The Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant Megathread

[crazy canuck]

Does anyone know or have sources that speak to the extent of US airstrikes in Iraq?

Are we just hitting ISIS where they are attacking civilians in particular areas, or engaging in a more generalized air offensive against them, or something in between?

There doesn't seem to be a lot of information out there right now about the extent of US involvement.

What about our allies - is this a US only operation, or is the UK or any other NATO members involved at all?

Personally I'd like to see a half-dozen Apache helos stationed in Kurdistan for more direct and timely air support.

I recall a report that drones were being used for that purpose.

[Hansmeister]

Fun facts on Yazidis:

They are a variation of Zoroastrianism.

They worship an angel who defied God and bowed down to Adam instead.

They ban the eating of .... Lettuce? WTF?

[Malthus]

They ban the eating of .... Lettuce? WTF?

Don't tell my kid, or he'll convert. 

[viper37]

What about our allies - is this a US only operation, or is the UK or any other NATO members involved at all?

Didn't someone post that SAS commandos were on the ground, or soon to be deployed on the ground?

Canada ain't there for now, though future participation is not excluded if it becomes a UN mandate.  I don't think we have the kind of hardware necessary for such missions right now, anyway.

[Hansmeister]

Does anyone know or have sources that speak to the extent of US airstrikes in Iraq?

Are we just hitting ISIS where they are attacking civilians in particular areas, or engaging in a more generalized air offensive against them, or something in between?

There doesn't seem to be a lot of information out there right now about the extent of US involvement.

What about our allies - is this a US only operation, or is the UK or any other NATO members involved at all?

So far the air strikes have been very limited, more to send a message rather than to degrade ISIS capabilities. That means they will prove to be ineffective. There are persistent rumors of British SAS being on the ground.

[DGuller]

They ban the eating of .... Lettuce? WTF?

That's pretty shrewd, actually.  I bet Jews are having second thoughts about their choice of banned foods now.

[mongers]

Obama due to make a statement within the next few minutes on military action in Iraq:

http://www.reuters.com/

[Tonitrus]

Fun facts on Yazidis:

They are a variation of Zoroastrianism.

They worship an angel who defied God and bowed down to Adam instead.

They ban the eating of .... Lettuce? WTF?

The wiki article on Yazidi's says the exact opposite of that...instead that the angel refused God's order to bow before Adam (and that is why Islamists think that angel is the devil). 

[Darth Wagtaros]

Does anyone know or have sources that speak to the extent of US airstrikes in Iraq?

Are we just hitting ISIS where they are attacking civilians in particular areas, or engaging in a more generalized air offensive against them, or something in between?

There doesn't seem to be a lot of information out there right now about the extent of US involvement.

What about our allies - is this a US only operation, or is the UK or any other NATO members involved at all?

So far the air strikes have been very limited, more to send a message rather than to degrade ISIS capabilities. That means they will prove to be ineffective. There are persistent rumors of British SAS being on the ground.

I've heard about the SAS.  Ineffective air strikes are not surprising to me for some reason. But not making me happy.

[Josquius]

The ineffective airstrikes are a little confusing to me.
Where IS had been so troublesome likely was that they had acquired a lot of heavy weaponry and artillery (largely from fleeing Iraqi army troops...) - this makes them a lot more effective at fighting the predominantly infantry and technical armies they're up against....but far more open to conventional attacks than their traditional street fighter tactics would have left them.


Also, something that is puzzling me a little with reporting of events, is that IS' area of control is always shown as a very long and snakey area with a lot of gaps.
This makes sense of course, IS aren't stomping through the empty deserts in those gaps, they're sticking to the areas around major roads.
But....that's not the way area of control maps are normally done. There isn't any resistance in those gaps so it is odd they're not also being painted in IS colours.
I wonder what brought on this style decision in this particular war, going counter to previous standard convention.

[Darth Wagtaros]

The ineffective airstrikes are a little confusing to me.
Where IS had been so troublesome likely was that they had acquired a lot of heavy weaponry and artillery (largely from fleeing Iraqi army troops...) - this makes them a lot more effective at fighting the predominantly infantry and technical armies they're up against....but far more open to conventional attacks than their traditional street fighter tactics would have left them

I think Washington wants to do it on the cheap.  And nobody else cares enough to invest anything in stopping them.

[Razgovory]

Whoever made this map nonsensically redrew borders with sheer abandon, yet still has the West Bank as "status undetermined". Not even nutjobs can figure that one out yet.

Ralph Peters.  He has some unusual views.

[Queequeg]

Fun facts on Yazidis:

They are a variation of Zoroastrianism.

They worship an angel who defied God and bowed down to Adam instead.

Neither of these are accurate.  Yazdanism is obviously related to Zoroastrianism but is more locally Kurdish and does not have any of the strict rules of Zoroastrianism or the scriptures.  It's really more a kind of Sufism that was completely swamped by local Zoroastiran-ish Kurdish beliefs in the Middle Ages. 

Melek Taus REFUSES to bow to Adam.  That was the drama.  That's why Muslims think of him as a Satanic figure.   

[Grinning_Colossus]

That another name for Malak Taus is Shaytan doesn't help.

[CountDeMoney]

Leave it to Spellus to have the Girls of The Yazidi, 2013-14 pin-up calendar.  With the bonus months.