Showing posts with label Iraq. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Iraq. Show all posts

Saturday, May 23, 2015

More on the US raid against Abu Sayyaf

Updating my thoughts on the raid that killed ISIS oil finance minister Abu Sayyaf and captured his wife Umm Sayyaf.

 Adam Johnson in an article for FAIR writes how the Mainstream media, blindly following the Obama Administration's claims of another "success" against ISIS failed to remind readers that the US had just put boots on the ground in Syria
Per usual, the media would retell the narrative based entirely on Pentagon and White House action movie prose. Just as with the bin Laden raid narrative—that later turned out to be mostly false—this tale involved some unbelievably compelling details: “rescuing a Yazidi slave,” “hand-to-hand combat,” “women and children as human shields,” “precise fire” (that, of course, avoided these women and children), and a body count, “40 extremists,” that would make Jack Bauer blush.
continued
given that the last such politically loaded raid, on the bin Laden “compound” in Pakistan, turned out to be full of White House lies—to say nothing of Seymour Hersh’s recent, high-profile allegations that theentire thing was staged—you’d think a bit of skepticism would be in order. But, in a world of mass information asymmetry, the government’s word on these matters is treated as the authoritative one until proven otherwise.
This routine problem, however, is not the real journalistic crime here. The real issue is that the White House just admitted it has American ground troops engaged in combat missions in Syria—and no one seemed to notice, much less care.
While it’s true the White House has acknowledged hostage rescue missions in Syria, this is the first time it’s admitted soldiers have been deployed inside Syria for expressly military purposes.















I noticed a few things from the Daily Beast article.  One is that here there is not mention that Umm Sayyaf was an initial target of the raid like the White House and Pentagon said in their statements.
His wife, an Iraqi national, and an 18-year-old Yazidi slave were taken out of the compound, as well as computers, cell phones and other forms of potential intelligence sources, which U.S. officials already believe will be valuable.
continued 
U.S. officials suspect that Abu Sayyaf's wife, Umm Sayyaf, is also a member the group and "played an important role in ISIL’s terrorist activities, and may have been complicit in the enslavement of the young woman rescued last night."
U.S. officials are questioning Umm Sayyaf, an Iraqi national, and still have not determined what will happen to her. Among the options being considered is releasing her or turning her over to Iraqi custody.
(Abu and Umm Sayaf are nom de guerres, meaning Father and Mother of Sayyaf, but defense officials said they did not have their actual names to release.)
continued
Another senior US official, who asked not to be identified for this article, told The Daily Beast that Abu Sayyaf was one of several ISIS figures targeted in the raid but that the others had left before the strike-force arrived, suggesting although the mission had been fully successful, US commanders were hoping to ensnare bigger ISIS leaders.
Political activists in the area say another ISIS oil emir, a Saudi national, was killed in the raid as well. They also say that Abu Sayyaf’s wife is a relative of ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, although it is not clear whether by blood or marriage. 


Adam concludes by saying
What the media rarely do is stop to put things in context. It’s the slow drip of a war that’s sold to an American public in small, disconnected parts, so we don’t notice.
Put another way: If we were told in August 2014 that within a year, the US would have ground troops carrying out raids in Syria and Iraq, as well as bombing in both countries, would we have agreed?
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Monday, May 18, 2015

The US raid in Syria

**Update
I do not know yet whether Umm Sayyaf was a target before the raid or that is just what they said after raid happened--Remember that Syria spoke first (h/t Moon of Alabama)

John Bellinger wrote about some of the legal aspects of the raid and the detention of Umm Sayyaf at Lawfare
Presumably, the domestic law authority both for the raid, and for the detention, is the 2001 AUMF, upon which the Obama Administration has been relying since last September for military operations against ISIS, despite the near unanimous agreement of observers that it is legal stretch to do so (given that the 2001 AUMF is directed at the “nations, organizations, or persons” responsible for the 9-11 attacks). It’s especially ironic that the Administration would continue to rely on the 2001 AUMF for detention for ISIS members, given that President Obama has repeatedly said that he wants to “repeal” the 2001 AUMF.
State Department said in its daily briefing on Monday that yes Umm Sayyaf is being detained under 2001 and 2002 AUMF authorities
MR RATHKE: -- for detention, the President has authority under the 2001 and 2002 AUMFs, and the international legal basis for this detention is the consent of the Government of Iraq in the context of the ongoing military operations in Iraq and Syria against ISIL.

