Back into Iraq

Guest Fri Sep 12, 2014 12:11 pm

OBAMA AUTHORIZES STRIKES IN SYRIA; MORE TROOPS HEADED TO IRAQ

President Barack Obama outlined a new, expanded strategy to "degrade and ultimately destroy" the extremist group calling itself the Islamic State (also know as ISIS or ISIL) in a primetime speech Wednesday night. Speaking from the Cross Hall in the White House, Obama vowed to "eradicate" the group.
"So tonight, with a new Iraqi government in place, and following consultations with allies abroad and Congress at home, I can announce that America will lead a broad coalition to roll back this terrorist threat," Obama said, according to a prepared version of his remarks. "Our objective is clear: we will degrade, and ultimately destroy, ISIL through a comprehensive and sustained counter-terrorism strategy."
Ahead of Obama's speech, officials outlined elements of his plan to confront the group, involving a coalition of the U.S. and its allies in the Middle East, Europe, and elsewhere. It will include an expansion of American airstrikes on ISIS targets in both Iraq and in Syria, combined with an effort to support Iraqi and Kurdish forces in Iraq as well as moderate opposition forces in Syria.
In his remarks, Obama broke his plan down into four key parts: "a systematic campaign of airstrikes against these terrorists," providing "support to forces fighting these terrorists on the ground," stepped up counterterrorism efforts to "prevent ISIL attacks," and continued "humanitarian assistance to innocent civilians who have been displaced by this terrorist organization."
The president also stressed his strategy to fight ISIS would "be different from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan."
"It will not involve American combat troops fighting on foreign soil," Obama said.
In his speech, Obama emphasized his plan would involve what he described as "a broad coalition of partners."
"Already, allies are flying planes with us over Iraq; sending arms and assistance to Iraqi Security Forces and the Syrian opposition; sharing intelligence; and providing billions of dollars in humanitarian aid," Obama said. "Secretary Kerry was in Iraq today meeting with the new government and supporting their efforts to promote unity, and in the coming days he will travel across the Middle East and Europe to enlist more partners in this fight, especially Arab nations who can help mobilize Sunni communities in Iraq and Syria to drive these terrorists from their lands."
The president described this coalition as "American leadership at its best."
Though he called for aggressive counterterrorism measures to prevent against potential ISIS attacks on American soil, Obama stressed the group was not an "imminent" threat in this country. However, he noted officials believe ISIS could eventually strike in the U.S. if it continues to gain power.
"ISIL poses a threat to the people of Iraq and Syria, and the broader Middle East — including American citizens, personnel and facilities. If left unchecked, these terrorists could pose a growing threat beyond that region — including to the United States," Obama said. "While we have not yet detected specific plotting against our homeland, ISIL leaders have threatened America and our allies. Our intelligence community believes that thousands of foreigners — including Europeans and some Americans — have joined them in Syria and Iraq. Trained and battle-hardened, these fighters could try to return to their home countries and carry out deadly attacks."
ISIS gained power in Syria during the ongoing civil war there against the regime of President Bashar Assad that began in 2011. Recently, the group has made territorial gains in neighboring Iraq. Obama said his strategy to confront ISIS would involve "ramped up" assistance to more moderate elements of the Syrian opposition and efforts to pursue a "political solution" there.
"In the fight against ISIL, we cannot rely on an Assad regime that terrorizes its people; a regime that will never regain the legitimacy it has lost," Obama said. "Instead, we must strengthen the opposition as the best counterweight to extremists like ISIL, while pursuing the political solution necessary to solve Syria’s crisis once and for all."
Obama described his strategy to confront ISIS as similar to previous U.S. military operations in Somalia and Yemen.
"This strategy of taking out terrorists who threaten us, while supporting partners on the front lines, is one that we have successfully pursued in Yemen and Somalia for years," Obama said.
As part of the Obama administration's efforts to build the "coalition" to confront ISIS, Kerry traveled Wednesday to Iraq and Jordan. Obama talked on the phone with Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah. The White House said the two agreed on "need for increased training and equipping of the moderate Syrian opposition."
As part of Obama's plan to confront ISIS, he will also request that Congress include so-called "Title 10" authority under the U.S. code in a must-pass spending bill that is up for a vote this month. This would allow the U.S. to ramp up training and equipping of moderate groups fighting both ISIS and the Assad regime in Syria.
"I believe we are strongest as a nation when the President and Congress work together. So I welcome congressional support for this effort in order to show the world that Americans are united in confronting this danger," Obama said.
The administration went on a full-court press with members of Congress on Wednesday to get the authority included in the bill. A senior administration official said both Obama and Vice President Joe Biden were making calls to members, and counterterrorism adviser Lisa Monaco is on Capitol Hill to meet with lawmakers. The White House believes its request needs to be tackled now and that the continuing resolution is the best mechanism by which to complete it.
Obama's speech comes one year after he delivered another primetime address calling on Congress to authorize U.S. airstrikes against Assad regime targets in Syria. He ultimately dropped that request to pursue a diplomatic solution. Of course, Obama's remarks also come on the eve of the 13th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on U.S. soil.
