Mil News Isis in Iraq: Militants 'getting stronger again'

[HisRoyalHighness]

There are growing indications that the Islamic State (IS) group is re-organising in Iraq, two years after losing the last of its territory in the country.

Kurdish and Western intelligence officials have told the BBC that the IS presence in Iraq is a sophisticated insurgency, and IS attacks are increasing.

The militants are now more skilled and more dangerous than al-Qaeda, according to Lahur Talabany, a top Kurdish counter-terrorism official.

"They have better techniques, better tactics and a lot more money at their disposal," he said. "They are able to buy vehicles, weapons, food supplies and equipment. Technologically they're more savvy. It's more difficult to flush them out. So, they are like al-Qaeda on steroids."

The veteran intelligence chief delivered his stark assessment in a London accent - the legacy of years in the UK after his family had to flee from the regime of Saddam Hussein.

At his base in Sulaimaniya, nestled in the hills of the Kurdistan region of Northern Iraq, he painted a picture of an organisation that has spent the past 12 months rebuilding from the ruins of the caliphate.

"We see the activities are increasing now, and we think the rebuilding phase is over," said Mr Talabany, who heads the Zanyari Agency, one of two intelligence agencies in Iraqi Kurdistan.

Isis in Iraq: Militants 'getting stronger again' - BBC News

The jihadists are managing to regroup - should the West be worried?

www.bbc.co.uk

It’s not just Iraq, it’s Syria too.

IS fighters hide in the desert and launch attacks on convoys and oil fields. They are aided by sympathizers who smuggle them essentials as well as provide them with intelligence.

Recently, an oil field was briefly taken by them.

These terrorists are weeds that will keep growing unless you pull out the roots.

 

[Chazman]

Hopefully the Syrians/Russians/Turks/Iraqis/Iranians/Kurds can take care of them........

 

[Jake84]

What’s the root then? KSA? Wahhabism?

 

[Mordoror]

What’s the root then? KSA? Wahhabism?

That's the question.
That's why Trump mission accomplished was stupid (as was Bush one)
An ideology is not defeated through a positive body count.
A war against a sect/,ideology needs long term involvment, not only boots (or not) on the ground

 

[HisRoyalHighness]

What’s the root then? KSA? Wahhabism?

I wouldn’t call them roots but more acceleration factors.

The root causes for IS comeback is the same reasons for the mass protests: utter dissatisfaction with the government.

 

[Jake84]

That's the question.
That's why Trump mission accomplished was stupid (as was Bush one)
An ideology is not defeated through a positive body count.
A war against a sect/,ideology needs long term involvment, not only boots (or not) on the ground

Yeah, we have had the discussion ad-nauseum for years here and there. Bush was certainly at fault. Obama too for keeping the Astan conflict ongoing after Osama death, and Trump for pulling out the troops lately.

I’m not going to be hard against American strategy there, the American voters elected Trump to get them outta the ME as soon as possible. The point is valid. American families in The Carolinas or Indiana don’t want their sons to lose their lives for the safety of a few dune people (and our safety from terror attack in the west too?).

I wouldn’t call them roots but more acceleration factors.

The root causes for IS comeback is the same reasons for the mass protests: utter dissatisfaction with the government.

Fair point. When the government or that muppets attempt of a govt the Iraqis had lately, and the mass killing we’ve seen happening during these protests from the Iraqi police and force, people are more than likely to turn their back on any attempt at “democracy” there. IS is tempted, while having never officially “died” to take advantage of the situation by all means necessary.

 

[Chazman]

That's the question.
That's why Trump mission accomplished was stupid (as was Bush one)
An ideology is not defeated through a positive body count.
A war against a sect/,ideology needs long term involvment, not only boots (or not) on the ground

Oh, I wouldn't under estimate the value of killing your enemy beyond his ability to replenish. Wars have been won for many millennia using that strategy. It's tried and true. It does take a lot of commitment to execute that strategy in this era of political correctness, however.

 

[Chazman]

What’s the root then? KSA? Wahhabism?

No doubt, major factors.

 

[Mordoror]

Oh, I wouldn't under estimate the value of killing your enemy beyond his ability to replenish. Wars have been won for many millennia using that strategy. It's tried and true. It does take a lot of commitment to execute that strategy in this era of political correctness, however.

