Obama speaking on ISIS. targeted strikes authorized - Polidicks

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ax4a6cH1Wjs[/media] [quote]Tonight, in a statement addressing the current crisis in Iraq, President Obama announced that he authorized two operations in the country -- "targeted airstrikes to protect our American personnel, and a humanitarian effort to help save thousands of Iraqi civilians who are trapped on a mountain without food and water and facing almost certain death." The President went on to explain the actions the United States is taking, and why:[/quote] [quote=Barak Obama][I] First, I said in June -- as the terrorist group ISIL began an advance across Iraq -- that the United States would be prepared to take targeted military action in Iraq if and when we determined that the situation required it. In recent days, these terrorists have continued to move across Iraq, and have neared the city of Erbil, where American diplomats and civilians serve at our consulate and American military personnel advise Iraqi forces. [B] To stop the advance on Erbil, I’ve directed our military to take targeted strikes against ISIL terrorist convoys should they move toward the city. We intend to stay vigilant, and take action if these terrorist forces threaten our personnel or facilities anywhere in Iraq, including our consulate in Erbil and our embassy in Baghdad. We’re also providing urgent assistance to Iraqi government and Kurdish forces so they can more effectively wage the fight against ISIL.[/B] Second, at the request of the Iraqi government -- we’ve begun operations to help save Iraqi civilians stranded on the mountain. As ISIL has marched across Iraq, it has waged a ruthless campaign against innocent Iraqis. And these terrorists have been especially barbaric towards religious minorities, including Christian and Yezidis, a small and ancient religious sect. Countless Iraqis have been displaced. And chilling reports describe ISIL militants rounding up families, conducting mass executions, and enslaving Yezidi women. In recent days, Yezidi women, men and children from the area of Sinjar have fled for their lives. And thousands -- perhaps tens of thousands -- are now hiding high up on the mountain, with little but the clothes on their backs. They’re without food, they’re without water. People are starving. And children are dying of thirst. Meanwhile, ISIL forces below have called for the systematic destruction of the entire Yezidi people, [B]which would constitute genocide.[/B] So these innocent families are faced with a horrible choice: descend the mountain and be slaughtered, or stay and slowly die of thirst and hunger. [/I][/quote] [url]http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2014/08/07/president-obama-makes-statement-iraq[/url] [quote]Washington (CNN) -- U.S. President Barack Obama said Thursday that he's authorized "targeted airstrikes" in Iraq to protect American personnel and help Iraqi forces. "We do whatever is necessary to protect our people," Obama said. "We support our allies when they're in danger." A key concern for U.S. officials: dozens of American consular staff and military advisers working with the Iraqi military in Irbil, the largest city in Iraq's Kurdish region. Obama said Thursday he'd directed the military to take targeted strikes against Islamist militants "should they move towards the city." Rapid developments on the ground, where a humanitarian crisis is emerging with minority groups facing possible slaughter by Sunni Muslim extremists from the Islamic State, formerly known as ISIS, have set the stage for an increasingly dire situation. Thousands of families from the Yazidi minority are trapped in the mountains, a senior administration officials said. They have been without food, water or medical care after fleeing the rampaging Islamist fighters. Dozens of children have died of thirst in the intense summer heat. Obama: 'potential act of genocide' In addition, throngs of other refugees, many of them Iraqi Christians, are on the run -- their largest city, Qaraqosh, now occupied by fighters who gave them an ultimatum, "Convert to Islam or die." The United States has airdropped meals and water, sending humanitarian aid to trapped minority groups on Mount Sinjar, which Islamic State is holding under siege, a senior administration official said. Two military cargo planes flying at low altitudes dropped 5,300 gallons of water and at least 8,000 meals, a senior administration official said. No U.S. forces were on the ground, and the drop was coordinated with Iraqi troops. "The aircraft that dropped the humanitarian supplies have now safely exited the immediate airspace over the drop area," a senior U.S. defense official said. Obama also said he'd authorized targeted airstrikes "if necessary" to help Iraqi forces protect civilians trapped on the mountain. "When we face a situation like we do on that mountain with innocent people facing the prospect of violence on a horrific scale, when we have a mandate to help, in this case a request from the Iraqi government, and when we have the unique capabilities to help avert a massacre, then I believe the United States of America cannot turn a blind eye," Obama said. "We can act, carefully and responsibly to prevent a potential act of genocide."[/quote] [url]http://www.cnn.com/2014/08/08/world/iraq-options/index.html?hpt=hp_t1[/url]

