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Al Qaeda Militants Capture US Black Hawk Helicopters In Iraq
Just when one thought US foreign policy couldn't sink any deeper into the hole of its embarrassment, it takes out a shovel and starts digging. Overnight, in what AP describes as a stunning assault that exposed Iraq's eroding central authority, Al Qaida-inspired militants from ISIS, or the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham, overran much of Mosul on Tuesday, seizing government buildings, pushing out security forces and capturing military vehicles as thousands of residents fled the second-largest city.
For those who may have forgotten, Iraq was one of those countries "liberated" by the the United States, which unlike Afghanistan where the opium trade is still important, did pull out its troops two and a half years ago.
Ths shocking takeover of Mosul took place months after Al Qaeda-linked fighers took over another Iraqi town, Fallujah, earlier in the year and which they have successfully defended against government attempts to reclaim it.
That however, was just the appetizer: Mosul is a much bigger, more strategic prize. The city and surrounding Ninevah province, which is on the doorstep of Iraq's relatively prosperous Kurdish region, are a major export route for Iraqi oil and a gateway to Syria.
"This isn't Fallujah. This isn't a place you can just cordon off and forget about," said Michael Knights, a regional security analyst at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, cited by AP. "It's essential to Iraq."
The WSJ adds that hours after government forces fled Mosul in disarray following four days of fighting, Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki declared a nationwide "state of maximum preparedness" but didn't indicate whether government forces were mobilizing to retake the Iraqi city, 220 miles north of the capital Baghdad.
The capture of Mosul by rebels linked to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham, or ISIS, is the latest evidence of the weakness and disorganization that have beset Iraq's security forces since the U.S. forces withdrew from the country in December 2011.
Residents of Mosul said they were shocked at the ease of the rebel takeover of government buildings, television stations and military installations where U.S.-supplied fighter airplanes, helicopters and other heavy weaponry are based.
"The whole of Mosul collapsed today. We've fled our homes and neighborhoods, and we're looking for God's mercy," said Mahmoud Al Taie, a dentist. "We are waiting to die."
Videos showed victorious insurgents waving black flags emblazoned with an Islamic script—the standard brandished by al Qaeda militants world-wide.
The biggest irony here is that while the US is arming "rebels" in neighboring Syria, among which numerous Al-Qaeda rebels, the weapons and the trained "fighters" then promptly make their way across the border and continue fighting the US-blessed government in Iraq!
Jessica Lewis, a former U.S. Army intelligence officer, said ISIS fighters won a notable victory in Mosul.
"ISIS is designing its campaign around the state that it believes it has already created," said Ms. Lewis, currently research director for the Institute for the Study of War in Washington, D.C.
"I think that means that Iraq is going to start to look more like Syria. It's a gauge of the severity of the conflict and the trajectory that it's on. That's a very bad sign."
The ISIS-controlled areas of Iraq.
And to think none of this could have been accomplished without the assistance of the US state department.
The Obama administration, responding to the fall of Mosul, said ISIS "is not only a threat to the stability of Iraq but a threat to the entire region."
State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said the group has drawn strength from the Syrian civil war, where it can acquire recruits, weapons and other resources for its fight in Iraq.
Perhaps miss Psaki should have answered questions about where the ISIS force was getting its weapons. The U.S.-trained and equipped Iraqi security forces, which have floundered since the U.S. pullout, haven't succeeded in thwarting ISIS's emergence as a formidable paramilitary force.
Below is a detailed narrative of just how Al-Qaeda managed to take over yet another garrison in the middle east:
Despite the security precautions, ISIS fighters raided the western half of Mosul early Friday, forcing military personnel and federal police forces to retreat over bridges to the eastern bank of the Tigris River, which divides the city.
For three days, residents in the eastern half of the city huddled in their houses and parceled out their ever-dwindling supply of food and other staples, as authorities tried to secure the city.
Mosul governor Atheel Nujaifi, appearing Monday evening on national television, made a desperate call for city residents to form ad hoc committees to defend themselves. But he fled on Monday night.
In the early-morning darkness of Tuesday, local resistance dissolved, as insurgents poured across the bridges separating east from west. According to witnesses, government soldiers fled on foot, leaving the streets littered with abandoned army vehicles, weapons and uniforms.
The vanquished soldiers knocked on doors and begged for civilian clothes, so they could escape without being identified, said Ahmed Khaza'al, a cosmetic dealer.
