Al Quaeda splinter group sweeping through Iraq

There's another problem, of course, Sabot. Cameron and Obama were both gung ho last year at the prospect of committing UK/US troops to going to war in Syria ON THE SAME SIDE AS THESE IDIOTS.

IMO, the west is going to pay a heavy price for that utter stupidity and treason. I am just glad that somehow or other, it was stopped by Ed Milliband and Putin, or I shudder to think what carnage would have followed by now.

It isn't over yet, Bonny. More stupidity still to come. And The British Public can forget making a fuss. WE don't understand, doncha know.

I caught a bit of the ketchup gigolo Kerry in Cairo yesterday. F*cking moron.

In the middle of all this, Kerry actually lectured Sisi about the Yuman Rites of the bloody Muslim Brotherhood, and said tourist won't go back to Eygpt until it's 'representative and inclusive', blah blah blah.

No, tourists couldn't give a flying one about the MB, they will be delighted to flock back to Eygpt when the last MB fanatic is jailed/dead and unable to attack them.


It was such a stupid, liberal, elitist, brain-dead remark it beggared belief. There's Kerry, travelling with maximum security to PROTECT him from the MB, saying tourists will come back when they are being treated inclusively.

I long for the day when the good people of America say Enough's enough, and put Obama, Kerry, Hillary, Biden, Nuland and a few others on trial for treason. And corruption.

http://www.infowars.com/cheney-another-911-coming-but-far-deadlier/

CHENEY: ANOTHER 9/11 COMING, BUT ‘FAR DEADLIER’
Says Rand Paul 'basically an isolationist'

He can bet his bottom dollar on that, considering the US's fondness for overturning governments which FIGHT terrorists, while cosying up to KSA which funds them.

A spell of isolationism is, IMO, the one thing that might help, instead of stirring up trouble and making enemies all over the world. Bring the troops home, find out exactly WHO is in the US now. Stop targetting farmers and vets and CLOSE THAT MEXICAN BORDER.

It's official, Kerry is off his bewigged head. From:

http://news.sky.com/story/1287497/kerry-tells-iraq-pm-share-power-with-opponents

Kerry Tells Iraq PM: Share Power With Opponents
The US warns of dire consequences as ISIS captures four more towns in western Iraq and John Kerry holds talks in Baghdad.

John Kerry has urged Iraq's Prime Minister to hand more government power to political opponents in a bid to quell the ISIS insurgency sweeping across the country.

The US Secretary of State met Nouri al Maliki for 90 minutes, with Iraq's Shia leader again urging America to target Sunni militant positions in Iraq and Syria with airstrikes, according to officials.

Mr Kerry reportedly responded by saying the US needed to take care to avoid civilian casualties before any attacks are launched - to avoid creating an impression that America is targeting Sunnis.

The meeting was expected to be tense after Washington officials floated the idea that the divisive Mr al Maliki might resign as a first step towards peace.

But Mr Kerry appeared encouraged by the talks, saying "that was good" as he walked to his motorcade.

Total, utter, moron.  

From:

http://www.foxnews.com/world/2014/06/23/isis-joins-forces-with-saddam-loyalists-in-bid-to-take-baghdad/

ISIS joins forces with Saddam loyalists in bid to take Baghdad
By Benjamin HallPublished June 23, 2014FoxNews.comFacebook343 Twitter223 livefyre2704
For 10 years, members of Saddam Hussein's Baathist party -- including many of the dead dictator's top generals -- have hidden in the shadows of Iraq, persecuted by government in Baghdad and plotting, praying and preparing for the chance to reclaim their country.

Now they are back, paired in a bloodthirsty alliance with the brutal jihadis of the Islamic States of Iraq and Syria/Levant. These vicious Islamic radicals fighting alongside top officials from Hussein's dictatorship, are working to seize control of the battle-scarred nation. For now, their objectives converge.

"[We are] unified by the same goal, which is getting rid of this sectarian government, ending this corrupt army and negotiating to form a Sunni Region,” a senior Baathist leader told FoxNews.com.

