Pentagon Readying For Long War In Iraq, Syria
Source: Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) Ten weeks into its war against Islamic State extremists, the Pentagon is settling in for the long haul, short on big early successes but still banking on enlisting Syrians and Iraqis to fight the ground war so that U.S. troops won't have to.
The U.S. general overseeing the campaign on Friday predicted that the jihadists will be "much degraded" by airstrikes a year from now, in part because he is focusing attacks on those resources that enable IS to sustain itself and resupply its fighters.
On Friday, for example, the U.S. military said one of its six airstrikes overnight in Syria hit several IS petroleum storage tanks and a pumping station sites that are central to the militants' ability to resupply their forces and generate revenue. Likewise, it said two coalition airstrikes in Iraq damaged or destroyed IS military targets near the contested town of Beiji, home of Iraq's largest oil refinery.
In his first public overview of the campaign he leads from the Florida headquarters of U.S. Central Command, Army Gen. Lloyd Austin cautioned against expecting quick progress. He said he cannot predict how long it will take to right a wobbly Iraqi army and build a viable opposition ground force in Syria.
Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/general-kobani-provides-chance-145547030.html
MADem
(135,425 posts)Midnight Writer
(21,693 posts)Why don't we have drones drop massive loads of marijuana cigarettes into ISIS controlled territories.
I picture packs of Marlboros that actually contain good hi-grade pot falling into their midst. I bet they will mellow their asses out in a hurry, and best of all we wouldn't have to worry about collateral damage to civilian populations.
We could follow that up with airdrops of Cheetohs and I-Pods loaded with good rock music.
A side benefit would be to marijuana growers in USA, who could overcharge the military billions and stimulate our domestic economy.
Maynar
(769 posts)Quackers
(2,256 posts)Now everybody will want to go to Iraq. Lol
RoverSuswade
(641 posts)Iraq: "As peaceful as an Indiana county fair in the summertime" *
"georgeous SANDY beaches"
"a gun-lover's paradise"
.
* = This is an actual quote by Mike Pence (standing next to Gramps McCain) in an interview near Fallujah around 2005.
Octafish
(55,745 posts)And its owners.
woo me with science
(32,139 posts)yurbud
(39,405 posts)We use 25% of the world's oil.
Anyone who tries to cut us off would be doing themselves at least as much harm as us.
Therefore, it is all about making sure the "right" people profit from the oil.
blkmusclmachine
(16,149 posts)daleo
(21,317 posts)Hasn't that been tried, more than once? You can't train people to do what they don't want to do. Well, not successfully anyway.
woo me with science
(32,139 posts)More blood and despair and devastation and mothers weeping over graves.
For profit.
In our name.
Just as planned.
"Hope and Change," my ass.
Brigid
(17,621 posts)Wonderful.