they have entire brigades that exist only on paper, and corrupt/poor leadership. This was known already. But Ramadi was not Mosul. And Dempsey's/Ass Carter's strategy to go after accountants instead of holding LARGE CITIES NEAR BAGHDAD is a disaster. Blaming the Iraqi soldiers for cowardice when we PUBLICLY wrote off Ramadi in the weeks before it fell is ridiculous. We went full-bore with airstrikes and cooperation to help the Kurds retain Kobane last September, and that was a nothing little town--we did it to deny ISIS a victory. But in March the Pentagon denied that Ramadi would fall, then it fell in slow motion, and then it was over, with nothing more from us than a few extra airstrikes. Either we're in this war, or we're out. We need to make a decision. Condemning leaderless, nearly-nationless foot soldiers as cowards (in a country that WE wrecked) is going to get us nowhere. I don't want American troops on the ground in large numbers, only to have the Iraqis flee, but there has to be a better way. Getting serious about holding territory would be a good start.
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