Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search
9 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies

roamer65

(36,744 posts)
2. The Kurdish Peshmerga took control of Kirkuk after gov't troops left it.
Thu Jun 12, 2014, 11:15 PM
Jun 2014

Otherwise this is lining up as a battle between Saudi-backed ISIS/ISIL Sunni militants and Shi'ite central government troops along with Iranian Al Quds forces. The proxy war is about to be much less "proxy". Looks like Baghdad will be the front from your map.

Fred Sanders

(23,946 posts)
5. So the Kurds just took over because the Iraqi army, mostly Arab Sunnis, surrendered, the ISIS
Thu Jun 12, 2014, 11:21 PM
Jun 2014

Faction left, and so now they are filling in the vacuum?

roamer65

(36,744 posts)
9. Bingo...Kirkuk and about $1 trillion in oil reserves.
Thu Jun 12, 2014, 11:23 PM
Jun 2014

The Peshmerga are very american friendly. I remember talking to a vet who worked with them closely. He said they were very cooperative and well disciplined. They were grateful that the 2003 war stopped their persecution by Saddam. Probably the only positive thing that came out of that war.

 

Comrade Grumpy

(13,184 posts)
3. No, it's Sunni Arabs (and whatever other fighters have glommed onto the cause).
Thu Jun 12, 2014, 11:17 PM
Jun 2014

Three main blocs:

The Sunni Arabs: That's ISIS, but it's also a lot of Sunni tribesmen and former Baathists very unhappy with Shiite control of the central government. This is more than just "Al Qaeda terrorists."

The Sunni Kurds: They have their own autonomous region and may use the collapse of the Baghdad military to grab some more territory for themselves, i.e. Kirkuk. They have share a religion with the Sunni Arabs, but not ethnicity.

The Shiite Arabs: They're the Iraqi majority and they control the south and east of the country.

Fred Sanders

(23,946 posts)
4. Yes, I understand, thanks. So this Sunni Arab faction, already in control of 24 cities, thinks it
Thu Jun 12, 2014, 11:19 PM
Jun 2014

has the manpower and popular support to venture further? Seems rather hopeful.

roamer65

(36,744 posts)
7. They won't go any further than city of Baghdad.
Thu Jun 12, 2014, 11:22 PM
Jun 2014

The Iranians have already pledged to protect the Shi'ite southeast of Iraq.

mn9driver

(4,417 posts)
6. Too damn bad the folks in charge didn't look at that map in 2002
Thu Jun 12, 2014, 11:21 PM
Jun 2014

It was available. I posted a similar one on my now defunct blog and predicted this would happen. Along with thousands of others who saw the same thing.

What makes it even more horrifying is if you lay an oil field map on top of it. The factions will not just agree to split the country along ethnic and religious boundaries because that's not how the oil is laid out.

This is the logical consequence of "liberating" Iraq: Bloody civil war.

Latest Discussions»General Discussion»Ethno-Religious Map of Ir...