The Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant Megathread

[Sheilbh]

Anybody got a map of what territory ISIS currently controls?

Basically the Euphrates:
http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2014/06/11/world/middleeast/isis-control-map.html?_r=1

But as I say they don't just take cities, they normally take the countryside first and then seize the city. For example in the case of Mosul the Iraqi government has had to fly in supplies for some time because transport by road wasn't safe.

Edit: Also this. Don't know the source but it agrees with the NYT and is clickable
https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&oe=UTF8&msa=0&msid=206503076099972915830.0004fb81021906110e889&t=m&source=embed&ll=34.939985,41.616211&spn=6.302619,12.304687&z=6&dg=feature

Edit: Also this:


There are rumours that Revolutionary Guards are now crossing the border to help the government

[citizen k]

[Viking]

Is ISIS just a proxy for Saudi Wahabbism?

No, ISIS is to Saudi Wahhabism what The Tea Party is to the US Communist Party.  These are the guys the crazy nutjobs think are crazy nutjobs. These are the guys Al-Qaeda thinks is too extreme. 

[Valmy]

They sure control a lot of territory for being a radical minority of a radical minority.

[CountDeMoney]

I don't remember the run-up to the war being that sectarian, if anything that would show a dangerous almost Arabist amount of local knowledge.

Not really, all it took was reading some of Poppy Bush's and General Schwarzkopf's memoirs on Gulf War I, and the reasons they outlined for not going to Baghdad were very specific about the sectarian chaos that removing the Hussein regime would cause in post-conflict environment.

But no, Don't Mess Wiff Texas thought he knew better than the men that orchestrated the most lopsided military victory since the suppresion of the Jewish Revolt of 71 AD.

Shia majority + "democracy" = What could happen? 

Tehran sends its regards.  And its thanks.

[Tamas]

If the Revolutionary Guard going is true, maybe these ISIS guys are for Iran what the "russian self defense militas" are for Putin? Forces to support so they destabilise and create pretext for intervention?

[DGuller]

Anybody got a map of what territory ISIS currently controls?

I have some grossly outdated one.  It's from two hours ago.

[Sheilbh]

If the Revolutionary Guard going is true, maybe these ISIS guys are for Iran what the "russian self defense militas" are for Putin? Forces to support so they destabilise and create pretext for intervention?

Syrians, who are only fractionally less conspiracy minded than Hungarians, have suggested that they were funded by Syria and Iran. As I say in Syria they generally destroy the opposition forces before turning on Assad.

But the impression I get is that even if that were the case this has blownback massively. Maliki's a friendly government for Iran, they don't really want any Iraqi territory and they seem to be seriously panicked by what's happening. But that is as Chemi Shalev is putting it 'breaking BUT unconfirmed BUT possibly critical'.

Edit: This is interesting, ISIS are filming themselves symbolically destroying Sykes-Picot border post.

Also on the Iraqi collapse:
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/jun/11/mosul-isis-gunmen-middle-east-states

Iraqi officials told the Guardian that two divisions of Iraqi soldiers - roughly 30,000 men - simply turned and ran in the face of the assault by an insurgent force of just 800 fighters.

[Ed Anger]

Derka derka derka

[Valmy]

Iraqi officials told the Guardian that two divisions of Iraqi soldiers - roughly 30,000 men - simply turned and ran in the face of the assault by an insurgent force of just 800 fighters.

It is so disheartening.  These men are defending their homeland from murderers and somehow the murderers seem much more motivated than they are.

[Malthus]

Iraqi officials told the Guardian that two divisions of Iraqi soldiers - roughly 30,000 men - simply turned and ran in the face of the assault by an insurgent force of just 800 fighters.

It is so disheartening.  These men are defending their homeland from murderers and somehow the murderers seem much more motivated than they are.

The best lack all conviction, while the worst
    Are full of passionate intensity.

[Crazy_Ivan80]

Iraqi officials told the Guardian that two divisions of Iraqi soldiers - roughly 30,000 men - simply turned and ran in the face of the assault by an insurgent force of just 800 fighters.

It is so disheartening.  These men are defending their homeland from murderers and somehow the murderers seem much more motivated than they are.

appears that there IS an army in worse shape than the one from Ukraine...

[Sheilbh]

Depressing thing about that is a world where the Iraqi army and Maliki are 'the best'

This is the best single piece on it I've read:
http://arabist.net/blog/2014/6/11/malikis-most-solemn-hour

[derspiess]

Anybody got a map of what territory ISIS currently controls?

Basically the Euphrates:
http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2014/06/11/world/middleeast/isis-control-map.html?_r=1

But as I say they don't just take cities, they normally take the countryside first and then seize the city. For example in the case of Mosul the Iraqi government has had to fly in supplies for some time because transport by road wasn't safe.

Edit: Also this. Don't know the source but it agrees with the NYT and is clickable
https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&oe=UTF8&msa=0&msid=206503076099972915830.0004fb81021906110e889&t=m&source=embed&ll=34.939985,41.616211&spn=6.302619,12.304687&z=6&dg=feature

Edit: Also this:


There are rumours that Revolutionary Guards are now crossing the border to help the government

Thanks & also thanks to CK.

[Sheilbh]

My favourite response and proof that all politics is local is from the AKP MP who accused the Gulen movement of being behind ISIS