The Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant Megathread

[KRonn]

Just watching a AJ report with the Kurds fighting on the frontline toward Mosul, when they cut to shots of their artillery support on top of the mountain, a British 25-pounder.     

A fine weapon in its day, but maybe we need to be getting them more modern and more numerous weapons, like the ones the Americans 'gave' to ISIL via the Iraqi 'army'.

Well, if you Brits had bothered to equip the Iraqi army more heavily as well, ISIL could also be using British weapons too!    

[KRonn]

We're at war with ISIS/ISIL/IS/Whatever the French call them. Which is good, it felt terrible having a year without being at war somewhere in the Middle East. We truly are indebted to Fogh for starting this wonderful tradition.

http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2014/09/26/Denmark-to-send-seven-F-16s-to-fight-is-group-in-Iraq-PM-.html (It did indeed pass with a big majority)

Yeah, I saw in the news that Denmark was entering the war on ISIL, at least in Iraq to start with. It passed with a big majority in England too. I guess ISIL is being taken quite seriously. Now if only Turkish, Saudi and other regional nation's troops would go in on the ground, since this is a bigger threat to all of them. It would seem  better culturely for Arabic speaking troops to be seen by the locals, rather than Western troops all the time, IMO.

[Berkut]

I am impressed Denmark has actual functioning airplanes to send. That is apparently a rather unusual situation in NATO these days.

Well done!

[grumbler]

Just watching a AJ report with the Kurds fighting on the frontline toward Mosul, when they cut to shots of their artillery support on top of the mountain, a British 25-pounder.     

A fine weapon in its day, but maybe we need to be getting them more modern and more numerous weapons, like the ones the Americans 'gave' to ISIL via the Iraqi 'army'.

Or, we could "give" more shit British kit to ISIL via the Iraqi Army, and cripple it that way. 

[Tamas]

I am impressed Denmark has actual functioning airplanes to send. That is apparently a rather unusual situation in NATO these days.

Well done!

Yeah I thought that Hungary having only 3 or 4 battle-ready Grippens was lame. As it turns out, they could with a bit of luck destroy the current Luftwaffe with that strength.

[Baron von Schtinkenbutt]

The WWI aesthetic makes a comeback.

Awesome, though the first vehicle in the picture set is just a BTR with ad hoc armor skirts.

[celedhring]

It reminds me of the Spanish Civil War makeshift armored cars.

[Jacob]

I am impressed Denmark has actual functioning airplanes to send. That is apparently a rather unusual situation in NATO these days.

Well done!

Maybe this is the time for Denmark to conquer Germany.

[Zanza]

Probably more relevant than Denmark's contribution:

Islamic State: Turkey MPs back Iraq-Syria deployment

Turkey's parliament has backed a motion allowing its military to enter Iraq and Syria to fight Islamic State (IS) militants.

The resolution will also permit foreign troops to use Turkish territory for the operation.

The motion was passed with 298 MPs in favour and 98 against.

Turkey had been unwilling to fight IS militants because they were holding 46 Turkish hostages - but they were released last month.

Turkey is also wary of retaliation by IS and fears helping the Kurds who are fighting the militants.

Protesters demonstrated outside parliament as the debate began.

Turkey has a porous and vulnerable border with Syria, more than 900km (560 miles) long.

Turkey has long been accused of permitting the flow of jihadists and resources into Syria as well as allowing IS to traffic oil from oilfields it has captured. The government in Ankara denies the allegations.

The approval of parliament could also enable the US to use its large airbase at Incirlik in southern Turkey for air strikes.

Speaking in parliament earlier on Wednesday, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan urged the West to find a long-term solution to the crises in Syria and Iraq, pointing out that dropping "tonnes of bombs" on IS militants would only provide a temporary respite.

While he said "an effective struggle" against IS would be a priority for Turkey, "the immediate removal of the administration in Damascus" would also continue to be its priority.

He has repeatedly called for a buffer zone on the Turkish border inside Syria - enforced by a no-fly zone - to ensure security.

IS militants have advanced to within a few kilometres of the Kurdish town of Kobane, on the Syrian border with Turkey.

Imprisoned Kurdish militant leader Abdullah Ocalan was reported by Reuters on Thursday to have warned that peace talks between his group and the Turkish state would end if IS militants were allowed to carry out "a massacre" in Kobane.

The Islamic State advance close to the border has prompted thousands of Kurdish refugees fleeing the fighting in Syria to enter Turkey, which is already hosting more than a million Syrian refugees.

The IS campaign has also raised fears for the safety of Turkish special forces troops in Syria guarding the mausoleum of Suleyman Shah, the grandfather of Osman I, who founded the Ottoman Empire. The tomb is in a small enclave some 30km (18 miles) south of the Turkish border.

Mr Erdogan denied reports on Wednesday that the tomb had been surrounded by militants.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-29455204

[Admiral Yi]

It reminds me of the Spanish Civil War makeshift armored cars.

That armor doesn't look makeshift at all. 

[derspiess]

Just watching a AJ report with the Kurds fighting on the frontline toward Mosul, when they cut to shots of their artillery support on top of the mountain, a British 25-pounder.     

A fine weapon in its day, but maybe we need to be getting them more modern and more numerous weapons, like the ones the Americans 'gave' to ISIL via the Iraqi 'army'.

  Those things show up everywhere.  I ran into one in Buenos Aires a little while ago.

[Syt]

I only had this one

[Zanza]

So Turkey openly considers ground troops to fight against IS. That could be a major change in the power balance in Syria and Iraq.

[Josquius]

Really interesting to read today about the Turkish tomb exclave. Had never heard of it before.

[Valmy]

We got Turks, Iranians, Syrians, and Western pigdogs all on the same team.  The Islamic State really brings everybody together.