After the invasion of Iraq, thousands of Baathist’s lost their jobs: teachers, doctors, professors, soldiers. Banished from holding any public-sector positions, many found themselves unable to support and feed their families, and their anger grew. This purge is considered one of the major blunders of the invasion, and although it was partly overturned in 2008, the damage had been done.

For a decade, tensions in the Sunni regions simmered under these conditions, as Maliki’s Shia government sought retribution for decades of Saddam's brutal rule. Many who once were part of the regime found it hard to put food on the table, their anger building as their communities suffered. That the Maliki government continues to shell rebel held cities today, despite the fact many within are innocent civilians, further isolates Sunni communities and pushes them into the sphere of Sunni rebels.

Ultimately it was the failure of Maliki’s government to reach out to these elements that created the ISIS alliance in Iraq. It has drawn comparisons to Syria, where ISIS forces joined with the Free Syrian Army with the intention of toppling Bashar al-Assad's regime; but in Syria the alliance imploded. The patriotic group fighting to liberate Syria, eventually faced off against the violent jihadists seeking to carve out an extreme fundamentalist state, and today they are at war.

Much has been written about ISIS's blitzkrieg across northern Iraq, but it is unlikely the fighters would have been as successful without the Baathists. Three of Saddam's former generals led the takeover of Mosul, and eight of the top 10 generals in the ISIS army are believed to be Baathists. Izzat Douri, a former military commander who Saddam considered to be like a brother, is widely rumored to be in Mosul, overseeing the conflict after hiding out in Qatar and Syria for a decade.

In addition to their military training, the Baathists have been able to tap strong tribal ties in the region to command countless followers. That's helped to keep the conquered territory in ISIS hands while the army of terrorists and freed soldiers moves forward toward the prize: Baghdad and the holy Shia cities of Karbala and Najaf.

“As an effective fighting force alone, ISIS would never have been able to hold such large territories, a Kurdish intelligence officer told FoxNews.com but with the help of Baathists [united under the banner of the Naqshbandi army], they have been able to keep the momentum going.”

The ISIS fighters, their ranks swollen with foreign jihadists hardened from conflicts in Syria, Chechnya, Afghanistan and others locations, lead the charge. Under the direction of former Iraqi generals and the ISIS leader Al-Baghdadi, they rely on the strong network of Sunni tribes and Baathists behind them, many nostalgic for the security of Saddam's era.

Hussein's image has again become popular in the north and west, and soldiers call out “Father, father,” while they watch video tributes to him. His image is found in many a home from Fallujah to Mosul. The Kurdish judge who sentenced Hussein to death in 2006, Raouf Abdul Rahman, was reportedly captured and executed on Sunday, although his death cannot yet be confirmed.

And this remains a family cause. Raghad Hussein, who now lives in Jordan, gave an interview a few days ago.

“I am happy to see all these victories,” she said. “Someday, I will return to Iraq and visit my father’s grave. Maybe it won’t happen very soon, but it will certainly happen.”

In the meantime she has been indicted by Interpol, for “inciting terrorism in Iraq.”

The alliance between ISIS and the Baathists may be their greatest strength at the moment, but the rifts are growing. In the last week, there have been internal clashes, as the more moderate Sunni fighters struggle with the brutality of ISIS. Many within the Baathist party are unsure they can control ISIS, and fear that once they have secured territory, they will try to impose strict Sharia law on towns under Baathist rule.

In a petty rift, ISIS troops fought Naqshbandi soldiers over an armored vehicle, with five men killed. In another battle on Sunday, 17 fighters were killed as the groups clashed again. As one Sunni fighters put it "unlike ISIS, we are not playing football with people's heads"

With the U.S. already considering the strange prospect of working with Iran to curb the ISIS advance, it is possible that down the road, America's allies could be the very Baathists and Sunni fighters it once ousted from power.

---------

Sorry, chum, the very idea that, at ANY point, Saddam's former troops will be working with the US is pie-in-the-sky complete delusion.

Anyone that tries to pretend that's ever going to happen would do well to remember things like Albright brushing off the deaths of half a million Iraqi children through sanctions, as 'worth it'.



