Posted on 02/21/2015 8:44:17 AM PST by Oldeconomybuyer
The Pentagon plan for a major ground assault to retake the northern Iraqi city of Mosul from Islamic State is bold, ambitious — and perplexing.
And there is no question that a successful U.S.-backed assault with 20,000 to 25,000 Iraqi and Kurdish troops on a major urban center, should it occur, would mark a turning point in a shadowy war that has been largely limited to airstrikes and small skirmishes deep in the desert.
Whether the military blueprint is feasible is far from certain, however.
Any attempt to retake the city now probably would require house-to-house fighting and U.S. air support, including airstrikes and intelligence, against an entrenched foe.
Even if the Pentagon decides to send U.S. special operations troops into the battle to help direct U.S. airstrikes, commanders are unlikely to approve bombing runs that could cause heavy civilian casualties. Iraqi troops thus would assume a greater burden of evicting the militants and securing the city.
The U.S. official who briefed reporters conceded that the attack plan is still a work in progress.
(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...
Many are saying it’s going to be far too little and too late to make any difference. Just as Obama planned it.
” Just as Obama planned it.”
Yes.
Great situation for the neutron bomb. Anybody that was any good there is dead anyways.
Well, since the plan was basically laid out with all the military, GPS and other pertinent data and the enemy fully invited to gather around the table and slobber over the layout, it’s no bloody wonder they’re worrying about the feasibility of the plan!
Freaking...bloody...fartbrains!
Theres no way to assault that city. Look at those savages in charge. Every last civilian is a hostage and theres little question it will get medieval with bodies of women and children being tossed out at the invading force.
I know plenty on here will resort to “let God sort them out’ but if we’re going to resort to their level of savagery whats the purpose anyway?
“commanders are unlikely to approve bombing runs that could cause heavy civilian casualties.”
Two observations.
Civilians are being raped, burned alive in cages, sold into slavery, beheaded and head stuck on a fence, and crucified already.
I bet they would gleefully welcome airstrikes and 155 meant to drive out their tormenters. Of course, our pussified MBA senior officers with degrees in foreign relations wouldn’t understand that.
Second observation, this is said on the anniversary of Iwo Jima, two days into the battle. Now its unfeasible to kick an undisciplined rabble force like ISIS out of Mosul. God help us if we ever face an actual military.
You’re right about their discipline but you also hit it square on about the atrocities. The city needs to be isolated. Take everything around it. Then let their lack of discipline take hold. Anyone invades and the occupiers will slaughter every last civilian there. Certainly if the attack is carried out by troops not much better than they are like the Iraqi’s and Kurds.
We’re between a rock and a hard place. On one side ISIS is only going to become more widespread, larger, and bolder. They should be dealt with now. It’d be nice to be able to wait another 22 months once we have a real president with some balls and able to actually recognize the threat the world faces and stop them.
On the other hand, with our current enabler in chief, sending in our troops with current, most likely even worse, rules of engagement, sending in our troops with thier hands tied against a ruthless enemy is only going to get our guys killed.
I see an obama plan of sending our guys over there and holding a fricking job fair.
“We’d have to mount a Desert Storm scale war to succeed.”
You are severely inflating the combat power of ISIS. They have no demonstrated military power. Their supposed 10 foot tall status comes from atrocities against unarmed victims, and from overwhelming lightly armed constabulary forces that were basically welfare job holders.
It would not take half a million troops and all the cold war tanks in Europe to defeat ISIS. A couple of USMC regiments, with the proper use of their organic supporting arms could do it. This really isn’t rocket science.
ISIS is the SS, without the “Waffen” part. Any proper sized US Army or Marine formation could hand them their asses hard.
Why not just sit down with ISIS at a golf course too. Tell them our military plan and ask ISIS of they approve.
That’s just flat wrong.
I assure you, the moment a Marine regiment actually hits that town and begins the assault, they will not have any time to be going after civilians. Not for very long,,,,
Getting shot at tends to focus the mind,, even the jihadi mind.
Is it true that if Obomination did (actually!) decide to send 500,00 troops in with all the needed transport and firepower, he would have to prove unequivocally that he is a U.S. citizen FIRST? I understand completely that the reason he’s not even considering sending even the miniscule amount of ground forces is because he wants ISIS to overwhelmingly defeat and destroy both troops and aircraft.
He wants to see ISIS, of which he has proven undeniably that he is a part, conquer the world.
But since we know he is NOT a U.S. citizen, but a Kenyan national (or Indonesian?), could that be another reason he is sending the mere minimum number of troops so he will not have to finally divulge this crucial data—and thus be impeached and imprisoned for several counts of High Treason and espionage?
“Anyone invades and the occupiers will slaughter every last civilian there.”
Invasions, especially conducted by pissed off Marines are fast and violent, leaving you without time for projects like that. A better analogy would be SS guards running for their life as the Allied forces approach.
You cant have it both ways, they are an undisciplined rabble. But they could ignore the attacking force and focus enough to start the work of killing the whole city?
Not to mention, invasions are kind of interesting, all turns to chaos.
As the explosions and close air begins, the victims know they salvation is near, they run, they hide, they ignore jihadis instruction, THEY attack, etc etc.
When the invasion switch gets flipped, it wont be a situation where ISIS calls the shot to the same degree they do now. Their days of strutting through town executing on a whim will be measured in minutes.
He doesn’t want to go after ISIS because it is Sunni, and grew out of the Syrian opposition. He and the Saudis created them and supplied them through Benghazi and Turkey.
He want then to stay intact, and to move against Assad.
Fighting a war where you causally dip your foot in the pool before jumping in, then dithering about on the diving board undecided and telegraphing your actions is beyond foolish, sure a major build up of forces would never be a secret (but who actually believes that will ever happen from obama? instead its limprwristed and full ahead ‘launch the drone missiles and text me later with the results’) yet its as if its some boring video game to be paused for the super bowl half-time show or a golf outing on a Sunday afternoon,
Those making decisions in this manner while in the same breath finding time to sympathize with the enemy’s position, either they have no understanding or concept of what this is really all about, or they are outright traitorous and attempting to empower and strengthen their so called ‘enemy’ to the detriment of their countrymen
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