GEORGE W. BUSH HELPS IRAQI TRIBES FIGHT ISIS AFTER OBAMA OFFERS LITTLE HELP

[1000]

George W. Bush Helps Iraqi Tribes Fight ISIS After Obama Offers Little Help - Breitbart

A group of tribal leaders from Anbar province, Iraq, have finally found help in their fight against the Islamic State (ISIS) through the efforts of former President George W. Bush, who vowed to “do everything I can” to help those attempting to escape ISIS.

Mark Perry at Politico Magazine has the fascinating story about what happened when Sheikh Ahmed Abu Risha’s group–the much-praised Anbar Awakening Council–came to Washington looking for help against ISIS.

Islamic State terrorists attacked Risha’s home while he was in transit, killing nine Iraqi police officers and wounding twenty-eight of his bodyguards, while nearby Iraqi army forces ignored their pleas for help. Upon arriving at the White House, he and his delegates received little attention from the Obama administration.

“There were a lot of smiles, a lot of nodding heads, but that was it. It’s clear the administration has made up its mind. [Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi] is their man, and that’s that,” said one of the frustrated delegates. Another said it was “obvious that U.S. officials were going through the motions.” One of them complained the administration was more interested in restructuring the Iraqi government than protecting his people from attacks by the Islamic State. Perry describes them as “bitterly disappointed” when the time came to pack their bags and settle their hotel bills.

Somewhere toward the end of the visit, Sheikh Risha got a call from Bush, who, thanks to his contacts in Washington, was aware of their plight in Iraq and knew they were in town. “Bush urged Abu Risha to extend his stay and meet with retired Gen. David Petraeus, as well as with Republican Sens. John McCain and Lindsey Graham,” Perry reports. “According to Abu Risha, Bush pledged that he would ‘do everything I can’ to help him get a hearing in Washington.”

 

[al-Hasani]

Who? George W. Bush?

The one that created this mess in the first place. How tragicomical.

How can Anbar be losing ground to Daesh? How is that even possible after all the recent gains, coalition air bombardments etc.?

Tribal leader: Iraqi troops in Anbar province could 'collapse within hours'​

(CNN) An Iraqi tribal leader said Saturday that ISIS militants are gaining ground in Anbar province, predicting a "collapse within hours" of Iraqi army forces there if tribal forces withdraw.

Sheikh Naim al-Gaoud, a Sunni Muslim leader of the Albu Nimr tribe, called for more U.S. intervention -- including ground troops, arming tribes directly or at least pressuring the Iraqi government to give the tribes more firepower.

While U.S. officials have said that ISIS, which calls itself the Islamic State, is on the defensive in Iraq and Syria, al-Gaoud says that's definitely not the case where he is.

"In Anbar, we are losing ground, not gaining," he said.

Thousands of families had been under siege in the Anbar town of Jubbat al-Shamiya until getting help Friday from U.S.-led coalition airstrikes and Iraqi forces, according to al-Gaoud.

But he said Iraqi troops had pulled out of Jubbat al-Shamiya on Saturday, at which time ISIS was shelling the town.

If the Islamist extremist group's fighters go in, al-Gaoud predicted a massacre.

Key base attacked

Anbar province is just west of Baghdad, meaning a decisive ISIS victory would put ISIS on the footsteps of the Iraqi capital. It's also home to the strategic Ayn al-Assad Air Base, which came under attack Friday.

Talking about that battle, Pentagon spokesman Rear Adm. John Kirby said 20 to 25 people -- most, if not all, of whom were wearing Iraqi military uniforms and were led by suicide bombers -- attacked the huge, nearly 25-square-mile base.

"It looks like (ISIS militants) at least got to the outer base limits," Kirby said.

At least 13 Iraqi soldiers died in the assault, according to al-Gaoud, which ended with Iraqi ground forces killing all the attackers.

U.S. troops were on the base at the time, but "several kilometers" from where the fighting happened, Kirby said.The U.S. military did deploy Apache attack helicopters in that ISIS assault, but the Apaches returning safely without firing a shot, military sources said.

American helicopter gunships were also involved in a fight supporting Iraqi ground forces about 15 kilometers (9 miles) north in the Anbar town of al-Baghdadi, according to sources.

Al-Gaoud, the Albu Mimr tribal leader, said militants killed at least 25 Iraqi police officers during their assault on that town Thursday and Friday.

Anbar province key in multiple ways

Anbar is important not just for its location, for the al-Assad base or for the Haditha dam, Iraq's second largest. It's also significant for its sectarian breakdown -- as a mostly Sunni province in a Shiite-led country.

Sectarian divisions have hurt Iraq before, with ISIS' rampage through much of Iraq (as well as neighboring Syria) blamed in part to the country's lack of unity. It's one reason for then-Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki's exit last year, replaced by current leader Haider al-Abadi.

The U.S. government has gotten involved to address such tensions as part of its anti-terrorism fight, like President Barack Obama's warning last June -- a few months before al-Maliki stepped down -- that "there won't be a military solution" unless Shiites, Sunnis and Kurds all play significant parts in Iraq's command structure.

Years before, in the mid-2000s, the United States recruited and paid Sunnis like members of al-Gaoud's Albu Mimr tribe to join its fight against al Qaeda. Those efforts helped turn the tide in the war.

But now, al-Gaoud says, ISIS -- which consists of Sunni extremists -- is making his tribe pay the price.

"There are people who will be killed in cold blood, and there will be more massacres," al-Gaoud told CNN in November. "We are getting killed because of our friendship with the Americans. Does a friend abandon his friend like this?"