That's without the hundreds of thousands of civilian deaths since the 2003 invasion.

It wasn't 'worth it'. Neither were the deaths and maiming of US, UK and other servicemen. All these people died for the benefit of no-one except Cheney's chums Halliburton, and US mercenaries like Blackwater/Greystone/Academi, last spotted earning their blood money in Ukraine.

A very predictable headline:

http://blogs.aljazeera.com/blog/middle-east/kerry-disappoints-iraq

Kerry disappoints in Iraq

The ketchup gigolo's made a career out of 'disappointing' people for decades, why should he change now?

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2014/06/maliki-rules-out-iraq-unity-government-2014625105257356288.html

Maliki rules out Iraq unity government
Shia PM says such a move would be a "coup" in a direct rebuttal of US efforts to tackle a rising Sunni rebellion.

The Iraqi prime minister has rejected US calls for the formation of a national unity government to tackle a rising Sunni offensive, calling the idea a "coup" against the constitution.

Nouri al-Maliki's statement on Wednesday came a day after the US secretary of state, John Kerry, left Iraq after pushing for a agreement between Kurdish, Sunni and Shia leaders.

In his weekly televised address, Maliki said: "The call to form a national emergency government is a coup against the constitution and the political process.

"It is an attempt by those who are against the constitution to eliminate the young democratic process and steal the votes of the voters."

The speech came a day after US military advisers arrived in Baghdad. The US says Iraqi politicians must create a unity government before it sends futher help.

Al Jazeera's Imran Khan, reporting from Baghdad, said the prime minister's comments would be seen as direct rebuttal to the US insistence of a unity deal before more help is sent.

Maliki's electoral bloc won by far the most seats in April 30 parliamentary elections with 92, nearly three times as many as the next biggest party, and the incumbent himself tallied 720,000 personal votes, also far and away the most.

Refinery takeover

Also on Wednesday, Iraqi State TV broadcasted video claiming to show Iraqi troops in control of the oil refinery at Baiji, amid contesting claims as to who was in control there.

The footage, shot by a journalist sympathetic to the government, shows an army helicoper briefly landing at the site before leaving.

Khan said that the video, which the government said was shot on Tuesday, seemed to suggest Iraqi troops were in control of at least part of the refinery.

The Iraqi government would have been hesitant to send a journalist to the area if it wasn't confident it was clear of rebels, Khan said.

--------

Yes, right, I am sure we all remember Comical Ali's interesting take on events in Iraq...

As for the rest, it looks as if the PM of what's left of Iraq respects and trusts the ketchup gigolo as much as the rest of the world = not one bit.

You know you're a failure when the leader of a country being dismembered by an uprising of assorted mad people tells you where to stick your advice.

From:

http://edition.cnn.com/2014/06/24/world/meast/iraq-crisis-kerry-interview/index.html?hpt=hp_t1

In the interview, Kerry defended Obama's decision not to go forward with military strikes in Syria.
"The reason that the decision to strike Syria didn't happen was because we ultimately came up with a better solution after the President made his decision to strike," Kerry said, referring to an agreement that required Bashar al-Assad's regime to give up its chemical weapons stockpile.

       

The truth is that the US military found out that the 'gas attack' was carried out by the 'nice rebels' and organised by NATO allies Turkey, as detailed here:

http://www.lrb.co.uk/v36/n08/seymour-m-hersh/the-red-line-and-the-rat-line

quote:

‘Nobody wants to talk about all this,’ the former intelligence official told me. ‘There is great reluctance to contradict the president, although no all-source intelligence community analysis supported his leap to convict. There has not been one single piece of additional evidence of Syrian involvement in the sarin attack produced by the White House since the bombing raid was called off. My government can’t say anything because we have acted so irresponsibly. And since we blamed Assad, we can’t go back and blame Erdoğan.’

Russia knew all along who had really carried out the attack; Putin managed to resist the temptation to gloat as he, yet again, sorted out the mess Obama had made.

