Should the U.S. defend Iraq?

I really don't know what to think about this latest situation in Iraq. It appears to have set in very rapidly from out of the blue and has taken everyone by surprise. I was even more curious when I came across a pic today on Google depicting the ISIL convoy. My word, where on earth did a group of terrorists acquire such top of the range vehicles, in matching yellow no less?
I am sorry, but am unable to post images on here for some reason, but if you Google ' ISIL Toyota convoy pic ' you can see for yourselves. Any ideas?

originally posted by: scotland48
I really don't know what to think about this latest situation in Iraq. It appears to have set in very rapidly from out of the blue and has taken everyone by surprise. I was even more curious when I came across a pic today on Google depicting the ISIL convoy. My word, where on earth did a group of terrorists acquire such top of the range vehicles, in matching yellow no less?
I am sorry, but am unable to post images on here for some reason, but if you Google ' ISIL Toyota convoy pic ' you can see for yourselves. Any ideas?

These guys are not your rag tag extremists. The picture I'm looking at right now tells me, well funded, heavily armed and very professional looking. These guys are in the Middle East for one thing, to take it over.

The only way US could help Iraq is to just stop interfering with their affairs...Saudis with help from American and Israeli intelegence have caused and sponsored this mess to begin with and all they have to do to help the situation is to simply withdraw and let the Iraqis take care of their own business...Iranians are also willing to help sort out the problem if Iraqis want them to...Lets face it it is very easy to wipe off a terrorist group of the face of times if there is a real will behind it.The only reason they exist is because some people want them to.

No. They should mind their own business. Got to have their hand in everything!

originally posted by: shapur
The only way US could help Iraq is to just stop interfering with their affairs...Saudis with help from American and Israeli intelegence have caused and sponsored this mess to begin with and all they have to do to help the situation is to simply withdraw and let the Iraqis take care of their own business...Iranians are also willing to help sort out the problem if Iraqis want them to...Lets face it it is very easy to wipe off a terrorist group of the face of times if there is a real will behind it.The only reason they exist is because some people want them to.

Iraq cant solve this on there own Iraq is done without intervention. Now the question becomes Who? If Iran tried this would guarantee a huge civil war basically the saudis wouldnt allow it and would spend billions fighting Iran. The US is done playing world policeman Americans are just tired of war. The EU maybe there looking for a new source of oil and gas. zAnd then theres the UN powerless on there best day cant control anything. So keeping that in mind means no US troops and a proxy war will start and it will be brutal.

Everyone who says no is not thinking!

It's a knee jerk reaction to say no, I did too at first, but then I realized...

We supplied Iraq's army with advanced weaponry, stinger missiles and more.

Iraq is running and these weapons are falling into terrorist hands, the results can be disastrous if these weapons are not retrieved as soon as possible.

We have to defend Iraq, by doing so we are defending the world and ourselves foremost.

originally posted by: minusinfinity


My opinion is NO. They (Iraq) basically kicked us out but now they beg for help. They say they would approve US airstrikes. I'm sure they would but who's going to pay for such an assult? WTH?!?

I say let the animals fight. I'm sorry but we can't save everyone.

l

Let me see, The U.S and the U.K go into Iraq looking for Nuclear Weapons they never found, take out the dictator who is running the country (and stopping the spread of factions like ISIS), make lots of money in the process, then leave (overstayed their welcome perhaps).

Not only is it the US and UK (I am Scottish so am talking about my own government here too, for now at least) that made this mess, they should be the ones to clean it up (IMHO). Then Bush and Blair should be hauled over the hot coals in a War Crimes tribunal!

If we're going to put boots on the ground again in Iraq, then we need to turn it into a permanent colony, one that directly and clearly benefits the people of the United States and furthers their interests. We need to pump enough oil to justify the expense of intervening, both in terms of dollars and lives, to the American public. (Not American corporations) Lacking the will and honesty to do that, we need to stay out.

I see two potential and limited exceptions to the above.

The first would a limited intervention on the behalf of a faction within Iraq that's clearly shown itself to be truly friendly to the US, that we can reasonably predict will remain friendly, and that is capable of governing the country properly. That faction would need to be the real deal, not the best choice among several bad choices, as we've done in the past. However, I don't see any such faction in Iraq at the present time.

The second would be punitive raids, swift and brutal, against groups like ISIS, that have clearly earned a beat down.

originally posted by: xstealth
Everyone who says no is not thinking!

It's a knee jerk reaction to say no, I did too at first, but then I realized...

