The Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant Megathread

[mongers]

The one consolation to be found in the Steven Sotloff murder is it's a sign of how desperate ISIS now is, the US air-strikes and co-ordinated local offensives have put them on the backfoot.

[jimmy olsen]

They're on the backfoot in Iraq, but they're still winning in Syria.

[CountDeMoney]

The one consolation to be found in the Steven Sotloff murder is it's a sign of how desperate ISIS now is, the US air-strikes and co-ordinated local offensives have put them on the backfoot.

I don't see how it is a sign of desperation at all.

[CountDeMoney]

350 additional US personnel dispatched to Iraq to "protect" US diplomatic facilities.  That's about 1,000 peeps on the ground, from Green Beanies to diplomatic security to forward air controllers.

So can we please stop dicking around and just drop the first two brigades of the 82nd and their heavy slice in already?  Like General Zinni said this weekend, that's all we'd need to push ISIS's shit in and force them back into the Syrian mountains.

[Razgovory]

I like the idea of some raids, maybe special forces maybe something bigger.  Knock out some command and control and logistics and then just leave.  Let it be a warning to them.  Maybe the bastards will get the idea.

[CountDeMoney]

Oh, and in related news, we apparently bombed the assfuck out of a camp and moving vehicle in Somalia last night.  Whether or not Godane was in the car...well, they're still trying to find recognizable body parts.

[CountDeMoney]

I like the idea of some raids, maybe special forces maybe something bigger.  Knock out some command and control and logistics and then just leave.  Let it be a warning to them.  Maybe the bastards will get the idea.

These guys don't strike me as the "take the hint" kind of crowd. 
Pretty sure the only thing these assholes will understand is 30,000 lbs of the blinding power of American sunshine righteously baking their dark age asses from 30,000 feet, courtesy of the fine people at Boeing Defense, Space & Security (NYSE: B52).

[Ed Anger]

In'shallah

[Razgovory]

I like the idea of some raids, maybe special forces maybe something bigger.  Knock out some command and control and logistics and then just leave.  Let it be a warning to them.  Maybe the bastards will get the idea.

These guys don't strike me as the "take the hint" kind of crowd. 
Pretty sure the only thing these assholes will understand is 30,000 lbs of the blinding power of American sunshine righteously baking their dark age asses from 30,000 feet, courtesy of the fine people at Boeing Defense, Space & Security (NYSE: B52).

That's good as well.

[Ed Anger]

I want some hot Strike Eagle action.

[mongers]

I like the idea of some raids, maybe special forces maybe something bigger.  Knock out some command and control and logistics and then just leave.  Let it be a warning to them.  Maybe the bastards will get the idea.

These guys don't strike me as the "take the hint" kind of crowd. 
Pretty sure the only thing these assholes will understand is 30,000 lbs of the blinding power of American sunshine righteously baking their dark age asses from 30,000 feet, courtesy of the fine people at Boeing Defense, Space & Security (NYSE: B52).

Sounds good.

And if the primary target has disappeared at the last moment, then move onto the secondary over Riyadh. 

[Duque de Bragança]

And Germany is sending the Kurds some useful armaments:


Germany to supply arms to Kurds fighting IS in Iraq

Germany will also send 240 armour-piercing bazookas, 8,000 G3 rifles with two million rounds, and 8,000 of the newer G36 rifles, with four million rounds. Forty MG3 machine guns are also on the list, and 8,000 pistols.

Full item here:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-29012159

Indeed.  
G3 rifles were already used by the paras in the Portuguese armed forces in the early sixties during the colonial wars (my father's generation). Initially, they complained since the Armalite they had (AR-10 for the Languish gun nuts) was lighter but then the G3 was more reliable so they ended up preferring it.

[Syt]

G3 assault rifles were also used by the Argentine soldiers in the Falkland War.

My G3 was 30 years old at the time of my using it.

[KRonn]

I like the idea of some raids, maybe special forces maybe something bigger.  Knock out some command and control and logistics and then just leave.  Let it be a warning to them.  Maybe the bastards will get the idea.

These guys don't strike me as the "take the hint" kind of crowd. 
Pretty sure the only thing these assholes will understand is 30,000 lbs of the blinding power of American sunshine righteously baking their dark age asses from 30,000 feet, courtesy of the fine people at Boeing Defense, Space & Security (NYSE: B52).

One good course of action, which I assume the US is already doing to some extent, is to do the same as in Afghanistan to oust the Taliban. Send in special forces teams to work with local fighters, Kurds, Iraqi military and others, to provide air support by pinpointing targets. That requires relatitvely few soldiers and worked amazinginly well in Afghanistan and in the right circumstances is a huge force multiplier. I assume it'll work in Iraq vs ISIS as well. Then a larger and very effective bombing campaign could begin in earnest with the local ground troops taking initiative.

[Darth Wagtaros]

I want some hot Strike Eagle action.

Chappy Sinclair and Doug Masters would bea ll over this shit.