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2014-06-25/syrian-and-iraqi-al-qaeda-groups-merge-us-troops-arrive-full-iraq-update

So now the US is allied with Iraq, Iran, Saudi, and, drumroll, Syria in chasing the same band of Jihadist extremist it itself was cultivating and funding over the years in Syria. Brilliant

That about sums it up. Except that none of the combatants want to be allied with America, as the US can't be trusted. Not least because they armed ISIS in the first place when they wanted Assad overthrown.

Oh dear.

http://www.infowars.com/isis-and-al-nusra-merge-on-syria-iraq-border/

 Al-Nusra Armed by U.S.

In April it was reported the CIA transfers weapons from “moderate” mercenaries in Syria to al-Nusra. The delivery was revealed by Jamal Maarouf of the Syrian Revolutionary Front.

Maarouf said if “the people who support us [U.S., Saudis, Qataris] tell us to send weapons to another group, we send them. They asked us a month ago to send weapons to [al-Nusra in] Yabroud so we sent a lot of weapons there. When they asked us to do this, we do it.”

In April it was reported shipments delivered to Maarouf and others included sophisticated BGM-71 TOW anti-tank weapons. Later that month it was reported the U.S. would supply man-portable air defense systems, or antiaircraft missiles to proxy forces.

Aaron Klein, writing for WND, reported last week that ISIS received training from the U.S. military in Jordan.

Way to go, Obama! He has another problem now, because 'unidentified jets' have bombed ISIS positions on the Syria-Iraq border.

Now, there are no prizes for working out that the only air force it could possibly be is Syria's, unless Israel has decided to join in.

So, what's Obama to do? He can't carry on inciting the 'nice rebels' in Syria when Assad is doing his work for him in Iraq.....

http://news.sky.com/story/1289531/cleric-to-shake-the-ground-fighting-militants

Cleric To 'Shake The Ground' Fighting Militants
Moqtada al Sadr warns against US co-operation as officials reveal Syria has launched airstrikes on locations in western Iraq.

A Shiite cleric has warned that his supporters will "shake the ground" fighting Sunni militants in Iraq.

In a televised address, Moqtada al Sadr also expressed opposition to US military advisors meeting Iraqi commanders to provide tactical advice over repelling a Sunni insurgency that has overrun swathes of the country and killed more than 1,000 people.

Iraq's beleaguered military were initially overcome by the ferocity of the insurgency that captured several strategic cities in the country, including Qaim, Rawa, Haditha and Ramadi.

Government forces have since recovered ground and repelled further assaults on other critical towns and infrastructure, though there are reports the offensive has since been bolstered by Islamist rebels from Syria joining forces with the Iraqi insurgency.

US officials have also revealed that Syria launched airstrikes into western Iraq on Tuesday in an attempt to disrupt the insurgency fighting both the Syrian and Iraqi governments.

Syrian President Bashar Assad's government is has been locked in a bloody civil war with opposition groups since 2011.

Al Sadr also called for "new faces" in a national unity government after elections in April saw prime minister Nuri al Maliki win with the most seats, though he failed to secure a majority.

But al Maliki warned he would not be sidelined by rivals seeking to use the insurgency and fragile state of the country to try to oust him.

Such a move was "an attempt by those who are against the constitution to eliminate the young democratic process and steal the votes of the voters," he said.

The US has made concerted efforts to unite Iraq's fractious political leaders in the face of the offensive led by the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) jihadist group, though they have shown little sign of coming together.

========

If the US attempts to meddle, then many will have suspicions confirmed about whose side Obama is really on....

As with Ukraine, this concerns Iraq's immediate neighbours, which are Syria and Iran, not the country thousands of miles away that started all this in the first place.

When people are trying to put out fires, the last thing needed is the return of the arsonist that started the fire in the first place, carrying more petrol.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-28042302

Iraqi PM Nouri Maliki: Russian jets will turn tide

Iraq's Prime Minister Nouri Maliki has told the BBC that he hopes jets from Russia and Belarus will turn the tide against rebels in the coming days.

"God willing within one week this force will be effective and will destroy the terrorists' dens," he said.

He said that the process of buying US jets had been "long-winded" and that the militants' advance could have been avoided if air cover had been in place.