We supplied Iraq's army with advanced weaponry, stinger missiles and more.

Iraq is running and these weapons are falling into terrorist hands, the results can be disastrous if these weapons are not retrieved as soon as possible.

We have to defend Iraq, by doing so we are defending the world and ourselves foremost.

- war based on lie(s)
- result of war = chaos
- many weapons where given right away (to Iraqi police etc) after ''victory declared''' and nobody knows how many weapons went to the wrong guys
- more training and weapons given to police/security personal in both Iraq and Afghanistan, how many of those well training and wel geared people (costing over $150.000 for 1 person! trained/geared are now in terrorist groups?
- after leaving bases in Afghanistan and Iraq, they just left all the gear behind. It was too expensive to move it back home so more nice gear/trucks/ you name it for graps for any terrorist..
- funding terrorists fighting Assad and who knows how much of that funding got to groups like ISIS.

It must be by design all of this, if not it can't be more stupid and giving them another try should be not wise, they only can mess up more!

originally posted by: xstealth
Everyone who says no is not thinking!

It's a knee jerk reaction to say no, I did too at first, but then I realized...

We supplied Iraq's army with advanced weaponry, stinger missiles and more.

Iraq is running and these weapons are falling into terrorist hands, the results can be disastrous if these weapons are not retrieved as soon as possible.

We have to defend Iraq, by doing so we are defending the world and ourselves foremost.

I do agree there is a danger but not a big one stingers will be useless dont think the US just hands them out without safeguards. Same thing in afghanistan we flooded them with stingers to beat the Russians yet not one was used for terrorism. Thats because we can easily make them a giant paperweight because they have safeguards in its friend or foe system. It will not fire at NATO aircraft for example.They dont have any fighters in fact dont have an air force the only danger i can think of is we sold them hellfire missiles now they could be scary but even that Russia would easily sell them their weapons as well so its not like they couldnt get air to surface missiles elsewhere.

So yes there's a threat but not near as bad as what they could buy on the open market anyway the big threat is destabilization between the Sunni and the Shia. It has been a long standing policy Shia has been considered the more radical faction. Though me personally id say Sunni isnt any better really. Now Iraq had over 2 years at this point to get there act together since we left and looks like they hadnt done it the US has no more responsibility to Iraq we offered continued assistance they declined. At that point the US is free of any obligations if they need assistance contact the UN and let them handle it thats what there there for.

originally posted by: dragonridr

originally posted by: xstealth
Everyone who says no is not thinking!

It's a knee jerk reaction to say no, I did too at first, but then I realized...

We supplied Iraq's army with advanced weaponry, stinger missiles and more.

Iraq is running and these weapons are falling into terrorist hands, the results can be disastrous if these weapons are not retrieved as soon as possible.

We have to defend Iraq, by doing so we are defending the world and ourselves foremost.

I do agree there is a danger but not a big one stingers will be useless dont think the US just hands them out without safeguards. Same thing in afghanistan we flooded them with stingers to beat the Russians yet not one was used for terrorism. Thats because we can easily make them a giant paperweight because they have safeguards in its friend or foe system. It will not fire at NATO aircraft for example.They dont have any fighters in fact dont have an air force the only danger i can think of is we sold them hellfire missiles now they could be scary but even that Russia would easily sell them their weapons as well so its not like they couldnt get air to surface missiles elsewhere.

So yes there's a threat but not near as bad as what they could buy on the open market anyway the big threat is destabilization between the Sunni and the Shia. It has been a long standing policy Shia has been considered the more radical faction. Though me personally id say Sunni isnt any better really. Now Iraq had over 2 years at this point to get there act together since we left and looks like they hadnt done it the US has no more responsibility to Iraq we offered continued assistance they declined. At that point the US is free of any obligations if they need assistance contact the UN and let them handle it thats what there there for.

ISIS used stingers to shoot down the Iraqi helichopter 3 days ago.

There are no safeguards

originally posted by: xstealth

originally posted by: dragonridr

originally posted by: xstealth
Everyone who says no is not thinking!

It's a knee jerk reaction to say no, I did too at first, but then I realized...

We supplied Iraq's army with advanced weaponry, stinger missiles and more.

Iraq is running and these weapons are falling into terrorist hands, the results can be disastrous if these weapons are not retrieved as soon as possible.

We have to defend Iraq, by doing so we are defending the world and ourselves foremost.

