Article

2015-03-25 Iraq

U.S. Providing 'Eye in the Sky' for Iraq Tikrit Operation

Archived material is restricted to Rantburg regulars and members. If you need access email fred.pruitt=at=gmail.com with your nick to be added to the members list. There is no charge to join Rantburg as a member.

Posted by trailing wife 2015-03-25 00:00|| || Front Page|| [5 views ] Top

#1 "...with the aid of tens of thousands of allied paramilitaries, the U.S.-led coalition and Iran."

"The operation to retake Tikrit, which involves thousands of Iraqi soldiers, police and forces known as Popular Mobilization units, which are dominated by Shiite militias, began on March 2."

The use of the term 'jihadists' in this article is misleading.

This is mainly a fight between theocratic totalitarians of the Sunni Islamic persuasion and theocratic totalitarians of the Shia Islamic persuasion.

Both sides see themselves as jihadists i.e. holy warriors making holy war in the name of true Islam.

The US is giving assistance to Shiite jihadists.

Posted by Elmerert Hupens2660 2015-03-25 07:01|| 2015-03-25 07:01|| Front Page Top

#2 If the platform(s) weren't already aloft, we were negligent and conducting air strikes somewhat randomly, which is not realistic. The only difference is, now we appear to be responding to host-nation Requests for Intelligence (RFI) and sharing the production.

Posted by Besoeker 2015-03-25 08:35|| 2015-03-25 08:35|| Front Page Top

#3 aerial recon is no doubt useful in this battle

but the salient thing is that the 20,000 or so fighting on the Iraqi gov side haven't, in the 2+ weeks of battle, been able to dislodge the 200 to 1000 or so on the ISIS side

this does not bode well for a successful operation to retake Mosul

Posted by lord garth 2015-03-25 09:35|| 2015-03-25 09:35|| Front Page Top

#4 Ditto also now as per YEMEN.

Posted by JosephMendiola 2015-03-25 20:45|| 2015-03-25 20:45|| Front Page Top

22:56 JosephMendiola
22:56 49 Pan
22:52 JosephMendiola
22:35 JosephMendiola
22:28 JosephMendiola
22:18 JosephMendiola
22:10 JosephMendiola
22:00 USN, Ret.
21:41 Old Patriot
21:40 SteveS
21:30 Frank G
21:29 Procopius2k
21:24 Bright Pebbles
21:22 Frank G
21:21 Frank G
21:21 Frank G
21:11 Airandee
21:10 phil_b
20:50 JosephMendiola
20:45 Thing From Snowy Mountain
20:45 JosephMendiola
20:44 JosephMendiola
20:40 JosephMendiola
20:39 Besoeker