Iraq: on the Front Lines with the Shia

[grahamhgreen]

For these men, the Sunnis as a whole are the enemy, regardless of whether they are Isis supporters or not. For them, western strategies of trying to defeat Isis by depriving it of mass Sunni support are nonsense.

"When I withdraw my forces now the Sunnis will come back and they will become an incubator for Isis again," said one fighter. "When I liberate an area from Isis why do I have to give it back to them? Either I erase it or settle Shia in it."

"If it's for me I will start cleansing Baghdad from today," added another fighter. "We have not started sectarian war, we are just trying to secure our areas, but if the sectarian days come back then I am sure it will be won by us."

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/aug/24/iraq-frontline-shia-fighters-war-isis


In my view, this is a 1400 year old religious war.

"you can't win it" - GWB

Prosecution of our own war crimes, and creating a better America here at home, one that we can hold up as an example for the rest of the world, is our best course of action. Not more war.

[Dems to Win]

1. WHY don't regular Iraqi soldiers have any equipment??

Also from the article linked above:

At the frontline, it is clear who the poor relations are. At one corner of the berm, a group of Iraqi army soldiers in boxer shorts and T-shirts caked with dust and sweat stood dazed under a scorching sun. Instead of foxholes or shelters, they had spread coloured mattresses and blankets on the berm, giving it the look of a giant laundry line.

The soldiers are dependent on the militias to hold the line and on civilian volunteers and villagers to feed and water them. The government has given up trying to supply them.

"They say the Iraqi soldier is a coward but where is the government?" said one middle-aged soldier. The troops had only a few hours' worth of ammunition and of the two ancient Russian armoured vehicles positioned nearby, only one could fire. The other had broken down and was there for decoration only.

"Where are the parliamentarians who are bickering back in Baghdad? Why don't they visit the front, give us a box of machine gun ammunition?" the disgruntled soldier asked.

The US spent BILLIONS to train and equip the Iraqi Army. Where did all that money and equipment go?

Iraq is over. When the government doesn't even try to defend it's territory, the people should, and will, look to form a new government with new borders.

Iraq is over. It is pointless for the US government to pretend otherwise.

[grahamhgreen]

2. Answer: because the wars are a scam, and the money is in the bank accounts of Cheney & freinds.

One can only hope we don't fall for it again.