Kurdish forces claim to recapture 2 Iraqi towns from IS with US air support

[flamingdem]

Source: Christian Science Monitor

BAGHDAD — Kurdish forces, supported by U.S. air strikes, took back two towns in northern Iraq from Islamic State militants but it will take time to turn the tide of the conflict, a senior Kurdish official told Reuters.

Hoshiyar Zebari said the Kurds had recaptured the towns of Guwair and Makhmur. Asked how long the United States would have to continue airstrikes to help the Kurds defeat the Islamic State, Zebari said: "As President Obama said, there is no time limit."

U.S. President Barack Obama said on Saturday that it would take some time to tackle Islamic State fighters whose latest push through northern Iraq has rattled the Baghdad governmentand its Western allies.

Read more: http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Latest-News-Wires/2014/0810/Kurdish-forces-claim-to-recapture-2-Iraqi-towns-from-IS-with-US-air-support-video

[rollin74]

1. even more good news

20,000 Iraqis besieged by Isis escape from mountain after US air strikes
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/aug/10/iraq-yazidi-isis-jihadists-islamic-state-kurds?CMP=twt_gu

[flamingdem]

2. I hope that's true

in some articles they're saying it's much less than that but maybe this is the latest news.

[rollin74]

3. estimates seem to range from 15,000 - 30,000

UN is saying 15 - 20 thousand have escaped

some Iraqi and Kurdish sources are placing the number even higher
it's clear that many thousands have managed to get to relative safety now

[freshwest]

8. That's great news. Thanks for the link.

[alp227]

4. Washington Post article

U.S. air support helps Kurdish forces expel Islamic State fighters from two Iraqi towns

[flamingdem]

5. So far so good

The Kurds are motivated to say the least.

[Uncle Joe]

6. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread, flamingdem.

[joshcryer]

7. Hopefully they don't use this to expand territory.

But to rather create a good will with the rest of the Iraqi's.

[freshwest]

9. Sounds better. Force the RWNJs back.

[daleo]

10. Air strikes did a great job in Libya

Up to a point.

[flamingdem]

11. That's true, but these air strikes are so limited

in scope. Today they went after some of the ISIS positions around the mountain but they are holding back since that's their only charter.

Maliki seems to be history but I'm not sure he knows it yet. That's a positive for sure and the new leader said that if the US doesn't bomb then they'll ask Iran!