Iraqi Kurds ask for arms to fight IS

[webfact]

Iraqi Kurdish leader Barzani seeks weapons to fight IS

(BBC) The political leader of Iraq's Kurds, Massoud Barzani, has appealed for international military aid to help defeat Islamist militants.

The plea came as the US launched a fourth round of air strikes targeting Islamic State (IS) fighters near Irbil, the capital of Iraqi Kurdistan.

IS, formerly known as Isis, has seized swathes of territory in northern Iraq.

Kurdish forces said they had regained control of two towns in Nineveh province after heavy fighting.

In another development, troops loyal to Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Maliki were deployed to strategic locations in Baghdad overnight, after he appeared on state TV criticising the president.

Full story: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-28730618

[bbc]2014-08-11[/bbc]

[than]

Kurdistan is not a country, international law forbid other countries to sell arms to entity who is not a country

[Scott]

I believe they are being referred to as Iraqi Kurds.   It is indeed a bit dangerous to refer to Kurdistan, unless one is talking historically.  

 

They are fierce fighters and they are fighting with the home court advantage.  

[dexterm]

Interesting item in today's Independent about it.... and the danger of mission creep, especially as the main export of the Kurds is not asparagus, and that ISIS is moving closer towards the US's other friends in the Middle East.

 

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/iraq-crisis-wests-mandate-is-limited-by-national-borders--and-dont-dare-mention-oil-9660393.html

 

Iraq crisis: West’s ‘mandate’ is limited by national borders – and don’t dare mention oil

 

President Obama says ‘problem’ will not be solved in weeks. So how long will it take, asks Robert Fisk

 

In the Middle East, the first shots of every war define the narrative we all dutifully follow.

Edited August 11, 2014 by dexterm

[simple1]

I believe they are being referred to as Iraqi Kurds.   It is indeed a bit dangerous to refer to Kurdistan, unless one is talking historically.  

 

They are fierce fighters and they are fighting with the home court advantage.  

 

 

Yes good fighters, but allegedly outmoded and insufficient weapons. I believe I am correct that the US was shipping arms destined for the Iraqi Kurds, via the Iraqi government. Maliki broke his commitment & kept the weapons for his Shiite forces. Any ideas how the US will work around this problem to ensure arms are now delivered directly to the Kurds?

[Ulysses G.]

I believe I am correct that the US was shipping arms destined for the Iraqi Kurds, via the Iraqi government. Maliki broke his commitment & kept the weapons for his Shiite forces.

You are correct. I don't know how Obama will do it, but he needs to find a way to supply them. They are good allies and it should have been done long ago.

[pampal]

The easiest way to supply the Kurds is through Turkey, a key US ally in the region.

[dexterm]

The easiest way to supply the Kurds is through Turkey, a key US ally in the region.

 

But the Kurds are not friends with Turkey, who in turn are not friends with Israel.

 

All may not be as simple as it seems...Iraqi Kurds of course have all that oil.

and maybe that is why...

 

“Kurds are deeply sympathetic to Israel and an independent Kurdistan will be beneficial to Israel,” argued Kurdish journalist Ayub Nuri in July. “It will create a balance of power. ... But with an independent Kurdish state, first of all Israel will have a genuine friend in the region for the first time, and second, Kurdistan will be like a buffer zone in the face of the Turkey, Iran and Iraq.”

 

Is a free Kurdistan, and a new Israeli ally, upon us? | The Times of Israel http://www.timesofisrael.com/is-a-free-kurdistan-and-a-new-israeli-ally-upon-us/#ixzz3A3sk8WEc 

 

The Middle East is a very complicated place. If only the British and French had allowed nations and tribes their natural borders after World War 1. We are still feeling the consequences today.

[coma]

Why don't the Kurds do what IS did and just go relieve the Iraqi army of their weapons. Apparently they don't need them and are more that willing to hand them over to anybody who wants them. 

[coma]

Kurdistan is not a country, international law forbid other countries to sell arms to entity who is not a country

 

That's why they give them to them free.

[bartender100]

 

The easiest way to supply the Kurds is through Turkey, a key US ally in the region.

 

But the Kurds are not friends with Turkey, who in turn are not friends with Israel.

 

All may not be as simple as it seems...Iraqi Kurds of course have all that oil.

and maybe that is why...

 

“Kurds are deeply sympathetic to Israel and an independent Kurdistan will be beneficial to Israel,” argued Kurdish journalist Ayub Nuri in July. “It will create a balance of power. ... But with an independent Kurdish state, first of all Israel will have a genuine friend in the region for the first time, and second, Kurdistan will be like a buffer zone in the face of the Turkey, Iran and Iraq.”

 

Is a free Kurdistan, and a new Israeli ally, upon us? | The Times of Israel http://www.timesofisrael.com/is-a-free-kurdistan-and-a-new-israeli-ally-upon-us/#ixzz3A3sk8WEc

 

The Middle East is a very complicated place. If only the British and French had allowed nations and tribes their natural borders after World War 1. We are still feeling the consequences today.

