Iraq in state of emergency - Mosul overrun by militants; government flees;

[nsplayr]

...but don't lump everyone into one big pot because of some apparent chip on your shoulder

I think that extra chip is located somewhere other than his shoulder...

[waveshaper]

Honestly, I never thought I’d cut this deep into circumcision research, and have no chip on my shoulder over the issue, just think it's a ridiculous surgery on the most identity-forming of body parts, done 99% of the time for no logical reason, on a baby person who has not consented. Hell, why don't we cut off an earlobe, just for the hell of it, and call it a religious rite, or claim that it results in fewer ear infections? I was simply trying to bolster Beaver’s half trolling truthful joke that TOTALLY UNNECESSARY SURGERY ON BABY GENITALIA IS ######ING DISGUSTING MUTILATION, MALE OR FEMALE. One day, society will look back on male circumcision as a barbaric religious stupidity that somehow bled over into secular American stupidity.

Please share with us, slice by slice, the “plenty of good reasons” to cut a baby’s penis…That baby, by the way, has not consented to having his dick cut, nor can he articulate his thoughts other than through his unanaesthetized screams. The operation can be done at any stage in life, so why not wait until he’s older and can make his own decision on whether or not he wants a doctor to cut his penis?

What exactly do you mean when you say “the risks are most definitely low”? Are you saying the overall mishap rate percentage is low, or that the mishaps themselves are no big deal? When circumcisions go wrong, they go WAY wrong: death, STDs, gender reassignment, penile disfigurement. Are you saying the risk of these things happening is worth taking for the “plenty of good reasons” you are going to share with us? Find us the actual mishap statistics. In the meantime, google "circumcision mishap" and see what you find. One says that 100 boys die each year in the US from circumcision complications.

Back on topic: What nation will be first to buy oil from ISIS? The UN says buying oil from them is illegal, but when winter hits, and Russia stops the flow to Europe, that ISIS oil might start looking very attractive to heat homes, or for Russia to stick it to the USA some more. http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/condemns-terrorist-oil-sales-iraq-syria-24741206

Mayo Clinic report/study; Circumcision benefits far outweigh risk 100 to 1.

http://www.elsevier.com/connect/circumcision-benefits-far-outweigh-risks-finds-study-in-mayo-clinic-proceedings

[hispeed7721]

have no chip on my shoulder over the issue

As previously mentioned, I think the chip may be located somewhere other than your shoulder

What exactly do you mean when you say “the risks are most definitely low”?...One says that 100 boys die each year in the US from circumcision complications.

I mean exactly what I said...the risk of something going wrong vs the procedure going as intended are very low. Are you trying to say that 100 deaths per year is a large statistic? I'm not trying to downplay that there IS a risk...but it's not a large risk, especially for a medical procedure.

I'm done with the dick talk, if you don't want it for your kids or are upset that your parents chose it for you, so be it. Let's move on

[Stiffler]

Ugh. Someone's got dick issues. Anyway....

*Warning* Very graphic. NSFW / lunch etc etc

Doesn't seem that long ago we were doing runs into Tikrit. I specifically recall hauling flag draped HR containers out of there. For what? This?

F'n horrific:

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=7fd_1406604477

http://www.startamilvideo.com/2014/07/unconfirmed-reports-of-video-of-iraq.html

Religion of Peace strikes again.

This is exactly why we must not relent. We are not war fatigued, we are just tired of living in a world with evil people, but unfortunately we cannot choose what attrocities people do and dont commit.

[waveshaper]

Some possible additions to the new Islamic States Air Force.

AIM/L-39ZA Albatros, Light Attack Jet/Missile, along with support equipment and ordnance.

Armament; (not that any is really needed by these crazies for certain applications)

Missiles; K-60 Air to Air missile with CROW warhead (similar to the US AIM-9), may also carry the K-13 Air to Air missile(AA-2 Atoll/again similar to older AIM-9s).

Gun; GSH-23L, 23mm cannon.

http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2014/05/01/Video-shows-Syrian-regime-aircraft-in-rebel-hands.html

[waveshaper]

OPC-2/ONW-2 kickoff time?"

[Champ Kind]

CNN reporting humanitarian airdrops underway:

http://www.cnn.com/2014/08/07/world/iraq-options/index.html?c=homepage-t

[B*D*A]

Giddyup.

[SurelySerious]

Operation Another New Dawn?

[Clark Griswold]

Here comes the pain. Will it make a difference on the ground?

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2014/08/07/iraq-air-drops/

Probably. Like Libya, once the Iraqi Army & Kurdish Peshmerga have CAS, AI, & ISR the tide can turn. Just a hope but a good ass-whoopin' from the US & Allies on the IS from the air would probably give them a shot in the arm.

Possible COA:

1. Isolate the IS with saturated ISR and AI over Western Iraq to cut off their resupply. All of Western Irag is a no-fly or no-drive zone.

2. Lean hard on the Saudis and Qataris to cut the funding to them. No money equals no capabilities.

3. Provide CAS, AI & ISR to give the Iraqi Army & Kurds the confidence to take the fight to them. Cut off any comms via social media, cellular, LMRs; use our EA assets to make it hard as hell for them to coordinate ops.

4. Support Al-Asad in Syria. Like it or not, he is an enemy of IS and my enemy's enemy is my friend. Recognize his government as the legitimate gov. of Syria, sucks but he is infinitely better than IS.

5. Look the other way when our allies do things we would find distasteful. Not a Machiavellian but this is not a situation to worry about whether or not they (allied Arab states) follow to the letter the Geneva Convention.

