was flabbergasted. “Either the president doesn’t read the intelligence he’s getting or he’s bullshitting,” the former official said.
Clapper did tell The Washington Post’s David Ignatius this month that he underestimated the will of the ISIS fighters in Iraq and overestimated the ability of Iraq’s security forces in northern Iraq to counter ISIS. (He also said his analysts warned about the “prowess and capability” of the group.)
Still, other senior intelligence officials have been warning about ISIS for months. In prepared testimony before the annual House and Senate intelligence committees’ threat hearings in January and February, Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn, the recently departed director of the Defense Intelligence Agency, said the group would likely make a grab for land before the end of the year. ISIS “probably will attempt to take territory in Iraq and Syria to exhibit its strength in 2014.” Of course, the prediction wasn’t exactly hard to make. By then, Flynn noted, ISIS had taken the cities of Ramadi and Fallujah, and the demonstrated an “ability to concurrently maintain multiple safe havens in Syria.”
The ability of ISIS to hold that territory will depend on its “resources, local support, as well as the responses of [Iraqi security forces] and other opposition groups in Syria,” Flynn added. He noted that while many Sunnis likely opposed ISIS, “some Sunni tribes and insurgent groups appear willing to work tactically with [ISIS] as they share common anti-government goals.”
Flynn was not alone. Clapper himself in that hearing warned that the three most effective jihadist groups in Syria—one of which he said was ISIS—presented a threat as a magnet for attracting foreign fighters. John Brennan, Obama’s CIA director, said he thought both ISIS and Jabhat al-Nusra, al Qaeda’s formal franchise in Syria, presented a threat to launch external operations against the West.
Sen. Dianne Feinstein, the chairwoman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, said February 4 that because of areas of Syria that are “beyond the regime’s control or that of the moderate opposition,” a “major concern” was “the establishment of a safe haven, and the real prospect that Syria could become a launching point or way station for terrorists seeking to attack the United States or other nations.” Onward and upward, airforce
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Re: Obama Considering Air Strikes in Iraq
#157633
09/30/2014 05:27 AM
09/30/2014 05:27 AM
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You know who really opposes boots on the ground in Iraq? The people in the military. ...The reader survey asked more than 2,200 active-duty troops this question: “In your opinion, do you think the U.S. military should send a substantial number of combat troops to Iraq to support the Iraqi security forces?” Slightly more than 70 percent responded: “No.”
“It’s their country, it’s their business. I don’t think major ‘boots on the ground’ is the right answer,” said one Army infantry officer and prior-enlisted soldier who deployed to Iraq three times. He responded to the survey and an interview request but, like several other service members in this story, asked not to be named because he is not authorized to discuss high-level military policy.
The Military Times survey was conducted online this summer and concluded in August just as President Obama was ramping up the air campaign against the Islamic State group.
As the U.S. expands that air war into Syria and increases the number of U.S. boots on the ground in Iraq — topping more than 1,700 total — service members say their feelings about the crisis and the U.S. response to it have intensified.... Make them go barefoot, and you won't have any problem with boots on the ground. Onward and upward, airforce
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Re: Obama Considering Air Strikes in Iraq
#157635
10/05/2014 05:32 AM
10/05/2014 05:32 AM
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Reaper drones have reportedly found "Jihadi John" and several hostages near the Syrian city of Raqqa , but ISIS defenses are too strong for a rescue attempt. The Islamic State terrorist known as Jihadi John has been tracked by drones flying over the Syrian city of Raqqa – but British Special Forces chiefs fear a ‘kill or capture’ mission there would end in bloody failure, sources disclosed last night.
Reaper drones deployed high above the terrorists’ strongholds are also believed to have identified hostages wearing orange jumpsuits but top brass are thought to have currently ruled out a rescue operation because IS defences are too strong.
Special Forces bosses have advised the Ministry of Defence that a sustained bombing campaign lasting several weeks would be preferable....
‘On the basis of our current advice there is very little chance of the Prime Minister signing off a rescue bid. The prospect of success has got to be 100 per cent or thereabouts, and at the moment it is nowhere near that. And for now there are not many other options on the table.
'While sightings of Jihadi John are useful, as was establishing his identity, we are still a long way off getting a hit on him. Right now a raid would be suicidal.’ (...)
Onward and upward, airforce
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