Here's the full prepared text of the president's speech:
My fellow Americans – tonight, I want to speak to you about what the United States will do with our friends and allies to degrade and ultimately destroy the terrorist group known as ISIL.
As Commander-in-Chief, my highest priority is the security of the American people. Over the last several years, we have consistently taken the fight to terrorists who threaten our country. We took out Osama bin Laden and much of al Qaeda’s leadership in Afghanistan and Pakistan. We’ve targeted al Qaeda’s affiliate in Yemen, and recently eliminated the top commander of its affiliate in Somalia. We’ve done so while bringing more than 140,000 American troops home from Iraq, and drawing down our forces in Afghanistan, where our combat mission will end later this year. Thanks to our military and counterterrorism professionals, America is safer.
Still, we continue to face a terrorist threat. We cannot erase every trace of evil from the world, and small groups of killers have the capacity to do great harm. That was the case before 9/11, and that remains true today. That’s why we must remain vigilant as threats emerge. At this moment, the greatest threats come from the Middle East and North Africa, where radical groups exploit grievances for their own gain. And one of those groups is ISIL – which calls itself the “Islamic State.”
Now let’s make two things clear: ISIL is not “Islamic.” No religion condones the killing of innocents, and the vast majority of ISIL’s victims have been Muslim. And ISIL is certainly not a state. It was formerly al Qaeda’s affiliate in Iraq, and has taken advantage of sectarian strife and Syria’s civil war to gain territory on both sides of the Iraq-Syrian border. It is recognized by no government, nor the people it subjugates. ISIL is a terrorist organization, pure and simple. And it has no vision other than the slaughter of all who stand in its way.
In a region that has known so much bloodshed, these terrorists are unique in their brutality. They execute captured prisoners. They kill children. They enslave, rape, and force women into marriage. They threatened a religious minority with genocide. In acts of barbarism, they took the lives of two American journalists – Jim Foley and Steven Sotloff.
So ISIL poses a threat to the people of Iraq and Syria, and the broader Middle East – including American citizens, personnel and facilities. If left unchecked, these terrorists could pose a growing threat beyond that region – including to the United States. While we have not yet detected specific plotting against our homeland, ISIL leaders have threatened America and our allies. Our intelligence community believes that thousands of foreigners – including Europeans and some Americans – have joined them in Syria and Iraq. Trained and battle-hardened, these fighters could try to return to their home countries and carry out deadly attacks.
I know many Americans are concerned about these threats. Tonight, I want you to know that the United States of America is meeting them with strength and resolve. Last month, I ordered our military to take targeted action against ISIL to stop its advances. Since then, we have conducted more than 150 successful airstrikes in Iraq. These strikes have protected American personnel and facilities, killed ISIL fighters, destroyed weapons, and given space for Iraqi and Kurdish forces to reclaim key territory. These strikes have helped save the lives of thousands of innocent men, women and children.
But this is not our fight alone. American power can make a decisive difference, but we cannot do for Iraqis what they must do for themselves, nor can we take the place of Arab partners in securing their region. That’s why I’ve insisted that additional U.S. action depended upon Iraqis forming an inclusive government, which they have now done in recent days. So tonight, with a new Iraqi government in place, and following consultations with allies abroad and Congress at home, I can announce that America will lead a broad coalition to roll back this terrorist threat.
Our objective is clear: we will degrade, and ultimately destroy, ISIL through a comprehensive and sustained counter-terrorism strategy.
First, we will conduct a systematic campaign of airstrikes against these terrorists. Working with the Iraqi government, we will expand our efforts beyond protecting our own people and humanitarian missions, so that we’re hitting ISIL targets as Iraqi forces go on offense. Moreover, I have made it clear that we will hunt down terrorists who threaten our country, wherever they are. That means I will not hesitate to take action against ISIL in Syria, as well as Iraq. This is a core principle of my presidency: if you threaten America, you will find no safe haven.
Second, we will increase our support to forces fighting these terrorists on the ground. In June, I deployed several hundred American service members to Iraq to assess how we can best support Iraqi Security Forces. Now that those teams have completed their work – and Iraq has formed a government – we will send an additional 475 service members to Iraq. As I have said before, these American forces will not have a combat mission – we will not get dragged into another ground war in Iraq. But they are needed to support Iraqi and Kurdish forces with training, intelligence and equipment. We will also support Iraq’s efforts to stand up National Guard Units to help Sunni communities secure their own freedom from ISIL control.
Across the border, in Syria, we have ramped up our military assistance to the Syrian opposition. Tonight, I again call on Congress to give us additional authorities and resources to train and equip these fighters. In the fight against ISIL, we cannot rely on an Assad regime that terrorizes its people; a regime that will never regain the legitimacy it has lost. Instead, we must strengthen the opposition as the best counterweight to extremists like ISIL, while pursuing the political solution necessary to solve Syria’s crisis once and for all.