That doesn't work for those of us outside US. [URL="http://www.bloomberg.com/tv/"]Here's another stream.[/URL]

Shit that wasn't a stream one sec [QUOTE]CNN) - [Breaking news update at 9:33 p.m. ET Thursday] U.S. President Barack Obama said Thursday he'd authorized targeted airstrikes in Iraq to protect American personnel. [Original story, posted at 9:26 p.m. ET Thursday] U.S. drops humanitarian aid in Iraq (CNN) -- The United States has airdropped meals and water in Iraq, sending aid to minority groups trapped as brutal Islamist fighters advance. "The mission was conducted by a number of U.S. military aircraft under the direction of U.S. Central Command," a senior U.S. defense official said. "The aircraft that dropped the humanitarian supplies have now safely exited the immediate airspace over the drop area." And U.S. President Barack Obama -- scheduled to give a statement on Iraq at 9:30 p.m. ET Thursday -- is weighing a key question: Should airstrikes be next?[/quote][url]http://www.cnn.com/2014/08/07/world/iraq-options/index.html?c=homepage-t[/url] There we go. Speech over already.

It's only a matter of time before this becomes a major regional war. I'm glad we got involved before it got to that scale.

[QUOTE=Xystus234;45625524]It's only a matter of time before this becomes a major regional war. I'm glad we got involved before it got to that scale.[/QUOTE] Barack Obama was banned for this post - "inb4 meme"

[QUOTE=Xystus234;45625524]It's only a matter of time before this becomes a major regional war. I'm glad we got involved before it got to that scale.[/QUOTE] They're at war in both Syria and most of Iraq, with both Kurds and Iranians sending forces to combat them, or at least readying to. What exactly is your definition of a major regional war?

[QUOTE=Emperor Scorpious II;45625741]They're at war in both Syria and most of Iraq, with both Kurds and Iranians sending forces to combat them, or at least readying to. What exactly is your definition of a major regional war?[/QUOTE] Normally I wouldn't say this but; I really, really hope ISIS gets what coming to them, and I really hope that every last one of them is put into a 6 foot grave of their own like they've done with innocent civilians.

Blow those fuckers up to smithereens, they're nothing but waste to the world

[QUOTE=Emperor Scorpious II;45625741]They're at war in both Syria and most of Iraq, with both Kurds and Iranians sending forces to combat them, or at least readying to. What exactly is your definition of a major regional war?[/QUOTE] An escalation to involve NATO, boots on the ground, the spread of the war to regions and countries like Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Lebanon, etc.

I was JUST reading a BBC report saying the US "firmly" denied anything like that...interesting. [editline]7th August 2014[/editline] It was kind of funny because we were just like "nono, must be someone else"

[QUOTE=Xystus234;45625807]An escalation to involve NATO, boots on the ground, the spread of the war to regions and countries like Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Lebanon, etc.[/QUOTE] Syrian Civil War is beginning to spill into Lebanon anyway, especially with Hezbollah's participation. ISIS would have to get through Israel to reach Egypt (never going to happen) and Saudi Arabia probably half backs these people with their theocracy. Jordan, I can see as a maybe. But my point is, this is [I]already[/I] a major regional war with Syria, Iraq, Kurds from various territories and Iraq beginning to participate.

Well, the tl;fr of the press conference: -Bunch of people stranded on a mountain fleeing from ISIS are already have aid drops via US planes -ISIS pushing into Sinjar and cities with "US assets" and American consulates -US airstrikes are authorized and will occur if ISIS "threatens US assets, military, or consulates" and moves on major cities, "when necessary", meaning if the Iraqi military requests, and "to end the siege on the mountain" if needed -US is sending supplies to the Iraqi government and "the Kurds" in order to fight off ISIS advances

[QUOTE=Emperor Scorpious II;45625867]ISIS would have to get through Israel to reach Egypt (never going to happen)[/QUOTE] Its an ideological Sunni uprising, it doesn't have to march across countries like a traditional army lol and there are plenty of pissed off sunni's in Egypt. But yeah I doubt it'll crop up there, the state is too secure currently.

