ISIS might have just stepped in it...

[crimsonaudio]

http://rudaw.net/english/kurdistan/040820144

The Peshmerga don't screw around...

 

[cbi1972]

Whoever is in power will abuse whoever is not in power. Supporting one of them over the other is how we got Saddam, who is looking more and more like a good option compared to the alternatives.

 

[crimsonaudio]

Yah, I agree we should stay out of it - let them handle it.

And the Peshmerga can handle it.

 

[Displaced Bama Fan]

Whoever is in power will abuse whoever is not in power. Supporting one of them over the other is how we got Saddam, who is looking more and more like a good option compared to the alternatives.

As I've said before. There was a reason Saddam ruled the way he did. He had to.

 

[TIDE-HSV]

Can someone summarize? I couldn't get the page to load...

 

[92tide]

Can someone summarize? I couldn't get the page to load...

me either. i thought i saw a headline yesterday where isis took over three cities in kurdistan

 

[TIDE-HSV]

Never mind. Finally got it to load...

 

[NationalTitles18]

Basically, the Kurds are taking names and kicking butt without the name-taking.

(This in Iraq in area controlled by the "caliphate")

 

[bamachile]

Can someone summarize? I couldn't get the page to load...

SHANGAL—Kurdish Peshmerga forces have entered Shangal, said military officials, and they have cornered militants of the Islamic State in parts of the town.

Rudaw reporter in the area said that units from the 10,000-strong Peshmarga force who had encircled the town earlier in the day are now in the town center and try to rout the Islamic militants.

...

Rudaw reporter says that the Peshmerga have made progress in their counteroffensive near Zumar where they intend to cut off the IS militants from retreating into Syria.

...

The Kurdish forces went on the offensive on Sunday after Islamic militants captured Shangal 200 kilometers west of Erbil.

“We decided to go on the offensive and fight the terrorists to the last breath,” said Kurdistan Region President Massoud Barzani Monday afternoon. “We have ordered the Peshmerga to attack the terrorists and enemies of Kurdistan with all their power.”

...

Earlier in the day, Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki ordered the Iraqi air force to assist the Peshmerga in their fight against the IS militants.

...

Unofficial sources told Rudaw that members of the Peoples Protection Units (YPG) have joined the Peshmerga fight against the Islamic militants. Ten Kurdish volunteer fighters were also reported to have reached Shangal from Turkey.

The Kurds have had enough.

 

[2003TIDE]

we should stay out of it

Too late. US courts blocked the sale of Kurdish oil recently. The sale of said oil is the only way the Kurds can fund their own country.

 

[Displaced Bama Fan]

Too late. US courts blocked the sale of Kurdish oil recently. The sale of said oil is the only way the Kurds can fund their own country.

I'm sure BP and Shell being foreign owned will be the loop hole around that.

 

[bamachile]

I'm sure BP and Shell being foreign owned will be the loop hole around that.

Don't forget Gazprom.

 

[92tide]

The Kurds have had enough.

good. thanks for posting

 

[Silverback]

I fought beside the Pesh on the northern front of the invasion. They are good fighters but they have some of the same religion-based handicaps as the people they are fighting. I have had Kurds follow me in an assault without the benefit of a weapon or body armor.

 

[TIDE-HSV]

I fought beside the Pesh on the northern front of the invasion. They are good fighters but they have some of the same religion-based handicaps as the people they are fighting. I have had Kurds follow me in an assault without the benefit of a weapon or body armor.

Now that's sobering. I had considered them to be more rational than the Arabs...

 

[Tidewater]

Now that's sobering. I had considered them to be more rational than the Arabs...

They're still muslims. They are just more competent that your run of the mill arab.

 

[pyro]

The Kurds have had enough.

There is still Russia.

 

[pyro]

They can still sell oil to Russia.

 

[TIDE-HSV]

They're still muslims. They are just more competent that your run of the mill arab.

Well, that may be, but they have the rep of being more secular Muslims...

 

[TexasBama]

If Wikipedia is correct, the Pesh number about 200,000, and Isis is maybe a tenth of that number.

If the Kurds get their dander up, the Isis looneys will be crushed.