Kurds halt jihadi advance in Syria town

" On Sunday, a Turkish government official confirmed that Ankara has agreed with the U.S. to train 4,000 Syrian opposition fighters vetted by Turkish intelligence. "

Disheartening. First the good news in the headline, and then this idiocy. How in the world did the Western countries elect such fools into office?

Even after seeing time and time again what happens if they aid "democratic rebels" in that region, they are still resistant to waking up and learning.

On Sunday, a Turkish government official confirmed that Ankara has agreed with the U.S. to train 4,000 Syrian opposition fighters vetted by Turkish intelligence.

"(as long as they're not Kurds)."

"Since the offensive on Kobani began, some 550 people have been killed, including about 300 Islamic State fighters,"

At this rate, time is not on the side of the Islamic State fighters.

Hmm... sending zealous, brainwashed teenagers from Western countries on a suicide mission doesn't seem to be working too well here, does it?

If the US can base some ground attack aircraft and drones somewhere close to the border in Turkey, that could make a real difference to the frequency and effectiveness of attacks on IS at Kobani. Every time IS send re-inforcements and supplies towards the city, they should wipe 'em out. Hopefully that way they can cut off IS and defeat them.

Not for long.

frontcenter:

" Hmm... sending zealous, brainwashed teenagers from Western countries on a suicide mission doesn't seem to be working too well here, does it? "

The the contrary, it works extremely well. Each suicide bomber takes out a multiple of ISIS opponents, plus is more fodder for jihad video gloryfing Shahidism, which attracts even more recruits. And the jihadist agitators are busy in mosques all across Europe.

CNN says the town is about to fall.

BBC says that the Kurds are pushing back ISIS.

The truth is out there somewhere.

Hmm... sending zealous, brainwashed teenagers from Western countries on a suicide mission doesn't seem to be working too well here, does it?

More like an ineffective president with zero idea or will of how to wage a war and win it. Bombing from the air has shown and proven ineffective as well, ISIS is still advancing, making gains, about to take Kobani and possibly Baghdad. This is the strategy that won't work, hasn't work and is wasting everyone's time. If the president doesn't feel the mission and in his heart really against it, stop bombing, get the special forces (advisors) out and be done with all of this or fight it the proper way, but don't half-ass the mission! I just don't get this guy!

Ulysses:

" CNN says the town is about to fall. BBC says that the Kurds are pushing back ISIS. " There are no foreign correspondents in Kobani, and certainly none anywhere in ISIS territory. They might take risks, but they don´t want to get beheaded on video. So everybody is speculating.

Bassfunk;

" ISIS is still advancing, making gains, about to take Kobani and possibly Baghdad. "

No, they will NOT take Baghdad. Never. Get real, Baghdad is a Shiite majority town, and ISIS will not advance further than the Sunni areas of Iraq. The Islamic State is bad enough as it is, there is no need to make up strawmen.

No, they will NOT take Baghdad. Never. Get real, Baghdad is a Shiite majority town, and ISIS will not advance further than the Sunni areas of Iraq. The Islamic State is bad enough as it is, there is no need to make up straw men.

I was under the assumption that at least ISIS will make it harder for the Iraqis to defend the city, now mind you, Iran might be pushed to send in troops which is something you honestly really don't want. You don't want either side to win this. But I don't have the slightest confidence in the Iraqi military, that's putting it mildly.

bassfunk:

" I was under the assumption that at least ISIS will make it harder for the Iraqis to defend the city "

Except there is no such thing as "the Iraqis". ISIS represents the Sunnis, has support in the Sunni areas (which they have "liberated"), but has a snowballs chance in hell to advance into the Shiite areas of Iraq.

ISIS gets a lot of funding from outside, not just from consuming what it finds on the ground, so maybe it's at least possible that they might overrun Baghdad at some point. Especially given there is already partial encirclement.

Map of Shiites, Sunnis, ISIS, Iraqi state control at the article linked below shows Baghdad area as "mixed Sunni/Shiite", and encircling arms of ISIS control/contest to north and south of Baghdad area. The wikipedia map for ISIS control is at much lower resolution, basically showing ISIS control as a big blob, but it also shows the arms.

The richardcyoung.com article is short but it discusses just this question, without answering it (whether ISIS can extend to non-Sunni areas).

BBC's June 2014 map shows Baghdad in the yellow area indicating ISIS' area of "operational presence".

http://www.richardcyoung.com/essential-news/can-isis-continue-win/

http://www.richardcyoung.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Iraq-Divide1.png

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Syria_and_Iraq_2014-onward_War_map.png

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-27970894

WilliB: seems that your tacit support for the ISIS scumbags might be misplaced. However, before history proves you wrong, you still have a great chance to correct your viewpoint and re-write history! Douzou.....