[nsplayr]

4. Support Al-Asad in Syria. Like it or not, he is an enemy of IS and my enemy's enemy is my friend. Recognize his government as the legitimate gov. of Syria, sucks but he is infinitely better than IS.

In what universe is this a possibility? You'd be laughed out of the room for suggesting this in a serious policy discussion.

[Clark Griswold]

In what universe is this a possibility? You'd be laughed out of the room for suggesting this in a serious policy discussion.

Yeah, it is a bridge quite far but the Free Syrian Army & associated anti-regime groups fighting Al-Assad have either joined the IS or are no longer operational or viable. The West could adopt a neutral stance, let the Russians & Iranians continue their diplomatic relations and support, We help the Iraqis & Kurds defeat the IS and at the conclusion of hostilities very quietly accept Al-Assad's government.

[Champ Kind]

Hey, if some iron-handed JATWISH ruler wants to gas those who we call ruthless terrorists that would just wind up killing Christian and Kurdish minorities in Iraq and elsewhere anyway, what's the difference?

[tac airlifter]

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2014/08/08/us-military-launches-airstrikes-on-terror-targets-in-iraq/

Fights on!

[Lawman]

Operation Another New Dawn?

Operation Here We Go Again

[waveshaper]

Deja-vu and a little perspective. The US military has been involved in Northern Iraq (only talking about Northern Iraq

not the rest of that lovely place) for over 20 of the last 23 plus years. US military activities in Northern Iraq since 1991 (individually and/or combined ); Targeted air strikes, boots on the ground, full blown unleashing of air power/

ground forces, counter insurgency, nation building, humanitarian relief efforts/camps, no-fly-zone, training/equipping

of various military/police-forces/factions, etc, etc, etc.

1. First Gulf War; 17 Jan 91 - 28 Feb 91. Invasion/war.

2. Operation Provide Comfort 1; 6 Apr 91 - 24 Jul 91. Humanitarian relief effort.

3. Operation Provide Comfort 2; 24 Jul 91 - 31 Dec 96. Humanitarian relief effort/targeted air strikes.

4. Operation Desert Strike; Aug/Sep 96; Targeted air strikes. This was the last time that Irbil, Iraq fell to the bad

guys. The US evacuated 6000 pro US Kurds and sent most of them to Guam.

5. Operation Northern Watch; 1 Jan 97 - 1 May 03; 36,000 sorties flown and numerous targeted air strikes.

6. Iraq War (OIF/OND); 20 Mar 03 - Dec 11. Invasion/war, counter insurgency, nation building, and get the hell out of

dodge.

7. I'm sure I missed some?

Seems like we have tried about everything and nothing has worked, in fact, all indications are it's worse then it was

when we first started down this road. What next?

[SurelySerious]

Operation Here We Go Again

Hah. Suppose it could just as easily be Operation Iraqi Futility, or Operation Iraq Forever.

[Winchester]

Ummm I was told ISIS was just "JV". So confused...

Posted from the NEW Baseops.net App!

[chim richalds]

Don't worry, the boss is "actively monitoring" the situation from Martha's Vineyard. Our foreign policy right now is air tight.

[Clark Griswold]

Left frets over Iraq mission creep

Sweet Jesus, these people are scared of their own shadows. There's only been a couple of kinetic strikes and humanitarian aid drops to desperate people dying on a mountain top and already the trite line of "mission creep" is hauled out.

Need to add this to my COA:

6. Revocation of citizenship and permanent expulsion for any citizen or legal resident found to have participated in hostile military action with terrorist organizations in Syria / Iraq / Afghanistan etc... or to have aided any person engaged in such activities. Made an explicit priority with aggressive coordinated international police & intelligence action.

Western-born jihadists rally to ISIS's fight in Iraq and Syria

The West faces a choice: fight its enemies or slowly commit suicide by inaction and implicit surrender of its culture.

Edited August 9, 2014 by Clark Griswold

[tac airlifter]

Need to add this to my COA:

6. Revocation of citizenship and permanent expulsion for any citizen or legal resident found to have participated in military action in Syria / Iraq / Afghanistan etc... or to have aided any person engaged in such activities. Made an explicit priority with aggressive coordinated international police & intelligence action.

I recommend an exemption clause for some of us...... Otherwise I'm in big trouble.

[Clark Griswold]

You got me - fixed.

[waveshaper]

None of this would be happening if we would of bombed and got rid of the Assad regime last year when he crossed

that red line. We should of never cut a deal with the Russian's to get rid of Assad's chemical weapons. Also, we should

of listened to those smart congressman and provided more aid, training, equipment, and weapons to the Syrian

rebels. We could of easily replicated our recent successful efforts to aid, train, and equip/arm the Iraqi Army/Libyan

rebels. Hold on, might be something amiss with my line of thinking?

[Odium]

The name Operation Extended Warranty or OEW for short has been thrown around downrange for lack of an official name

[LockheedFix]

None of this would be happening if we would of bombed and got rid of the Assad regime last year when he crossed

that red line. We should of never cut a deal with the Russian's to get rid of Assad's chemical weapons. Also, we should

of listened to those smart congressman and provided more aid, training, equipment, and weapons to the Syrian

rebels. We could of easily replicated our recent successful efforts to aid, train, and equip/arm the Iraqi Army/Libyan

rebels. Hold on, might be something amiss with my line of thinking?

Would have...should have...should have...could have.

(End of grammar nerd rant.)