Isis and its Sunni Muslim allies seized large parts of Iraq this month.

Mr Maliki was speaking to the BBC's Arabic service in his first interview for an international broadcaster since Isis - the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant - began its major offensive.

"I'll be frank and say that we were deluded when we signed the contract [with the US]," Mr Maliki said.

"We should have sought to buy other jet fighters like British, French and Russian to secure the air cover for our forces; if we had air cover we would have averted what had happened," he went on.

He said Iraq was acquiring second-hand jet fighters from Russia and Belarus "that should arrive in Iraq in two or three days".

Meanwhile, Obama wants to give ISIS another half-billion of US taxpayers' money via the latest 'nice rebels' in Syria.

I don't think there can be too much doubt about whose side Obama is really on. And it isn't the side of Western civilisation in any shape or form.

I doubt if he cares too much about killing Muslim civilians with his accursed drones; they'll go straight to Paradise, and the outrage means more recruits for militant Islam.

From:

http://edition.cnn.com/2014/06/28/world/meast/iraq-crisis/index.html?hpt=hp_t1

Almost 500 kilometers to the north, airstrikes hit western areas of the city of Mosul Saturday morning, state-run Iraqiya TV reported.
A senior Iraqi military official, who could not be named because he is not authorized to speak to the media, told CNN that the strikes were carried out by Iraqi jet fighters firing Hellfire missiles and targeted ISIS locations in the city.


Er, Iraq doesn't have jets - one of the many reasons they are so p*ssed off with Obama. Their 'airforce' consists of two Cessnas....

I'm surprised the paint has dried on the MiGs so quickly.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2014/06/27/be172f43-cf98-4677-8e6d-4d64a5ae5e1d_story.html

BAGHDAD — Frustrated with the pace of U.S. jet and attack helicopter deliveries, the Iraqi government has resorted to negotiating the return of decades-old planes from Iran as it desperately tries to cobble together air power to turn the tide against al-Qaeda-inspired insurgents.

Iran has been “receptive” to the demands and is working on refurbishing an unspecified number of jets, Ammar Toma, a member of the Iraqi parliament’s defense and security committee said Friday. Government and military officials and two other lawmakers confirmed the negotiations.

The planes are among more than 100 Iraqi jets, including Soviet-made Sukhoi bombers and MiGs, which were flown to Iran by fleeing Iraqi pilots during the 1991 Gulf War. If delivered, they would join secondhand fighters from Belarus and Russia to create a ragtag air force that Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki is hoping can help reverse insurgent gains.

Iraq is desperate for air power to strike militants from the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and has expressed annoyance that long-awaited U.S. contracts for F-16 fighters and Apache helicopters are yet to be fulfilled.

The United States is flying armed drones over Iraq in case the 300 military advisers it is dispatching there need protection, Rear Adm. John Kirby, the Pentagon press secretary, said Friday.

He acknowledged that the drones also could be used for airstrikes if President Obama decides to take military action against ISIS targets — a possibility the White House is still contemplating.

But with the United States holding back on strikes and no jets of its own, Iraq has been forced to rely on fixed-wing-propeller planes and helicopters armed with U.S.-supplied Hellfire missiles.for aerial attacks.

Despite its limited air power, the Iraqi military has managed to go on the offensive against ISIS in some areas in recent days, launching a commando attack to retake Tikrit and securing the road from Baghdad to Samarra this week.

With its first U.S.-supplied F-16s not expected to arrive until fall, the planes from Iran and secondhand jets from Russia and Belarus are an unsatisfactory stopgap, officials say.

“These planes are over 20 years old,” said a senior military officer, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he is not authorized to discuss the negotiations. He voiced concerns that using the outdated technology could mean large numbers of civilian casualties. “Even when you get them, you still need training for pilots. They aren’t just taxis that one can just jump into and drive,” he added, pointing out that many of the Iraqis who were trained to fly them are now too old.

Iran impounded about 130 planes after fleeing Iraqi pilots sought sanctuary in the country during the 1991 Gulf War, Iraqi officials say. The aircraft include 24 Soviet-made Su-24s, 24 French Mirage F1s and 12 MiG-23s.

