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Page added on March 4, 2015
Iraq forces working to encircle ISIL in Tikrit
The Iraqi army has said its strategy for retaking the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) group’s stronghold of Tikrit is to surround the city before launching an assault.
A senior commander said on Wednesday that operations were currently focused on preventing ISIL from launching more attacks and cutting supply lines to stop reinforcements and weapons from reaching Tikrit.
The next step will be to “surround the towns completely, suffocate them and then pounce on them,” Lieutenant General Abdel Amir al-Zaidi told the AFP news agency.
On Monday, the Iraqi security forces and a variety of allied fighting units launched the biggest ground operation yet against ISIL in Iraq.
Backed by jets and helicopters, the 30,000-strong force is moving in from three main directions, their progress slowed by suicide bombers, sniper fire and booby traps.
Iraqi forces have yet to retake Ad-Dawr and Al-Alam, towns south and north of Tikrit respectively which command access to the city.
Zaidi said the operation launched had already achieved results by securing areas further out in Salaheddin province and forcing ISIL fighters to regroup in urban areas.
“The first phase of the battle to liberate Salaheddin was successfully completed – and in record time – by clearing the areas in the east of the province,” Zaidi said.
Baghdad has tried and failed several times to retake Tikrit since ISIL fighters seized it in June 2014, as they swept through the country’s Sunni Arab heartland.
14 Comments on "Iraq forces working to encircle ISIL in Tikrit"
Plantagenet on Wed, 4th Mar 2015 9:26 pm
The Shia forces of Iraq and Iran are on the offensive against the Sunni Caliphate. Now that Iran is helping Iraq, will Sunni countries stand by as members of their Umma are slaughtered by the Shia?
GregT on Wed, 4th Mar 2015 9:32 pm
The vast majority in the ME are Sunni.
Arming 14% of the population, to fight 80% of the population, seems like kind of a stupid thing to do.
Plantagenet on Wed, 4th Mar 2015 10:07 pm
The vast majority in Iraq are Shia. When you combine the shia Iraqi army and the shia militias with Shia forces from Iran, they greatly outnumber the Sunni in Tikrit.
GregT on Wed, 4th Mar 2015 10:21 pm
“The United States based its policy on Iraq on two primary so-called facts:
1. The Sunnis are a 20 % minority.
2. The Sunni minority and Saddam Hussein ruled the Shiite majority in Iraq.”
“Thus, the U.S. Iraq policy — as set by the Bush Administration, and the Neoconservatives–both before and after the 2003 war and occupation, was based on this false premise. Because of this, the Sunnis were marginalized and power was handed over to the Shiite religious parties and Kurdish parties by the occupation force CPA, Ambassador Bremer, and later Ambassador Negroponte.
Based on this false premise, the U.S. policy failed miserably. Still, the Bush Administration continued and still is continuing this policy. Bush called it “Stay the course””
The Correct Percentages of Sunnis, Shiites, Arabs, and Kurds
The actual, real percentages of various groups in Iraq is outlined below. Statistics come from the Al- Quds Press Research Center, London Study ( http://www.qudspress.com ) and, with reference to the map on the distribution of religious groups, from the Baker–Hamilton Committee report page, 102).
As Nationalities
Arabs 82 – 84%
Kurds, Turks, etc. 16 – 18%
Religions
Moslems 95 – 98%
Christians and others 2 – 5%
Moslem Sects
Sunnis 60 – 62%
Sunni Arabs 42 – 44%
Sunni Kurds and Turks 16 – 18%
Shiites 38 – 40%
Shiite Kurds and Turks 2 – 4%
Percentage of Sunnis, Shiites, Arabs, and Kurds
The majority in Iraq are Sunni. Even the Shiites agree with this.
James Tipper on Wed, 4th Mar 2015 10:50 pm
You’re correct Greg, Iraq is about 60% Sunni based on actual statistics. I know we like to follow ISIS but I genuinely wonder how in a post peak-oil scenario how they will thrive? Will they do shittily because of limited oil or will they do well because they won’t have shit tons of people coming after them, slower communications that benefit them, and time?
HARM on Wed, 4th Mar 2015 10:51 pm
Actually, this is great news for the U.S. Other Muslims are attacking and killing ISIS fanatics, no American ground troops involved at all.
We are still providing some weapons and logistical support, but by and large are staying out of this one and letting the Arabs war with each other… as they’ve been doing so “successfully” now for thousands of years. Hopefully Obama (and whoever his successor will be) can keep on ignoring the neocon chicken-hawks and keep it that way.