[QUOTE=Gentry;45625883]Its an ideological Sunni uprising, it doesn't have to march across countries like a traditional army lol and there are plenty of pissed off sunni's in Egypt. But yeah I doubt it'll crop up there, the state is too secure currently.[/QUOTE] Except the leader of ISIS has been declared the Caliph. If there are uprisings as an ideology, then there would be multiple leaders, which I seriously doubt this guy would like. A Sunni revolution in Egypt would not immediately connect itself to ISIS without some formal ISIS personnel to either direct them or lead them.

[QUOTE='[Seed Eater];45625869']Well, the tl;fr of the press conference: -Bunch of people stranded on a mountain fleeing from ISIS are already have aid drops via US planes -ISIS pushing into Sinjar and cities with "US assets" and American consulates -US airstrikes are authorized and will occur if ISIS "threatens US assets, military, or consulates" and moves on major cities, "when necessary", meaning if the Iraqi military requests, and "to end the siege on the mountain" if needed -US is sending supplies to the Iraqi government and "the Kurds" in order to fight off ISIS advances[/QUOTE] Should be more aid going to the Kurds

[QUOTE=fruxodaily;45625931]Should be more aid going to the Kurds[/QUOTE] The Iraqi government in Baghdad are refusing to give them supplies because in their perspective, they're eating away at Iraqi land as much as ISIS is. And other countries can't exactly supply them without damaging relations with Baghdad.

[QUOTE=Emperor Scorpious II;45625973]The Iraqi government in Baghdad are refusing to give them supplies because in their perspective, they're eating away at Iraqi land as much as ISIS is. And other countries can't exactly supply them without damaging relations with Baghdad.[/QUOTE] Honestly, fuck Baghdad. They cannot get their heads out of their asses because.. OH NO SHIA or OH NO SUNNI. I'd much prefer if we wiped out the entire Shia and Sunni government types, and went about a secular government.

[QUOTE=JoeSkylynx;45625993]Honestly, fuck Baghdad. They cannot get their heads out of their asses because.. OH NO SHIA or OH NO SUNNI. I'd much prefer if we wiped out the entire Shia and Sunni government types, and went about a secular government.[/QUOTE] You would have to wipe out Islam out altogether then. There is a very long history of church and state intertwined with the middle east and Islam since its founding, much closer than Christianity ever had.

We had the same issues in the early days of Christianity. If it wasn't for the Romans, we'd probably be dealing with a much similar issue today. The only thing which stopped the whole, "each disciple has their own religion" was the fact that the Romans pretty much went about slaughtering and killing off anyone who disagreed with the approved list of disciples.

[QUOTE=JoeSkylynx;45625993]Honestly, fuck Baghdad. They cannot get their heads out of their asses because.. OH NO SHIA or OH NO SUNNI. I'd much prefer if we wiped out the entire Shia and Sunni government types, and went about a secular government.[/QUOTE] So basically you want to solve the biggest problem in the Middle East.

[QUOTE=Emperor Scorpious II;45625741]They're at war in both Syria and most of Iraq, with both Kurds and Iranians sending forces to combat them, or at least readying to. What exactly is your definition of a major regional war?[/QUOTE] Can't tell if you're serious, Iraq butts up to Iran, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Jordan and turkey and currently the center of the country has turned into a no mans land held by a bunch of extremist nutjobs, its basically threatening the entire region, they turn any direction to take territory and they will have dragged in another faction

The shia sunni thing is a lot bigger than iraq.

Just waiting for the day someone bombs mecca or the wailing wall and the middle east literally explodes.

[QUOTE=Sableye;45626296]Can't tell if you're serious, Iraq butts up to Iran, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Jordan and turkey and currently the center of the country has turned into a no mans land held by a bunch of extremist nutjobs, its basically threatening the entire region, they turn any direction to take territory and they will have dragged in another faction[/QUOTE] As I already stated, my point was it's already a major regional conflict.

I'm going to repair the thread with more info the moment I get to a computer. Feel like I left y'all misinformed with the shotty op.

OP updated

[QUOTE=Xystus234;45625807]An escalation to involve NATO, boots on the ground, the spread of the war to regions and countries like Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Lebanon, etc.[/QUOTE] It will not spread to Jordan, there were some protests but in the end nothing turned out, everyone went to their homes. The people demanded some change in the government, the King answered by removing some of the government employees in the high places and replacing them with others. Jordan is pretty stable, regardless of the countries around us. [b]Edit:[/b] Oh and if you're talking about ISIS, they already tried to enter Jordan from the Iraqi border, but our national security kicked their butts out of the country.

Let there be blood.

Good, kill every last one of them, spare no one; not even the cattle.