Iraq

“Could we have a prudent pause?”

Paris attacks: how effective has the military response been?

By Scott Lucas | (The Conversation) | – – Even as Parisians were trying to assess the scale of the attacks by Islamic State (IS) which killed 132 people on November 13, politicians were promising a decisive and effective military response. French President Francois Hollande assured, “We will be merciless toward the barbarians of Islamic […]

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Is Daesh/ ISIL a modern Raiding Pirate state?

Juan Cole

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – Some analysts trying to understand Daesh (ISIL, ISIS) had suggested that it differs from al-Qaeda in its emphasis on taking and holding territory, thus becoming a state– something that al-Qaeda was largely uninterested in. They expected the self-proclaimed “caliph” Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi to concentrate his resources […]

Iraq

ISIL imposes Harsh Loyalty tests on Fighters at Mosul

contributors

Special Correspondent | (Niqash.org) | – – Locals in Mosul say the Islamic State group has started a campaign to “test the loyalty” of their members. Those who joined for money or power are being asked to take pay cuts or head to the front lines. There is a verse in the Koran that asks […]

Iraq

ISIL Reels from major loss to Kurdish Forces at Sinjar

contributors

Wall Street Journal | (Video News Report) | – – “Kurdish forces on Friday retook control of the strategic Iraqi city of Sinjar from Islamic State militants, Kurdish officials said, as a separate assault began on the southern city of Ramadi.” Wall Street Journal: “Kurdish Forces Retake Sinjar From [so-called] Islamic State [group]”

Featured

Kurdish Fighters cut Road between ISIL centers of Raqqa and Mosul

Juan Cole

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – Al-Arabiya reports that the Security Council in Iraqi Kurdistan has announced that their paramilitary, the Peshmerga have taken 150 square kilometers of the city of Sinjar from Daesh (ISIL, ISIS) and has the entire city surrounded. Some sources say that 70% of the city has fallen […]

Iraq

Is the Iraqi army a lost cause?

contributors

By Jon Moran | (The Conversation) | – – Building an army in a short space of time is a very difficult task. To be sure, there are some impressive examples. Cromwell’s republican New Model Army was put together while the English Civil War was already underway; Washington’s army of US Independence quickly wore down […]

Iraq War

How a Web of Lies hoodwinked the American Public and delivered Iraq to ISIL

contributors

By Bryan Glyn Williams | (Informed Comment) | – – Last week one of the major architects in the construction of the Iraqi WMD myth, Iraqi politician Ahmad Chalabi, died of heart failure at 71 in Baghdad. His death brought to an end a sordid chapter in U.S. history that saw Central Command launch an […]

Iraq

How can Iraqi PM al-Abadi defeat ISIL if his own Party has Turned on Him?

contributors

Mustafa Habib | Baghdad | (Niqash.org) | – – Nobody in Iraqi politics appears to like Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi much anymore. Some dislike him for his proposed reforms, others for not reforming enough. It’s a no-win scenario. How long can he last? PM Haider al-Abadi: The senior politician may have run out of friends […]