Third, we will continue to draw on our substantial counterterrorism capabilities to prevent ISIL attacks. Working with our partners, we will redouble our efforts to cut off its funding; improve our intelligence; strengthen our defenses; counter its warped ideology; and stem the flow of foreign fighters into – and out of – the Middle East. And in two weeks, I will chair a meeting of the UN Security Council to further mobilize the international community around this effort.
Fourth, we will continue providing humanitarian assistance to innocent civilians who have been displaced by this terrorist organization. This includes Sunni and Shia Muslims who are at grave risk, as well as tens of thousands of Christians and other religious minorities. We cannot allow these communities to be driven from their ancient homelands.
This is our strategy. And in each of these four parts of our strategy, America will be joined by a broad coalition of partners. Already, allies are flying planes with us over Iraq; sending arms and assistance to Iraqi Security Forces and the Syrian opposition; sharing intelligence; and providing billions of dollars in humanitarian aid. Secretary Kerry was in Iraq today meeting with the new government and supporting their efforts to promote unity, and in the coming days he will travel across the Middle East and Europe to enlist more partners in this fight, especially Arab nations who can help mobilize Sunni communities in Iraq and Syria to drive these terrorists from their lands. This is American leadership at its best: we stand with people who fight for their own freedom; and we rally other nations on behalf of our common security and common humanity.
My Administration has also secured bipartisan support for this approach here at home. I have the authority to address the threat from ISIL. But I believe we are strongest as a nation when the President and Congress work together. So I welcome congressional support for this effort in order to show the world that Americans are united in confronting this danger.
Now, it will take time to eradicate a cancer like ISIL. And any time we take military action, there are risks involved – especially to the servicemen and women who carry out these missions. But I want the American people to understand how this effort will be different from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. It will not involve American combat troops fighting on foreign soil. This counter-terrorism campaign will be waged through a steady, relentless effort to take out ISIL wherever they exist, using our air power and our support for partner forces on the ground. This strategy of taking out terrorists who threaten us, while supporting partners on the front lines, is one that we have successfully pursued in Yemen and Somalia for years. And it is consistent with the approach I outlined earlier this year: to use force against anyone who threatens America’s core interests, but to mobilize partners wherever possible to address broader challenges to international order.
My fellow Americans, we live in a time of great change. Tomorrow marks 13 years since our country was attacked. Next week marks 6 years since our economy suffered its worst setback since the Great Depression. Yet despite these shocks; through the pain we have felt and the grueling work required to bounce back – America is better positioned today to seize the future than any other nation on Earth.
Our technology companies and universities are unmatched; our manufacturing and auto industries are thriving. Energy independence is closer than it’s been in decades. For all the work that remains, our businesses are in the longest uninterrupted stretch of job creation in our history. Despite all the divisions and discord within our democracy, I see the grit and determination and common goodness of the American people every single day – and that makes me more confident than ever about our country’s future.
Abroad, American leadership is the one constant in an uncertain world. It is America that has the capacity and the will to mobilize the world against terrorists. It is America that has rallied the world against Russian aggression, and in support of the Ukrainian peoples’ right to determine their own destiny. It is America – our scientists, our doctors, our know-how – that can help contain and cure the outbreak of Ebola. It is America that helped remove and destroy Syria’s declared chemical weapons so they cannot pose a threat to the Syrian people – or the world – again. And it is America that is helping Muslim communities around the world not just in the fight against terrorism, but in the fight for opportunity, tolerance, and a more hopeful future.
America, our endless blessings bestow an enduring burden. But as Americans, we welcome our responsibility to lead. From Europe to Asia – from the far reaches of Africa to war-torn capitals of the Middle East – we stand for freedom, for justice, for dignity. These are values that have guided our nation since its founding. Tonight, I ask for your support in carrying that leadership forward. I do so as a Commander-in-Chief who could not be prouder of our men and women in uniform – pilots who bravely fly in the face of danger above the Middle East, and service-members who support our partners on the ground.
When we helped prevent the massacre of civilians trapped on a distant mountain, here’s what one of them said. “We owe our American friends our lives. Our children will always remember that there was someone who felt our struggle and made a long journey to protect innocent people.”
That is the difference we make in the world. And our own safety – our own security – depends upon our willingness to do what it takes to defend this nation, and uphold the values that we stand for – timeless ideals that will endure long after those who offer only hate and destruction have been vanquished from the Earth.
May God bless our troops, and may God bless the United States of America.

