Isis apparently takes control of US weapons airdrop intended for Kurds

[Turborama]

Source: The Guardian

· Pentagon admits one of 28 loads missing and blames wind
· Turkey criticises arms airdrops saying the strategy will never lead to desired results

Ewen MacAskill, and Martin Chulov in Beirut


The Pentagon admitted on Wednesday that one of the airdrops of weapons intended for Kurds in the besieged Syrian town of Kobani almost certainly ended up in the hands of the Islamic State (Isis) fighters.

The Pentagon blamed the wind for possibly blowing the supplies off course and argued that one cache was not enough to make a significant difference to Isis.

Video footage released by Isis shows what appears to be one of its fighters in desert scrubland with a stack of boxes attached to a parachute. The boxes are opened to show an array of weapons, some rusty, some new. A canister is broken out to reveal a hand grenade. Other equipment appeared to be parts for rocket-propelled grenades.

The Pentagon said the pallet of weapons was one of 28 dropped, not six as previously reported.

Read more: http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/oct/22/isis-us-airdrop-weapons-pentagon

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Video at the link.

[Johnyawl]

1. Shit happens. Air drops are never perfect

Go watch "The longest Day" and look at what happened in Normandy to the paratroopers on D-Day. Getting even 5 out of 6 on target is damn good, and if it really is 27 out of 28 that's damn near a perfect score.

And any problem with the air drops is ultimately Turkey's fault because they are not allowing land access to resupply the Kurds.

[freshwest]

3. Yes, Erdogan has been doing the wrong thing for a while.

[ChairmanAgnostic]

4. Not everyone accepts all demands of USA policy by fiat.

The Turk - Kurd situation is very complex, many decades old, and doesn't fit into the pentagon's memes very well. Would any nation simply roll over and Play dead when just because we demanded it of them?

America has become a shortsighted bully and people hate me s for it.

Yet domestically, there is almost no debate except seeing gramps McCain on tv demanding another invasion.

[global1]

2. Wouldn't It Be Cool If That Load Was Intended To Fall Into The Hands Of ISIS.....

Perhaps a transmitter of some sort included in the load so that we're able to track the movement of ISIS or defective weapons that blow up. Just a thought here.

[ChairmanAgnostic]

5. Impossible. The CIA is too busy bugging our senate.

[malthaussen]

7. That's a sucky headline, Guardian.

One missed drop in 28 is hardly "taking control."

And if Turkey is so worried, they should facilitate trucking in supplies from Turkey.

-- Mal