“Creating a cross-border Islamic state is one of the group’s main aims.” They actually have a shot at doing this now. Yet the reestablishment of the caliphate has never been considered for a nanosecond by those who formulate U.S. foreign policy. It’s high time they started considering its implications. But they won’t.
“Jihadists ‘bulldoze berm’ dividing Iraq from Syria,” AFP, June 11, 2014:
Baghdad (AFP) – The jihadist Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant posted pictures online of militants bulldozing a berm dividing Iraq and Syria, symbolising its goal of uniting its forces in the two countries.
The jihadists could be seen clearing a road through the berm, before trucks drove through as a militant stood nearby holding the group’s black flag, in photos shared on websites and Twitter.
Creating a cross-border Islamic state is one of the group’s main aims.
The first shot was dated June 10 and carried the title of the photo series, “Smashing the Sykes-Picot border” — a reference to the agreement between Britain and France that carved up the Middle East after World War I, with the former taking Iraq and the latter Syria.
Another photo showed a militant standing in front of Iraqi army Humvees and trucks, suggesting the shots were taken after the launch of a jihadist offensive this week in which large numbers of military vehicles were captured.
But the authenticity of the photos could not be independently verified.
ISIL has overrun all of Nineveh province, and parts of Kirkuk province to its southeast and Salaheddin to its south.
The offensive reached as far as the outskirts of Samarra, just 110 kilometres (70 miles) north of Baghdad, before clashes between security forces and militants ended without them entering the city.
gravenimage says
ISIS bulldozes berm dividing Iraq and Syria
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I noted on an earlier story that if there is a reestablishment of the Caliphate, that this region will be its dark heart. I think this lends credence to that grim idea.
mariam rove says
I think they should send my son back in to take a few of them out. M
john spielman says
NO! Don’t waste any more American lives in this war between demonic forces of Sunni vs Shia, though I would be in favor of drones or cruise missiles targeted by shias on the ground.
EYESOPEN says
Thank you, John Spielman! I agree with you 100%. NO American serviceman’s life is worth any of these satanic murderers. And to “Mariam”, I would ask your son how HE feels about that before volunteering him – metaphorically or otherwise – about going into another izlamic hell hole.
Salah says
Don’t worry, all these thugs will de defeated and driven out. Remember the Muslim Brotherhood of Egypt? where are they now? in jail!!!
These jihadist thugs WILL be defeated by their own co-religionists, it will take some time…and a lot of bloodshed.
gravenimage says
They’ve got their own damn country now—but don’t worry, they’re on their way out. I’m sure this is a great comfort to those whose heads are now lining the streets of Mosul….sarc/off
Salah, so far, their coreligionist adversaries seem to be doing more running away than anything else right now, I’m afraid.
The Aton says
Let them fight it out. Islam does not do nation building, so they will be destitute in two years.
Just don’t buy any oil from them. It is oil that is propping up the entire hate-filled fantasy-world of Islam.
Aton