I apologize for the lack of a briefing yesterday……personal events made it unlikely I would give a SITREP……I have returned and all is well…..so let’s get on with it.
Item 1–It is good when the prez gives a pep talk…..but at least he could be realistic……
Speaking today at Fort Dix, President Obama promised that the US would allow ISIS no safe haven anywhere on earth, pursuing them militarily anywhere and everywhere
“Our coalition isn’t just going to degrade this barbaric terrorist organization. We’re going to destroy it,” Obama insisted, praising the ongoing attacks as “hammering” ISIS.
His speech reinforced the idea that this war will NEVER come to a conclusion…….but he is being optimistic which is a polite way to say….he is lying.
Item 2–There is a call to bring this to an end through negotiation………
(Thomson Reuters Foundation) – When Padraig O’Malley says we must talk to Islamic State, he’s speaking from experience.
A seasoned mediator, O’Malley brought together warring parties in Iraq at the height of the sectarian conflict in 2007 and 2008, resulting in an agreement that formed the basis for political reconciliation in Iraq and helped curb the violence.
He did this with the aid of negotiators from South Africa, and from Northern Ireland, where he helped pave the way for the 1998 Good Friday Agreement that ended 30 years of sectarian conflict.
Another delusional solution…..
Item 3–US troops have their first taste of ISIS……
It hasn’t been confirmed by the Pentagon yet, but reports out of Iraq say that US ground troops have engaged in their first combat against ISIS troops in the Anbar Province of western Iraq.
The troops, nominally advisers but “equipped with light and medium weapons” carried out an attack on ISIS troops in the al-Dolab area, near the Ain al-Assad base, expelling the ISIS forces.
And so it begins!
Item 4–It appears that China is itching to use their military…….
China has long avoided direct military involvement overseas, but according to Iraqi FM Ibrahim Jafari, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi approached him with an offer of airstrikes against ISIS targets in Iraq.
China’s interest in Iraq centers around major stakes Chinese companies have in Iraqi oilfields, including the West Qurna 1, one of the world’s largest fields.
But it is NEVER about the oil…….right?
Item 5–Al-Anbar is the center of the battle against ISIS…..so far it is not going well……
Baghdad, Asharq Al-Awsat—Reconstruction in Iraq’s western province of Anbar, large parts of which remain under the control of Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) fighters, will cost more than 18 billion dollars, a local official said on Tuesday.
Arkan Khalaf Al-Tarmouz, head of the Anbar Reconstruction Committee, informed Asharq Al-Awsat that ISIS remains in control of more than 85 percent of territory in Anbar, adding that there has been large-scale destruction across Iraq’s largest province in the fighting between ISIS and government forces.
Item 6—-the ‘Hogs return to combat missions……..
The A-10 Thunderbolt II attack jet has been carrying out airstrikes against the Islamic State since late November on a near-daily basis, a U.S. military official said Tuesday. It marks the first time the use of the pugnacious plane against the militant group has been confirmed, although U.S. military officials disclosed last month that they had deployed the A-10 in support of the mission in Iraq and Syria.
The ‘Grunts” best friend has returned to help……..
This concludes today’s briefing……
Thanx for your time and attention……
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