The ghost of Curtis LeMay raises from the dead, perhaps? Anyway, get your popcorn and iced coke and sit back and watch the President vs Joint Chief of Staff knuckle show.
Quote:Islamic State: Confusion as Obama declares there will be 'no new Iraq war'
President's announcement is at odds with statement by Joint Chiefs of Staff that US forces could be sent to front line in Iraq
Before an audience of uniformed servicemen and women at a Florida airbase President Barack Obama moved last night to lay to rest all notion of the US once again sending ground forces to Iraq, a day after America's top military officer seemed to suggest that it could become an option in the battle against Isis.
The visit by Mr Obama to the US Central Command, Centcom, at MacDill Air Force base in Tampa, came amidst the expanding effort by the US and other Western nations, including the UK, to tackle Isis fighters in Iraq and, possibly, also in Syria.
However, it was overshadowed by uncertainty as to the assurances he had previously made that US ground forces would not get involved.
Those doubts were stirred on Tuesday when the chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Martin Dempsey, told hearings on Capitol Hill that a time could come when he would recommend sending US Special Forces personnel, hundreds of whom have already been sent to Iraq as advisers, to the front lines.
But Mr Obama was blunt in reaffirming his opposition to any fresh American involvement in ground combat. American forces in Iraq "do not and will not" have a combat mission as part of the effort against Isis militants, he said. He had earlier received a briefing on the developing campaign against the terror group from officers at Centcom, which overseas US military efforts in the Middle East.
"As your commander-in-chief, I will not commit you and the rest of our forces to fighting another ground war in Iraq," Mr Obama added, reiterating that it is his intention only to support national Iraqi forces battling the radical fighters.
He will be aware of anxiety about the US embarking on a slippery slope back into another overseas war. He also knows he was elected to office on a promise to end those wars.
General Dempsey's comments on Tuesday caused some consternation suggesting a possible split, between Mr Obama and his top officers on what could come next in Iraq. "To be clear," General Dempsey said, "if we reach the point where I believe our advisers should accompany Iraqi troops on attacks against specific [Isis] targets, I will recommend that to the President."
Meanwhile yesterday, the Army's Chief of Staff, General Raymond Odierno, also said at hearings on Capitol Hill that the US military does not believe that aerial intervention alone can seriously blunt or destroy the Isis forces. Isis released a video called Flames of War' warning Obama not to target it. It showed wounded soldiers and beheadings
"You've got to have ground forces that are capable of going after them and rooting them out," he said. He was speaking of Iraqi army forces doing the job, however, and not foreign troops.
Mr Obama insisted meanwhile that the US was taking on the task of combating the terror group only as the leader of a coalition of countries.
He said about 40 nations had offered assistance and named several that were already taking part, including the UK and France, which have been flying over Iraq with the US.
"This is not and will not be America's fight alone," he said. "This is not simply America against [Isis]… It is the world reacting to the brutality of [Isis]."
He went on: "We will train and equip our partners. We will advise them and we will assist them. We will lead a broad coalition of countries which have a stake in this fight." The militant group, which now controls territory in Iraq and in Syria, earlier released a video warning Mr Obama and the US not to target it. The 52-second film, Flames of War, shows tanks being hit, wounded US soldiers and men on their knees as they are about to be executed.
It was apparently released by al-Hayat Media Centre, which distributes Isis propaganda.
Mr Obama plans to use next week's gathering of roughly 140 world leaders in New York for the annual United Nations summit to accelerate the formation of an international alliance to fight the group.
The shadow is a moral problem that challenges the whole ego-personality, for no one can become conscious of the shadow without considerable moral effort. To become conscious of it involves recognizing the dark aspects of the personality as present and real. This act is the essential condition for any kind of self-knowledge.
Out idiot boy PM has gone right ahead and sent our military there already. And the intel gang want to bring in 'preventative detention'. And I bet they will get their wish too. We had our 'terror alert' raised to high on, ahem, September 11 and today had the biggest terrorist operation, sorry, anti terrorist operation in history....ever...rounding up ISIS suspects who were supposed to have a plan to behead a random stranger in public.
"The philosophers have only interpreted the world, in various ways. The point, however, is to change it." Karl Marx
"He would, wouldn't he?" Mandy Rice-Davies. When asked in court whether she knew that Lord Astor had denied having sex with her.
“I think it would be a good idea” Ghandi, when asked about Western Civilisation.
Out idiot boy PM has gone right ahead and sent our military there already. And the intel gang want to bring in 'preventative detention'. And I bet they will get their wish too. We had our 'terror alert' raised to high on, ahem, September 11 and today had the biggest terrorist operation, sorry, anti terrorist operation in history....ever...rounding up ISIS suspects who were supposed to have a plan to behead a random stranger in public.
I saw he'd done that. Probably wants a banking appointment and roving ambassadorship after he gets kicked out. Those are the usual sorts of rewards that follow sucking up to the US --- as that tool, Tony Blair, can attest to.
