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| Iraq |
| Iraqi PM flies to US, seeking arms to fight militants |
| 2013-10-30 |
| [Al Ahram] Iraq's Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki travelled to the United States on Tuesday to press for urgent help and arms to combat the worst upsurge of violence in years. Nearly three years since the last U.S. troops withdrew, Sunni Islamist militants are waging a campaign to destabilise the Shi'ite-led government that came to power after former dictator Saddam Hussein was overthrown in 2003. Trained and equipped by the United States at a cost of $25 billion, Iraq's security forces are struggling against Sunni Islamist insurgents who have driven the civilian death toll so far this year above 7,000. "The urgent thing is to supply Iraq as quickly as possible with weapons of an offensive nature to combat terrorism and chase the armed groups," Maliki said at an airport news conference before his departure. Iraq has in the past urged Washington to speed up delivery of an order of F-16 planes, but Maliki said those would not help Baghdad fight militants and the priority now was to get other kinds of equipment such as helicopters. Officials in Baghdad blame deteriorating security on the civil war in neighbouring Syria, which has drawn hardline Sunnis and Shi'ites from across the region. Al Qaeda's Syrian and Iraqi affiliates merged earlier this year to form the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant, which has claimed responsibility for attacks on both sides of the border. |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #7 Besides the Bammer SSSSSHHHHH .... CCCCCCCC allowing Baby Assad to stay in power contrary to Admin rhetoric, IRAN WILL GET ITS NUKES + EXPANDED MILPOL PRESENCE + NEWFOUND INFLUENCE IN EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN [Egypt = Suez Canal, North Africa?], + NEXT TO BOTH KSA + NEO-OTTOMAN WANNABE TURKEY??? |
| Posted by: JosephMendiola 2013-10-30 21:31 |
| #6 Yuuuuppers. * TOPIX > [Daily Star] IN IRAQ, [Extremist] SUNNI ATTACKS SPARK SHIITE CALL TO TAKE UP ARMS. Meanwhile, not to be outdone by IRAQ ... * SAME > [Daily Beast] HEZBOLLAH PREPARES FOR SYRIA SHOWDOWN IN AL-QALAMOUH. IRAN-BACKED LEBANESE SHIITE MOVEMENT IS READYING FOR A FACE-OFF AGZ SYRIA'S [domestic?]REBELS [+ KSA-led/sponsored Sunnis]. HOW THE BATTLE WILL RATTLE THE WORLD. Its coming - at "HIGH NOON"?? |
| Posted by: JosephMendiola 2013-10-30 21:26 |
| #5 ...at the hips of Iran. |
| Posted by: Procopius2k 2013-10-30 17:54 |
| #4 Gee, it's almost like Syria and Iraq are linked somehow. |
| Posted by: Thing From Snowy Mountain 2013-10-30 12:03 |
| #3 What really screwed the Iraqis* was the loss of trainers, especially for specops troops and intel. * but they pretty much screwed themselves.... |
| Posted by: Pappy 2013-10-30 11:58 |
| #2 Glenmore, the jihadis took them with them when they defected to the other side. |
| Posted by: Rambler in Virginia 2013-10-30 09:45 |
| #1 What'd they do with all the weapons we already gave 'em? |
| Posted by: Glenmore 2013-10-30 07:32 |