You have commented 339 times on Rantburg.

Your Name
Your e-mail (optional)
Website (optional)
My Original Nic        Pic-a-Nic        Sorry. Comments have been closed on this article.
Bold Italic Underline Strike Bullet Blockquote Small Big Link Squish Foto Photo
Iraq
CENTCOM Commander: U.S. Ground Troops not needed in Iraq.
2015-03-04
[Daily Caller] President Barack Obama's highly contested Authorization for Use of Military Force against ISIS is enough to get the job done, according to officials from the Department of Defense and U.S. Central Command.

"I think we'll have what we need... to address the counter ISIL campaign," Gen. Lloyd Austin, the U.S. CENTCOM commander in charge of implementing Champ's proposed AUMF, told the House Committee on Armed Services Tuesday. "To accomplish what's been given to me in this current mission set, I think we have the flexibility to get the work done."
The new Iranian hegemony is ridding Iraq of these ISIS pests. Unless Netanyahu gets in the way, we'll be giving them whatever they demand for their services.
Posted by:Besoeker

#14  * OTOH see BIGNEWSNETWORK [CBS News] ISIS DEFEAT COULD HAND IRAQ TO IRAN, CIA INSIDER SAYS.

Again, OWG GLOBALISM = HOW MUCH IS "TOO MUCH", HOW FAR IS "TOO FAR", ETC. FOR THE SOLE SUPERPOWER US TO GIVE UP TO ITS FUTURE "US-STYLE" OWG CO-SUPERPOWER NUCLEAR SIBLINGS INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO [Soon-to-be-Nuclear?]IRAN???

Given ...

* TOPIX, WORLD NEWS > IRAN REJECTS OBAMA'S DEMAND FOR TEN-YEAR SUSPENSION OF ENRICHMENT.

As per #11, will the mostly Sunni ME including Persian Gulf + West Asia [AFPAK] accept SHIA IRAN as "Sole" Leader or Principal = "US-style" Co-Superpower in any post-GWOT/ISIS/Al-Qaeda OWG Global Federal Union(s) in the ME + PG???

OR WILL THE SUNNI WANT THEIR OWN, + WHOM WILL IT [They?] BE - KSA? TURKEY? EGYPT? JORDAN? KURDS?ASSADIAN OR POST-ASSAD SYRIA? ALL??

ANALYSTS = iff IRAN goes NUKULAAR, every Sunni Govt-State in the ME + elsewhere will want Nukes of their own [also read, HARD BOYZ GET THE BOMB].

* WAFF > RIYADH [Saudis = KSA] TO PRESS PAKISTAN FOR MORE [Pakistani] TROOPS [for Improved Anti-Militant Security], "SAUDI ARABIA IS A FRIEND AND A SOURCE OF A CONTINUING PROBLEM", SAYS SENIOR PAKISTAN OFFICIAL.

* SAME > [Financial Times] TURKEY'S REGIONAL AMBITIONS [Then-FM Davutoglu = Turkey desires to be "Master, Leader: + Servant of the ME"] EVAPORATING ALONG WID FRIENDSHIPS.

* GROONG > TURKEY'S ASIAN FRIENDS.
Posted by: JosephMendiola   2015-03-04 21:44  

#13  What you were misting for the Silver Star was this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Defense_Superior_Service_Medal
Posted by: Lone Ranger   2015-03-04 20:41  

#12  #6 Where did this guy do enough heroic to warrant a silver star?

He does not have a Silver Star. He does have a Bronze Star for Valor, earned during Desert Storm, 1991.
Posted by: Lone Ranger   2015-03-04 20:36  

#11  I'm going to join the minority here that advocates letting the various flavors of Islam battle each other - without American blood on the line - until one side has the last men standing. We can always then finish off the "winning" side.

If we have to put some "treasure" in, to ensure that BOTH SIDES have enough bullets left to keep up the fight until one side is annihilated, then so be it.

So - to recap:

1. No American blood being spilled/spent.

2. American treasure being poured in only so as to ensure that both sides of any BLUE-ON-BLUE combat have enough munitions to continue killing the other side.

Other than possibly the Kurds, there are no good guys in the fight. There are only really bad guys vs unspeakably evil guys. We should be thanking our stars that these two sets of bad apples are viciously slaughtering one another.
Posted by: Lone Ranger   2015-03-04 20:31  

#10  Again, in the Islamic mind, it is illogical for tiny Israel to be a [Judaic]OWG Global Federal Union in + by itself - HOW DO THE US-ALLIES + EVEN THE GLOBIES INTEND TO PEACEFULLY REMEDY THE SITUATION WIDOUT NEED OF ANYONE GOING TO WAR, as both Shah-led + Post-Shah Islamist Iran saw Israel as an anomaly in the Arab-Muslim majority ME???
Posted by: JosephMendiola   2015-03-04 19:29  

#9  Spot on Pappy. All of what you have indicated, immediately following the Iranian hand-off.
Posted by: Besoeker   2015-03-04 17:28  

#8  To be fair, the statement was "no large scale" numbers of troops. And yes - they're quite content to let the IRGC take over a rump Iraq.

My take: There will be little to no US involvement in retaking Mosul, or any other ops in Iraq. There will also be a scale down or abandonment in a Syrian rebels program. I expect a scale down in air ops in both Iraq and Syria before the end of the year. I also expect a corresponding increased 'diplomatic front' in both places.
Posted by: Pappy   2015-03-04 16:00  

#7  #6 Where did this guy do enough heroic to warrant a silver star?
Maybe with Kerry.
Posted by: irishrageboy   2015-03-04 15:57  

#6  Where did this guy do enough heroic to warrant a silver star?
Posted by: jack   2015-03-04 12:56  

#5  They are not needed.

If we want Iranian influence to increase.

If we want the situation to stay close to the same.
Posted by: DarthVader   2015-03-04 11:40  

#4  Is this the same guy that authorized the release of the Mosul attack plans for this spring?
Posted by: tipover   2015-03-04 10:39  

#3  Will make it easier to purge retire them when the time comes.
Posted by: Procopius2k   2015-03-04 09:39  

#2  Need I say more about the politicalization of our general staffs?

Posted by: Mystic   2015-03-04 06:16  

#1  Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff sez "Iranian hand in Iraq could work out well."

As orchestrated, the plan comes together.
Posted by: Besoeker   2015-03-04 05:58  

00:00