US forces increasing Iraq footprint ahead of Mosul operation

[webfact]

US forces increasing Iraq footprint ahead of Mosul operation

By SUSANNAH GEORGE

 

CAMP SWIFT, Iraq (AP) — Thirteen years ago, Chase Snow's father was among the American troops who moved into the Iraqi city of Mosul during the U.S.-led invasion that toppled Saddam Hussein. Now Snow, a U.S. Army specialist, is deployed in Iraq to help in the fight to retake the city from the Islamic State group.

 

The assault on Mosul, Iraq's second largest city, is bringing American forces into their most significant role in Iraq in years, in terms of numbers and presence on the front lines.

 

The lead-up to the assault has already brought some U.S. forces into combat with the militants. Special forces carry out raids alongside Iraqi troops inside IS-held territory around Mosul. And now as Iraqi forces prepare for the operation to retake the city, those raids have increased in frequency, according to a coalition official, who spoke on condition of anonymity as he was not authorized to brief the media.

 

The U.S. has also sent Apache helicopters to aid in the Mosul fight, according to the Pentagon, a step that was not taken when Iraqi forces retook the western cities of Ramadi and Fallujah.

 

The number of U.S. troops in Iraq has steadily grown over the past two years to now nearly 6,000 service members, up from almost none following the 2011 withdrawal from Iraq. The latest group, numbering nearly 600, began to deploy in September to Qayara air base, the facility 30 miles south of Mosul that is to be the main staging ground for the assault on the city. Trucks have been rolling in the base for weeks with supplies and equipment, preparing it so coalition warplanes will be able to operate there.

 

"You've got to look at Mosul as the crown jewel right now," said Maj. Gen. Gary Volesky, the head of U.S ground forces in Iraq, regarding the build-up of forces. The deployments have "all been targeted to assist in the Mosul attack."

 

Besides the hundreds of special forces, most of the American personnel operate back from the front lines, coordinating coalition airstrikes, tracking Iraqi ground troops, sharing intelligence and helping plan operations.

 

Snow, from Nashville, Tennessee, with the 101st Airborne Division, is advising Iraqi officers carrying out the Mosul operation. His father was also with the 101st in Mosul in 2003. Now on Snow's Iraq deployment, he carries the same American flag his father kept with him on all of his tours and his father's good luck charm: a St. Michael prayer card.

 

"I know my father never thought I would be coming to Iraq," Snow said.

 

U.S. presence at bases closer to Mosul in the lead up to operation is "essential" to the advise-and-assist mission, said U.S. Army Col. Brett Sylvia, the commanding officer at Camp Swift, a small coalition base outside Makhmour, some 73 kilometers (45 miles) southeast of Mosul.

 

"If you're not there, then you don't have a voice," Sylvia said, standing in front of the bank of televisions and desktop monitors that he says constitutes the forward edge of the battle for his men.

 

As of last week, there were 4,565 U.S. troops in Iraq, according to the Pentagon. That doesn't include another 1,500 troops considered there "on temporary duty," whose number changes daily, according to the U.S. officials 

U.S. troop levels in Iraq peaked at 157,800 during the 2008 surge under then-President George W. Bush, according to the Pentagon. More than 140,000 U.S. troops were in Iraq when President Barack Obama took office in 2009. Obama drew down the forces until the complete withdrawal of late 2011 removed all combat troops from the country, leaving behind only a few hundred U.S. trainers, mainly civilians, to assist Iraqi security forces.

 

U.S. forces began returning after the Islamic State group overran Mosul in the summer of 2014 and blitzed across much of northern, central and western Iraq, joining it to territory it holds in Syria. Weeks later, President Barack Obama announced the start of the air campaign against the Islamic State. At the time, he underlined that he will not allow the U.S. "to be dragged into fighting another war in Iraq."

 

But the U.S. role has steadily grown as Iraqi and Kurdish forces continue to rely heavily on coalition airpower and support in taking back the territory the militant group overran in 2014.

 

Over the past year, three American service members have been killed by IS in Iraq, revealing the increasingly active role of U.S. forces in a fight the Pentagon initially refused to describe as combat.

 

In October 2015, Master Sgt. Joshua Wheeler was killed as he and dozens of other U.S. special forces participated in a raid alongside Iraqi Kurdish forces to free IS-held prisoners.

 

At the time, Defense secretary Ash Carter said it hadn't been part of the plan for U.S. forces to engage in combat during that raid and that Wheeler had "rushed to help" when the Kurdish fighters he was with came under attack.

 

Months later, Marine Staff Sgt. Louis Cardin was killed when IS fighters attacked a fire base near Camp Swift.

