Despite US airstrikes, Iraqi military abandons key Anbar province military base to advancing ISIS fo - Polidicks

[quote](CNN) -- Iraq's military abandoned a strategically important base in Anbar province after heavy fighting with ISIS militants, provincial security force sources told CNN on Monday. [B]The base outside the city of Hit was one of the Shiite-led government's few remaining military outposts in Anbar, a predominantly Sunni province that has increasingly fallen under ISIS control. It is a key control point for roads running through the region.[/B] The Iraqi military still controls the Ayn al-Asad military base, which helps defend Iraq's second-largest dam and the provincial capital of Ramadi. Despite airstrikes by the U.S. and its allies over the weekend, reports suggest ISIS has continued to gain ground and has encircled Haditha, the last large town in Anbar not yet in the militant group's hands. Sabah Al-Karhout, president of the Anbar Provincial Council, said Sunday that ISIS, the self-proclaimed Islamic State, had control of about 80% of the province. Should all of Anbar fall, the Sunni extremists would rule from the perimeter of Iraq's capital to Raqqa in Syria, at least, according to the provincial council's deputy head, Falleh al-Issawi. ISIS would control a swath 350 miles (563 kilometers) long. [B]Anbar leaders on Saturday appealed for U.S. ground forces to help them fight ISIS, but Baghdad said it had not received any official request. The Iraqi government has been adamant that it does not want U.S. forces on the ground[/B], and President Barack Obama has not shown any intent to deploy any.[/quote] [url]http://www.cnn.com/2014/10/13/world/meast/isis-threat/index.html?hpt=wo_c1[/url]

At this rate, Iraq is going to fall... again.

You would think the world would be more willing to help Baghdad. It's a city of 3.8 million people, that's the same as Los Angeles to put in in perspective. Just take a look at Syria and see the devastation, and that's the destiny of Baghdad if the world doesn't step in and protect the city. It would be a lot harder to get them out of the city once they are in.

[QUOTE=Ajacks;46223477]You would think the world would be more willing to help Baghdad. It's a city of 3.8 million people, that's the same as Los Angeles to put in in perspective. Just take a look at Syria and see the devastation, and that's the destiny of Baghdad if the world doesn't step in and protect the city. It would be a lot harder to get them out of the city once they are in.[/QUOTE] True, but they seem pretty adamant about not allowing foreign troops on the ground. All the airstrikes we can muster aren't going to help if the force on the ground isn't capable of stemming the tide.

[QUOTE=Kinversulath;46223561]True,[B] but they seem pretty adamant about not allowing foreign troops on the ground[/B]. All the airstrikes we can muster aren't going to help if the force on the ground isn't capable of stemming the tide.[/QUOTE] They have been begging us for the past week to send ground troops.

[QUOTE=JoeSkylynx;46224455]They have been begging us for the past week to send ground troops.[/QUOTE] No, they haven't. [QUOTE=Emperor Scorpious II;46222430] Anbar leaders on Saturday appealed for U.S. ground forces to help them fight ISIS, but Baghdad said it had not received any official request. The Iraqi government has been adamant that it does not want U.S. forces on the ground, and President Barack Obama has not shown any intent to deploy any.[/QUOTE] Looks like they're surpressing and hiding support requests from the local goverments which is unsurprising. The Kurds however, are a different story.

Iran should intervene. I don't care if our governments are having a hissy fight or anything, at the end of the day they have a large, decently trained, and decently equipped army. I understand they sent some troops already, but honestly if they want to just occupy Iraq, I couldn't care less. Better them than ISIL. At least Iran wouldn't commit a shitload of genocide.

[QUOTE=BananaFoam;46228243]Iran should intervene. I don't care if our governments are having a hissy fight or anything, at the end of the day they have a large, decently trained, and decently equipped army. I understand they sent some troops already, but honestly if they want to just occupy Iraq, I couldn't care less. Better them than ISIL. At least Iran wouldn't commit a shitload of genocide.[/QUOTE] Saudi Arabia would throw a fit about that, possibly even side with ISIS just to thwart Iran. Plus, Iranian intervention will be extremely bloody on both sides as they are Sunni vs Shia. Not to mention Iran is Persian where as the rest are Arab. There's a lot of bad blood between Iran and Arabs.