Obama on Iraq - Iraq Crisis

The White House: President Obama's weekly address was on Iraq, the President stated the following, " This week, I authorized two operations in Iraq.  First, I directed our military to take action to protect our American diplomats and military advisors serving in the city of Erbil.  In recent days, terrorist forces neared the city.  Thursday night, I made it clear that if they attempted to advance further, our military would respond with targeted strikes.  That’s what we’ve done.  And, if necessary, that’s what we will continue to do.  We have Americans serving across Iraq, including our embassy in Baghdad, and we’ll do whatever is needed to protect our people.

Second, we’ve begun a humanitarian effort to help those Iraqi civilians trapped on that mountain. The terrorists that have taken over parts of Iraq have been especially brutal to religious minorities—rounding up families, executing men, enslaving women, and threatening the systematic destruction of an entire religious community, which would be genocide. 

The thousands—perhaps tens of thousands—of Iraqi men, women and children who fled to that mountain were starving and dying of thirst.  The food and water we airdropped will help them survive.  I’ve also approved targeted American airstrikes to help Iraqi forces break the siege and rescue these families.  Earlier this week, one anguished Iraqi in this area cried to the world, “There is no one coming to help.”  Today, America is helping. 

The United States cannot and should not intervene every time there’s a crisis in the world.  But when there’s a situation like the one on this mountain—when countless innocent people are facing a massacre, and when we have the ability to help prevent it—the United States can’t just look away. That’s not who we are. We’re Americans.  We act.  We lead.  And that’s what we’re going to do on that mountain.  As one American who wrote to me yesterday said, “it is the right thing to do.”  

As Commander-in-Chief, I will not allow the United States to be dragged into fighting another war in Iraq.  American combat troops will not be returning to fight in Iraq, because there’s no American military solution to the larger crisis there. 

What we will do is continue our broader strategy in Iraq.  We will protect our citizens.  We will work with the international community to address this humanitarian crisis.  We’ll help prevent these terrorists from having a permanent safe haven from which to attack America.  And we’ll continue to urge Iraqi communities to reconcile, come together and fight back against these terrorists so the people of Iraq have the opportunity for a better future—the opportunity for which so many Americans gave their lives in Iraq in a long and hard war.

Today, we salute our brave men and women in uniform—especially our courageous pilots and crews over Iraq.  They’re protecting our fellow Americans.  They’re helping save the lives of innocent people on a mountain—people who today know that there’s a country called America that cares for them, too, and that is willing to stand up—not just for our own security, but for the dignity and freedom that belongs to all people. "

Lets Get Real:

President Obama made one mistake his weekly address, never say something you might not be able to follow through on, that mistake was to say that the US would not send US troops back to Iraq, the future can not be planned, a President might get a stark choice, either Iraq as an ally to the US through US ground troops or the Islamic State of Iraq with its oil.  Never, say Never. 

IS this a NEW Obama on the Middle East - Iraq Crisis

CNN - Politics: Reports the following, " The escalation marks a turning point in the Obama administration's foreign policy, which has avoided direct military involvement in Iraq and Syria until now. "

Lets Get Real:

Is this really a new Obama, will he really use the might of US power more, this crisis in Iraq is the test, if after air strikes ISIS pulls back will the Oval carry on the fight, take the fight to them, or will declare victory and leave the problem to his successor.   One has doubts that POTUS has the stomach for a long air war, and yes for victory there will have to be ground troops or least special forces.  This present crisis in Iraq will define the Obama Presidency for the last two years, does he take down ISIS or just has PR air strikes and leaves the problem to his successor, one would hope that the Oval would see the threat of ISIS and take the War to them, but for the fact that Obama has failed to act over the years, the next few days and months will be interesting to see how far POTUS goes in Iraq. 

ISIS in Iraq and World War One - Iraq Update 3 - Middle East

Telegraph - Iraq Live: Reports the following in its 1.32pm post, " ...the birth of the group's self-declared Caliphate is "the most radical change to the political geography of the Middle East since the Sykes-Picot Agreement was implemented in the aftermath of the First World War".