When did a war thought with only attrition in mind was won against an asymetric opponent in modern era ?.
Your country was not particularly PC in Vietnam, SU was not either in Astan, we werent especialy PC in Algeria, Indonesia was certainly not PC against itself, UK was not PC during its brush wars, Portugal either, Rhodesia and South Africa too.

Body count is a dangerous metric (invented by your military establishment during Vietnam to lure the public opinion about the way the war was going)
If BC was accurate as per reports you would have already killed ISIS twice under your own military estimations.

That's not how it will work against an asymetric opponent with a deadly globalist and death rewarding ideology.

To destroy a guerilla you need to cut it off from its supplies, external ones (others countries helping by arming and funding) and internal (help from the locals).
To kill an ideology you have to avoid to create martyrs and you have to offer political, social and economical solutions that make that peoples dont turn toward that ideology.
Here you need to win act on both sides of the medal.

Denazification worked because there was a political and economical plan beside the military loses involved to nazi germany.

Here ISIS succeeds in corrupt countries and within disgruntled populations.

 

[Chazman]

When did a war thought with only attrition in mind was won against an asymetric opponent in modern era ?.
Your country was not particularly PC in Vietnam, SU was not either in Astan, we werent especialy PC in Algeria, Indonesia was certainly not PC against itself, UK was not PC during its brush wars, Portugal either, Rhodesia and South Africa too.

Body count is a dangerous metric (invented by your military establishment during Vietnam to lure the public opinion about the way the war was going)
If BC was accurate as per reports you would have already killed ISIS twice under your own military estimations.

That's not how it will work against an asymetric opponent with a deadly globalist and death rewarding ideology.

To destroy a guerilla you need to cut it off from its supplies, external ones (others countries helping by arming and funding) and internal (help from the locals).
To kill an ideology you have to avoid to create martyrs and you have to offer political, social and economical solutions that make that peoples dont turn toward that ideology.
Here you need to win act on both sides of the medal.

Denazification worked because there was a political and economical plan beside the military loses involved to nazi germany.

Here ISIS succeeds in corrupt countries and within disgruntled populations.

Or......just let the locals sort it out. As you imply, cultural traits promote this sort of thing. They've been going about their business in this way for centuries and I'd expect for centuries to come.

Like I said up thread, I hope the Russians/Syrians/Turks/Iraqis/Iranians/Kurds can deal with them.

 

[Mordoror]

Or......just let the locals sort it out. As you imply, cultural traits promote this sort of thing. They've been going about their business in this way for centuries and I'd expect for centuries to come.

Like I said up thread, I hope the Russians/Syrians/Turks/Iraqis/Iranians/Kurds can deal with them.

Locals are part of the problem.
Again, ISIS has a metastatic behaviour in areas where governments are helpless and hopelesd corrupt dumps and where a part or the totality of the population has grudges.
ISIS in Irak was sunni vs shia
In northern Africa it is mixed with various independantist movements.
It is also capitalizing on ethnic strifes and conflicts between shepherders and agriculture centered villages
Finally it is capitalizing on various illegal rigs and smuggling roads.

 

[BravoZulu]

Two RAF Typhoons have successfully bombed a group of Islamic State jihadis in Iraq, according to UK militarily chiefs.

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) said the fighter jets used precision-guided bombs to take-out heavily armed IS militants who were dug-in at a site near to the city of Mosul.

The Typhoons were called in to support an Iraqi security force after it came under heavy small arms fire from the terrorists on May 11.

The jihadi group were entrenched in a 'strong defensive position' around 25 miles south west of the city of Mosul.

Unable to take out the group, Iraqi troops requested air support from the global coalition.

A pair of RAF Typhoon FGR4s rushed in and attacked the terrorists with two Paveway IV precision guided bombs.

The bombs hit the target and eliminated a number of IS fighters.

Following the air strike, Iraqi forces were able to carry out an assault and overwhelm the few remaining terrorists.

The air strikes follow a 10-day operation in March in which missiles and bombs helped to clear an IS stronghold in the Makhmur mountain region, south-west of Erbil in northern Iraq.