Main Article

The weekend after Seymour Hersh's exposé about the lies told by the White House about the raid that killed Osama bin Laden and as a reminder that we are at war in Iraq and Syria, and we have more than 3,000 boots on the ground, US special operations forces conducted a raid against ISIS's oil and finance "minister" known as Abu Sayyaf in al-Amr Syria.  According to the White House National Security Council and The Pentagon statements about the raid, but left out of most newspaper accounts is that Abu Sayyaf's wife, known as Umm, was an intended target of the raid, and not a bonus after-thought as described in most accounts.

 White House NSC (emphasis mine)
Last night, at the President’s direction, U.S. personnel based out of Iraq conducted an operation in al-Amr in eastern Syria to capture an ISIL senior leader known as Abu Sayyaf and his wife Umm Sayyaf. During the course of the operation, Abu Sayyaf was killed when he engaged U.S. forces.
Pentagon (emphasis mine)
WASHINGTON, May 16, 2015 – Defense Secretary Ash Carter announced in a statement today that U.S. special operations forces yesterday conducted an operation in Syria to capture a senior leader of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorist organization.
“Last night, at the direction of the Commander in Chief, I ordered U.S. special operations forces to conduct an operation in al-Amr in eastern Syria to capture an ISIL senior leader known as Abu Sayyaf and his wife Umm Sayyaf,” Carter said.
Abu Sayyaf was involved in ISIL's military operations and also helped direct the terrorist organization's illicit oil, gas and financial operations, the defense secretary said.
“Abu Sayyaf was killed during the course of the operation when he engaged U.S. forces,” he said.
“U.S. forces captured Umm Sayyaf, who we suspect is a member of ISIL, played an important role in ISIL's terrorist activities, and may have been complicit in what appears to have been the enslavement of a young Yezidi woman rescued last night,” Carter said.
New York Times (emphasis mine)
American Special Operations forces mounted a rare raid into eastern Syria early Saturday, killing a leader of the Islamic State and about a dozen militant fighters, as well as capturing his wife
nowhere does it mention that she was an intended target of the raid (emphasis mine)
Bruce O. Riedel, a former C.I.A. analyst now at the Brookings Institution, said the operation looked like “a collection mission, the goal to capture someone or two someones who can explain how ISIS works.” With Abu Sayyaf now dead, he said, “perhaps the wife can do that.”
McClatchy (selected)
Captured alive in the operation was the man’s wife, who officials identified as Umm Sayyaf. She was taken back to Iraq for questioning.
It was unclear what would become of Umm Sayyaf. In its statements, the Obama administration said it believed she was a member of the Islamic State
whether Umm Sayyaf could be charged with a crime was uncertain.
The United States will follow “its usual practice” and provide the International Committee of the Red Cross” access to Umm Sayyaf, Meehan said.
Read more here: http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2015/05/16/266909/us-says-it-killed-isis-finance.html#storylink=cpy
Emptywheel writes about Ron Wyden's "guess where John Brennan lied" and brings up Moon of Alabama's article asking about Syria's cooperation in the raid which is denied by everyone in every story.

Jeremy Scahill adds that this is part of the increase in ground troops in Syria







Additionally while searching for articles about the raid I found another Abu Sayyaf (Jama'ah Abu Sayyaf terror group) from the Philippines and another raid conducted this weekend

 Straits Times
TUBURAN, Philippines (AFP) - Government forces in the southern Philippines said Saturday they were hunting a suspected Malaysian bomb-maker who may be helping the Abu Sayyaf extremists.
The suspect, identified as Mohammad Najib, is believed to have fled after troops overran one of their bomb-making camps on the southern island of Basilan on Thursday, said Colonel Joselito Rolando Bautista, the island's military commander.
Three militants and one soldier were killed when soldiers overran the camp of the Abu Sayyaf group, an armed band founded in the 1990s with seed money from Osama bin Laden's Al-Qaeda network.
Phil Star
MOHAMMED AJUL, Basilan — Government forces retook two villages from the control of the Abu Sayyaf group and a Malaysian bomb maker who have pledged allegiance to the Islamic State (ISIS) after days of operations.
Barangay Tuburan Proper and Barangay Languyan, however, resemble ghost towns as more than 700 families have evacuated to other areas.
Houses were locked except for few civilians who dared to stay despite the presence of troops here Saturday.
The local police station, which was occupied by the group of Abu Sayyaf leader Ustadz Abbas Alam and Malaysian bombing suspect Mohammad Najib alias Anas, was also recovered earlier by the combined the Army's Scout Rangers and Special Forces at Barangay Tuburan.
The troops also cleared the adjacent village of Sitio Project Site where Alam and his Malaysian militant cohort converted his house into quarters for rebels and a makeshift bomb factory.
The clearing operation followed the offensive Thursday that left three militants killed and several others wounded.
The clearing was completed Saturday morning after it was rigged with several improved explosive devices, or IEDs, by militant groups who had slowed down the offensive since Thursday, Lt. Gen. Rustico Guerrero, commander of Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom) said.
The campaign left government forces with one soldier killed and eight others wounded.
Guerrero, who personally visited the troops and assessed the operation on ground, said soldiers recovered 50 pieces of pipe bomb casings fashioned with 4 x 12 inches of steel pipes, three liquefied gas tanks, an four-liter IED, radio transceivers, wires and other bomb equipment.
Also recovered were several "shahada" flags, known internationally as black flags similar to banners used by the ISIS.
Also I found that