The Iranians argued that the aircraft amounted to reparations for the 1980-1988 Iran-Iraq War.


Despite the sensitivities, Iran now appears likely to return them, said Toma and one senior military official.

“Iran is worried that the state might fall, so they will help any way they can,” said the military official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he is not authorized to discuss the negotiations. He said regular visits by Qasem Soleimani, the commander of Iran’s elite Quds force, were evidence of their firm backing.

Some of the planes have been junked, but the Su-24s are serviceable, and some have been absorbed into the Iranian air force and kept in working order, said analyst Michael Knights of the Washington Institute.

“It could be a sneaky way of using Iranian air power,” he said. “They could keep Iranian pilots flying that stuff — all you are changing is what’s painted on the wings, really.”

Marzieh Afkham, spokeswoman for Iran’s foreign ministry, denied local media reports Wednesday that 130 planes had been returned.but has not commented further.

An Iraqi government official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the negotiations are not public, confirmed that the planes had been requested but would not give further details.

Kirby said U.S. military aircraft — including the drones — are conducting about 30 to 35 reconnaissance missions over Iraq daily. He declined to identify what types of drones are flying over Iraq or say where the aircraft are based. The Air Force has Predator and Reaper drones based in Turkey, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, although it is unclear which of those countries may have given permission for the U.S. military to use its territory for armed operations in Iraq. Predator and Reaper drones are primarily used for surveillance but can be armed with Hellfire missiles and other weapons.

===========

Obama won't like that, how very dare the Iraqis cobble together an airforce to defend themselves from his 'nice rebels'.

And I suspect the older Iraqi pilots will forget about their advancing years when the alternative is a horrible death at the hands of the Obama-sponsored Snackbars.

Anyway, they just have to fly, point and shoot at the Snackbars, they aren't going to be involved in dogfights.

Unless Obama decides to give jets to the Snackbars to even things up.

Some of the planes have been junked, but the Su-24s are serviceable, and some have been absorbed into the Iranian air force and kept in working order, said analyst Michael Knights of the Washington Institute.

“It could be a sneaky way of using Iranian air power,” he said. “They could keep Iranian pilots flying that stuff — all you are changing is what’s painted on the wings, really.”

See the US thinking - it's 'sneaky' of Iraq to use any means possible to defend itself against the terrorists Obama has been financing in Syria.

From:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-28069800

Iraq's army has routed Sunni militants in a major offensive on the northern city of Tikrit, state media say.

State television said the governor's HQ had been recaptured and 60 fighters from the Isis militant group killed.

A spokesman for the rebels confirmed heavy fighting but implied the attack had failed, saying they were pursuing what was left of the army offensive.

The rebels control large swathes of the north and west after lightning raids that captured the second city, Mosul.

'Flee or be killed'
On Saturday, thousands of Iraqi troops backed by tanks and air power attacked Tikrit from four directions, state TV said.

It said there had been complete success in clearing Isis from the city, with some militant commanders among the 60 killed. It said the other insurgents there had fled.



Several air strikes were also reported on the rebel-held second city of Mosul

Looks like either the MiGs have been in action, or the old pilots squeezed themselves back into their cockpits again. That's certainly not the handiwork of two old Cessnas.

Any bets on how long it's going to take Obama and Kerry to start complaining?

Don't have the words Bonny.

Iranian view of all this:

http://www.presstv.com/detail/2014/06/28/369030/us-behind-iraq-tensions-iran-cmdr/

White house behind Iraq tensions: Iran cmdr.

A senior Iranian commander says the ongoing crisis in Iraq is an instance of US proxy wars in the Middle East, stressing that the Islamic Republic will firmly deal with any threat against the country.

Deputy Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces Brigadier General Masoud Jazayeri said on Saturday that the proxy wars in the Middle East are directed from the White House, adding that certain regional countries, including Saudi Arabia, are also complicit in this issue.

Jazayeri said the current tension in Iraq is the result of the overflow of terrorists from other parts of the region, including Syria, into the Arab country.