 

By the time of the third American death — Navy SEAL Charles Keating, who was killed in May — Carter immediately described it as a combat death. "He was in a firefight and he died in combat," he said.

 

Carter noted that while the coalition's overall approach is to enable local forces, "that doesn't mean we aren't going to do any fighting at all."

 

Iraqi commanders say despite months of training, their men are still almost entirely dependent on coalition airpower and intelligence to retake territory.

 

"If we didn't have airstrikes we wouldn't be able to advance," Iraqi Army Capt. Riad Ghafil with the Nineveh Operation Command admitted.

 

On a recent day at the Basmaya base outside Baghdad, Snow attended a graduation ceremony for 1,000 Iraqi soldiers who finished training and will be deployed in the north against IS. About halfway through the long series of speeches, the graduates began falling out of formation and slipping away from the ceremony to escape the midday sun. Coalition trainers at the event shook their heads in dismay, explaining that discipline was one of the skills the course focused on.

 

Throughout the steady intensification of the U.S. war in Iraq over the past two years, coalition and U.S. officials maintained that ultimately a lasting solution will only come from political change and reconciliation among Iraqi Shiites, Sunnis and other communities. But Iraqi political leadership has repeatedly failed to meet benchmarks for political reconciliation.

 

At Camp Swift, Sylvia said that after his last tour in Baghdad in 2008 he said he never thought he'd be back again. He said he hopes the U.S. doesn't fully withdraw from Iraq a second time.

 

"I would like us to have a long-term, engaging relationship with our Iraqi partners," he said.

 

"I think there is some admission (among some Iraqis) that it was a mistake for us to leave."

___

Associated Press writers Balint Szlanko and Salar Salim in Camp Swift, Iraq, and Lolita Baldor in Washington D.C. contributed to this report.

 

-- © Associated Press 2016-10-10

[helpisgood]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

About halfway through the long series of speeches, the graduates began falling out of formation and slipping away from the ceremony to escape the midday sun. Coalition trainers at the event shook their heads in dismay, explaining that discipline was one of the skills the course focused on.

 

I wonder how many of the enlisted men in this Iraqi army signed up because they believe in a cause worth fighting for and how many just desperately needed a job. 

[Rancid]

"If we didn't have airstrikes we wouldn't be able to advance," Iraqi Army Capt. Riad Ghafil with the Nineveh Operation Command admitted.

 

Hmm, so it seems if the Iraqis/US are attacking ISIS in Mosul then airstrikes are OK, but if the Syrians/Russians attack ISIS in Aleppo then that is a crime against humanity? Well according to the unbiased media anyway.

 

Both cities must indeed be like hell on earth for the poor bast*rds there, however the sad reality is that to oust the Jihadists once and for all there is going to be civilian casualties, just as in any siege throughout history.

[craigt3365]

4 hours ago, helpisgood said:

 

I wonder how many of the enlisted men in this Iraqi army signed up because they believe in a cause worth fighting for and how many just desperately needed a job. 

That's also the same reason many fight for IS. Money.

[Morch]

1 hour ago, Rancid said:

"If we didn't have airstrikes we wouldn't be able to advance," Iraqi Army Capt. Riad Ghafil with the Nineveh Operation Command admitted.

 

Hmm, so it seems if the Iraqis/US are attacking ISIS in Mosul then airstrikes are OK, but if the Syrians/Russians attack ISIS in Aleppo then that is a crime against humanity? Well according to the unbiased media anyway.

 

Both cities must indeed be like hell on earth for the poor bast*rds there, however the sad reality is that to oust the Jihadists once and for all there is going to be civilian casualties, just as in any siege throughout history.

 

Civilian casualties cannot be completely avoided in such situations. More a question of the means used and making the attempt to avoid unnecessary deaths. I think there is a marked difference between the US and the Russian approach to these matters. Obviously not much of a consolation if you're one of them poor souls down there.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casualties_of_the_Iraqi_insurgency_(2011–present)#US-led_coalition_air-strike_casualties

 

These US air raids been on for a bit over two years now. In comparison, the Russian air raids in Syria started about a year later. There is, by almost any count, quite a difference with regard to the respective civilian casualty tolls.

 

 

 

 

[helpisgood]

9 minutes ago, craigt3365 said:

That's also the same reason many fight for IS. Money.

 

Yes, I agree that money, or just having any kind of job, may be one factor for joining IS or any other military force.  However, I think that there are other and different factors as well.  Just consider the uniquely twisted lifestyle IS offers its perspective recruits.  I don't think IS is a great attraction for the ordinary mercenary. 

