Originally posted by AThousandYoungI wonder who will be the power in the middle east when this is all said and
Radical Arab Islamists are expanding in Iraq from Syria. Iran is moving to support the Iraqi government.
PS The Iraqi ”Army” is really pathetic.
Other players - Russia/Syrian government, Kurds.
done! We left and I guess will never go back, someone is going to enjoy
controlling that part of the world.
Kelly
Originally posted by AThousandYoungNot to worry, Obama will just draw some more red lines.
Radical Arab Islamists are expanding in Iraq from Syria. Iran is moving to support the Iraqi government.
PS The Iraqi ”Army” is really pathetic.
Other players - Russia/Syrian government, Kurds.
2 edits
The sectarian conflicts in Iraq were encouraged and manipulated by the American occupying forces and it is not terribly strange to see these conflicts persisting and escalating with the departure of those occupying forces.
Remember this?
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/mar/06/el-salvador-iraq-police-squads-washington
the arming of one side of the conflict by the US hastened the country's descent into a civil war in which 75,000 people died and 1 million out of a population of 6 million became refugees.
Originally posted by AThousandYoung
Radical Arab Islamists are expanding in Iraq from Syria. Iran is moving to support the Iraqi government.
PS The Iraqi ”Army” is really pathetic.
Other players - Russia/Syrian government, Kurds.
PS The Iraqi ”Army” is really pathetic.They do seem to have a habit of running away at the first sign of trouble. The Kurds took Kirkuk, which is probably good news for the inhabitants there as they show every sign of being able to defend it way better than the Iraqi Army.
Originally posted by KellyJayThere hasn't been a "the power in the Middle East" since the fall of the Ottoman empire.
I wonder who will be the power in the middle east when this is all said and
done! We left and I guess will never go back, someone is going to enjoy
controlling that part of the world.
Kelly
Originally posted by DeepThoughtIts not as simple as that, despite boundaries being drawn in the region by the British and the French, there are many tribal and religious elements which simply refused to recognize these, the Kurds are of course a prime example, for there are Syrian Kurds, Iraqi Kurds etc etc The Iraqi army had no support in the region it was supposed to defend and the decision to pull out was entirely practical.PS The Iraqi ”Army” is really pathetic.They do seem to have a habit of running away at the first sign of trouble. The Kurds took Kirkuk, which is probably good news for the inhabitants there as they show every sign of being able to defend it way better than the Iraqi Army.
Originally posted by robbie carrobieThey more broke and ran than "pulled out".
Its not as simple as that, despite boundaries being drawn in the region by the British and the French, there are many tribal and religious elements which simply refused to recognize these, the Kurds are of course a prime example, for there are Syrian Kurds, Iraqi Kurds etc etc The Iraqi army had no support in the region it was supposed to defend and the decision to pull out was entirely practical.
Originally posted by EladarThe US because they are dependent on their oil.
As long as it is local people who are deciding things, who cares how it goes?
Rather than build pipe lines and explore for more fossil fuels, they would rather continue to tinker in international affairs it seems.
Originally posted by whodeyActually US oil production is at a 24 year high and imports of oil are at a 17 year low. http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/11/13/us-oil-production-exceeds-imports/3518245/
The US because they are dependent on their oil.
Rather than build pipe lines and explore for more fossil fuels, they would rather continue to tinker in international affairs it seems.