A return to the mind throbbing news of the new year……2016 is coming like an approaching storm…..it will be all consuming and the war will be sidelined unless the media cannot avoid reporting on it……they must keep the “patriotic fervor” high……
Why not enjoy a time out for some Rock!
Good day and hope everyone had a good New Years Day……..We begin a new year and an attempt to keep the situation in the Levant in perspective……
Item 1–With all the spurious info about ISIS being hurt by all the Coalition airstrikes they should soon be on the run everywhere right?
Several months in, the US war hasn’t amounted to much on the ground, with ISIS losing a handful of minor towns, while seizing a number of others elsewhere. In Syria the war has centered around destroying oil infrastructure, while the Assad government shifts its focus to other, smaller rebel groups.
While ISIS’ biggest gains came in spurts, and most of the time they were just consolidating newly-captured territory, there’s no denying 2014 was a major win for them, and going into 2015 the group will be looking to keep that momentum.
In Syria, the ISIS focus will probably continue to be on Kobani and other minor targets, with an eye toward eventually moving on the contested city of Aleppo. In Iraq, the ambitions are clearly much bigger, with the group having gotten its territory extend to the outskirts of Baghdad, increasing pressure on the Iraqi capital.
Iraq and Syria are where the biggest battles will doubtless be happening in 2015, but ultimately ISIS is also hoping to expand into other nations, with Lebanon and Jordan both likely near-term targets, and their successful recruiting worldwide meaning they could have a sudden presence virtually anywhere.
Item 2–The capture of a Jordanian pilot has put a monkey wrench in the Coalition ……
A week after a Jordanian pilot was shot down and captured by ISIS, Jordanian MP Rula al-Hroob has confirmed that the nation has halted its involvement in the ISIS war, and is no longer conducting airstrikes.
Al-Hroob insisted the move was not a “permanent decision,” but rather a step back from the conflict to try to get a deal done to recover the pilot. So far there are no indications ISIS is close to releasing them.
Sounds like Jordan is worried about ISIS expansion into the country…..
Item 3–Iraqi general warns that the army of Iraq is NOT capable of a complete victory over ISIS at this time……he stated that it will take many months of training and luck for them to be in a position to win.
Item 4–US attempt to rescue downed Jordanian pilot fails……more on this in a separate cover……
Today’s SITREP will be the last daily for now….the situation is NOT lending to a daily briefing…..I will go to a weekly one until more info is available…..sorry for the inconvenience….
Thanx for your time and attention…….
Turn The Page!
There is No doubt in my mind that we have some of the best most experienced special forces troops in the world…we have the “Hollywood” Seals and the not so known Delta Force which was originally formed for hostage rescue and fighting terrorists…….so my question is a valid one…..why? Because we always hear about the successes and the failures are under reported to save face…..
What happened in the rescue attempt of the Jordanian pilot captured in Syria?
According to multiple reports from different media outlets, US ground troops failed in at least one and by some accounts two attempted rescues of Jordanian pilot Muath al-Kasaesbeh, who last week was shot down over Syria and captured by ISIS.
US Special Forces were said to have been sent on two bids to rescue Kasaesbeh, who was believed to be held on the outskirts of Raqqa, the de facto ISIS capital.
Okay the story is that helicopters came under heavy fire in the attempt and it had to be abandoned…
To me the failed attempt had more to do with shoddy intel more than heavy fire.
With adequate intel the rescue attempt could have been modified to circumvent or destroy the positions that were the problem.
Once again the US comes up short because of little to NO go firsat hand intel from people on the ground.
I have said many times that it is time to re-evaluate the mission and the procedures employed by the agency.
Any thoughts?
It is 2015 and the whole world will soon be going bat crap crazy with all the pundits calling this candidate and that as the new “Messiah” for whichever party they represent…….
Hillary is a given but what about the GOP…..Cruz, Rubio, Huckabee, Santorum or maybe Jeb Bush……good question, right?
Seems Jeb maybe getting ready for a hat toss……..
One more sign that when Jeb Bush says he is “actively exploring” a presidential run in 2016, it means the formal announcement is just a matter of time: He has resigned from all his boards and continues to “shed business interests” ahead of a primary fight, reports the Washington Post. “This is a natural next step that will allow him to focus his time on gauging interest for a potential run,” says his spokeswoman.
The Post singles out one business connection in particular that opponents might have seized upon to sully his image as an education reformer: He had been a paid adviser for Academic Partnerships, a for-profit education firm that sells online courses to public universities. As the Post writes, “some faculty members say it siphons money from the schools while asserting too much control over academic decisions.” Meanwhile, Bush also rejected an invitation from Rep. Steve King to speak at the Iowa Freedom Summit later this month. Bush cited a scheduling conflict, though the AP notes it could have been politically dicey: King is a vocal critic of immigration reform, while Bush is an advocate.
What say you….will it be Jeb?
A New Year and a new Congress….there will be changes now that the GOP is in control….there will be changes and some will not be for the better…..
Let’s be honest…..I am not a fan of Sen. John McCain….personally, I believe he has not been right on foreign policy in about 30 years…..with all that said he is in position to become chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee…..a position he would relish…..
This could be a good thing……yep…you heard me right….a good thing. Why on earth would I say that?
With Senate leadership changing, John McCain appears poised to be the new head of the Armed Services Committee—and that could have big implications for US defense, Reuters reports. McCain has a history of criticizing what he sees as excessive spending on some weapons programs; as chair of the committee, he’ll have more control over how the Pentagon spends its cash. Defense contractors are expecting to spend more time responding to questions from Capitol Hill. Among McCain’s concerns have been a $399 billion F-35 fighter jet program as well as the continued use of Russian-made rocket engines.
Another favorite target of McCain’s has been President Obama’s foreign policy; now, he’ll have a “megaphone” with which to address the subject, the National Journal reports. He’s called, for instance, for greater US support for Ukraine’s military and boots on the ground against ISIS. But though he holds strong views, he’s also known as a negotiator on issues like immigration, the National Journal notes. “With Senator McCain, what you see is what you get. It’s part of his charm and persona, that he is a maverick—he is an outspoken maverick—that tells it like it is to anyone of any party,” says an analyst.
I would not think he would be any good for foreign policy…..but he could be a breath of fresh air when funding worthless programs like the F–35….and he may be an important voice for veternas……but that will be seen………this may be the only time that anyone will hear me say anything nice about McCain and his neocon ramblings……
Take it for what it is worth.