 

 

[Morch]

3 hours ago, helpisgood said:

 

I wonder how many of the enlisted men in this Iraqi army signed up because they believe in a cause worth fighting for and how many just desperately needed a job. 

 

Could probably make the same point with regard to any army in the world

[craigt3365]

2 hours ago, Rancid said:

"If we didn't have airstrikes we wouldn't be able to advance," Iraqi Army Capt. Riad Ghafil with the Nineveh Operation Command admitted.

 

Hmm, so it seems if the Iraqis/US are attacking ISIS in Mosul then airstrikes are OK, but if the Syrians/Russians attack ISIS in Aleppo then that is a crime against humanity? Well according to the unbiased media anyway.

 

Both cities must indeed be like hell on earth for the poor bast*rds there, however the sad reality is that to oust the Jihadists once and for all there is going to be civilian casualties, just as in any siege throughout history.

You know Russia isn't targeting just IS. They've even admitted that. Barrel bombing civilian areas is a crime against humanity.  Sad some don't understand this.

 

But yes, both are terrible situations. And innocents are being killed. The order of magnitude is vastly different between the two,  as pointed out above.

 

I also don't see civilians fighting against their government,  like in Syria. They are all going after IS the best they can. We also don't see Iranian, Lebanese and Saudi Arabians fighting. Unless mixed in with the IS fanatics.

[craigt3365]

1 hour ago, helpisgood said:

 

Yes, I agree that money, or just having any kind of job, may be one factor for joining IS or any other military force.  However, I think that there are other and different factors as well.  Just consider the uniquely twisted lifestyle IS offers its perspective recruits.  I don't think IS is a great attraction for the ordinary mercenary.

In Syria, Iranians are the front line fodder, egged on by daily sermons from clerics. I read an interview with an IS fighter from Europe. Back after losing her husband. She said dying was an honor. Unreal.

[harleyclarkey]

Whatever about the lies from Obama about ending wars and withdrawing troops........the world needs to wipe IS off the face of the earth. In Iraq, Syria, Lybia, the Horn of Africa, Kenya, Nigeria and looks now like Europe thanks to Merkel.

 

This is a worldwide effort and it's better undertaken sooner rather than later.

[Johpa]

9 hours ago, craigt3365 said:

That's also the same reason many fight for IS. Money.

 

Yes, and the same basic reason so many enlist in the US military and why such a disproportionate number of American military casualties over the past decades come from smaller towns where the public education is mediocre and opportunities are lacking.  Sure there are the Charles Keatings enlisting into the Special Forces or the military academies, but those are the exceptions.

[coma]

Giving IS hierarchy more signs, signals, time and opportunity to escape and move to a fall back position to continue their reign of terror. Poor cricket to say the least.

[coma]

22 hours ago, helpisgood said:

 

I wonder how many of the enlisted men in this Iraqi army signed up because they believe in a cause worth fighting for and how many just desperately needed a job. 

 

The minority. Cuz the majority threw their weapons down and ran like coward dogs at the first sign of a fight when ISIS started its initial push in Iraq. Coward dogs!

[tonbridgebrit]

Obama pulled the US soldiers out of Iraq back in 2009/10, and nearly all the US soldiers did leave. This was certainly a good thing.

But, what's happening now ?  Washington is heading back into Iraq. It's a mistake. Let the people of Iraq sort out their own problems. Why should Americans fight and die in somebody else's war ?

Edited October 13, 2016 by tonbridgebrit
spelling mistakes

[tonbridgebrit]

On 10/10/2016 at 4:44 AM, Rancid said:

"If we didn't have airstrikes we wouldn't be able to advance," Iraqi Army Capt. Riad Ghafil with the Nineveh Operation Command admitted.

 

Hmm, so it seems if the Iraqis/US are attacking ISIS in Mosul then airstrikes are OK, but if the Syrians/Russians attack ISIS in Aleppo then that is a crime against humanity? Well according to the unbiased media anyway.

 

Both cities must indeed be like hell on earth for the poor bast*rds there, however the sad reality is that to oust the Jihadists once and for all there is going to be civilian casualties, just as in any siege throughout history.

"Hmm, so it seems if the Iraqis/US are attacking ISIS in Mosul then airstrikes are OK, but if the Syrians/Russians attack ISIS in Aleppo then that is a crime against humanity? Well according to the unbiased media anyway."


Hypocrisy. Inconsistency. Yes, that's media coverage.