“The presence of militants in Iraq should be considered as a full-fledged plot devised by world powers and their lackeys, with the US leading these powers,” he added.

The commander stated that the issue of terrorism is directly related to the US government and is aimed at serving the interests of the Israeli regime.

He emphasized that the Islamic Republic will firmly counter terrorist groups and their sponsors in case of any threats against Iran.

Over the past days, heavy clashes have been underway between Iraqi armed forces and Takfiri militants from the so-called Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) terrorist group, who have threatened to spread their acts of violence to the capital Baghdad.

Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has blamed Saudi Arabia and Qatar for the growing terrorism in his country.

===========

I would be fascinated to know what Ketchup Gigolo Kerry thought he was playing at in his recent visit to Iraq, telling Maliki to be nice to the insurgents.

Hello? The Snackbars are on a murdererous rampage through Iraq, and Kerry thinks the elected government should give out hugs'n'kisses to them?

Mayhap the US should consider closing its embassy in Iraq, and taking its spies and mercenaries out with it. Then there would be no need for them to have drones over Bagdhad to 'protect' the embassy.

As the president of the US kow-tows to the King of Saudi Arabia, the very country that funds these terrorists, Iraq and its neighbours are more than justified in being suspicious of US motives, IMO.

Iraq now has its Russian jets, which I wrongly thought were MiGs:

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2014/06/iraq-takes-delivery-russian-fighter-jets-201462944837214478.html

Iraq takes delivery of Russian fighter jets
Baghdad hopes batch of five second-hand planes will bolster efforts to retake large parts of the country lost to rebels



Iraq hopes the Sukhoi jets will boost efforts to retake territory lost to ISIL [Alexander Mishin/Wikimedia]

The Iraqi government has received a delivery of Russian-made fighter planes it hopes will turn the tide against Sunni rebels who have seized large parts of the country.

Iraqi security officials confirmed five Sukhoi jets, which were purchased second-hand from Russia, had arrived in Baghdad on Saturday.

Pictures released by the defence ministry show the jets taxiing on a runway towards a hangar.

Military officials hope the aircraft will bolster efforts by the Iraqi armed forces to retake territory seized by Sunni rebels led by the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant earlier in June.

Al Jazeera's Imran Khan, reporting from Baghdad, said the move to buy jets from Russia was a snub to the US, which had earlier promised 34 F-16 fighters to the Iraqis.

Baghdad was frustrated with how long it was taking for the US to deliver the planes.

Iraqi Air Force officials said the jets would be ready to use in sorties within three to four days, but the Iraqis require technical help and parts to make them operational, Khan said.

The Iraqi government launched its biggest push yet to drive back the rebel offensive on Saturday, as soldiers backed by tanks and helicopter gunships began an offensive to retake the northern city of Tikrit.

There were conflicting reports as to just how much headway the Iraqi military made in its initial thrust towards Tikrit, the hometown of Saddam Hussein, according to the AP news agency.

Residents said Sunni fighters were still in control of the city during the night, but Iraqi officials said the troops had reached the outskirts and even entered Tikrit itself.

What was clear, however, was the government's desire to portray the campaign as a significant step forward after two weeks of demoralising defeats at the hands of the ISIL fighters and their allies.

The rebel surge in northern and western Iraq has thrown the country into its deepest crisis since US troops withdrew in December 2011, and threatens to divide the country in three along sectarian and ethnic lines.

Iraq's large, US-trained and equipped military melted away in the face of the rebel onslaught, sapping morale and public confidence in its ability to stem the tide.

The Tikrit operation, if successful, could help restore a degree of faith in the security forces, as well as embattled Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki.

-------------------

Well done, Russia! At least there's never any doubt about whose side Putin is on, when it comes to fighting Snackbar terrorists - unlike Obama.

Ironic that the ex-KGB Russian president is a Christian with zero tolerance for muslim terrorists, while the ex-social worker president of the US is......God knows what, but nothing trustworthy.

Hmm, looks like Caliph Baghdadi is just a Pretender, there are still plenty of real Ottomans knocking around:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Line_of_succession_to_the_former_Ottoman_throne