Iraq to launch ground offensive against ISIS

[Al Bhatti]

9 February 2015

Iraq to launch ground offensive against ISIS

Iraqi troops will begin a ground offensive “in the weeks ahead” to take back swathes of the country seized by the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) group, the U.S. coordinator for the international coalition against the militants said on Sunday.


“There will be a major counter offensive on the ground in Iraq,” top U.S. envoy John Allen said in an interview with Jordan’s official Petra news agency.


“In the weeks ahead, when the Iraqi forces begin the ground campaign to take back Iraq, the coalition will provide major firepower associated with that,” he added, stressing that the Iraqis would lead the offensive.

Allen dismissed accusations that there has been a delay in the supply of U.S. weapons and training to Iraqi troops on the frontline of the conflict, telling Petra: “The United States is doing all it can to deliver its support as quickly as possible.”

The U.S. has been leading an aerial campaign against the militants, who have seized swathes of Iraq and Syria and have imposed a brutal form of Islam in the territory.

Jordan, part of the coalition, announced Sunday that it had conducted dozens of air strikes on ISIS targets after the group burned one of its air force pilots to death and released a gruesome video of the execution.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said the assault was beginning to win back territory and deprive the militants of key funds.

There have been 2,000 air strikes on ISIS since the coalition’s formation in August, Kerry told the Munich Security Conference on Sunday.

The air war had helped to retake some 700 square kilometres (270 square miles) of territory, or “one-fifth of the area they had in their control,” he said.

The top U.S. diplomat did not specify whether the regained territory was in Iraq or Syria.

But he added the coalition had “deprived the militants of the use of 200 oil and gas facilities... disrupted their command structure... squeezed its finance and dispersed its personnel.”

http://english.alarabiya.net/en/New...-against-ISIS-within-weeks-U-S-point-man.html

 

[Dr. Strangelove]

what the hell were they doing before

 

[WAJsal]

Better late than never.WTH were they doing before ?

 

[me_itsme]

Just defending and contaning ISIS i guess. Now since they are contained and their offensive ability has been destroyed IA is going to move in for the kill.

 

[ExtraOdinary]

About frikkin time. They should try encircling the major population centers, starting with Fallujah. It could get costly if conventional Iraqi forces are drawn into urban warfare (and that is just what ISIS wants). Cut the supply routes, defend against counter attacks and wait it out, I think they have enough manpower+airpower to do this.

 

[1000]

About frikkin time. They should try encircling the major population centers, starting with Fallujah. It could get costly if conventional Iraqi forces are drawn into urban warfare (and that is just what ISIS wants). Cut the supply routes, defend against counter attacks and wait it out, I think they have enough manpower+airpower to do this.

Fallujah is a city full of ISIL supporters, it's a regional HQ of ISIL. This city won't be cleared by the army, it's remaining citizens are ISIL themselves. let the US carpet bomb it.

It's called the city of mosques after all, the amount of ISIL brainwashing they've received can't be cured.

 

[Falcon29]

Fallujah is a city full of ISIL supporters, it's a regional HQ of ISIL. This city won't be cleared by the army, it's remaining citizens are ISIL themselves. let the US carpet bomb it.

It's called the city of mosques after all, the amount of ISIL brainwashing they've received can't be cured.

Imam Ali wouldn't be proud. What happened to death to America death to Israel?

 

[1000]

Imam Ali wouldn't be proud. What happened to death to America death to Israel?

I didn't say death to america/israel.

There's no solution for Fallujah, it's different than nearby towns. Mosul, Ramadi are different. Fallujah is simply packed with terrorists. If the army goes in and clears it from ISIL they will simply return as soon as they leave as they're the citizens themselves.

 

[Falcon29]

I didn't say death to america/israel.

There's no solution for Fallujah, it's different than nearby towns. Mosul, Ramadi are different. Fallujah is simply packed with terrorists. If the army goes in and clears it from ISIL they will simply return as soon as they leave as they're the citizens themselves.

The followers of Ali(RA)(According to them) are combating Arab/American conspiracy in region. And Imam Mahdi will seal the struggle against them. It wouldn't make sense to ask America to carpet bomb an Iraqi city. Where's your mabdah?

 

[pak-marine]

Iraqi Army must must warn the local residents and arrange facilities for internally displaced else the colateral damage wil be huge and this will further detoriate the civil life in Iraq , These ISIS scums are experts in using people for cover to gain some political points the savages will go to any extent

 

[1000]

The followers of Ali(RA)(According to them) are combating Arab/American conspiracy in region. And Imam Mahdi will seal the struggle against them. It wouldn't make sense to ask America to carpet bomb an Iraqi city. Where's your mabdah?