You've also got to bear in mind that ISIS in Iraq is trying to remove the Iraqi government, Washington does NOT like that.
But in Syria, ISIS is trying to remove Assad, and Washington does actually want to see Assad removed. And notice how Washington supports the Al-Nusra Front in Syria, Al-Nusra are Al-Qaeda's branch in Syria.  And how did the Al-Nusra Front start in Syria ?

Well, ISIS went into Syria, and set up the Al-Nusra Front. ISIS in Iraq was itself heavily aligned with Al-Qaeda. ISIS and Al-Qaeda then broke apart and separated. But the Al-Nusra Front then broke away from ISIS in Syria, and the Al-Nusra Front then continued to be with Al-Qaeda.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islamic_State_of_Iraq_and_the_Levant
 

 

[LawrenceChee]

Another mess the USA is going to get entangled in ....one really wonder what's the objectives here ? First Iran , Russia and now Iraq.

Can the USA burn through all of its goodwill that quickly ?


Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect

[craigt3365]

6 hours ago, tonbridgebrit said:

"Hmm, so it seems if the Iraqis/US are attacking ISIS in Mosul then airstrikes are OK, but if the Syrians/Russians attack ISIS in Aleppo then that is a crime against humanity? Well according to the unbiased media anyway."

That's the problem.  Russia isn't just attacking IS in Syria. They've even admitted this. Incredible some still don't understand this.

 

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/oct/01/russia-targeting-non-isis-groups-syria-airstrikes

[simple1]

On 14/10/2016 at 8:34 AM, tonbridgebrit said:

"Hmm, so it seems if the Iraqis/US are attacking ISIS in Mosul then airstrikes are OK, but if the Syrians/Russians attack ISIS in Aleppo then that is a crime against humanity? Well according to the unbiased media anyway."


Hypocrisy. Inconsistency. Yes, that's media coverage.

You've also got to bear in mind that ISIS in Iraq is trying to remove the Iraqi government, Washington does NOT like that.
But in Syria, ISIS is trying to remove Assad, and Washington does actually want to see Assad removed. And notice how Washington supports the Al-Nusra Front in Syria, Al-Nusra are Al-Qaeda's branch in Syria.  And how did the Al-Nusra Front start in Syria ?

Well, ISIS went into Syria, and set up the Al-Nusra Front. ISIS in Iraq was itself heavily aligned with Al-Qaeda. ISIS and Al-Qaeda then broke apart and separated. But the Al-Nusra Front then broke away from ISIS in Syria, and the Al-Nusra Front then continued to be with Al-Qaeda.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islamic_State_of_Iraq_and_the_Levant
 

 

 

Rather odd interpretation of events.If you're sufficiently interested have a read of The ISIS Apocalypse by William McCants which does come across as well informed; Morch or Craig may wish to comment on the book.

 

 

[tonbridgebrit]

56 minutes ago, simple1 said:

 

Rather odd interpretation of events.If you're sufficiently interested have a read of The ISIS Apocalypse by William McCants which does come across as well informed; Morch or Craig may wish to comment on the book.

 

 

William McCant ????
Anybody can claim that McCant is a poisonous individual.
Why ? Back in 2011, there was that horrific attack in Norway.  McCant has got something against Islam. He implied, at a very early stage, that the attack had been done by a Muslim fundamentalist group.

Obviously, the attack was nothing to do with Muslim fundamentalists. McCant was heavily criticised for being a "clueless expert in terrorism". His words were used by the New York Times and the BBC, spreading sentiment against Muslims.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Will_McCants



Anyway, you agree right, ISIS in Iraq is trying to remove the Iraqi government ?  Washington is fighting against ISIS in Iraq.
In Syria, ISIS is trying to remove the Assad government.  And Washington is also trying to remove the Assad government.  Washington can't back and support ISIS in Syria. That's because the media has already told us that ISIS are "dangerous Muslim fundamentalists".
But Washington still went and backed/supported the Al-Nusra Front in Syria. And that's bearing in mind that the Al-Nusra Front are Al-Qaeda's branch in Syria. You agree ???

 

[tonbridgebrit]

21 hours ago, craigt3365 said:

That's the problem.  Russia isn't just attacking IS in Syria. They've even admitted this. Incredible some still don't understand this.

 

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/oct/01/russia-targeting-non-isis-groups-syria-airstrikes

Craigt, thanks for the article from the Guardian newspaper. Okay, I do have a smirk on my face when the article says " The commander of the Liwa Suqour al-Jabal rebel group, which has received training from the CIA, said a camp in northern Idlib province was struck by about 20 missiles in two separate sorties. “Russia is challenging everyone and saying there is no alternative to Bashar,” said Hassan Haj Ali, a Syrian army captain who defected after the uprising began in 2011. "


So, Russia is bombing numerous groups, they're bombing the Liwa Suqour al-Jabal rebel group. Who are these guys ?   


