Islamic State seizes capital of Iraq’s largest province
Source: Washington Post
BAGHDAD Islamic State fighters took control of key sites Friday in the heart of Ramadi, capital of Iraqs largest province, in what appeared to mark a significant blow to a U.S.-backed military campaign to retake territory from the militants.
The Islamic State offensive which began with ambush-style attacks after sundown Thursday touched off panicked attempts to flee the city and avoid the militants tightening noose on routes to safety.
It was just like scenes of carnage in a World War II movie with bombing all around and dead people in the streets, said Ali Dulaimi, a 28-year-old student at Anbar University.
He fled central Ramadi for calmer neighborhoods with his three brothers and parents, but has been unable to find way out of the city. There were dead people lying all over the street as we ran away, he said.
Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle_east/isis-gains-control-of-major-iraqi-city/2015/05/15/68a8036c-fb0c-11e4-a47c-e56f4db884ed_story.html?hpid=z1
dixiegrrrrl
(60,010 posts)"We had to destroy the village to save it"
former9thward
(32,079 posts)We can argue all day about what the conditions were that created this mess but we need to butt out. There is no good coming from our involvement.
JonLP24
(29,322 posts)These groups that all merged together with ISIS -- terrorists were prodiment in this area (Al-Anbar was notable for its daisy-chain IEDs mid 2000s).
The only thing that helped is when they starting indiscriminately killing civilians they fought back in what was known as the "Sunni awakening" but I don't think, if the situating repeats itself, they'd do the same because for fought the new Iraqi government only to be left with a brutal oppressive regime & unregulated Shia militias who went on unchecked. Don't matter though, the officially sanctioned Army are torturing, war criminals too.
What I'm saying is I agree with you and you're right, just relaying my thoughts on the conditions before & now.
bemildred
(90,061 posts)Our precision bombing is degrading their ability to conduct operations.
Their momentum is stalled.
bemildred
(90,061 posts)All of these military morons we have running around killing people with no clue whatsoever as to what they are trying to do or what the effects or what they are doing are going to be. Thus they are always blindsided by reality, and lots and lots of people get killed for nothing, for less than nothing.
JonLP24
(29,322 posts)and a loose band of affiliates roughly had control of that area, the roads around Fallujah & Ramadi were torn up. I'm not sure what to make of it but it isn't like Iraqi Army & Iran-backed militias are much better and they have control of the prisons. They go in there and ethnically cleanse neighborhoods after a battlefield takeover -- creating the chaotic situation to enable the ISIS offensive.
mackdaddy
(1,528 posts)and IWS as their short initial only form.
former9thward
(32,079 posts)WW I brought the destruction of the Ottoman Empire which controlled the area. Britain and France claimed the area because their troops had done the fighting. They arbitrarily divided the area into areas they controlled without regard to religious sects or tribes. So now we are left with that legacy.
bemildred
(90,061 posts)and generally speaking, they got no supervision at all. The colonies were viewed in much the same way we now view Samoa or Puerto Rico. Same today in the USA, overseas the rules do not apply, and we send the dregs of our society and call them heroes. The war on terror has much to do with a desire not to give up that "freedom".