The shadow is a moral problem that challenges the whole ego-personality, for no one can become conscious of the shadow without considerable moral effort. To become conscious of it involves recognizing the dark aspects of the personality as present and real. This act is the essential condition for any kind of self-knowledge.
ANKARA, Turkey (AP) - Dozens of Turkish hostages seized by the Islamic State group in Iraq were freed Saturday, resolving a serious crisis which Turkish officials had long cited as a reason to avoid moving aggressively against the violent militant group. The 49 hostages were captured from the Turkish Consulate in Mosul, Iraq on June 11, when the Islamic State group overran the city in its surge to seize large swaths of Iraq and Syria. But the circumstances of their release - which drew flag waving crowds to the Turkish capital's airport - were clouded in mystery.
Turkish leaders gave only limited details of the release and the hostages declined to answer all but the most general questions from journalists when they arrived at Ankara airport around midday Saturday. Turkey's state-run Anadolu Agency reported no ransom had been paid and "no conditions were accepted in return for their release" but the organization didn't cite any source for its reporting. "I think it's fair to say that we haven't been told the full story," said Aaron Stein, an associate fellow at the London-based Royal United Services Institute who has studied Turkey's security policy.
Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said the release was the result of the intelligence agency's "own methods," and not a special forces operations, but he didn't elaborate. "After intense efforts that lasted days and weeks, in the early hours, our citizens were handed over to us and we brought them back to our country," Davutoglu said.
Families broke through security lines and rushed toward the plane to greet loved ones as they descended the stairs of Davutoglu's plane, whose arrival at Ankara's airport was broadcast live on Turkish television. The joyous scene at the airport contrasts with the recent beheadings of two U.S. journalists and a British aid worker by the Islamic State group. Hostages quizzed by journalists as they emerged from the plane said they couldn't go into detail as to the nature of their ordeal, but a couple of them hinted at ill treatment and death threats. Ex-hostage Alptekin Esirgun told Anadolou that militants held a gun to Consul General Ozturk Yilmaz's head and tried to force him to make a statement.
Another, Alparslan Yel, said that the Islamic militants "treated us a little better because we are Muslims. But we weren't that comfortable. There was a war going on." Turkey had been reluctant to join a coalition to defeat the Islamic State group, citing the safety of its 49 kidnapped citizens, but Stein said he doubted Turkey would suddenly adopt a much more muscular attitude toward the organization. Turkey might feel freer to advertise its existing efforts against the group, he said, citing its efforts to control oil smuggling across the border. But he said Turkey would not open its air bases to U.S. aircraft operating against the group. "There will some changes, but not as much as people hope," he said.
Meanwhile the successful operation was likely to prove a boon to Turkey's government. During an impassioned speech following his flight's arrival in Ankara, Davutoglu, flanked by Yilmaz and others, took the opportunity to highlight Turkey's success and blast the political opposition. Davutoglu thanked the "nameless heroes" who were involved in the release. Yilmaz, the freed consul general, thanked Turkish officials involved in his release but did not give details about their captivity or how they were freed. He refused to take more questions, saying: "I haven't seen my family for 102 days. All I want to do is to go home with them."
It wasn't clear where the release took place, but the Anadolu Agency said the hostages had been held in eight separate addresses in Mosul. Their whereabouts were monitored by drones and other means, it said. Meanwhile, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the Turks were freed through "a successful operation." "I thank the prime minister and his colleagues for this operation which was pre-planned, whose every detail was calculated, which lasted through the night in total secrecy and ended successfully this morning," Erdogan said in a statement.
Iraqi military spokesman Lt. Gen. Qassim al-Moussawi said the government had no information about the release of the hostages and didn't know where they had been held or where they were released. Thirty-two Turkish truck drivers who were also seized in Mosul on June 6 were released a month later. Turkey did not provide information surrounding their release.
***
If the hostages were the only thing preventing Turkey from publicly offering assistance to the national coalition against ISIS, then why on earth would ISIS release any Turkish hostages? It can't be the religious angle, ISIS has killed many Muslims.
"All that is necessary for tyranny to succeed is for good men to do nothing." (unknown)
James Tracy: "There is sometimes an undue amount of paranoia among some conspiracy researchers that can contribute to flawed observations and analysis."
Gary Cornwell (Dept. Chief Counsel HSCA): "A fact merely marks the point at which we have agreed to let investigation cease."
Alan Ford: "Just because you believe it, that doesn't make it so."
Out idiot boy PM has gone right ahead and sent our military there already. And the intel gang want to bring in 'preventative detention'. And I bet they will get their wish too. We had our 'terror alert' raised to high on, ahem, September 11 and today had the biggest terrorist operation, sorry, anti terrorist operation in history....ever...rounding up ISIS suspects who were supposed to have a plan to behead a random stranger in public.
I saw he'd done that. Probably wants a banking appointment and roving ambassadorship after he gets kicked out. Those are the usual sorts of rewards that follow sucking up to the US --- as that tool, Tony Blair, can attest to.