Okay, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suqour_al-Sham_Brigade

I think they are a "bunch of Muslim fundamentalists" ?   They reject democracy and secularism. They want to establish an Islamic state, with Sharia law. They have a history of coordinating their action with, with, oh look, the Al-Nusra Front !    
 

[simple1]

1 hour ago, tonbridgebrit said:

William McCant ????
Anybody can claim that McCant is a poisonous individual.
Why ? Back in 2011, there was that horrific attack in Norway.  McCant has got something against Islam. He implied, at a very early stage, that the attack had been done by a Muslim fundamentalist group.

Obviously, the attack was nothing to do with Muslim fundamentalists. McCant was heavily criticised for being a "clueless expert in terrorism". His words were used by the New York Times and the BBC, spreading sentiment against Muslims.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Will_McCants

Anyway, you agree right, ISIS in Iraq is trying to remove the Iraqi government ?  Washington is fighting against ISIS in Iraq. In Syria, ISIS is trying to remove the Assad government.  And Washington is also trying to remove the Assad government.  Washington can't back and support ISIS in Syria. That's because the media has already told us that ISIS are "dangerous Muslim fundamentalists".
But Washington still went and backed/supported the Al-Nusra Front in Syria. And that's bearing in mind that the Al-Nusra Front are Al-Qaeda's branch in Syria. You agree ???

 

 

 

Firstly in the article regards the mass murders in Norway, McCants it's noted that "he expressed skepticism about the authenticity of the claim". Moving along he does have significant credentials in the Islamic extremism space and I have to say I've not noted, to my knowledge, any errors in his analysis; have a read of the book.

 

With regards to ISIS personally I believe any ruler other than the self proclaimed Caliph is the enemy, so to a degree Assad & the Iraqi government is a kind of "so what". As we know ISIS at it's core ideology is an extremist Islamic apocalyptic group as well as immersed in criminality & evil and as ISIS claim...

 

The Islamic State awaits the army of “Rome,” whose defeat at Dabiq, Syria, will initiate the countdown to the apocalypse.

 

Contrary to Bin Laden's advice. doesn't seem that any of the Islamic terror groups are skilled in 'hearts and minds" So although most analysts claim Al-Nusra Front is the most effective war fighting group I guess they will eventually be disappeared. 

 

[craigt3365]

Tonbridgebrit. The entire area is a complicated mess. I watched a special on BBC a few days ago, by someone who's an expert on the ME. Obviously knows more about this stuff than any of us. His comment was it's a constantly changing landscape. Alliances come and go. Made all the worse by outside parties.  Mainly Iran and Saudi Arabia. His final note was most of the problems are due to these 2 nations. A religious war at it's worst.

[Morch]

5 hours ago, simple1 said:

 

Rather odd interpretation of events.If you're sufficiently interested have a read of The ISIS Apocalypse by William McCants which does come across as well informed; Morch or Craig may wish to comment on the book.

 

 

 

Yet to read it. One thing about McCants is that he knows his stuff, even if one does not wholly accept his conclusions. Some of his writing and views can be found on his blog.

[Morch]

3 hours ago, tonbridgebrit said:

Craigt, thanks for the article from the Guardian newspaper. Okay, I do have a smirk on my face when the article says " The commander of the Liwa Suqour al-Jabal rebel group, which has received training from the CIA, said a camp in northern Idlib province was struck by about 20 missiles in two separate sorties. “Russia is challenging everyone and saying there is no alternative to Bashar,” said Hassan Haj Ali, a Syrian army captain who defected after the uprising began in 2011. "


So, Russia is bombing numerous groups, they're bombing the Liwa Suqour al-Jabal rebel group. Who are these guys ?   


Okay, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suqour_al-Sham_Brigade

I think they are a "bunch of Muslim fundamentalists" ?   They reject democracy and secularism. They want to establish an Islamic state, with Sharia law. They have a history of coordinating their action with, with, oh look, the Al-Nusra Front !    
 

 

The above is another example of how complicated (and fluid) things are in Syria, especially with regards to the various militant groups.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mountain_Hawks_Brigade

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suqour_al-Sham_Brigade

 

Not the same group.

 

This is demonstrated in both links, describing the convulsed details of allegiances, splits, assumed identities and whatnot. Many of these outfits having similar names does not help, same goes for shoddy translations from Arabic. Here's an incomplete (and probably outdated) list:

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_armed_groups_in_the_Syrian_Civil_War

 

Reminiscent of Monty Python's People Front of Judea.