 Slate U.S. troops in Iraq and Afghanistan have stolen millions thru bribery, rigged contracts
Troops were selling the U.S. military’s fuel to Afghan locals on the side, and pocketing the proceeds.
Former Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction Stuart Bowen, who served as the principal watchdog for wrongdoing in Iraq from 2004 to 2013, said he suspected “the fraud … among U.S. military personnel and contractors was much higher” than what he and his colleagues were able to prosecute. John F. Sopko, his contemporary counterpart in Afghanistan, said his agency has probably uncovered less than half of the fraud committed by members of the military in Afghanistan.
 As of February, he said he had 327 active investigations still under way, involving 31 members of the military. “You don’t appreciate how much money is being stolen in Afghanistan until you go over there,” said Sopko, who says price-fixing and other forms of financial corruption are rampant in Afghanistan.

 April 23, 2015 New York Times U.S. Weighs Training Iraqis to Call in American Airstrikes in ISIS Fight
A senior Obama administration official said Thursday that the United States was looking for ways to speed up United States bombing attacks on Islamic State militants, including a plan to train Iraqi troops to spot targets for American airstrikes.
Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi of Iraq complained during his visit to Washington last week that it had been taking too long for the United States to carry out airstrikes on behalf of Iraqi forces. But a major constraint to shortening the time to conduct such strikes is that the White House has not authorized troops to accompany Iraqi forces on the battlefield and call in American and allied bombing attacks.
Knowing what you know now, would you have invaded Iraq? Rand Paul and many others have another question for Hillary Clinton--knowing what you know now, would you have overthrown Gaddafi in Libya?
Read more here: http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2015/05/16/266909/us-says-it-killed-isis-finance.html#storylink=cpy
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Wednesday, February 4, 2015

"Constant Rebalancing" and US boots on the ground in Iraq

We all knew it would happen soon.  I just wonder when we'll invade Afghanistan again.

 Here is the article from ZeroHedge


The Latest US Invasion Of Iraq Begins: US Military Search And Rescue Teams Arrive In Northern Iraq

Tyler Durden's picture
Submitted by Tyler Durden on 02/04/2015 22:00 -0500

Despite numerous explanations that no boots-on-the-ground will be on-the-ground in Iraq in the war against Islamic State, it appears, as CNN reports, that the US military has moved Search-and-Rescue (S&R) assets to Northern Iraq as part of a "constant rebalancing" depending on the evolving airstrike-only mission.
Of course, as the 'unnamed source' was so quick to explain, this was in no way a response to threats from The UAE to pull out of the coalition unless S&R assets were placed in Iraq since, cynically speaking, the UAE demands are only the result of US demands that it demand it anyway.
However, as Bloomberg notes - on the heels of selling 170 M-1 Abrams tanks to Iraq indirectly 'stimulating' the US economy ("middle-class economics" don't forget) - US allies are now withholding military power in an effort to get Obama to do more in Syria (which once again cynically-speaking -gives the President further excuse to provide billions in fresh military contracts to General Dynamics & Northrop Grummond) all in the name of peace, prosperity and the American way of life.
U.S. allies in the fight against Islamic State extremists are withholding military capabilities as leverage on President Barack Obama to do more in Syria, according to Bloomberg.

