“Obama says he overestimated what the Iraqi Army could do. Well you only need to be hear [sic] a very short while to know they can do very very little.” In that, they are correct. Obama overestimated the Iraqi Army and underestimated the Islamic State — probably at least in part because he couldn’t conceive of the possibility that there could be so many misunderstanders of Islam, or that they would grow so powerful.
“ISIS fighters now ‘at the gates of Baghdad’: Islamic militants fighting ‘just one mile from Iraqi capital’ despite days Western airstrikes,” by John Hall, Daily Mail, September 29, 2014:
Fierce fighting has been reported on the outskirts of Baghdad where ISIS militants are attempting to seize control of the Iraqi capital – despite ongoing Western airstrikes against the terror group.
The fighting is taking place just one mile to the west of the city, with government forces desperately trying to hold off the militants, who allegedly killed up to 1,000 soldiers during clashes yesterday.
ISIS have held a number of towns and villages close to the Iraqi capital since earlier in the year, when government troops melted away following a lightning advance in the west of the country – enabling the terrorist group to seize further swaths of territory for their so-called caliphate.
Reports that ISIS militants are now just one mile from Baghdad came from the Foundation for Relief and Reconciliation in the Middle East – an organisation supporting the work of Canon Andrew White, vicar of the city’s St George’s Church, the only Anglican church in Iraq.
In a message posted on Facebook, the group said: ‘The Islamic State are now less than 2km away from entering Baghdad. They said it could never happen and now it almost has.
‘Obama says he overestimated what the Iraqi Army could do. Well you only need to be hear [sic] a very short while to know they can do very very little,’ they added….
Terry says
Canon White is considered a saint for his work in Iraq and now possibly a martyr. He will be one of the first Christians ISIS goes after. He says he feels “MORE Christian,” now, please read the link to understand. He was in the states a week ago, but went back to his “beloved Iraq” when he did not have to. Here are his inspiring words – the kind of words you don’t read from the” self proclaimed prophet:”
http://www.firstthings.com/blogs/firstthoughts/2014/09/the-words-of-canon-andrew-white
This is his mission work in Iraq.
https://www.facebook.com/FRRME as well as on Twitter.
BlueRaven says
A heck of a brave Gentleman.
john spielman says
One of the saints of God ( Not allah/Satan)
carlos danger says
Good luck to him. Hopefully no lives will be lost in any attempt to rescue him due to his choice to remain in harms way.
gravenimage says
I have the greatest respect for Canon White and his work.
That being said, I think his is a lost cause, and it sounds as if he knows it.
Even without ISIS, the Christians of Iraq are so threatened that it would be best if they were all evacuated—if any Western country had the vision and decency to do so, which is questionable.
I do not say this lightly—I am well aware of the almost two millenia old culture of Christianity in Mesopotamia.
But there is a time to stand, and a time to cut your losses and get out. That time has come for Christians faced with genocide there.
Tommy Guns says
I’m beginning to fear for the lives of the U.S. Embassy staff in Baghdad. Even though it’s fortified, and additional American troops have been sent to defend the embassy, I have a sinking feeling an American blood-bath is on the horizon. Could we be looking at another case of ‘over estimating/under estimating’????
Beagle says
When IS overran Mosul facing a vastly numerically superior force which had 105mm howitzers, armored vehicles, even M1A1s, I did not see what was going to stop IS from marching into Baghdad if it was not US ground forces. Shia irregulars and whatever the Iranians have brought to Iraq are the only other options.
Maybe the fog of war is in play here and it’s a small force and the casualty figures are wrong. But if it’s a significant IS force with heavy weapons and some of the captured armored vehicles from Mosul, likely if the casualty figures are correct, what’s stopping them from being at our embassy in no time? Traffic?
dlbrand says
Traffic, indeed. We know, that (U.S. embassy) is at least one place they are heading to seize.
voegelinian says
Why do we even have an Embassy in that hell-hole. Oh wait, it’s because it has been our policy under OBushma to build a Free Democratic Iraq based upon that wonderfully broad demographic base of freedom-loving Muslims who exist only in the Wishful Wilsonianism of our mainstream…
Given the observations & report of Canon Andrew White linked by a commenter above, one wonders why anyone would want to “rebuild” or save or help a Muslim hell-hole like that (a hell-hole made hellish by the Muslims):
“There were 1.5 million Christians in Iraq, and now we’re down to 300,000.” They have been killed, beaten, and harassed, their houses have been defaced, their churches vandalized. “What is happening now is worse than anything that has happened before.” White says of Iraqi Christians, “These people have suffered so much,” and they say to him, “We’re finished, we’ve got nothing.” In fact, Canon White predicted, looking ahead to but a few years from now, “I don’t think there will be any Christians in Iraq.”