http://www.businessinsider.com/obams-speech-isis-full-text-video-2014-9

American Zombie Fri Sep 12, 2014 1:20 pm

Very depressing.

Guest Fri Sep 12, 2014 1:33 pm

Not at all surprising though

CaliKid Fri Sep 12, 2014 6:50 pm

Such a great plot to take over the world, after Obama is finished in office.

Our next president might so happen to be a female, I wouldn't be surprised.

CaliKid Fri Sep 12, 2014 6:55 pm

How Obama looked during the speech.

Back into Iraq Obamaheadofhornsphoto101

very weird.

Guest Fri Sep 12, 2014 7:11 pm

CaliKid wrote:Such a great plot to take over the world, after Obama is finished in office.

Our next president might so happen to be a female, I wouldn't be surprised.

I'm sure they will. The Boheimian Grove put someone that wasn't an old white man in to shut people up. Then they orchestrate situations to ensure we are unhappy with him. They will do the same to a woman. Then people will want the old white guy again.

You guys might find this interesting too.

12 Year Old Girl Links All US Presidents to Same …: https://youtu.be/qPvYXZKyUB8

Guest Fri Sep 12, 2014 7:12 pm

CaliKid wrote:How Obama looked during the speech.

very weird.

Looks photoshopped.

CaliKid Fri Sep 12, 2014 7:47 pm

Nope.

Was released by the media,

here's one of the links http://www.businessinsider.com/obams-speech-isis-full-text-video-2014-9

The media knows what they are doing, they have the same thumbnail across the media sites to use as the image to show
the devil is in control for such an important speech like that.

Guest Fri Nov 14, 2014 4:19 pm

WASHINGTON — U.S. officials on Friday wouldn’t set a limit on the number of troops that may eventually be sent to Iraq, after the administration announced that it would be doubling the number of U.S. military personnel there.