At issue are calls from the U.A.E. for U.S. pilot-rescue teams to be positioned closer to the Syrian battleground, where they’d be primed for quicker action, and from Turkey to impose a protected safe zone in Syria. Their demands create problems for Obama, who officials have said is wary of drawing the U.S. more deeply into Syria’s turmoil.
Underlying that issue is disagreement over Obama’s decision to make fighting Islamic State the priority over efforts to remove the regime of President Bashar al-Assad.
In congressional testimony on Tuesday, Marine Lieutenant General Vincent Stewart, director of the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency, confirmed a trend that troubles regional allies Turkey and Arab states such as Saudi Arabia. As Bloomberg reports, he told the House Armed Services Committee, "we assess the conflict is trending in the Assad regime’s favor."
The state department completes the puppetry:
Jordan, “the country that was most impacted” by the killing, “intends to intensify its efforts,” Psaki said.
And this needs our assistance with more military might (spending) and support... and boots on the ground in Iraq... it's only fair.
*  * *
*  *  *
And so, as CNN reports, the U.S. military has moved some search and rescue assets into Northern Iraq, a U.S. official said on Wednesday.
The move was described as part of a constant rebalancing of search and rescue assets that are moved depending on the evolving airstrike mission. The source did not suggest it was a response to United Arab Emirates concerns about proximity of rescue assets and did not say when this latest rotation happened.

The reshuffling comes after news that UAE had suspended participation in coalition strikes out of concern that search and rescue assets were not placed close enough to ensure a timely effort to rescue, a claim disputed by U.S. military officials.
* * *
Of course, if we were the cynical historians of the desperation of the military-industrial complex, we could see this whole facade as nothing but smoke and mirrors for economic stimulatory excuses and deficit expansion in the name of saving the world and... the UAE demands are only the result of US demands that it demand it anyway.
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Friday, January 23, 2015

A Sample of the Cost of the Continuing War in Iraq (and Syria)

From the Federal Register

 (i) Prospective Purchaser: Republic of Iraq

 (ii) Total Estimated Value:

 Major Defense Equipment: * $399 million
Other: ..................................... $180 million
Total ................................... $579 million

 (iii) Description and Quantity of Articles or Services under Consideration for Purchase:
1000 M1151A1 UpArmored High Mobility Multi-Purpose Wheeled Vehicles (HMMWVs),
1000 M2 .50 cal. machine guns, and 
1000 MK–19 40mm grenade launchers with universal mounts, commercial radios, communication equipment, repair and spare parts, publications and technical documentation, tools and test equipment, personnel training and training equipment, U.S. Government and contractor logistics and technical support services, and other related elements of logistics support.

 continued

 The proposed sale of the M1151 HMMWVs would facilitate progress towards increasing the Iraqi Security Force’s mobility and self-defense capabilities. Iraq will use the HMMWVs to increase the safety, effectiveness, and self-reliance of the Iraqi Security Forces. Iraq will have no difficulty absorbing these additional HMMWVs into its armed forces. The proposed sale of this equipment and support will not alter the basic military balance in the region. The principal contractor will be AM General in South Bend, Indiana. There are no known offset agreements proposed in connections with this potential sale.

 From the Federal Register

 (i) Prospective Purchaser: Iraq
(ii) Total Estimated Value:
Major Defense Equipment* $.70 billion
Other ................................... $1.70 billion
Total ................................. $2.40 billion

 175 Full Track M1A1 Abrams Tanks with 120mm Gun modified and upgraded to the M1A1 Abrams configuration,

 15 M88A2 Improved Tank Recovery Vehicles,

 175 .50 Cal M2 Machine Guns with Chrysler Mount,

 350 7.62mm M240 Machine Guns,

 10 .50 Cal BR M2 HB Machine Guns,

 10,000 M831A1 120mm High Explosive Anti-tank TP–T Ammunition,

 25,000 M865 120mm TPCSDS–T Ammunition,

 10,000 M830A1 120mm High Explosive Anti-tank Multipurpose Tracer Ammunition,

 10,000 M1002 120mm Target Practice Multipurpose Tracer (TPMP–T) Ammunition,

 and 190 AN/VRC–92 Vehicular Dual Long-Range Radio Systems,

 700 M1028 Commercial Utility Cargo Vehicles, Radios, Receiver Transmitters (RT–1702G), installation, ammunition, simulators, communication equipment, support equipment, fuel, transportation, spare and repair parts, site surveys, Quality Assurance Teams, special tools and test equipment, personnel training and training equipment, publications and technical documentation, U.S. Government and contractor technical, engineering, and logistical support services, and other related elements of program and logistics support. 

 continued

 Implementation of this proposed sale will require approximately five U.S. Government and one hundred contractor representatives to travel to Iraq for a period of up to five years for delivery, system checkout, program support, and training.

