Iraq federal forces vs Kurdish forces thread

[Cuauhtemoc]

Apparently this morning, after the defeat of the Islamic State in Iraq, forces loyal to the Federal Government of Iraq moved against the forces of autonomous Kurdistan. According to the New York Times they took the oil sites and airport in Kirkuk
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/16/...column-region&region=top-news&WT.nav=top-news
According to them:

The quick advance pitted one American-trained military force against another. Iraqi government troops and the Kurdish forces, known as pesh merga, are both part of the American-led coalition battling the Islamic State, also known as ISIS or ISIL.

Divisions within the Kurdish command broke into the open, with officials from a Kurdish opposition party saying that its fighters had agreed to make way for the advancing Iraqi forces even as other forces continued to battle.

However, according to MSNBC/AP, it wasn't as peaceful:
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/...ity-kirkuk-kurds-cite-lots-casualties-n810956

The Kurdistan Region Security Council said in a statement that Kurdish forces known as peshmerga have destroyed at least five U.S.-supplied Humvees being used by the state-sanctioned militias following the "unprovoked attack" south of the city.

Brig. Gen. Bahzad Ahmed, a spokesman for Kurdish forces, said federal forces have seized an oil and gas company and other industrial areas south of Kirkuk in fighting with Kurdish forces that caused "lots of casualties," without providing a specific figure.

That puts the US in a difficult situation, both sides are currently supported by the US, while the Federal Iraqi Government is also supported by US archenemy Iran. A federal victory would be a victory for Iran, however the US would have a hard time supporting the Kurds against the Iraqi government since they are allied to both and the Iraqi constitution supported by the US tends to support the Iraqi government actions.

In other words, freedom and peace loving muslims supported by the west are killing each other based on sect(the Iraqi federal government is run by Shia Arabs while Kurds are overwhelmingly Sunni) and race(arabs vs kurds).

 

[DariusTheGreat]

In less than a day, PMU and Iraqi forces took all of Kirkuk and the surrounding regions including oil wells that generate 350,000 barrels a day. The Kurds just ran away, lol what a joke.

 

[Rholk]

Some really shady shit went down this morning, hope the Kurds can push back
Useful website for people that are interested in this: https://iraq.liveuamap.com/

 

[Lonesome Crow]

Not all that surprising. People forget that there was a civil war between the KDP and PUK from 1994-1997. Apparently, the PUK ordered their fighters to stand down and withdraw from Kirkuk. It seems as if PKK fighters did the same thing. I guess they have no motivation or desire to fight for Barzani's regime.

 

[whougonnacall]

Kurds talked of 150k plus ready to defend the city to the death...damn thats embarassing!
Seems without u.s air their vastly overhyped fighters esp as we supplied iraqi army heavy weapons but not the kurds
Overall this is basicaly cheers for fighting isis for us kurds , but you are on your own now ...bye!

 

[Lonesome Crow]

Overall this is basicaly cheers for fighting isis for us kurds , but you are on your own now ...bye!

Get the fuck outta here with that shit. We begged Barzani not to go through with that stupid referendum. Not just us, but the UK, France, Germany, hell even Saudi Arabia implored Barzani not do it. We have said from the get-go that Iraq's territorial integrity was to be maintained and that we would not be a party to nor assist the break-up of the country. But Barzani went ahead and fucked himself.

This shitshow's his fault. Kurds should've figured it out by now: as long as the Bosphorus and Dardanelles belong to Turkey, they will always play second fiddle.

 

[Sauron]

Obviously the kurds knew that this wouldn't end well for them.

All this talk about them being the best fighters against ISIS has been ruthlessly exposed by this.

 

[Fox by the Sea]

congrats on iraq for invading iraq

 

[whougonnacall]

Get the fuck outta here with that shit. We begged Barzani not to go through with that stupid referendum. Not just us, but the UK, France, Germany, hell even Saudi Arabia implored Barzani not do it. We have said from the get-go that Iraq's territorial integrity was to be maintained and that we would not be a party to nor assist the break-up of the country. But Barzani went ahead and fucked himself.

This shitshow's his fault. Kurds should've figured it out by now: as long as the Bosphorus and Dardanelles belong to Turkey, they will always play second fiddle.

We did say so...cant blame the kurds for wanting an oil rich homeland though

 

[The ScorpioN]

In less than a day, PMU and Iraqi forces took all of Kirkuk and the surrounding regions including oil wells that generate 350,000 barrels a day. The Kurds just ran away, lol what a joke.

Didn't the same thing happen to the Iraqi army armed with US weapons when toyota trucks of peace showed up?

Part and parcel of Muslim armies I'm guessing.

Where is that jumping jacks video when you need it.

