Mosul falls to al-Qaeda as US-trained security forces flee

Hotair ^ | 06/10/2014 | Ed Morrissey

[fatez]

So for years here on FR, I have said the Iraq war was a mistake (was BBQed for it many a time) because the end game wasn’t really spelled out and really Iraq is an artificial country (thank you Churchill and France). I also said we could not “fix” the problem until we looked at Syria the same way. It is at least 3 countries. I said years ago that we should partition it between Kurds, Shiites, and Sunnis. It looks like that is what we are headed for with everyone pretty much disgusted with the USA and over 4000 casualties. I thought we would lose because we think they want to wear jeans and eat McDonalds. Now we know better, I think...

[PGalt]

Actually GM killed people too…

Good point, SeekAndFind.

People die. At this point what difference does it make? /hillary (collateral damage for fascists/socialists/totalitarians/psychopaths)

[PapaBear3625]

You can train them.

You can pay them.

But you cannot give them the willingness to fight. That has to come from inside. The Jihadis have the willingness. These guys don't.

[vaudine]

Do't understand your post. Assad IS a terrorist.

vaudine

[frog in a pot]

we...needed a military presence there for at least 50 years.

Bingo, except IMO it required somewhat less than two generations (<40yrs). The kids loved us with our instant friendliness, our edible treats, the soccer balls we gave them and the care and medical treatments; they knew we were the good guys. We just needed to stay as we did after WWII, build schools and let them grow up.

The author gets it right as well: Unless Iraq finds some deep well of nationalistic strength....
My sense after 18 months in country was that while we thought we were helping them with an "American Revolution" -like operation, the adults were culturally unable to comprehend the personal effort that entailed or required.

[Dagnabitt]

Boublil and Schonberg have their work cut out for them.

Somehow I don't see audiences rushing to see:

MISS BAGHDAD - A musical tale of love and loss set amid the epic fall of the Iraqi capital.

G.I.s dancing with bikini-clad Vietnamese bar-girls
vs
Troops in Kevlar drinking tea with filthy bearded men?

Drama and song through two acts
vs
Fatima getting stoned to death by her own family in the first five minutes?

[Gritty]

"GM's alive, bin Laden is dead, and Al-Qaeda is on the run!"

Oh, wait. never mind...

[1Old Pro]

OMG Obama is losing all over the globe.

[SZonian]

Respectfully disagree...he’s winning while the world is losing...

[Jane Long]

“When the battle got tough in the city of Mosul, the troops dropped their weapons and abandoned their posts, making it an easy prey for the terrorists,”

Wait. What?

[bfh333]

Well, we know where they are...

An all out carpet bombing should begin until every living thing is DEAD!

It’s the least we could do for our soldiers...

[PapaBear3625]

Yes they are. They’re running INTO Iraq.

Afghanistan is relatively unimportant next to Iraq. Afghanistan has heroin production. Iraq has oil.

If AlQ gets deeply imbedded into Iraq, they will have the capability to finance their activities through oil revenue, making them independent of the wealthy Arabs who have been funding them up until now.

[Travis McGee]

Yep. Last helicopter out.

[Bigg Red]

I know I am shocked. s/

[Bigg Red]

I think you meant “satire”.

[Bigg Red]

+1