“The limit that we’ve placed, again, as I’ve said, is more on the mission, the limiting principle that this is not a combat mission,” a senior administration official told reporters on a conference call on Friday after being asked if the U.S. would place a limit on the number of troops it plans to send. “In terms of numbers, I don’t think we want to specify that we’re going to be steady at a very specific number. That’s both because there could be troops rotating home as well, or we’ll assess whether there need to be additional advisers based on judgments on the ground going forward.”

“I would say that there was a very deliberate effort here to look at the comprehensive needs across the country and then to put forward a significant number that matched those needs,” the official said, adding that the administration “wanted to be transparent” about the fact that a “significant” number of personnel were needed this time.

“I’m not anticipating there being additional requirements on the horizon in terms of personnel, but I also don’t want to suggest that we’re going to set a specific ceiling with respect to U.S. personnel.”

The Obama administration announced on Friday that it would be increasing the number of U.S. military personnel on the ground in Iraq by 1,500, for the purposes of training and advising Iraqi security forces and Kurdish forces to fight ISIS. The move will almost double the amount of U.S. troops there, which currently stands at 1,400.

LINK
U.S. Military To Send Up To 1,500 Additional Troops To Iraq

buzzfeed.com

Guest Wed Nov 26, 2014 12:17 am

US military insiders recently reported a shortage in drones has slowed the war against ISIS. This after President Obama stated that restrictions imposed on drone warfare to minimize civilian casualties will not be applied to the situation in Syria and Iraq. Analysts conclude that if the drone shortage forces the US to send troops to Syria and Iraq we can expect the death toll to climb ISIS’s recruitment success to skyrocket. The call for an expansion in drone warfare capabilities might allow for the innovation specialists have called for. They state reduction in civilian deaths as their goal. This would lead to less local vengeance and retaliation.
Their goal is noble. In fact “noble” couldn’t be a more apt descriptor. In 1139 Pope Innocent II issued a bull forbidding the use of crossbows in order to protect the position of nobility in European society. The prime function of European nobility at that time was to supply royalty with expensive and well-trained soldiers. The crossbow was a cheap, easy to use, and powerful weapon. With a week’s training a mere peasant could kill a heavily armored knight. The idea of peasant armies decimating skilled forces was deemed void of chivalry. The crossbow’s ban was, literally, “noble.”
When faced with opponents adopting new and different strategies and tactics, the powers that be are quick to declare their opponents uncivilized. Militant groups, peasants in every sense of the word, don’t comply with NATO’s chivalrous, ritualized just-war theory. Drone warfare is seen as a civilized response which legitimatizes the US’s involvement by downplaying the horrible nature of war. Yet the terrorizing of local populations through indiscriminate drone strikes continues. The proposed remedy for this horror is not to cease war — that would be unthinkable and unprofitable — but merely to improve upon its execution.
A number of ideas have been put forward to mediate the amount of innocent victims. Technology philosopher Christine Boshuijzen cites technologically impaired military officials as a reason for civilian deaths. Doctoral student Dieuwertje Kuijpers calls for more democratic accountability for the CIA. Artificial intelligence professor Gustzi Eiben wants to improve drones’ face recognition and tracking software. Computer scientist Arnoud Visser claims the remedy is to fully automate the whole killing process by programming drones with algorithms governing the acceptable margins of error. These changes might very well reduce innocent deaths. Drone warfare would be far more efficient. But is efficiency really the goal?
One can only begin to imagine how a perfect drone feeds the military’s hubris. With the imagined ability to micromanage regional power relations through precision strikes anyone even slightly suspected of terrorist aspirations could be assassinated quickly at the sterile and civilized push of a button. A vengeful glance in the direction of the star-spangled banner and subsequent terrorist recruitment would be easily spotted and dealt with too. Algorithms might even decide which youths are ripe for terrorist recruitment and allow for immediate decimation of these datapoints.
The correct next development in drone warfare is its immediate end. The aristocracy, the elites, are fighting long distance wars against small groups of individuals cooperating in networks of ever changing allegiances, petty vengeance, tribal grudges, religious extremism, and political instability. The clear solution is non-interventionism and abolition of the warfare state.

http://c4ss.org/content/33590