Iraqi Security Forces Battle Jihadist Militants

Reason

Security forces in Iraq are battling militants from the Al Qaeda-linked Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant in Ramadi and Fallujah in the Anbar province, the latest example of the increased violence Iraq has been experiencing. 

From the BBC:

Special forces in Iraq are fighting jihadist militants who have reportedly taken over swathes of two cities.

The clashes with fighters from the al-Qaeda linked Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIS) are taking place in Fallujah and Ramadi.

Both cities are in the province of Anbar where Sunni militant activity has been on the rise.

On Monday the security forces broke up a long-running Sunni anti-government protest camp in Ramadi.

A senior police officer was quoted as saying ISIS fighters had seized at least 10 police stations and had freed a number of prisoners.

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Comments

[Bo Cara Esq.]

Thank heaven we spent billions of dollars, thousands of lives and a fair amount of diplomatic capital making Iraq a place where no terrorists could call home. Mission accomplished!

[Palin's Buttplug]

My comment below was for you.

Condi said it was just some "birth pangs" of democracy. Don't doubt them!

[bassjoe]

"Al Qaeda-linked"

What does this even MEAN? Are the command structures unified in any way? Or have they just sent some money and/or emails back and forth over the years?

[Bo Cara Esq.]

I would bet that if a group merely expresses explicit sympathy with Al Qaeda they count them as 'Al Qaeda linked' (unless it is a different day when they are trying to argue what a bang up job they have done of crippling Al Qaeda, then they totally do not count).

[GILMORE]

Bassjoe =

re: "Al-Q linked"

While 99% of the time this phrase gets tossed out by the media its complete fantasy horseshit, in the case of ISI, there is in fact some real connection, although its changed over time.

In short = when they got started, "Official" Al-Q did give ISI their blessing. Then Old-AQ got pissed at them for a lot of sunni-on-sunni violence / beheading type stuff, and after Zarqawi was killed they changed their tune a bit. It was kind of an on-off official relationship.

Most recently there was another public flare up between old-AQ and ISI over the Syria role..

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/.....27810.html

This is in contrast to some other self-identified "AQ affiliates" who have in reality no substantive connection whatsoever. Example being (AFAIK) "Al Q in the Islamic Maghreb" (Algerian). They have some vague relationships with other insurgent groups in the region (including ISI), but no official connection to the old-school AQ brand from inception if I recall correctly. They go back to the Algerian civil war and have generally been their own ball of wax.

[Palin's Buttplug]

Let me have the honor:

BOOOSSHHHHH!

[Also Ran]

Iraqi Security Forces Battle Jihadist Militants

For some reason I read that as 'Jihadist Mittens', which would be an awesome name for a band.

[Stilgar]

suicide mittens? Interesting

[Warty]

Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIS)

"The Organization of Douchebags in...wait...I swear I had something for this...Nowheresville."

[Fist of Etiquette]

Jesus Christ, that is just... baby town frolics.

[Kaptious Kristen]

I'm so shocked this is happening! Like, when Tito died, Yugoslavia became a model of peace and harmony. So whassamattah with Iraq??

[Tim]

There's your whirled peas.

[Raven Nation]

OT: to all you Bears fans. The team just re-signed Jay Cutler to a 7 year deal worth more than 17.6m/year.

http://espn.go.com/chicago/nfl.....r-contract

[R C Dean]

As a Cowboys and Packers fan, I regard this as excellent news.

[Kaptious Kristen]

You have now surpassed Brett as the world's greatest monster.

[Pro Libertate]

As most people are now aware, Hitler was a Cowboys fan.

[Kaptious Kristen]

BWHAHAHAHAHAA! I never thought anyone could outdo the Vikings in player acquisition stupidity, but this comes close. No, not close. But closer than most teams. The Vikes will retain their title for many years to come.

[Pro Libertate]

They own that permanently for the Walker trade. I say this as someone who thinks Walker was a great running back. But the price was not too high--it was insanely too high.

[Kaptious Kristen]

Walker, Favre and Freeman. You could also add in Moon and Cunningham, except they both did great when they played for the Vikes (with the help of fantastic receivers and my all-time favorite player Robert Smith)

[Pro Libertate]

Walker by a mile. Freeman was just grabbing a cast-off, who is inexplicably awful now, rather than merely inconsistent. Not that I ever wanted the Bucs to draft him, but he did show flashes at times. Might be worth a spot as a reclamation project, I guess.

Favre is Favre, and he brought the added bonus of upsetting people in Wisconsin.

[Pro Libertate]

As a Buccaneers fan, I say thank you, Chicago.

[Dr. Frankenstien]

As a Bears fan I say *blech* Still maybe someday the man will learn to read defenses. Wait 'till next year.

[Pro Libertate]

He's not the worst QB in the world, but yes, I agree.

[R C Dean]

Actually, isn't it a positive development that Iraqi forces are fighting militants in Iraq, and not US forces?

I mean, if you're stuck with an Islamonutter insurgency, shouldn't it be the locals fighting it, and not us?

[creech]

A preview of what will happen in Afghanistan (Obama's good war) as soon as U.S. troops pull out. Do not get involved in any country or culture where a substantial number of people believe their god or economic system commands the killing of non-believers.

[Fluffy]

You know what? I'm delighted that Big Media is ignoring Iraq's deterioration, because if they focused on it at all fucking Bolton would start with the "OCCUPY THEM AGAIN!! KILL KILL KILL!!" bullshit.

But still - it's kind of fucked up that this isn't, you know, actually being covered in the news.

If a Republican was President you know there'd be all sorts of "Was it all worth it?" coverage but since the lightbringer is President we obviously can't have anybody claiming things are anything but awesome anywhere in the Middle East.

[Pro Libertate]

It's still all Bush's fault, though.

[kinnath]

Since when does Micheal Bolton give a shit about Iraq?

[GILMORE]

"
Fluffy|1.2.14 @ 1:42PM|#

You know what? I'm delighted that Big Media is ignoring Iraq's deterioration, because if they focused on it at all fucking Bolton would start with the "OCCUPY THEM AGAIN!! KILL KILL KILL!!" bullshit.

Newsflash, Fluffy = John Bolton hasn't had that job since 2006.

The current UN rep is just as big a pro-interventionist cunt, however; only for "Humanitarian" reasons. She is to be credited for sticking our noses in Libya, and considers non-intervention in Syria a 'missed opportunity'

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S.....n_in_Libya

The only thing even slightly respectable about her is that she once called Hilary a "monster".