Kurdish Forces Prepare to Counterattack the Islamic State

[abovesobelow]

Source: Vice News

Kurdish peshmerga forces in northern Iraq are preparing to launch a counterattack against the Islamic State-led hardline Sunni insurgents that seized a large chunk of their territory over the weekend in a shock defeat.

The peshmerga will be supported by the Iraqi Air Force, central government officials said today, in one of the first signs of a united response against the insurgents since they took control of large parts of northern Iraq in June. Local media reports say Iraqi jets bombed militant positions in the region today.

The Islamic State, formerly known as the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), advanced into areas which had been under Kurdish control on Sunday — including the towns of Zumar and Sinjar, and the Ain Zalah oil field. There were conflicting reports about whether the Islamic State has seized control of the strategically important Mosul Dam.

The dam would allow the Islamic State to generate power or supply water to areas under their control, but could also be weaponized to cause droughts or floods for cities downstream. The oil field, meanwhile, is the fifth controlled by the group, potentially allowing it to increase revenues still further.

The seeming ease with which the insurgents advanced into Kurdish territory was a major blow to the peshmerga, who appeared to have held firm while Iraqi government forces fled. However, Kurdish leadership seems determined to win back what they've lost.

Read more: https://news.vice.com/article/kurdish-forces-prepare-to-counterattack-the-islamic-state

[politicman]

1. wont do any good...

And does anyone believe that this counterattack will be any different from the numerous other counterattacks that went no where?

Don't get me wrong, I hate IS, but I am also a logical person that doesn't let my emotions corrupt my logical thinking.

And my logical thinking says that IS has been established, taken over half of Iraq, big chunks of Syria and is not extending its reach into Lebanon, all in the timeframe of just a year.

For any organisation to be able to accomplish this, it means that organisation is growing at a rapid rate and has plenty of resources.
It means that organisations has extremely good tactical competence and extremely committed fighters who can accomplish what they set out to do.

So my disgust at IS put aside for a second, I cannot see how this extremely accomplished terror org would be so dumb as to take more towns and make themselves vulnerable by extending themselves even more, more likely they took these towns knowing that they are more than capable of withstanding any counterattack, and that makes this even more troubling.

Just think, America with 160,000 plus troops in Iraq, with all its warplanes, helicopters, tanks, Humvees, missiles intelligence (all of which are they best in the world) was unable to take towns in northern Iraq and hold them for periods of time, BUT this terror org can take half of Iraq with a small amount of fighters and hold it when the population hate them as well?
Meaning that the population of these towns are either supportive of them or they don't hate them as much as they hated the Americans to stand their ground and fight them the same way they kept fighting the Americans.

All in all, this is not good for ordinary people in the region at all.

[daleo]

2. I think you make some good points

I can't claim to know how it will all come out, but your analysis seems quite cogent.

[Xithras]

5. You may give them too much credit.

Yes, their overall territorial gains have been extensive, but most of that land is empty, uninhabited desert dotted by small villages and towns that had NO defenses to speak of. They rose to power in portions of Syria that lacked any sort of cohesive government, and have only managed to take over portions of Iraq that are largely ignored by the central authority in Baghdad. In areas where ISIS has actually faced an organized and effective opposition, they have generally lost ground or (at best) fought to a stalemate. Even the IS "wins" in Iraq over the past couple of days have largely come after local defense forces ran out of ammunition and had to withdraw, allowing the IS to walk in unopposed. Heck, just two days ago TRIBAL FIGHTERS in part of Syria managed to drive the IS out of a huge oil-producing area in Syria. These weren't even rebels, but just a bunch of people who picked up some guns and chased them off.

IS has flourished because it is operating in a power vacuum. It only survives because none of its opponents are organized enough to combat it in an organized, wide-scale counterassault. Iraq and the Kurds joining forces is a good start toward turning the tide. If we could get the various Syrian factions...including Assad...to work out a way to jointly combat the IS on that side of the border, it would crumble pretty quickly.

[eissa]

10. Assad has been trying to weed them out for the past three years

But it doesn't help matters when we're funding the rebels....I mean the "moderate" rebels (oxymoron.)

You are correct that most of the territories (outside of Mosul -- that's a HUGE gain for IS) are smaller villages. Unfortunately, they are mainly inhabited by the indigenous Assyrian/Chaldean Christian communities, who have been given the ultimatum of convert, flee or die (in reality, the first isn't even really an option as there have been reports of desperate people agreeing to convert, only to be killed anyway.)

These people are truly savages, and yes, I realize some will cringe at the politically incorrect language I've used, but as I am part of the community that has been targeted and hear daily reports of the absolute terror my people are experiencing there, it's hard to remain silent. Even more disturbing is the near blackout of media coverage this story is getting. Gaza is not the only place where atrocities are being committed. I just took part in a protest in San Francisco this past weekend to bring attention to what IS is doing in northern Iraq. There were about 1,500 people there as part of an international campaign. ZERO media coverage. Unbelievable.

[bemildred]

9. Well said.

People need to start taking this seriously.

[roamer65]

3. ...and the regional ME war widens.

[abovesobelow]

4. I just can't get the images of kids in this conflict out of my mind....

everything else is easy to absorb and process because it comes so naturally to us, violence that is, but children if given the chance would most likely abandon these extremists beliefs for a more stable lifestyle..

[Loudly]

6. Unfortunately, many children view al-Baghdadi as a hero

and are pledging their devotion to him.

Of course, like any children, considerable influence over them is being exerted by adults.

[Shemp Howard]

7. Do not underestimate the peshmerga.

The Kurdish peshmerga is nothing like the demoralized and fractured Iraqi army. With even a little help from the Iraqi government or from the USA, the peshmerga will push ISIS back. The only question is will the peshmerga get the support that they need?

[bhikkhu]

12. I would second that

They fought a low-level war against Saddam for years, and had gained virtual autonomy before we invaded. Saddam had large bases and weapons stockpiles north of Baghdad, and as we moved north the Kurds moved south and took those bases and weapons. They managed to maintain a relatively peaceful and prosperous society since then. They definitely have something to fight for, and something to fight with.

[quadrature]

8. learn how to swim, or you'll sink like a stone ...

who benefits when Mosul dam is blown up?

[Rhinodawg]

11. More violence.

maybe they should talk to ISIS.