US general: Only handful of Syrian fighters remain in battle

[khunken]

For losing his cool Neversure.

This is not a classic guerilla war where one group of citizens is fighting against the government or an invader. IS is an Iraqi creation, formed by remnants of Saddam's presidential guard who were almost all Sunni. They were just disbanded during the invasion with no attempt to integrate them into a newly formed iraqi army. A huge mistake - not the first one.

Currently the IS is led by Iraqi Sunnis and contains all sorts of nationalities as well as Syrians & there is more than one way to defeat them - each unfortunately unlikely to happen.

The first is to persuade Saudi & it's comrades in arms to make some effort to go after IS in both Syria & Iraq. Very difficult to get them to go against well-armed fellow Sunnis when they can bomb the shit out of an almost defenceless Yemen & the Houthis (Shia). They are more concerned with supressing the Shias in their own country, Bahrain, Yemen & Syria.

The second is for the US to join hands with Russia (& Iran & Hezbollah), support Assad and tell the so-called good rebels to get out of the way of a joint effort to fight IS. They could even get UN SC approval for that. Of course it would upset some parties - Saudi, Israel & Qatar to name a few.

Doing nothing is probably marginally better than just tinkering.

[ttthailand]

For losing his cool Neversure.

This is not a classic guerilla war where one group of citizens is fighting against the government or an invader. IS is an Iraqi creation, formed by remnants of Saddam's presidential guard who were almost all Sunni. They were just disbanded during the invasion with no attempt to integrate them into a newly formed iraqi army. A huge mistake - not the first one.

Currently the IS is led by Iraqi Sunnis and contains all sorts of nationalities as well as Syrians & there is more than one way to defeat them - each unfortunately unlikely to happen.

The first is to persuade Saudi & it's comrades in arms to make some effort to go after IS in both Syria & Iraq. Very difficult to get them to go against well-armed fellow Sunnis when they can bomb the shit out of an almost defenceless Yemen & the Houthis (Shia). They are more concerned with supressing the Shias in their own country, Bahrain, Yemen & Syria.

The second is for the US to join hands with Russia (& Iran & Hezbollah), support Assad and tell the so-called good rebels to get out of the way of a joint effort to fight IS. They could even get UN SC approval for that. Of course it would upset some parties - Saudi, Israel & Qatar to name a few.

Doing nothing is probably marginally better than just tinkering.

Or keep the war machine going and the region unstable thus the entire area can not grow and become too strong. Turkey is powerful already and I am sure the west is hoping it will get more involved and start to destabilize too.

A country not at war for a long time can grow and become strong. If everything is keep unstable it will be an advantage to the U.S. .

I would bet the U.S. is really not that concerned with Russia getting involved, but won't speak same. It will be another Afghanistan for Russia and a never ending death trap. Perhaps Turkey and Russia as well as Iran will be all engaged and the plan will be working better than expected.

Now that the Middle East is following the plan where else do we need to look ? Asia, South America ??? Divide and destabilize .....

[anon4546543]

Jingerben is totally wrong to say the US has not conclusively won anything since 1945. A huge battle was decicively won in ... errr.. Grenada.

[MisterTee]

Jingerben is totally wrong to say the US has not conclusively won anything since 1945. A huge battle was decicively won in ... errr.. Grenada.

Hey, you forgot Panama in 1989.

[Celer et Audax]

The lesson: Never in recorded history has a guerrilla army been defeated on its own soil.

Not even by the most powerful armies. When combatants are out of uniform and blending into their country including civilians they can't be found in such as way as to exterminate them.

The US should have learned that from the history of others and if not from Vietnam, Korea, Iraq, Afghanistan.. Somewhere it has to be learned.

The allies defeated Germany and Japan by holding the people responsible for their governments and declaring war against entire countries and bombing relentlessly including using nukes. Those wars were won outright to the point of surrender.

With current rules of engagement we might as well stay home.

How about reviewing professional analysis on strategies that lead to win / loss against insurgencies. BTW the UK population centric strategy in Malaya was successful as was the US Sunni Awakening campaign in Iraq.

http://www.rand.org/pubs/monographs/MG965.html

http://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RR291z1.html

The Malayan Emergency

springs to mind

[Exsexyman]

The four or five are probably the only ones left who didn't go straight over to join ISIS after receiving their training and arms from the US in this clueless and naive plan, which they thought would overthrow Assad. Reports are suggesting it cost $41 million to train these 4 or five fighters! Money well spent then! I can just imagine the conversation at the recruitment office.

US General: Raise your right hand, are you or have you ever been a supporter of radical Islam?

Ahmed: No sir, certainly not, never in a million years.

US General: Splendid, step this way.

Ahmed: Really? ! Allahu Akbar!

[hawker9000]

Another Obama victory. Does the world love us yet?