Iraq Fights to Take Towns From Al-Qaeda as Violence Spirals

[Comrade Grumpy]

Source: Bloomberg News

Jan. 3 (Bloomberg) -- Iraqi forces backed by aircraft and Sunni tribal militias have launched assaults to expel al-Qaeda- linked militants from two key towns in Anbar province after they seized police stations and other buildings.

The air strikes targeted fighters suspected of belonging to an al-Qaeda offshoot in Ramadi and Fallujah, Al Jazeera said, citing video footage released by the country’s Defense Ministry. Iraqi forces later recaptured Fallujah’s police headquarters, Al Arabiya television reported, citing its own correspondent. Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki sent reinforcements on Jan. 1 to dislodge the militants from the cities, which were one focus of the 2007 “surge” of U.S. forces.

The fighting follows an upsurge in violence in Iraq, with 2013 proving the bloodiest in terms of civilian casualties for five years. Worsening security in the country is matched by instability across the region, as sectarian violence rises in Lebanon and Syria, where Sunni and Shiite forces are also battling.

The gunmen in Anbar, which neighbors Syria, are linked to an al-Qaeda group called the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, Al Jazeera and the BBC reported. The U.S., which last month described ISIL as the “common enemy” of Iraq and the U.S., has stepped up arms supplies to Maliki’s government, agreeing to send helicopters, missiles and surveillance drones.

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Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/business/bloomberg/article/Iraq-Fights-to-Take-Towns-From-Al-Qaeda-as-5110925.php

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The article says tribesmen and soldiers fought ISIL militants in Ramadi today, while fighting in Fallujah has moved from the city center to the outskirts, where tribesmen are attacking the militants after they ignored an ultimatum to leave positions in the city.

While we can thank George Bush for destabilizing Iraq in the first place, the Obama administration's current policy of trying to unseat Syrian President Assad is only making matters worse there. It seems like there is a Takfiri insurgency stretching from Beirut to Damascus to Baghdad, and our Syria policy is throwing fuel on the flames.

[kelliekat44]

1. And just think, al-Qaeda was never in Iraq until US invaded. nt

[Alamuti Lotus]

2. this fight has been brewing for a while now..

Maliki's gov't more or less strongarmed its way into the fight. The protests have been ongoing for at least a year now, this present battle is an extension of that situation. The only unfortunate side effect was to drive much of the opposition forces in Anbar into the takfiri camp. That's not a criticism of Maliki, I think he's taking the right course. The Anbar opposition would probably fall into their line at some point or another, Maliki's strongarming just speeds up the process.

On the other hand, ISIS and its allies are already surging right now on all fronts from Beirut to Baluchistan--the flat rejectionist platform is appealing compared to the more opportunist fronts under US/Saudi control, despite the greater funding and resources alloted to the latter. What is interesting, however, is the "black swan" nature of ISIS--the front has the very same objectives as the US/Saudi collaborationists (implacable hostility to Iran and its allies), but is able to openly operate in extreme ways that the pseudo-"respectable" fronts cannot. If it were not for the clashes over territory, and ISIS' arrogant and avaricious approach towards the other fronts, it would be easy to assume that these groups were operating in a strategic alliance.