Ramadi falls to Islamic State forces as Iraqi army 8th brigade melts away

[-:Undertaker:-]

I won't post an article as it is self explanatory from links below.

Ramadi is a city under 100 miles away from Baghdad and has around 500,000 people living there. It's the capital of the Iraqi Anbar province, Iraqi's largest province. Apparently Iraqi armed forces, like in Mosul, simply melted away despite orders to remain and hold the city from the government.

BREAKING: Governor's spokesman in Iraq's Anbar province says 'Ramadi has fallen' to Islamic State group

— The Associated Press (@AP) May 17, 2015

BREAKING: Purported Islamic State message claims it holds entire city of Ramadi after Iraqi forces fled.

— The Associated Press (@AP) May 17, 2015

How much longer are we going to keep pretending and propping up the absurd non-country that is the former Iraq?

[-:Undertaker:-]

Looks like the Battle for Baghdad is coming.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...-bombings.html

Iraq braced for the Battle of Baghdad: ISIS fighters surround capital after taking key city of Ramadi 60 miles away - as experts warn of 'utter carnage' within weeks

- WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT
- ISIS has 'surrounded' Iraqi capital and wants 'all-out war' with militia there
- Battle between terror group and Shia fighters there would be 'utter carnage'
- Islamic State seized strategic city of Ramadi just 60 miles west of Baghdad
- 3,000 Shi'ite paramilitaries are now preparing to launch counter-offensive

Western media don't seem to understand how well finnanced, organised and motivated Islamic State are. Nor do they realise how supported they are by the Sunni population on the ground: there's this myth that they are just a terrorist group when the reality is that many sunni muslims were cheering when Iraqi forces were forced to withdraw from sunni areas. They despise the Baghdad government a lot more than they do Islamic State.

If it comes to Baghdad who knows if Iran and Saudi Arabia directly get drawn into it woth ground forces.

[AgnesIO]

Western media don't seem to understand how well finnanced, organised and motivated Islamic State are. Nor do they realise how supported they are by the Sunni population on the ground: there's this myth that they are just a terrorist group when the reality is that many sunni muslims were cheering when Iraqi forces were forced to withdraw from sunni areas. They despise the Baghdad government a lot more than they do Islamic State.

If it comes to Baghdad who knows if Iran and Saudi Arabia directly get drawn into it woth ground forces.

Do any of the Western media seriously not understand that? I thought it was pretty much public knowledge, particularly regarding finance.

[-:Undertaker:-]

Do any of the Western media seriously not understand that? I thought it was pretty much public knowledge, particularly regarding finance.

The impression I seem to get is one of a terror group rather than what has basically become, if some estimates are believed, a virtual land army.

[Earthquake]

And ladies & gentlemen, they will be living as our neighbors within the next 15 years.

[AgnesIO]

The impression I seem to get is one of a terror group rather than what has basically become, if some estimates are believed, a virtual land army.

There was an excellent BBC documentary on a last month (I think it was 'Our World') about ISIS and their immense wealth - was a great watch, actually. You may well be right thought from other news sources.

I guess the clue of what ISIS intends to be is in the name

And ladies & gentlemen, they will be living as our neighbors within the next 15 years.

trololololololol

[-:Undertaker:-]

Apparently government forces are having trouble holding the road to Baghdad if reports are to be believed.

In Syria, the Assad regime is struggling to hold on. If western powers had any sense, we'd immediately side with Kurdish independence as well as offer to arm Assad if he declares an Alawite State on the western coast of the former Syria. There's two real countries given birth to easily, with a better outcome than Islamic State.