The victory by ISIS and its allies means they control sizable regions in at least three of Iraq's 18 provinces. Upon news of Mosul's fall, fears of more fighting rippled across the country.
The US has pledged to help Iraqi leaders "push back against this aggression" as the government of Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki asked parliament to declare a state of emergency that would give him extraordinary powers to tackle the crisis. The rampage by the black banner-waving insurgents was a heavy defeat for Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki as he tries to hold onto power, and highlighted the growing strength of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant. The group has been advancing in both Iraq and neighboring Syria, capturing territory in a campaign to set up a militant enclave straddling the border.
But the battle, for the time being, seemed to be over. Some police were discarding uniforms and weapons and fleeing a city where the black flag of ISIL now flew over government buildings.
"We have lost Mosul this morning," said a colonel at a local military command center. "Army and police forces left their positions and ISIL terrorists are in full control.
"It’s a total collapse of the security forces."
This is the aftermath in clips and images:
Assyrian church set ablaze...
Iraqi troop uniforms left behind...
Smoke everywhere...
As the roads are full amid the mass exodus...
* * *
But the worst news by far for the US is that as a result of the takeover of Mosul by ISIS forces, an unknown number, and at least one, US ultramodern Blackhawk and Kiowa helicopters parked at the Mosul airport, are now in, you guessed it, Al Qaeda hands.
#Mosul airport is normally crowded with #Blackhawk and #Kiowa helis.
Let's see how many ended up in #ISIS hands... pic.twitter.com/KY51KidfQP
— ConflictReporter (@MiddleEast_BRK) June 10, 2014
Black Hawk, one of ghaneemas taken by #ISIS. #Mosul #Iraq pic.twitter.com/zLoSrbve7R
— ?? ????? #????? (@Ghareeba_7) June 10, 2014
Guys, a base of these was captured by Dawla in Mosul... Imagine what could be done with them. Black Hawk choppers. pic.twitter.com/HXzL0Z8637
— Ghazi (@ghazishami) June 10, 2014
So Mosul has fallen and the ISIS jihadists now have blackhawks and humvees and guns,courtesy of Uncle Sam
— Hemil (@cravingHedonist) June 10, 2014
PT: Worth noting that ISIS has captured parts of #Mosul airport, where #Iraq forces maintain a fleet of UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters.
— Charles Lister (@Charles_Lister) June 10, 2014
Mosul airport viewed through Google maps: grounded helicopters can be easily seen just east of the main airstrip:
Thank you US State Department: once again, this smashing Al-Qaeda success could not have been achieved without your help.
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Now you know what the stealth bombers are for in England.
im still waiting for flight 370 to make an appearence
I'm waiting for John Kerry's pithy retort to this little clusterfuck...
Don't worry!
This was "authorized" by you know who....
I'm surprised Ofucktard hasn't simply sent AQ an invoice.
Love the Mosin, bad ass rifle.
Who was it in this Admin said that this was a good war, a just war and we won?
You know, if all those fleeing civillians were allowed to own rifles, a few thousand terrorists wouldn't be able to overrun a city of that size.
Anyone else notice the striking resemblance to vietnam?
BTW, sure as shit glad that the helicopters in question were "American" made.
Think of all the problems had they been made in China with slave labor.
Jeaisus!
next thing you know, the people of miami will steal one of those black-hawk thingies
of course, they would the risk of being arrested
Blame it on Bush.
"What difference does it make?"
Technology transfer to China. Both copters are already there, or Iran, being reverse engineered.
Job security for US computer tech gurus. They'll have to rewrite all of the code to operate these copters.
This seems like an obvious way to arm terrorists who intend to attack Syria, without having to get authority to do it.
Maybe iran will turn it into a drone.
Most of the people already are drones.
Just imagine where all those misdirected resources on this EPIC FAILURE could have gone.
It's all about the fundamentals of the economy.
How are they going to fly them?
I'm sure their insurance policy covers theft so it's not really a big deal after all.
#WINNING
Mission accomplished Bitchez ! ! !
Once you open the floodgates you can't tell the water where to go.
The US.gov will never learn to leave people alone.
good job....half browny
oh no you dint!
Perceptive. The people who enabled this are lying, manipulative psychopaths, after all. "Stolen" equipment enables plausible deniability, or at least it used to. Expect something from the same playbook for Flight 370. Trouble is, allegiance is such a fleeting thing, especially when associates are "de-dollarizing."