 And yesterday the New York Times reports that because of falling oil prices Iraq wants weapons to fight ISIS on credit
Battered by a sharp decline in oil prices, Iraq is asking Western allies to provide weapons on credit for its fight against the Islamic State until Baghdad is in a better position to pay.
Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi of Iraq said on Thursday that oil exports accounted for 85 percent of his government’s budget and that the precipitous drop in prices was posing a fresh challenge to the Iraqi government as it was trying to push back Islamic State militants.
“This has been disastrous for us,” Mr. Abadi said. “One thing we are asking for is deferred payment. That’s one solution. And I think our coalition partner has been very receptive of this.”
Mr. Abadi spoke at a news conference here with Secretary of State John Kerry and Philip Hammond, the British foreign secretary, after a meeting of 21 countries that are trying to weaken, and ultimately defeat, militants from the Islamic State who have proclaimed a caliphate that stretches from eastern Syria to northern and western Iraq.






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Saturday, December 20, 2014

Won't be Home for Christmas

Merry Christmas for some, meanwhile 1,300 more troops heading back to Iraq.

One thousand soldiers from the famed 82nd Airborne Division's 3rd Brigade Combat Team will deploy to Iraq in January to begin training Iraqi and Kurdish brigades, Pentagon spokesman Rear Adm. John Kirby announced Friday.
The 1,000 are part of 1,300 service members in total heading for Iraq next month, with the remaining 300 coming from multiple services and serving in counterintelligence, logistics and signals capacities, Kirby said.
Overall, 1,500 US troops are heading for Iraq in early 2015 to serve what are expected to be nine-month tours to train and assist nine Iraqi Army and three Kurdish Peshmerga brigades at several undisclosed sites across Iraq.
While those 1,500 US troops will bring the US contingent in Iraq to about 3,100 troops, they may be joined by as many as 1,500 additional forces from partner nations, according to senior US defense officials.
The State Department has also approved a nearly $3 billion dollar military equipment sale
“The State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to Iraq for M1A1 Abrams tanks and associated equipment, parts and logistical support for an estimated cost of $2.4 billion,” the U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) said in a statement on Friday.
Britain is also sending more troops, up to 200 right now, reportedly only in a training capacity (for now).

As Obama praised draw-down in Afghanistan at his end of the year review press conference, I wonder how long it will be before we send troops back there too, never-mind Obama's expanded the mission in Afghanistan as he claims victory for ending the war.

 Obama thanks troops and marks milestone in Afghanistan
The President also marked an important milestone: After more than 13 years, we are finally bringing a responsible end to America's war in Afghanistan. When the President took office, we had nearly 180,000 troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. By the end of this month, we'll have fewer than 15,000 in both countries. Over the course of six years, we have brought home 90 percent of our troops.
And this month, Afghans will take full responsibility for their security:
Even as our combat mission ends, our commitment to Afghanistan endures. We’ll continue to have a limited military presence there because we’ve got to keep training and equipping Afghan forces, and we’ve got to conduct counterterrorism missions because there are still remnants of al Qaeda there. After all the sacrifices you've made, we want to preserve the gains that you've made. We want a stable and secure Afghanistan. And we want to make sure that country is never again used to launch attacks against the United States of America.

 In November, however, Obama quietly expanded the role of the nearly 10,000 troops that will remain until the end of next year (at least for now)
President Obama decided in recent weeks to authorize a more expansive mission for the military in Afghanistan in 2015 than originally planned, a move that ensures American troops will have a direct role in fighting in the war-ravaged country for at least another year.
Mr. Obama’s order allows American forces to carry out missions against the Taliban and other militant groups threatening American troops or the Afghan government, a broader mission than the president described to the public earlier this year, according to several administration, military and congressional officials with knowledge of the decision. The new authorization also allows American jets, bombers and drones to support Afghan troops on combat missions.
In an announcement in the White House Rose Garden in May, Mr. Obama said that the American military would have no combat role in Afghanistan next year, and that the missions for the 9,800 troops remaining in the country would be limited to training Afghan forces and to hunting the “remnants of Al Qaeda.”
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Tuesday, October 14, 2014

See? I'm not the only one either

I'm not the only one who points out those not popular in the mainstream media.

I have just published this post about Malala's friends who were also shot by the Taliban, and I go to Twitter and see this by Vijay Prashad.



I will remember their names.



See this post on Syrian journalists too.



These were my thoughts when Steven Sotloff was killed by ISIS.