 

[Lonesome Crow]

We did say so...cant blame the kurds for wanting an oil rich homeland though

That's no reason for you to insinuate that we're abandoning them, though. This is one of those rare instances where we've actually been very up front: we told them we'll help them fight ISIS, but Baghdad is the legitimate capital of Iraq and we recognize the territorial integrity of Iraq. All our supplies went through the central government. If you recall, the Kurds always complained about Baghdad delaying or holding up their supplies.

They've always known the deal: we'll help you with ISIS, but if you try to break up the country you are on your own. Even then, we still grounded the Iraqi Air Force (not that they needed it to retake Kirkuk).

 

[Islam Imamate]

Didn't the same thing happen to the Iraqi army armed with US weapons when toyota trucks of peace showed up?

Part and parcel of Muslim armies I'm guessing.

Where is that jumping jacks video when you need it.

I suspect the Kurds will put up a better fight closer to the heartlands of the territory they claim. From what I know Kirkuk was not a part of the areas they generally claimed or was at best at its fringes. Its very valuable because of its oil of course but maybe that's not enough to get your separatist fighters to lay down their lives. I'm not sure how far the Iraqi army and the PMUs will advance, I figure they'll soon reach a stalemate at which point the US should intervene and try to broker some sort of settlement so this doesn't drag on too long.

 

[Islam Imamate]

That's no reason for you to insinuate that we're abandoning them, though. This is one of those rare instances where we've actually been very up front: we told them we'll help them fight ISIS, but Baghdad is the legitimate capital of Iraq and we recognize the territorial integrity of Iraq. All our supplies went through the central government. If you recall, the Kurds always complained about Baghdad delaying or holding up their supplies.

They've always known the deal: we'll help you with ISIS, but if you try to break up the country you are on your own. Even then, we still grounded the Iraqi Air Force (not that they needed it to retake Kirkuk).

Why though? Its a failed state, why remain wedded to the borders that produced such a situation? I say shake things up a bit but that said I think Barzani overplayed his hand. This was too much too soon.

 

[HomerThompson]

That's no reason for you to insinuate that we're abandoning them, though. This is one of those rare instances where we've actually been very up front: we told them we'll help them fight ISIS, but Baghdad is the legitimate capital of Iraq and we recognize the territorial integrity of Iraq. All our supplies went through the central government. If you recall, the Kurds always complained about Baghdad delaying or holding up their supplies.

They've always known the deal: we'll help you with ISIS, but if you try to break up the country you are on your own. Even then, we still grounded the Iraqi Air Force (not that they needed it to retake Kirkuk).

Since fucking when?

 

[Gervinho]

Obviously the kurds knew that this wouldn't end well for them.

All this talk about them being the best fighters against ISIS has been ruthlessly exposed by this.

The best fighters in iraq is the isis fighters. I know people dont like to hear it. But they have the most drdicated soldiers

 

[Cuauhtemoc]

Obviously the kurds knew that this wouldn't end well for them.

All this talk about them being the best fighters against ISIS has been ruthlessly exposed by this.

That was always a joke. The YPG fighters did a good job with the resources they had, the Peshmerga(iraqi autonomous kurdistan fighters) didn't, they also run the fuck away when ISIS first came in until the Americans showed up with airstrikes.

 

[Undying Poster]

Obviously the kurds knew that this wouldn't end well for them.

All this talk about them being the best fighters against ISIS has been ruthlessly exposed by this.

A lot of people said for a long time that they're effective because we (US) bomb ISIS and they just clean up the remains.

It seems that they're on par with other middle eastern armies like the SAA who performed poorly until they got Russian bombers

 

[Undying Poster]

The best fighters in iraq is the isis fighters. I know people dont like to hear it. But they have the most drdicated soldiers

Do we really consider a bunch of suicide bombers in armored cars as an army? Lol

 

[Cuauhtemoc]

Do we really consider a bunch of suicide bombers in armored cars as an army? Lol

They got balls though, a couple thousand of them sent the Iraqi army running away in Mosul.

 

[Lonesome Crow]

Why though? Its a failed state, why remain wedded to the borders that produced such a situation? I say shake things up a bit but that said I think Barzani overplayed his hand. This was too much too soon.

Since fucking when?

Whether or not Iraq is a failed state or even a viable one is not the point I'm trying to make.

My point is that since we invaded Iraq, our policy since the Bush administration has recognized Iraq as one country, and the capital of that country is Baghdad. Show me where Obama or Trump has said otherwise. Show me where we told the Kurds: you help us with ISIS, we help you become independent.

If you think that is wrong, fine. If you think Iraq should be broken up, fine. If you disagree with current US policy, fine. But show me when has the US Government ever publicly stated that Iraq is not a real country and Baghdad is not its capital. Because as far as I can tell, modern Iraq came to being in 1958 and Baghdad has been its capital since then.