Tribal leader: Iraqi troops in Anbar province could 'collapse within hours' - CNN.com



Our Anbari brothers and sisters will surely come out of this victorious. I have no doubt about it. If not neighbors like KSA and Jordan must act.

 

[1000]

Who? George W. Bush?

The one that created this mess in the first place. How tragicomical.

How can Anbar be losing ground to Daesh? How is that even possible?

The policy of Bush in Anbar was successful, it resulted in a defeat of ISI with them only coming back thanks to breathing room in Syria when they got into war.

As for the claim of Anbar province collapse, it's an attempt to get arms from the US. The plans of Abadi for a national guard will take a lot of time as all of them have to go through training. Currently it's better to go with the same short term solution as 10 years ago for defeating ISIS, afterwards integrate them in the national guard and give further training. After reaching Al Qaim and enforcing a barrier on the Syrian border the tribes with gov help will have to spread the ground offensive towards Raqqa. At least that's what I think the US is planning as Qaim is the gateway to Bukamal and the people are the same, they can convince them and help as well, they'd have to help the locals in Bukamal if they wanted to keep Qaim safe.

But I also understand Abadi not wanting to create more non government militia's. There's almost no problem with militia's operating outside of state control as long as they're only fighting ISIS and defending their cities ( not forming an obstacle for the army & government ). But they also play vigilantes making independent choices that have nothing to do with the state's law and policy which causes the obstacle for Baghdad government as already seen with some armed groups over there, lately a Kataib Hezbollah commander was arrested in Baghdad for some reason. Iraq's popular mobilization are a good example of paramilitary forces causing no obstacle, Kataib Hezbollah, Khorasani cause some obstacles but useful in the fight against ISIS. That might be the reason Abadi prefers to take the road of the national guard rather than arming random tribes as quick as possible.

 

[Militant Atheist]

How does he want to do that exactly?

 

[al-Hasani]

The policy of Bush in Anbar was successful, it resulted in a defeat of ISI with them only coming back thanks to breathing room in Syria when they got into war.

As for the claim of Anbar province collapse, it's an attempt to get arms from the US. The plans of Abadi for a national guard will take a lot of time as all of them have to go through training. Currently it's better to go with the same short term solution as 10 years ago for defeating ISIS, afterwards integrate them in the national guard and give further training. After reaching Al Qaim and enforcing a barrier on the Syrian border the tribes with gov help will have to spread the ground offensive towards Raqqa. At least that's what I think the US is planning as Qaim is the gateway to Bukamal and the people are the same, they can convince them and help as well, they'd have to help the locals in Bukamal if they wanted to keep Qaim safe.

But I also understand Abadi not wanting to create more non government militia's. There's almost no problem with militia's operating outside of state control as long as they're only fighting ISIS and defending their cities ( not forming an obstacle for the army & government ). But they also play vigilantes making independent choices that have nothing to do with the state's law and policy which causes the obstacle for Baghdad government as already seen with some armed groups over there, lately a Kataib Hezbollah commander was arrested in Baghdad for some reason. Iraq's popular mobilization are a good example of paramilitary forces causing no obstacle, Kataib Hezbollah, Khorasani cause some obstacles but useful in the fight against ISIS. That might be the reason Abadi prefers to take the road of the national guard rather than arming random tribes as quick as possible.

I have not followed news from the ME for the past few days. Then there was this attack here in Copenhagen earlier today that I followed as it was not that far from my apartment.

That was not really Bush's idea but his advisors and American generals on the ground. I just find it ironical that a man who caused so much harm to Iraq by his decisions is now offering help. I mean what can he do? He has no political power anymore. Is he not retired?

The Iraqi-Syrian border was always the problem. Even before the civil war in Syria started. So solving that is definitely like solving most of the trouble.

I have for a long time believed that a ground offensive in Western/Southwestern Anbar together with a offensive coming from Salah ad-Din and Ninawa is crucial to encircle those areas of Anbar that are occupied by Daesh.

Controlling the triangle between Nukhayb in the southeast, Ar Rutba in the far west and Ramadi in the northeast would make it easier to encircle all the remaining Daesh strongholds in Anbar.

The problem with Anbar is that the province is huge. 1/3 of Iraq is made up by Anbar. Distances are very long and there are a lot of valleys and sudden dust storms. Americans struggled in Anbar more than anywhere else during their occupation of Iraq.

The locals have been proven to be crucial and will be crucial. What is clear though is that there is not enough of support from the Iraqi government or international society.

That's what I told you about. I said months ago that it will probably be a necessary evil on the short run but that it would become a problem on the long run. Especially if those militias are supported by you know who.

In an ideal world Anbar, Salah ad-Din, Ninawa, Diyala, Mosul, Babil etc. should have been cleaned by locals and the Iraqi army coordinating with the international society. Anyway the main focus should be to destroy Daesh and in the process improving the army.

Genuine volunteers from Southern Iraq etc. with no ties to dubious groups, foreign governments etc. should be absorbed into the Iraqi army somehow.

 

[Hassan Al-Somal]

Sunni Arabs in Iraq are gradually massacred from all angles, from ISIS to US-led Coalition to the central government in Baghdad. Only Allah can alleviate in the predicament they are in. There was a killing on Sunni tribal elder, his son, and his boy-guards in Baghdad today. For some reason, the West defends the central government in Baghdad and Kurds, but there is really no help offered to the Sunni Arabs in Iraq.

 

[xenon54 out]

He better does since he is directly responsible for the chaos in Iraq, people like to blame Obama for doing not enough but he probably doesnt want drive his country in another big mess just to correct the wrong doings of his predecessor.
It would just be fair if Bush candidates again, gets elected and takes care of Iraq.