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Saturday, September 27, 2014

The Airstrikes are Working...

The airstrikes against ISIS are working, but not as the US intended.  The critics of war are correct again.

Vijay Prashad writes
US airstrikes on Syria seem to be driving Islamists into the arms of ISIS......
and
Pressure on Jabhat al-Nusra to reunite with ISIS after US airstrikes, http://english.al-akhbar.com/content/syrias-nusra-front-pressured-join-isis-after-us-led-airstrikes

Syria's Nusra Front pressured to join with ISIS after US-led airstrikes September 26, 2014
Al-Qaeda's affiliate in Syria, al-Nusra Front, is facing mounting pressure from its own members to reconcile with the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and confront a common enemy after US-led air strikes hit both groups this week.
But that move would require pledging loyalty to ISIS, which has declared a caliphate in territory it controls in Iraq and Syria, which would effectively put an end to al-Nusra Front, fighters in the group say.
adding
If that does happen, it would be an alliance and not a merger
and
Syria rebels, experts say US airstrikes hit Al-Nusra Front not "Khorasan"
The US says it has hit a group called "Khorasan" in Syria, but experts and Syria's so called "moderate" opposition argue it actually struck al-Qaeda's Syrian affiliate, al-Nusra Front, which fights alongside the Syria rebels.
continued
"In Syria, no one had ever heard talk of Khorasan until the US media brought it up," said Rami Abdel Rahman, director of the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
continued
targeting al-Nusra could even prove controversial within Washington's anti-jihadist alliance.
Some key members are believed to maintain channels of communication with al-Nusra, including Qatar, which has helped negotiate the release of prisoners held by the group.
Al-Nusra's terrorism in Lebanon
In August, the Lebanese army clashed with the al-Nusra and ISIS jihadists in the northeastern town of Ersal, on the Syrian borders, leaving 10 Lebanese soldiers dead.
The extremist group recently executed Lebanese soldier, Mohammad Hammieh, and is now threatening to execute second Lebanese soldier, Ali Bzal.

And in Iraq as Britain has just voted to join the military campaign against ISIS (Q & A), some Iraqis say "no" to US aistrikes
Published on Sep 21, 2014
Iraqi Shi'ite fighters say they do not need outside help as they push to reclaim the area of Jarf Al Sakher from Islamic State militants. Vanessa Johnston reports.



The day before Obama launched the first airstrikes against ISIS in Syria, we learned what many had already been saying as we saw the US march again towards war

 Weeks of U.S. Strikes Fail to Dislodge ISIS in Iraq
BAGHDAD — After six weeks of American airstrikes, the Iraqi government’s forces have scarcely budged the Sunni extremists of the Islamic State from their hold on more than a quarter of the country, in part because many critical Sunni tribes remain on the sidelines.
Although the airstrikes appear to have stopped the extremists’ march toward Baghdad, the Islamic State is still dealing humiliating blows to the Iraqi Army.
even as Obama bombs Iraq and Syria, he knows there is no military solution to a political problem
Behind the government’s struggles on the battlefield is the absence or resistance of many of the Sunni Muslim tribes that officials in Baghdad and Washington hope will play the decisive role in the course of the fight — a slow start for the centerpiece of President Obama’s plan to drive out the militants.
The Sunni tribes of Anbar and other areas drove Qaeda-linked militants out of the area seven years ago with American military help, in what became known as the Sunni Awakening. But the tribes’ alienation from the subsequent authoritarian and Shiite-led government in Baghdad opened the door for the extremists of the Islamic State to return this year.

so in conclusion, the airstrikes against ISIS are "working"
  • to recruit more members
  • to reunite ISIS with Al Qaeda approved al Nusra Front
  • ISIS demanded airstrikes in Iraq stop in beheading videos that increased recruiting more jihadis
and now we're bombing Syria as well.


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Wednesday, September 3, 2014

It's Not Just Americans

With the death today of Steven Sotloff by ISIS, this is a small post to remind Americans that tragedies happen every day all over the world, but we rarely hear about it.

We heard about James Foley and Steven Sotloff, but there have been others killed and captured while covering wars, especially the Syrian Civil war these last 3 years.  After seeing this Tweet about Syrian journalist Bassam Raies killed 2 weeks ago, I wrote this on Twitter to remind everyone that it is not just American journalists being killed.
 

I also pointed to this list of conflicts worldwide, because while the media focuses currently on Ukraine, Syria, Gaza during the war (which continues out of the headlines) there are many conflicts never mentioned, or touched on once in a while.