To yourself and John, very well said. I have a hunch both of you are correct in your insights....
who the heck needs to get authority to do it?
No technology transfer to CHina. The Blackhawks were already infested with malware from China.
Transfer technology for the Blackhawk Combat Airporter Bus or the Kiowa news chopper? Any aircraft left to the Iraqis will be devoid of 'the good stuff' and down for spares in a month. That looks like a refuelling probe on the helo in the pics- do the Iraqis even have any tankers?
Saddam is looking pretty good these days.
Naw! Obama didn't only inherit this clusterfuck. He adopted it. It's his now.
Ebay is where they'll auction that off and the "Buyer can pick it up" option will be available. Who knows what the shipping charges will be on that mother?!
Vietnam? A couple $T spent in Iraq. 4500 KIA, another 50K maimed, and a year from now we will watch as crowds on the embassy roof cling to helicopters trying to be evacuated.
A year? Maybe months, a few weeks, who knows.
better evacuated soon
before the bad guys
steal all the helicopters
Under Saddam the Iraqi's were free to own firearms. Then they were "liberated" by the U.S. and the first thing the new government did was take their guns away.
You know, if all those fleeing civillians were allowed to own rifles, a few thousand terrorists wouldn't be able to overrun a city of that size.
You know, if we had a REAL Commander-in-Chief...
... we wouldn't be sending our military and equipment where they don't f'ing belong (clinton/bush included). Finished it for ya.
You did indeed. I'm surprised so many missed that.
Odet Yinon's master plan coming along very nicely thanks to ZATO.
They should take a ride in it just to see what happens...
and the ammo is cheap and plentiful!
Don't worry, the Criminal UNITES STATES, CORP. INC. will just write this one off.
Eco9698 I love my mosin as well, but the semi corrosive shit is irritating as hell! Mongo has never been diligent in the immediate cleaning of such items. One of my attributes I should surely change!
Just got the Archangel Stock conversion and 10 round mag for mine. Lightened it up a hair and works well. More comfortable fit.
Well; some forward progress made by Obama's team islam, I see. So they're setting up cross-border operations in Syria, eh? Probably, just a co-incidence. ( "No, we can't give you military air power, but you could just take some; at, uh-Mosul, for instance. Okay, you're welcome. Allah Akbar")
Nation building is a complete waste of time, men, and money.
MISSION ACCOMPLISHED.
Iran will fly in in 3. 2. 1.
Yep Iraqi oil sells in dollars now! Long as this continues, the US will look the other way!
No worries! We'll make more!
WINNING!
Excuse me. May I have the attention of the distinguished commenters on ZH for a moment? Thank you.
Iraq is presently pumping about 3.2 million bpd of $111 / barrel Brent equivalent.
20% of that comes out of the north.
If these guys take over Baghdad too, you will quickly see that it is no longer unacceptable to negotiate with terrorisrts.
That is all. Thank you for your attention.
Can't we just ask Geithner to authorize the Federal Reserve to print more oil?
These terrorists are fully supported by SA. And SA is a US puppet. Baghdad is now being rules by Iranian backed shias muslims. They are also terrorists. The Middle East is really becoming a huge mess. Like the EU and the US. It's just WWIII in progress.
Big OP for Obama to Excel.
Well, do you think TPTB will let this stand?
China, Nederlands, France, UK, Germany, Spain, Italy, Belgium, Denmark, all have an interest in the oil.
Obama will have to Deploy US Forces for this. But what the hell they are already in elevated state of readiness anyway.
I'm waiting for John Kerry holding up pictures of bearded men and claiming they crossed the border with Russia. That it was concrete proof that Russia was supporting the Iraqi insurgency. lol
Wait until the Generals counter attack.
"A lion when I want love.
A snake when we disagree."
John Kerry's answer is simple: SEND MORE EQUIPMENT
F-16 all weather multi purpose fighter aircraft
http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/iraq-seeks-f-16-fighters-05057/
Apache Gunships
http://www.defensenews.com/article/20140127/DEFREG02/301270041/Agreement...
Lisp? Pithy or pissy?
At the World Cup Opening. But you need to be a mathematical genius to see it.
trade helicopter
for taliban prisoners
Get out a map. They are not Taliban. They are ISIS.
You know ISIS, the nemesis of Sterling Archer, the incompitent, bungling CIA man.