I do agree there is a danger but not a big one stingers will be useless dont think the US just hands them out without safeguards. Same thing in afghanistan we flooded them with stingers to beat the Russians yet not one was used for terrorism. Thats because we can easily make them a giant paperweight because they have safeguards in its friend or foe system. It will not fire at NATO aircraft for example.They dont have any fighters in fact dont have an air force the only danger i can think of is we sold them hellfire missiles now they could be scary but even that Russia would easily sell them their weapons as well so its not like they couldnt get air to surface missiles elsewhere.

So yes there's a threat but not near as bad as what they could buy on the open market anyway the big threat is destabilization between the Sunni and the Shia. It has been a long standing policy Shia has been considered the more radical faction. Though me personally id say Sunni isnt any better really. Now Iraq had over 2 years at this point to get there act together since we left and looks like they hadnt done it the US has no more responsibility to Iraq we offered continued assistance they declined. At that point the US is free of any obligations if they need assistance contact the UN and let them handle it thats what there there for.

ISIS used stingers to shoot down the Iraqi helichopter 3 days ago.

There are no safeguards

Iraq doesnt have the friend or foe units only nato member's as of now and i doubt theyll be allowed to have them either they are highly protected.

As usual, it's difficult to know what is the right thing to do in this area. We are damned if we do, and damned if we don't.

My understanding is that the Iraqi military has around 250,000 trained soldiers, and ISIS has about 2,000.

I think they need to step up and handle this.

If they absolutely do not have the wherewithal to do it, and these murders continue this bloodbath, then I don't see that we have much choice.

ETA: If we do take care of it, it's only until "the next time", and of course, in the ME there is always a "next time". Part of their education needs to be that the US is not there at their beckon call. They need to defend their own. It will be a lesson hard learned, but they must learn it if they want to continue having a country that's not a total piece of crap.

Having been there the problem is there military got used to calling US forces when there was a problem. There first instinct is to withdrawal and call for support. Meaning they dont want to engage this is going to have to change or they lose.

The only thing the United States of America should do with Iraq is drop more bombs on it. Iraq doesn't do anything, but cause other nations problems with their stupid retarded religion of murdering.

This is 2014 Iraq, no one cares about your extremist ways anymore, and quite frankly, we're all getting sick of dealing with it instead of having flying cars.

Not that Israel is any better with their constant need of our money and resources all the time, and for what? So they can send empty threats to Iraq.

USA needs to return to isolationism until we get our stuff together; All this "support giving" to other nations is bleeding us dry.

Im not sure whats scarier your opinion or someone staring your post. As far as Iraq ive been there even made some friends for the most part they just want to live there lives same as you. Dont judge the whole country by a group of radicals. The biggest problem is radicals are a minority but they are willing to die for a belief. This makes it difficult to combat and the average person cannot combat that kind of violence. The goverent has to be resolute in its protection of citizen's. All to often there not allowing radicals to take over.

originally posted by: shapur
The only way US could help Iraq is to just stop interfering with their affairs...Saudis with help from American and Israeli intelegence have caused and sponsored this mess to begin with and all they have to do to help the situation is to simply withdraw and let the Iraqis take care of their own business....

that's precisely what the U.S. did, at the demand of the Iraqi government.

originally posted by: mbkennel

originally posted by: shapur
The only way US could help Iraq is to just stop interfering with their affairs...Saudis with help from American and Israeli intelegence have caused and sponsored this mess to begin with and all they have to do to help the situation is to simply withdraw and let the Iraqis take care of their own business....

that's precisely what the U.S. did, at the demand of the Iraqi government.

Bet the Iraqi government is regretting their decision right about now,They were warned they were not ready but chose to go forward with removal of US ground forces.

originally posted by: dragonridr
Im not sure whats scarier your opinion or someone staring your post. As far as Iraq ive been there even made some friends for the most part they just want to live there lives same as you. Dont judge the whole country by a group of radicals. The biggest problem is radicals are a minority but they are willing to die for a belief. This makes it difficult to combat and the average person cannot combat that kind of violence. The goverent has to be resolute in its protection of citizen's. All to often there not allowing radicals to take over.

Is that why nearly the entire country is under the control of some terrorist cell? Since they are doing such a GREAT job of keeping these so-called "unwanted" terrorists out of their country? Regardless what your "friends" may appear like on the outside, I can assure you, they're rooting for the terrorist to take over and bring "glory" to their crappy religion.

a reply to: imwilliam

"We need to pump enough oil to justify the expense of intervening, " lol the Chinese own the oil son,, lol
or at least that particular area that ur envisioning