Lets Get Real:

ISIS is a threat to ALL Countries in the Middle East, if ISIS can move the captured weapons from Iraq to Syria it could remove the Assad Regime then use Syria and its controlled lands in Iraq to mount a threat to Iran, Jordan, Lebanon, and at the end even Israel, thus if the West has a brain cell and Obama can get over his ego this group needs to be destroyed NOW, not later, not when intelligence thinks it a threat, the Oval could not cope with Syria and Iraq under the Islamic State, it could kiss its last two years goodbye, the Islamic State would have the money and the time to cause problems for the West and the rest of the Middle East.   Thus time for the West to find its backbone and hit ISIS hard. 

Iraq Update 2 - Iraq Crisis

Guardian: Reports the following, " 20,000 Iraqis besieged by Isis escape from mountain after US air strikes "

Lets Get Real: 

This shows how air power can help in a crisis, but it won't be enough to take down ISIS, the US and the UK have to get the FACT, that sooner or later, and sooner is the likely result the West will have to send UK and US special forces back in to Iraq,   these special forces have to point out the location of ISIS and pin point them for attacking aircraft, also the West has to rebuild the Iraqi army again, also buy off those groups that are more interested in money and having a better relationship with the West.   The US can not allow Iran to come to the rescue of the Baghdad Government, that would be a nightmare for Iraq and US and cloud the Obama legacy after 2017. 

Iraq Update - Iraq Crisis

BBC News: Reports the following, " The US military says it has carried out a third round of air strikes on Sunni Muslim militants to defend civilians in northern Iraq. "

Lets Get Real:

The US strikes was a wise move by President Obama, the OVAL keeps stating that there will be no ground troops sent to Iraq, this is VERY UNWISE, the Islamic State or ISISI can not pushed back or destroyed without the use of ground troops, the Oval has to get over its ego, President Obama used Iraq to get elected, well now the Oval has to sell the idea of getting troops back in to combat, IF Iraq falls to the ISIS, the Oval will be eating their dust for the last two of his Administration, oil prices could go up and the land held by ISIS could train terrorists to attack the West, this would be a massive negative for the OBAMA LEGACY, POTUS ran on his record against Al Qaeda, that he had taken them down, well the franchise has moved on, ISIS is now a major threat to the Middle East and the West.  

US General KILLED in Afghanistan - Afghanistan WAR

The New York Times: Reports on an attack on Coalition Forces in Afghanistan " An Afghan soldier killed a United States Army major general...The major general appeared to be the highest-ranking member of the American military to die in hostilities overseas since the Vietnam War. "

Lets Get Real:

The Obama's policy of transferring the combat to Afghan troops might be the biggest mistake yet of his Presidency,  when ever Obama or Biden take an interest in foreing policy it goes VERY wrong, lets see, Biden could not get an agreement for US troops to stay in Iraq, thus the rise of ISIS, when Obama increased troops to Afghanistan he set a cut off date, thus showing our allies and the Afghan people that Obama had no interest in Afghanistan.   Then we come to Syria, at one moment Obama's refusal to back his own words of action has cut the power of US in the Middle East and showed that Secretary Kerry does not have the ear of the President.    In Israel the Obama Administratoin is NOT seen as a friend, thus what ever Obama says about the Middle East is thrown in the bin by Israel.   Thus today we have the death of a Major General is the US Army, questions will be raised about the policy of the Oval towards Afghanistan, Obama waffles and others die. 

Bush 43 on Bush 41 - The Bush Era

Guardian:  Reports " George W Bush writes biography of his father..Life of George Bush Sr will look at both the career and the 'warm decent man known best by his family' "

Lets Get Real:

This will be interesting, Bush 43 looking at his father's public and private life, it will be interesting to see how Bush 43 deals with the First Gulf War and his father's decision not to go in Iraq, and how that is different from 2nd Gulf War of Bush 43.   How as Vice - President under Ronald Reagan he saw the role of the US in Afghanistan as the Reagan Administration support local rebels against the then USSR.  How the failure to look after Afghanistan by Bush 41 and Bill Clinton lead to the creatoin of the Taliban.     How the defeat in 1992 to Bill Clinton allowed Jeb and Bush 41 to start their own political careers, how Bush 43 made sure he won in 2004.   One wonders will be the book be hard hitting, one has doubts, that would ask to much of a loving son.