The Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant Megathread

[Malthus]

I wonder why?

Must be "intern envy". 

[Jacob]

What are we suppose to do? Even those that are being slaughtered don't like us.

Did you get out there and show solidarity with Hamas?  I would appreciate at least a little solidarity for an entire people who are not even launching rockets at anybody.

No, I stand with Israel.

I don't know how you can give solidarity to a force that will turn on you the moment it feels safe to do so.

Can you name any incidents of Yazidi terrorism?

[mongers]

James Jeffrey, former recent US ambassador to Iraq was just interviewed on Channel 4 news, calling for bombing and more bombing.
Whilst he said Obama was right to be looking to make a political change in Iraq, he all but said the administration was fiddling whilst Rome burned.

He said there was a military solution to IS, which was to bomb them now, provide the Iraqis and Kurds with air support, weapons, leadership/organization and training. 

He sounded at turns both desperate and exasperated. 

[Malthus]

Can you name any incidents of Yazidi terrorism?

In H.P. Lovecraft's story "The Horror at Red Hook", some of the murderous foreigners are identified as belonging to "the Yezidi clan of devil-worshippers".   

Sadly, that is just about the only impact they have ever had in the West ... 

Seriously, though, thet are a fascinating group, who keep themselves very much to themselves (probably wisely, given the neighbourhood they live in).

[Caliga]

Hey Cal, Goettafest is this weekend

Totally forgot!  Probably can't convince the missus to go this time, though.  Since the dog started having seizures she can barely be persuaded to leave his side...

[Sheilbh]

The US should maybe think seriously about intervening on the side of Syria. It's clear that any "moderate" Syrians aren't going to have any success stuck between ISIS and Assad, but everyone sane is against ISIS.

So we back a regime whose strongest military aid is Hezbollah and the IRG? What if they decide to use that expertise on Israel?

Can you name any incidents of Yazidi terrorism?

Not what you mean but they were the victims of the largest al-Qaeda attack since 9/11 when 700 were killed in coordinated bombings in Northern Iraq, 2007.

He said there was a military solution to IS, which was to bomb them now, provide the Iraqis and Kurds with air support, weapons, leadership/organization and training. 

We should consider air strikes and supporting the Kurds (and of course humanitarian support to refugees).

But I don't see why we should aid the Iraqi government or even how we could effectively. If they aren't willing to make concessions. If they're going to maintain their Shia, sectarian government then we'd either have to chase ISIS all the way into Syria and intervene there, or re-occupy Iraq.

[frunk]

I'll be pretty pissed if we don't materially support the Kurds.  There's no reason to abandon them to this mess.

[derspiess]

I'll be pretty pissed if we don't materially support the Kurds.  There's no reason to abandon them to this mess.

I definitely want us to help them as well.  Only problem is they're kind of hard to get to by land right now.  I suppose we could send them some stuff by air.

[Sheilbh]

I definitely want us to help them as well.  Only problem is they're kind of hard to get to by land right now.  I suppose we could send them some stuff by air.

If airlifts were possible that'd be good. But aside from that we need to work with the Turks. I don't think that's impossible as Erdogan's pretty friendly with the Kurds (for a Turkish leader) for domestic reasons and increasingly urgently as a force against ISIS.

[derspiess]

If airlifts were possible that'd be good. But aside from that we need to work with the Turks. I don't think that's impossible as Erdogan's pretty friendly with the Kurds (for a Turkish leader) for domestic reasons and increasingly urgently as a force against ISIS.

Still sounds a bit tricky to go through Turkey.  I can imagine our convoys getting rocks & shit thrown at them by nationalistic Turks even if we get official permission. 

Maybe we could give the stuff to Iran & make them pinkie-swear to forward it on to the Kurds

[Sheilbh]

Still sounds a bit tricky to go through Turkey.  I can imagine our convoys getting rocks & shit thrown at them by nationalistic Turks even if we get official permission. 

Oh yeah. But even if they opened their airspace to support the Kurds it'd be far easier than to supply them from Cyprus via Turkey than over Iraq or Syria.

[Savonarola]

Qouting the Guardian, they have 30-50,000 men now

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2014/08/06/40000-yazidi-iraqis-stranded-on-mountain-as-isis-jihadists-threaten-death/

All the savage opportunists from the gazillion other robber bands I mean islamist revolutionary organisations in the region must be flocking under their flag.

Never change a winning strategy.   

[Sheilbh]

Interesting/sad historical fact about the Yazidis is that, according to Gertrude Bell, during the Armenian genocide they sheltered thousands fleeing the Turks

Edit: Incidentally I expect US airstrikes on this. Given the level of briefing around it looks likely and from what I understand the major issues Obama (rightly) has with any intervention in Iraq is the moral hazard risk with Maliki and that it's open-ended. This has neither of those problems.

[Ed Anger]

ED ANGER WAR BONER IS AT DEF CON 1

[Josquius]

Interesting/sad historical fact about the Yazidis is that, according to Gertrude Bell, during the Armenian genocide they sheltered thousands fleeing the Turks

That's unusual given what I've read (wikipedia) about their obsession with purity and not mixing with outsiders too much. But nice.

I hope abrahanic monotheism doesn't claim another victim