If the United States or anyone else were to intervene, he added, the flight of Christians out of Iraq wouldn’t reverse. “Even if ISIS is defeated, Christians probably won’t go back because their neighbors didn’t defend them.”
That last sentence needs to be repeated:
“Even if ISIS is defeated, Christians probably won’t go back because their neighbors didn’t defend them.”
I.e., ordinary Iraqi Muslims have been passively allowing, passive-aggressively enabling, actively cooperating with this devastating genocide of Christians.
http://www.firstthings.com/blogs/firstthoughts/2014/09/the-words-of-canon-andrew-white
AnneM says
We are dealing with the demonic.
manuel-rafael says
The end result of the “Moderate Rebel Armies” that this Administration created after the NATO Strikes in Libya a Sovereign State, an act of Islamic Imperialist Aggression, curiously the “Qatari Coalition” that the Emirate of Obama’s Janissary is using against the Moderate Rebels Gone ISIS/IL and Al’Whatever, advance on Baghdad yet they concentrate on Syria, of course the ISISIL Hordes must have time to train and familiarize themselves with the Military Equipment left behind by the Obama Administration; irresponsible or planned ? Armored vehicles and the Abrams Tanks as well as many computerized weapons systems left behind can be deactivated by deprogramming remotely; why have no orders been given to neutralize this ordinance ?
the L in ISIL is the major component to these Moderate Rebels of Jihadi Genocide for the Mohammedan Infidels not limited to the Judeo Christians but inclusive of the Moslems that fight the Fascist Imperialist Shariaiism of total anarchy and the religiosity of death by “ethnic/racial/cleansing” the answers may and do reside in the Gutters of Qatar and the Obama Emirate, when Syria and Ukraine fall, there will be hell to pay.
Davegreybeard says
Why am I reminded of Saigon, 1975?
One more American defeat engineered by the Democrats.
Better get the pad on the embassy roof dusted off and have the choppers standing by.
jihad3tracker says
Hello Dave —
I too am old enough to remember seeing a desperate climb by those who knew it was “get out or perish” — up a ladder to the hovering helicopter in Saigon.
The situation in Baghdad becomes worse at a speed even I could not have predicted.
Nothing would surprise me now about just how tragic this will eventually become.
BlueRaven says
Iraqi Army has been incapable of stopping ISIS advances till now, it is not likely they are going to stop them in the future. ISIS will be roaming in the Baghdad streets before the coming weekend.
Here is some logic for Obama and it is for free – the air bombing is going to kill more civilians and a few ISIS members. Watch Obama blaming over the weekend the Iraqi government’s ineffectiveness for the coming terrible massacre of the Shiites in Baghdad. The ISIS are on the roll and Iraqi neighbors will be next – you don’t need much figuring to come to this kind conclusion. ISIS are using one of the most sophisticated weapons supplied by us – I wonder who was responsible for not understanding the difference between Islam and us. Mr. President should be ashamed of himself for not letting the Intelligent Department to work freely to make correct decisions but ever ready to blame the people who are very capable of doing their job.
mariam rove says
Hi BR! this is going to very interesting. As you know the Jews are fighting the muslims and the jihadist every minute of the day. To the it is a matter of survival and existence. In some some way the Shia’s are also in the same position as you know there 150 million of them and they are reviled by Sunnis as heretics. As much as I despise the genocidal Iranian government, I do not think they are going to sit back to see ISIS taking over. If Isis takes over Baghdad the whole country is theirs thus two of the hollies shai cities of Najaf and Karbal. I think the Iranians will go in though I am no military or political strategist. In my opinion if anyone can take ISIS on and succeed is the Iranian military. I somehow think that if the Iranians went in they will slaughter the ISIS. Then again as I said I could be 100% wrong ….. M
John C. Barile says
You are likely right. Iran has signaled that it will not tolerate the IS threatening its interests.
John C. Barile says
I wonder how precarious Baghdad’s situation is. IS has been threatening the capital for months. I don’t know how many IS columns are advancing on the city, but I do know there’s a fifth column already there.
voegelinian says
“…ut I do know there’s a fifth column already there [in Baghdad]”.
Yes; they are called Ordinary Muslims (in addition to the fact that according to one learned estimate, between 80-90% of jihadist insurgents trying to topple the democratically elected government are not “card-carrying” members of ISIS, but are every bit as diseased by Islam as they.