All conflicts
Name Sort by thingSeverity Sort by thingNews Volume Sort by thingVolume Trend Sort by thing
Afghanistanhighhighlow
Al Qaida - Arabian Peninsulalowlowmed
Algeria - AQIMlowlowmed
Angola - UNITApeacelowlow
Armenia-Azerbaijan: Nagorno-Karabakhlowlowlow
Bahrain - unrestmediumlowmed
Burundi - rebelspeacelowlow
Cameroon - Bakassilowlowlow
Central African Republiclowlowmed
Chad - rebelslowlowmed
China - Xinjianglowlowmed
Colombia - FARClowlowmed
Congo - eastmediumlowmed
Congo - Enyelelowlowlow
Egypt - protestshighmedlow
Egypt - Sinaimediumlowhigh
Eritrea - Djiboutilowlowlow
Ethiopia - Ogadenlowlowmed
Georgia - Abkhazialowlowlow
Georgia - South Ossetialowlowmed
Haiti - electionlowlowlow
India - Assamlowlowmed
India - Kashmirlowlowmed
India - Naxaliteslowlowlow
Iranlowhighmed
Iraqmediumhighmed
Israel - Palestinemediumhighlow
Ivory Coastmediumlowmed
Koreasmediumlowmed
Kyrgyzstan - unrestlowlowlow
Lebanon - Hezbollahlowlowlow
Liberia - post-civil-warpeacelowlow
Libya - post-Qaddafilowhighmed
LRAmediumlowmed
Madagascarlowlowlow
Mexico - drug cartelshighlowlow
Moldova - Transnistrialowlowmed
Mozambique - Renamolowlowmed
Myanmar - Civil Warmediumlowlow
Myanmar - Pro Democracy Groupsmediumlowlow
Nepal - Maoistslowlowlow
Niger Deltalowmedmed
Nigeria - Boko Haramhighhighmed
Northern Malihighlowhigh
Pakistan - Balochistanlowlowlow
Pakistan - Talibanhighlowlow
Philippines - Abu Sayyaflowlowmed
Philippines - MNLFmediumlowlow
Russia - Caucasuslowlowmed
Senegal - Casamancelowlowlow
Sierra Leone - RUFpeacelowlow
Somaliahighhighmed
Spain - ETAlowlowlow
Sri Lanka Civil Warlowlowlow
Sudan - Darfurhighlowlow
Sudan - southmediumlowlow
Syria - civil warhighlowmed
Thai separatistslowlowlow
Thai unrestmediumlowmed
Thailand - Cambodia: Preah Vihear Templelowlowlow
Tibetlowlowlow
Turkey - PKKlowlowmed
Ukraine - Russiahighhighmed
US - Occupy movementpeacelowhigh
US - Police Brutalitymediumlowmed
Venezuela - protestsmediumlowmed
Western Saharalowlowlow
Yemen - rebellionhighlowmed
Zimbabwemediumhighmed


List of journalists killed in Syria and Iraq, compiled by The Independent
A total of 39 professional journalists, 12 of them foreign members of the media, have been killed in connection with their work in Syria since the start of the conflict, according to Reporters Without Borders, while 22 professional journalists have been killed in Iraq in the same time.
These are the names of the professional journalists that have died in Syria since March 2011, and the 22 that have died in Iraq.

