Iraqi forces retake most of Tikrit from ISIS

[dunksby]

Baghdad (CNN)About 75% of the besieged Iraqi city of Tikrit is now back in government control, the head of a key paramilitary force taking part in the attack told CNN on Thursday.

The other 25% is in the hands of about 150 ISIS fighters who continue to hold out, said Main Al-Kadhimi, commander of the Hashd Al-Shaabi militia.

There's been no independent confirmation of such a significant advance by the Iraqi forces. But they have been making progress in recent days.

Kill them with fire!
http://www.cnn.com/2015/03/12/middle...q-isis-tikrit/

[KevinNYC]

There's some evidence that a significant rollback of ISIS is about to occur. Even in the territory they occupy, it's not going smoothly.

The Islamic State is failing at being a state


Islamic State appears to be fraying from within

The Islamic State *appears to be starting to fray from within, as dissent, defections and setbacks on the battlefield sap the group’s strength and erode its aura of invincibility among those living under its despotic rule.

Reports of rising tensions between foreign and local fighters, aggressive and increasingly unsuccessful attempts to recruit local citizens for the front lines, and a growing incidence of guerrilla attacks against Islamic State targets suggest the militants are struggling to sustain their carefully cultivated image as a fearsome fighting force drawing Muslims together under the umbrella of a utopian Islamic stat

[KevinNYC]

The story behind the Tikrit battle is that Iraq got rid of Malicki under whom the Iraqi army was a shell army. The day ISIS took Mosul they just planned on attacking it, not taking it, but the Iraqi army troops were led by corrupt commanders and didn't have any supplies so they fled and ISIS rolled in unopposed.

Iran has stepped in a big way and is pretty much leading these battles against ISIS. With Iran's support, Baghdad can now field a force of some 20,000 to take Tikrit. The majority of this 20,000 are not official Iraqi military but Shiite Militias.

[sweggeh]

Like I said, ISIS is gonna be all but finished by the end of this year and all the people pissing themselves with fear and hatred because they watched too much Fox news are going to have to find a new crisis to obsess over. Another shooting, or a new virus, perhaps.

[KingBeasley08]

When do we siege Mosul and force these fckers into insurgency for good?

[rufuspaul]

Like I said, ISIS is gonna be all but finished by the end of this year and all the people pissing themselves with fear and hatred because they watched too much Fox news are going to have to find a new crisis to obsess over. Another shooting, or a new virus, perhaps.

As long as the civil war in Syria rages on ISIS isn't going anywhere.

[dunksby]

The story behind the Tikrit battle is that Iraq got rid of Malicki under whom the Iraqi army was a shell army. The day ISIS took Mosul they just planned on attacking it, not taking it, but the Iraqi army troops were led by corrupt commanders and didn't have any supplies so they fled and ISIS rolled in unopposed.

Iran has stepped in a big way and is pretty much leading these battles against ISIS. With Iran's support, Baghdad can now field a force of some 20,000 to take Tikrit. The majority of this 20,000 are not official Iraqi military but Shiite Militias.

That and they have shown desire to reach agreement in the nuclear talks, on the other hand Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkey keep coddling ISIS and other terrorists. US government could be distancing themselves from its Arab allies by amending relationship with Iran, let's not forget that not long ago Iran used to be America's biggest ally in the region.

[KevinNYC]

That and they have shown desire to reach agreement in the nuclear talks, on the other hand Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkey keep coddling ISIS and other terrorists. US government could be distancing themselves from its Arab allies by amending relationship with Iran, let's not forget that not long ago Iran used to be America's biggest ally in the region.

Well I think Iran is working from its own interests here. I don't think this has to do with the nuclear talks.

[dunksby]

Well I think Iran is working from its own interests here.

Sure, but Iranian leadership is talking about "only making a good deal" you would never hear them talk about deals 5 years ago, it was all nothing you do could hurt us and our will to resist and shit. Iran's economy has gone to shit and hence their desire to reach a diplomatic solution. Obama is personally invested in reaching a deal with Iran, even after Netanyahu's speech and that open letter which was released by forty seven Senators.
IIRC, many times they talked about Syria and Iraq during the nuclear talks.

[pauk]

[CasterL]

It seems that Rouhani is more Moderate than good old Ahmajinedad


Netunyahu: B b but that's what they want you think whaaah

[Dresta]

The story behind the Tikrit battle is that Iraq got rid of Malicki under whom the Iraqi army was a shell army. The day ISIS took Mosul they just planned on attacking it, not taking it, but the Iraqi army troops were led by corrupt commanders and didn't have any supplies so they fled and ISIS rolled in unopposed.

Iran has stepped in a big way and is pretty much leading these battles against ISIS. With Iran's support, Baghdad can now field a force of some 20,000 to take Tikrit. The majority of this 20,000 are not official Iraqi military but Shiite Militias.

And they really aren't solving anything except killing with the same brutality as IS, entrenching sectarian divisions even further. Local Sunni's are pledging allegiance to IS now, when they wouldn't before, because of their fear of Shia Militia.

Like I said, ISIS is gonna be all but finished by the end of this year and all the people pissing themselves with fear and hatred because they watched too much Fox news are going to have to find a new crisis to obsess over. Another shooting, or a new virus, perhaps.

You really are a fool. Extreme Islam is most certainly not going away, and these conflicts are going to continue in one form or another for decades. They are much more certain of their culture than we are of ours, and i can't see them ever giving up, nor their numbers being exhausted.

[Lebron23]

Persia

[KevinNYC]

Local Sunni's are pledging allegiance to IS now, when they wouldn't before, because of their fear of Shia Militia.

Do you have any recent reporting that supports that? Because the poltics of this seems to have shifted recently.

More than 20,000 troops and Shia militias, supported by local Sunni tribes, launched the offensive for Tikrit 10 days ago, advancing from the east and along the banks of the Tigris river.

Ramadi

Sunni tribes in the Iraqi city of Ramadi began their largest battle yet with the Islamic State group Thursday, with the militant group losing the city of Tikrit and relocating its surviving fighters there to Anbar province.

[KevinNYC]

interesting article on the new fragile alliance and the negotiation of the Iraqi Shiite led-government with the Sunni Tribes. link

Of all the allies that Iraqi forces might work with to defeat the Islamic State, the Jubbour tribe would seem to be among the most ideal.

Its members are powerful, pro-government and eager to take on the jihadists. But for Shiite leaders in Baghdad, there was one problem: the Jubbour tribesmen are Sunnis — and from an area where local tribes have collaborated with the Islamic State.

Now, after extensive negotiations, both sides are fighting together in the battle to reclaim Tikrit, a city 110 miles northwest of Baghdad, from an entrenched force of Islamic State fighters. They have made significant progress: On Tuesday, the pro-government forces captured the key district of Alam outside Tikrit. But their uneasy alliance shows the difficulties of bridging Iraq’s deep sectarian division.