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=9x6KApzgtjU
Here, I give you CIA Man
http://m.youtube.com/results?q=cia%20man%20the%20fugs&sm=1
Actually, Archer is at ISIS, the bungling International Secret Intelligence Service.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archer_%28TV_series%29
Artistic License ....
my bad
Is Obama going to let ISIS have them too?
They'll need some taxpayer-funded training first.
Giving the gear to ISIS ( the secret agency in Archer ) would be an improvement. Somehow I dn't think they are gonna get these weapons.
Next stop Syria.
Blackwater pilots and all.
got any towers you want to rebuild? one thing i haven't seen on here, ever (but of course i missed it) - as much as krugman loves smashing windows to create 'growth' - that wtc sight sure did create a whole hell of a lot of jobs. and the whole area around it for probably 40 blocks square is all going up - up - up. on speculation of course.
Yes!
AND the Nuclear Launch Codes!
Curious. Why would they broadcast the presents of stealth bombers?
Because it is hard to hide them when they land in broad daylight to refuel in Britain ... something they would only do during a screaming emergency, like this one.
I think its just a message of NATO cooperation to Russia
Captured? I'm pretty sure the CIA told them the keys were on top of the visor
Damn good one! Mr. Pink
Rearming the terrorists for yet another go at Syria.
Not captured...jus repo'd
@ Mr, Pink,
+ Infinity. Comic Genius.
Never blame conspiracy when sheer incompetence is a sufficient explanation.
Vietnam all over again.
It looks like we are going back in.
Any president with half a brain would act on taking these helicopters out of operation. Like I've said time and time again this Marxist con man does not have America's interest at heart. How much more evidence do we need?
you're not thinking clearly - why would he want that?
the terrists having advanced weapons is a good thing for obama, it allows an excuse for greater funding to the military / MIC, and continued shredding of the consititution / advancement of the police state.
Blackhawks are a little harder to use than an AK-47 but I am sure China and Russia will pay top dollar for a look under the hood.
Those things are old now. Good equipment but nothing new in there for the russians or chinese. As posted earlier, i highly doubt there was anything special left in them if they were not for US use any longer.
where is the largest under ground USA embassy in the world?? think hard...gonna get nasty if these issa goons move south. what a mess
Now you know what the stealth bombers are for in England.
Yes I do,,,But why would the CIA need a Black Hawk???
Or never fear, they are "our" Al Quaeda. I.e., not Shiite influenced by Iran, but Sunni influenced by Saudi.
Yes! Maybe just a backdoor way to arm the Syrian "rebels"
Quick! Send Tom Cruise to get 'em back!
Or not.
Just more taxpayer toys that won't be going to a town near you (or me)
Funny story, I just watched that one earlier today.
At any rate, what an inept way to run an empire.
OK, Barry, um, while you were playing golf, things got a whole lot worse, hey, are you listening?
FORE!
SKIN!
Fore
Play!
Fore
Lorn!
They let mosul get captured. Whats our military gonna do without conflict? Its the american way.
Clinton, Bush and Obama, here's another fine mess you've got us into.
Clinton goes on to his next million-dollar speech, Bush enjoys his invisible retirement and Obama, under heavy guard, goes off to gouge a few divots at the military golf course.
About $10 trillion down the shitter
FREEDUMB...
Larry, Curly and Moe
Convinced. Obama is AL Qaeda leader.
your raycesstsists
rayCyst
Ray's cyst
me too
He couldn't lead his way out of a paper bag.
I thought he needed that paper bag intact for Michelle...
Barry isn't the real leader of anything. He and "al Qaeda" are all CIA property.
They call it ASSet, meaning they own his ass and use it on a daily basis.
Well, that's one way to "smuggle" weapons.
Yep, this was just the culmination of Obama's backdoor plan to deliver advanced weaponry to the Syrian Freedom Fighters®.
Our president is a fucking moron. There, I said it.
Thank you Capt. Obvious.
Well, his name is Ofucktard ...
( oh, and Captain Obvious would make a great ZH user name )
He does insert some very well timed pauses in his speeches though, for effect. I mean, they're relly good, not just because of their timing but because it's a merciful period of silence when he's not talking shit.
He is waiting for TOTUS to resume the script.
More so the asshats that voted for him. McCain and Romney were not top flight quality, but either would have done a better job than Mr. Ego.