Syria
19 August 2014 - James Foley - American freelancer

21 June 2014 - Ahmed Hassan Abdel Latif - Egyptian cameraman for the Chinese press agency Xinhua

14 May 2014 - Mohamed Omar Al-Khatib - Moadamiya Media office

14 April 2014 - Mohamed Mantash - Lebanese cameraman at Al-Manar TV

14 April 2014 - Hamza Hajj Hassan - Lebanese journalist Al-Manar TV

9 March 2014 - Omar Abdelqader - Cameraman for Al-Mayadeen TV Channel

9 March 2014 - Ali Mustafa - Canadian - freelance journalist

20 February 2014 - Trad Muhamed Al-Zhuri - Media activist

20 February 2014 - Mouaz Muhi Eddin Al Khaled

9 January 2014 - Mohamed Abdul AlGhani Najjar – SNN

4 December 2013 - Yasser Faysal Al-Joumaili - Iraqi freelance cameraman

1 December 2013 - Bilal Ahmed Bilal - Director (Falasteen Al-Yom TV)

29 October 2013 - Mohamed Saeed - Correspondant - Al-Arabiya

11 October 2013 - Abdulhadi Qashit - Syrian journalist - Al-Baath/Al-Nour

20 August 2013 - Hadi Baghbani - Iranian, working for IRTVU

27 May 2013 - Yara Abbas - Journalist - Al-Ikhbariya TV

2 April 2013 - Abd Al-Rahim Kour Hassan (alias Mohammad AL-Ghazali) - Radio manager -Watan FM

24 February 2013 - Olivier Voisin - Free-lance photographer

25 January 2013 - Mohamed Abd Al-Rahman - Sport journalist for Syria News

18 January 2013 - Mohammed Al-Horani - Correspondant - Al Jazeera

17 January 2013 - Yves Debay - Journaliste - Assaut

4 January 2013 - Suhail Mahmoud Al-Ali - Journalist - Syrian State TV

21 December 2012 - Haydar Al-Soumoudi - Cameraman - Syrian State TV

4 December 2012 - Naji Assaad - Governmental newspaper Tishreen

21 November 2012 - Bassel Tawfiq Youssef - Syrian State TV

15 October 2012 - Hisham Moussali - Video editor for Syrian national television

10 October 2012 - Mohamed Al-Ashram - Cameraman pro-government Al-Ikhbariya TV

26 September 2012 - Maya Nasser - Press TV

16 September 2012 - Yusuf Ahmed Deeb - Journalist - Newspaper Liwaa Al-Fatih.

9 September 2012 - Tamer Al-Awam - Filmmaker and freelance journalist

22 August 2012 - Mossaab Mohamed Saeed Al-Odaallah - Tishreen

20 August 2012 - Mika Yamamoto - japanese journalist - Japan Press

11 August 2012 - Ali Abbas - Head of internal affairs at the government news agency SANA

3 August 2012 - Mohammad Saeed - Syrian national TV

14 July 2012 - Falah Taha - Iraqi freelance journalist

22 February 2012 - Marie Colvin - American journalist - Sunday Times

22 February 2012 - Rémi Ochlik - French journalist - IP3 Press

11 January 2012 - Gilles Jacquier - French journalist - France 2

2 January 2012 - Shoukri Ahmed Ratib Abu Bourghoul - Al-Thawra

Iraq

8 August 2014 - Leyla Yıldızhan, alias Deniz Firat - Kurdish reporter, Firat News Agency

16 June 2014 - Khaled Ali Hamada - Iraqi cameraman for Al-Ahad TV

20 January 2014 - Firas Mohammed Attiyah - Iraq- Freelance reporter - Fallujah TV

23 December 2013 - Raad Yassine Al-Badi - Directeur de l’information - Salaheddine TV

23 December 2013 - Wissan Al-Azzaoui - Présentatrice TV - Salaheddine TV

23 December 2013 - Jamal Abdel Nasser - Producteur - Salaheddine TV

23 December 2013 - Mohamed Ahmad Al-Khatib - Caméraman - Salaheddine TV

15 December 2013 - Nawras Al-Nouaimi - Iraqi TV presenter - Al Mosuliya TV

5 December 2013 - Kawa Germyani - Iraqi journalist - Editor in chief of Rayal Magazine - Correspondant for Awene newspaper

24 November 2013 - ’Alaa Edward Boutros - Cameraman - Nineveh Al-Ghad

24 October 2013 - Bachar Abdulqader Najm Al-Nouaïmi - Cameraman - Al-Mosuliya

5 October 2013 - Mohamed Karim Al-Badrani - Correspondant de Al-Sharqiya TV

5 October 2013 - Mohamed Al-Ghanem - Cameraman de Al-Sharqiya TV

17 November 2012 - Samir Sheikh Ali - "Al-Jamahir Al-Baghdadiya" editor in chief

14 November 2012 - Ziyad Tarek - Diyala TV

30 July 2012 - Ghazwan Anas - Sama Al-Mossoul TV presenter

2 April 2012 - Kamiran Salaheddin - Salahaddin TV

8 September 2011 - Hadi Al-Mahdi - Radio Demozy, Sumariya TV

21 June 2011 - Salem Alwan Al-Ghorabi - Afaq TV

8 April 2011 - Taha Al-‘Alawi - Al-Masar TV

29 March 2011 - Sabah Al-Bazi - Al-Arabiya, CNN, Reuters

29 March 2011 - Muammar Khadir Abdelwahad - Eye Media Agency

Ms Dollet added that while the number of professional journalists killed in Syria in the past three years is 39, there are 122 Syrian citizen journalists to have died in the same period of time.
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