GregT on Wed, 4th Mar 2015 11:01 pm
Guys,
The more people killed in ‘coalition’ airstrikes, the larger ISIS becomes. Ask yourselves; What would you do if the Russians, for example, were attacking your homes from the air, and killing your family members and friends in order to gain control of the resources in your back yard? I know what I would do. I would fight them to my death.
Plantagenet on Thu, 5th Mar 2015 1:30 am
It really doesn’t matter if the Shia Islamic Republic defeats the Sunni Islamic State or vice versa. They are both run by crazy Islamist religious nuts.
GregT on Thu, 5th Mar 2015 8:01 am
From their perspective, we in the west are run by corporate infidels, hell bent on destroying the planet Earth.
Lomax on Thu, 5th Mar 2015 8:12 am
I note that it is not just the Iraqi army attacking, but the Iraqi army backed by “Shia militia’s”.
So if the “Iraqi army” wins we will likely see another slaughter to add to the list of atrocities, just as the Sunni’s have before. The best policy we can take is to stay well out of it, so for once we are doing the right thing.
GregT on Thu, 5th Mar 2015 8:30 am
“Anti-terrorism bill C-51 ‘dangerous’ legislation, 100 academics say”
“More than 100 academics are urging the government to drastically alter C-51, the Conservatives’ proposed anti-terrorism legislation, arguing it is far too broad and doesn’t come with safeguards to protect Canadians’ privacy rights.”
“It is sadly ironic that democratic debate is being curtailed on a bill that vastly expands the scope of covert state activity when that activity will be subject to poor or even non-existent democratic oversight or review.”
“The letter lays out five primary concerns and a number of secondary concerns, calling the bill “a dangerous piece of legislation.”
“What C-51 now does is turn judges into agents of the executive branch (here, CSIS) to pre-authorize violations of Canadian law…. This completely subverts the normal role of judges.”
http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/anti-terrorism-bill-c-51-dangerous-legislation-100-academics-say-1.2975233
The War on Islam is being used as a tool to erode Canadian’s civil rights and freedoms.
Sound familiar US Americans?
Our countries are being turned into fascist police states. We have much more to be concerned about with our own governments’ activities, than we do with terrorism.
vox_mundi on Thu, 5th Mar 2015 8:32 am
BAGHDAD (Reuters) – Islamic State militants have set fire to oil wells northeast of the city of Tikrit, a witness said, to obstruct an assault by Shi’ite militia fighters and Iraqi soldiers trying to drive them from the Sunni Muslim city and surrounding towns.
The witness and a military source said Islamic State fighters ignited the fire at the Ajil oil field to shield themselves from attack by Iraqi military helicopters.
Black smoke could be seen rising from the oil field since Wednesday afternoon, said the witness, who accompanied Iraqi militia and soldiers as they advanced on Tikrit from the east.
Control of oil fields has played an important part in funding Islamic State, even if it lacks the technical expertise to run them at full capacity.
Before it took over Ajil last June, the field produced 25,000 barrels per day of crude that were shipped to the Kirkuk refinery to the north-east, as well as 150 million cubic feet of gas per day piped to the government-controlled Kirkuk power station.
theedrich on Fri, 6th Mar 2015 4:26 am
RE: GregT’s comments about Canada and the U.S. being turned into fascist police states: Canada’s “libel laws” have long since terminated free speech. Only government-approved pablum is allowed. Obama and the Left are trying to do the same thing here by shutting down all criticism of their policies as “racist,” “homophobic,” “anti-woman” and the like. Free speech means allowing speech that you do NOT like — offensive and “unacceptable” speech against anyone and anything, except for clear threats of violence (or shouting “Fire!” in a crowded theatre). Since Canada now imprisons and horrendously fines people who speak too freely (e.g., about non-Whites, homosexuals, etc., etc.), it has in fact protected its powerholders from regime change. How nice now to have Communism Lite as the regnant ideology.
Davy on Fri, 6th Mar 2015 6:05 am
Wow, Thee, that wills stir up a hornets nest from the Canadians. I have been amazed since coming to this site of the real view of America from Canadians. Granted not the sheeple Canadians but the intellectual Canadians. Sheeples on both sides of the border are very similar. Much of this Canadian advice I welcome and encourage as good advice from a brother to the North. Yet, with any advice one who gives this advice must live up to it. So, to all you Canadians I welcome your advice but be sure to look in the mirror.
The last thing you Canadians should want to do is become like the repugnant Americans with their moral exceptionalism Americans fail miserably to live up to. A false exceptionalism of overconsumption and disguised moral decay. What is further from the reality of man’s situation than Hollywood and MSM advertising? It is a shame and a poison pill. It is killing us slowly. It has infect the global and will be everyone’s undoing. Overconsumption is as bad as overpopulation for everyone’s future. Anyway I welcome the Canadian criticism of the worst of American policy.