I was mistaken. The police are now already using 'preventative' detention even before it has gone to parliament/senate to be voted on. The new laws will make it impossible to protest for anything. Will be used by mining companies (read frackers) to remove farmers and indigenous from their lands. Any one who wants to help farmers and Aborigines can and will be labelled a terrorist. Today it is Muslims....tomorrow it will be anyone and everyone. The 800 police used in the raids managed to charge one person. The Attorney General cannot tell us specifically on what charge. Clueless tool. Wants to ban 'hate preachers' but not radio shock jocks. Wish we could ban stupidity.
"The philosophers have only interpreted the world, in various ways. The point, however, is to change it." Karl Marx
"He would, wouldn't he?" Mandy Rice-Davies. When asked in court whether she knew that Lord Astor had denied having sex with her.
“I think it would be a good idea” Ghandi, when asked about Western Civilisation.
If the hostages were the only thing preventing Turkey from publicly offering assistance to the national coalition against ISIS, then why on earth would ISIS release any Turkish hostages? It can't be the religious angle, ISIS has killed many Muslims.
Turkey has been pimping for ISIS since the beginning of Operation Regime Change Get Assad in Syria.
"The philosophers have only interpreted the world, in various ways. The point, however, is to change it." Karl Marx
"He would, wouldn't he?" Mandy Rice-Davies. When asked in court whether she knew that Lord Astor had denied having sex with her.
“I think it would be a good idea” Ghandi, when asked about Western Civilisation.
Thank God for the Christian west. Where would war be without it?
The shadow is a moral problem that challenges the whole ego-personality, for no one can become conscious of the shadow without considerable moral effort. To become conscious of it involves recognizing the dark aspects of the personality as present and real. This act is the essential condition for any kind of self-knowledge.
Cameron's desperate to please his American masters and join in the bloodshed.
So his solution is to lie as usual "they're out to get us, rape your children, take your jobs, blow up your community". Etc. Ad infinitum. The usual scare tactics. And he'll get away with it too, I think, more the bleeding' pity...
Quote:Isis air strikes: Parliament 'to be recalled on Friday' as David Cameron pushes UK closer to military action
David Cameron is in New York to attend the UN General Assembly, as Ed Miliband says he is 'open the possibility' of air strikes against Isis
Prime Minister David Cameron appears to be paving the way for British air strikes against the Islamic State (Isis), with parliament expected to be recalled on Friday.
Making ripe the conditions that will help usher the UK into militarily responding against Isis, Mr Cameron has said that "this is a fight you cannot opt out of".
Speaking in the US where he is attending the United Nations General Assembly, he told TV channel NBC: "These people want to kill us. They've got us in their sights and we have to put together this coalition... to make sure that we ultimately destroy this evil organisation."
While at the UN, he is likely going to receive a formal request from Iraq's new inclusive administration, led by Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, for help in launching air strikes against the militant group. Britain's allies, the US and France, are already engaged in a military assault.
His comments come as parliament is to be recalled on Friday, the BBC reports, to discuss the UK's strengthening response to the jihadists and to seek MPs' approval for action.
Ed Miliband told BBC Breakfast this morning that he is "open to the possibility" of backing air strikes against Isis - in far contrast to David Cameron's failed attempt at garnering support for strikes against Syria's government in August 2013.
"[Isis] is a threat that can't be turned away from," he added. "How will I judge any proposal? Whether Britain can have an effect, whether we can succeed and whether it is legitimate and lawful. But I am open to the possibility."
"Before I commit British combat troops I want to look at what the proposition is and the nature of that proposition."
Britain has already armed the Kurdish fighters who have sought to repel Isis' assault in northern Iraq, while also supplying Baghdad with weaponry, ammunition and surveillance support.
At the UN, Mr Cameron's bilateral meeting with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani underscores the Prime Minister's intentions to involve regional states in the quest to destroy Isis.
However, he will not waver in his views against Iran's nuclear ambitions and its support for groups condemned as terrorists in the west.
"I will be very clear. We think they are wrong to have this nuclear weapon programme. We think they are wrong to support terrorist organisations," Mr Cameron added to NBC.
"It'll be a tough conversation. I'm not saying that my enemy's enemy is my friend. I don't believe that.
"But the fact is if we want to have a successful, democratic, pluralistic Iraq and if we want to have a successful, democratic, pluralistic Syria, Iran can play a constructive role in helping to bring that about."
Additional reporting by PA
The shadow is a moral problem that challenges the whole ego-personality, for no one can become conscious of the shadow without considerable moral effort. To become conscious of it involves recognizing the dark aspects of the personality as present and real. This act is the essential condition for any kind of self-knowledge.
He couldn't get the votes last time when they wanted to bomb Syria. Now there is the evil incarnate extremist ISIS enemy of Syria's secular Assad. Watch this space.
"The philosophers have only interpreted the world, in various ways. The point, however, is to change it." Karl Marx
"He would, wouldn't he?" Mandy Rice-Davies. When asked in court whether she knew that Lord Astor had denied having sex with her.
“I think it would be a good idea” Ghandi, when asked about Western Civilisation.
Isis released a video called Flames of War' warning Obama not to target it. It showed wounded soldiers and beheadings
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