 

 

The Kurdish/Turkish relationship is the best its ever been, Kurdish oil is being sold though Turkey, report of Turkish jets supporting Kurdish ground troops. They are becoming great friends

 

http://www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analysis/view/turkeys-changing-relations-with-iraq-kurdistan-up-baghdad-down

 

The Western governments treatment of Kurdistan has been, and still is, very poor. They are a beacon of hope in a very troubled region, I doubt you will see Kurds loobing off heads of captured soldiers

 

[Bpuumike]

I believe they are being referred to as Iraqi Kurds.   It is indeed a bit dangerous to refer to Kurdistan, unless one is talking historically.  
 
They are fierce fighters and they are fighting with the home court advantage.
[/

Tricky legal ground but arms have been delivered within the last week.

Kurdistan has an autonomous regional government with it's own ministries.
They issue their own visas, in fact I have a Kurdistan Residence Card on which Iraq is not even mentioned. Edited August 11, 2014 by Bpuumike

[bartender100]

http://rt.com/news/179392-usa-kurds-weapons-iraq/

The US has reportedly started direct arms supplies to Kurdish Peshmerga fighters in Iraq to help them battle the Islamic State militants.

Previously the US insisted on selling arms only to the Iraqi government, but that policy has changed now, senior US officials told AP.

The officials would not disclose what kinds of weapons are being supplied or which agency is funneling them.

One official said it was not the Pentagon. Historically, the CIA has been involved in the clandestine arming of foreign fighters in various conflicts.

Iraqi Kurds, who are engaged in intensive fighting with militants from the Islamic State militants, have been complaining that they are under-armed compared to the radical Islamists, who captured a lot of American weapons from the Iraqi army in a lightning offensive in June.

The Kurds earlier received arms deliveries from the Iraqi government, an unprecedented move for Baghdad, which in the past has been reluctant to further empower the semi-autonomous Iraqi Kurdistan. The deliveries were facilitated by the US.

Washington also provides military support for the Kurds in the form of airstrikes delivered on IS positions.

[lvr181]

Let the U.S. and other allies take out the heavy weapons of ISIS by airpower and deliver weapons to the Kurds ground forces to deal with ISIS terrorists.  DO NOT let genocide take place in the mountains where many people have fled for safety.

 

Cut out all the legal" crap and just do the job. Find a reason to help NOT reasons why help cannot be given. Better a good decision on time rather than a brilliant decision too late.

[dexterm]

 

 

The easiest way to supply the Kurds is through Turkey, a key US ally in the region.

 

But the Kurds are not friends with Turkey, who in turn are not friends with Israel.

 

All may not be as simple as it seems...Iraqi Kurds of course have all that oil.

and maybe that is why...

 

“Kurds are deeply sympathetic to Israel and an independent Kurdistan will be beneficial to Israel,” argued Kurdish journalist Ayub Nuri in July. “It will create a balance of power. ... But with an independent Kurdish state, first of all Israel will have a genuine friend in the region for the first time, and second, Kurdistan will be like a buffer zone in the face of the Turkey, Iran and Iraq.”

 

Is a free Kurdistan, and a new Israeli ally, upon us? | The Times of Israel http://www.timesofisrael.com/is-a-free-kurdistan-and-a-new-israeli-ally-upon-us/#ixzz3A3sk8WEc

 

The Middle East is a very complicated place. If only the British and French had allowed nations and tribes their natural borders after World War 1. We are still feeling the consequences today.

 

 

The Kurdish/Turkish relationship is the best its ever been, Kurdish oil is being sold though Turkey, report of Turkish jets supporting Kurdish ground troops. They are becoming great friends

 

http://www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analysis/view/turkeys-changing-relations-with-iraq-kurdistan-up-baghdad-down

 

The Western governments treatment of Kurdistan has been, and still is, very poor. They are a beacon of hope in a very troubled region, I doubt you will see Kurds loobing off heads of captured soldiers

 

 

 

I stand corrected. I didn't realize how relationships have warmed over the last 12 months.

 

Will wait and see how Turkey reacts to an independent Kurdistan on its border soon.

[dexterm]

I suppose if ISIL get pummeled attacking the Kurds they could just  bypass that theater of ops and concentrate on Syria and Lebanon.

 

i can understand why Obama is being cautious about mission creep.

 

We may have a scenario in a few months time of US or Israel bombing ISIL in defense of Assad and Hezbollah, their sworn enemies.

[Asiantravel]

Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, the man who just two months ago warned that another 9/11 is now inevitable, said Sunday that An American city will be attacked by terrorists unless Obama launches a full scale war in Iraq.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=h0yVcEOjWOA

Edited August 12, 2014 by Asiantravel

[dexterm]

Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, the man who just two months ago warned that another 9/11 is now inevitable, said Sunday that An American city will be attacked by terrorists unless Obama launches a full scale war in Iraq.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=h0yVcEOjWOA

 

Looks like the Republicans are about to hand the next election to the Democrats again.

[Ulysses G.]

Looks like the Republicans are about to hand the next election to the Democrats again.

Yeah. Like the last midterm election in 2010. 

 

No Republicans are calling for boots on the ground - even though there already are some special forces there -  so claims that they are demanding a "full scale war ' is so much hooey. 

Edited August 12, 2014 by Ulysses G.