No follower of Ali is asking America to carpet bomb Fallujah, i'm asking it.
The Shi'a groups are accusing the US of supplying ISIL day and night.

مقتل "والي داعش" لمنطقة الجزيرة مع ثمانية من معاونيه في الانبار | أمن

 

[Falcon29]

No follower of Ali is asking America to carpet bomb Fallujah, i'm asking it.
The Shi'a groups are accusing the US of supplying ISIL day and night.

مقتل "والي داعش" لمنطقة الجزيرة مع ثمانية من معاونيه في الانبار | أمن

Iraq has arms market. So IS will have arms but largely light arms. US doesn't need to supply them. Iraqi army and US are coordinating on ground. The allegations made by these militias is probably intended for supporters to believe that US sides with other side.

This upcoming offensive will most likely include Western troops/advisers. It doesn't appear that US wants this prolonged , it may be over within 6 months.

 

[1000]

This upcoming offensive will most likely include Western troops/advisers. It doesn't appear that US wants this prolonged , it may be over within 6 months.

Talking solely about Fallujah though, there's no hope for the locals of that city. Fallujah has been in ISIL hands since late 2013. Many citizens have left that city a long time ago, the remainders are by far majority ISIL and those who house/feed them. If ground forces try to clear it they will suffer large numbers of casualties and the cities infrastructure will be destroyed thanks to all the IED's they plant, if the US air force drops bombs same result. If you really want to clean that city you need Sahwat ( locals who know the enemy ) along with militia's. It'll be a massacre of the pro ISIL men though ( AKA killing 'civillians' ) but in reality they're just using guerilla warfare.. they're ISIL themselves.

 

[Falcon29]

Talking solely about Fallujah though, there's no hope for the locals of that city. Fallujah has been in ISIL hands since late 2013. Many citizens have left that city a long time ago, the remainders are by far majority ISIL and those who house/feed them. If ground forces try to clear it they will suffer large numbers of casualties and the cities infrastructure will be destroyed thanks to all the IED's they plant, if the US air force drops bombs same result. If you really want to clean that city you need Sahwat ( locals who know the enemy ) along with militia's. It'll be a massacre of the pro ISIL men though ( AKA killing 'civillians' ) but in reality they're just using guerilla warfare.. they're ISIL themselves.

Why are you telling us your thoughts? You've repeatedly stated you want Sunni civilians deliberately targeted. We don't care about your thoughts. I understand you have bad sentiment towards them but no one takes your tantrums with any seriousness. Fallujah was main resistance against US occupation forces. Iraqi forces of new government also participated in it. Iraqi forces have also shelled it in recent years. And now you also want it to be destroyed again.

As I said, Imam Ali wouldn't be proud. We all know you're a follower of Ali using nationalism as cover for your secterian intentions.

Iraq can't achieve national consensus anytime soon because Iraq war developments made it difficult. Especially with policies of newly installed government headed by Maliki. Things in past have contributed to today's situation and you don't have solution for it.

 

[1000]

Why are you telling us your thoughts? You've repeatedly stated you want Sunni civilians deliberately targeted. We don't care about your thoughts.

I understand you have bad sentiment towards them but no one takes your tantrums with any seriousness. Fallujah was main resistance against US occupation forces. Iraqi forces of new government also participated in it. Iraqi forces have also shelled it in recent years. And now you also want it to be destroyed again.

The resistance in Fallujah was from a group named The Islamic army in Iraq, they were religious but nationalist Iraqis. The famous sniper Juba is from that group, they fought the trash ISIS.

In case you don't believe me read about it yourself and do your research

Islamic Army in Iraq - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Islamic Army–al-Qaeda conflict - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

You should have seen pics of that city in January 2014, it was trash already why wouldn't it be with all the IED's they use. Iraqi forces shelling cities bring minor damage, IA don't have that many artillery units or tanks to cause that much damage as opposed to SAA. ISIL boobytraps houses and main roads with IED's before they flee a city, like they did in Tikrit. What's wrong with wanting ISIL destroyed, civillians feeding them and housing them are ISIL as well.

As I said, Imam Ali wouldn't be proud. We all know you're a follower of Ali using nationalism as cover for your secterian intentions.

I want to see massive flags of Ayatollah Khamenei in Fallujah, ALLAHU AKBAR KHOMEINI RAHBAR

@Falcon29

Aside from the trolling this whole game of accusing me and all of us to be sectarian has become boring.

Hear it from someone in the field ( Anbar )

same person again

The objective is to defeat ISIS, they have to achieve it whatever the cost will be, if you want to cry and call us sectarian go to Cuntar AL Jazeera will welcome you with pleasure. Now quit complaining.