Please explain to me what exactly a "president" does? I'm not American, so maybe I have the wrong impression, but the term puppet seems about right.
I believe you figured it out.
I dunno about that, after all William Henry Harrison served a full 32 days in office.
Now that's distinguished service!
Tippecanoe and Tyler too.
Corzine - Weiner 2016
Never, never go full retard.
Ya but what about that guy?
Lemme put it this way.
He was elected by a buncha people who are somewhat dimwitted, gullible, emotionally insecure, confused as all hell by the relentless propaganda mechanism, pressured form dawn to dusk by perceptions management and peer pressure (political correctness), believe in original sin (white man's guilt/burden) cannot in any way shape or form do maths, believe the pyramids were constructed by slaves and inclined sand planes, that Columbus Discovered America (How the fuck? I mean, people were already living here so...oh Jesus H Fucking Christ) are more entertained then informed and believe that affirmation (FOX,MSNBC) are information rather than affirmation, are totally unawares of the Magnitude of the Great Invisible Hand of Money and Shadow Government truly calling the shots and think that somefuckihghow that this guy really is in charge.
Did I miss anything?
Oh, probably bunches and bunches, but you hopefully get the picture.
Listen, lemme put it this way. Even his most ardent supporters' Obama bumper-stickers are disappearing from their fucking Chevy Volts.
One poor person hereabouts got a license plate that reads "Ohbamah"...
Like to have that shit tattooed on yer pecker?
The fact that he was re-elected is the full kick in the nuts and sign that our system is unfixable without a full reset.
Whoever said he was re-elected?
HACKING DEMOCRACY "The documentary, broadcast on HBO throughout November & December 2006, exposes the dangers of voting machines used during America's mid term and presidential elections..."
unfortunately, legit or not, we've got majorities of mind-fucked people voting these jokers into office. Even if this election was co-opted by outside interests - they got away with it first of all and secondly, even if the other guy won-we'd still be screwed.
The current president is extreme - this guy pretty much wants to shit can the USA and he is our president. It is really astounding...
LOL I think you nailed it, right down to the tattoo, except, the voting bit. I remember seeing that showdown between bush and gore in Florida, the recount and all that.... Its a real force of will to be hanging on to the idea of democratic representation these days. IMO.
Knuckles - On a neighbors truck was a bumper sticker that read "911 was an inside job."
"One poor person hereabouts got a license plate that reads "Ohbamah"...
Like to have that shit tattooed on yer pecker?"
Holy shit.
So... the difference between sporting a fat and limping home flaccid is... 2 consonants rendered in a 6 point font?
Let's see... David Tepper, top hedge fund manager, made $2.2 billion in 2012. Obama made about $569,000 as POTUS including his expense accounts. So at that rate, it would take Obama... 3,866 years to match Tepper's 2012 income.
And you guys really think Obama does anything other than read the script? Looks to me like his aycheck is about four zeros short of where it needs to be to be calling the shots.
I don't want to argue about it, but I'll point out that McCain wanted to arm the Syrian AQ much sooner and more.
Barry and McCain are mutual masturbaters.
Don't forget Miss Lindsay. That makes a menage a trois!
Oui, oui! Cherchez le homme (or la homme in this case?)
Oh you say that now, but the truth of the matter is that there was never a good choice, it was "bad" or "worse", Obama was the "bad" choice, it could have easily been even worse.
I suppose, if you're a communist, you could be right.
Do not forget what tptb did to the Ron Paul effort..
Kind of a prerequisite wouldn't you say?
Ha. He's a dick-sucking moron who likes a-rab dick up the assholio!
i hope we do nothing and the rest of iraq goes back to the way is has been for centuries. sunnis killing shites or vis versa.
actually i hope they roll on thru to the other side and acquire some really nice gear and start firing up a big ole mess, all courtesy of an empire failing around the globe and insolvent. time to enjoy our last roman meal with all the fixings...
Our country. So busy spying on its own citizens that it doesnt notice insurgents massing near mosul for days on end. What a fucking shit show. Who is the clown shoes responsible for securing the area?
So, does the left hand know what the right hand's up to? Is this simply stealing from Peter to pay Paul? Or did the CIA need that equipment to supply its own terrorists. Al-CIA-duh, indeed!
Stuff like this is what makes people think AQ is working for the CIA. Having it confirm in other instances doesn't make it much better either. Either they are grossly incompetent or they are purely diabolical things. They certainly would not be very human.