One example from the study, studying another major city overrun by ISIS:
“81.5% of Mosul’s predominantly Sunni residents felt more secure after the Sunni insurgents seized control of the city;
“they overwhelmingly rejected—i.e., 84.5%!—U.S. involvement with the (longstanding Iranian proxy) Maliki government to repulse the Sunni insurgents, including ISIL.”
http://www.andrewbostom.org/blog/2014/07/06/my-pjm-blog-this-past-week-on-why-u-s-should-stay-out-of-iraqs-sectarian-morass/
BlueRaven says
Good point about the Iranians Mariam. I think the next Baghdad Battle will be some historic significant. It will be of the Genocidel nature. The Shittes are already loaded with the Iranian weapons up to their eye balls. They most probably have the Iranian Mil Advisors present in their Mosques.
That is most likely the reason the West is not jumping into a Sunni – Shitte ritual. The West like to see the Iranians take on the ISIS. The Iranians will have not much choice to help their brethrens in Baghdad. I think ISIS most likely have a strategy how to isolate Baghdad from any Iranian support, unless the Iranians come with Tanks.
There are no reports about Iranian tanks gathering near the Iran/Iraq border. The ISIS tanks are about a KM away from Baghdad. That indicates to me Iranians are not going to get there in time to stop the upcoming blood bath.
It is going to get uglier than our ‘Intellegence’ had imagined, hence our President is not informed about it 😉
mariam rove says
There are no reports about Iranian tanks gathering near the Iran/Iraq border. The ISIS tanks are about a KM away from Baghdad. That indicates to me Iranians are not going to get there in time to stop the upcoming blood bath…
The Iranians have 100K solders by the city of Kermanshah. The ISIS is only 30 miles from that Iranian border but from a different side of the border. Iran is the only country that had 2 standing millilitieers. One is the same kind that we here which includes:army/navy and Marines/air force. They also have a second one which has around 150K solders and are known as Sepah which are die hard muslims and in charge of protecting the revolution and are some of the best trained people and have a lot of the equipment and their leader reports directly to the ayatollah and not the Iranian president. it will be these guys who will take on ISIS and they are brutal. Don’t forget that Iranian intelligence in Iraq is second to none and the know every nook and cranny there and don’t also forget that the fought the iraqis for 8 years. Hope you are well. M
Phil says
For what may be the first time in my life, I actually want Iran to win…I think I’ll lie down now and take an aspirin.
While we’re at it, sorry about what may be off-topic, but I would hope all JW readers would spare a thought for Rayhaneh Jabbari (sorry if my spelling is off, I still don’t know how to latinize Farsi) – this poor woman, who defended herself against rape, now faces imminent execution. Nothing will epitomize why I abjure Shariah law more than its treatment of women
Islofob IS-1 says
Time to see that islam is the issue, the enemy.
To not understand, not state this openly, means the advance will continue.
We have tried just about everything else, how is that working for the world ?
Just say it, ” islam is the enemy”.
Just say no to islam.
KrazyKafir says
I’m surprised that Iran hasn’t helped out southern Iraqis, more so. Perhaps they’re throwing the dice that the Americans will, in the end, re-invade and save their Shia pals.
John C. Barile says
They have, but the Iraqi forces and Shi’a militia are frail, ineffective clients of theirs.
mortimer says
Obama and Hillary created ISIS. Criminal stupidity about jihad.
They are two gullible clucks. Dangerous clucks.
Custos Custodum says
Obama and Hillary knew exactly what they were doing. They WANT Islamic terrorists to win over the Middle East. In particular, they want to HAND ALL OF SYRIA TO ISLAMIC STATE. That is why the U.S. and its “allies” are actively arming and funding Syrian “rebel groups” that are obvious fronts for Islamic State.
ElderlyZionist says
The Shia militias may be able to hold Baghdad. They know what will happen to their families if they don’t.
American idiocy is that we keep trying to build and rebuild a multi-confessional Iraqi army. Our multi-confessional Iraqi army can’t fight – the Sunni soldiers desert and the Shias have to run. We had better leave this war to the Shia.
The Iranians are already in Syria and Iraq, in small numbers. The Mullahs want something in exchange for going fully to war against the Sunni Caliphate. They want us to accept and recognize them as a nuclear power. That may now be inevitable. Can you imagine Israel nuking the Mullahs for the benefit of the Caliph?
John C. Barile says
The IS are not supermen; it’s just that the Iraqi army are inept. They are The army is being shredded in Anbar province. On the other hand, thanks to coalition air attacks coupled with Kurdish offensives, the IS is losing ground right now in northern and east central Iraq. There is also a strong possibility that IS will soon have to confront Turkey in northern Syria, when the Turks intervene to protect the Tomb of Suleiman Shah and to carve out a “buffer zone” there.
Papate Boya says
The End is Near
yohanan says
The president blames the army for his own failed policies and bias in a time of war? Underestimating ISIS and overestimating the “moderate” Syrian opposition, the Iraqi army and democracy have been presidential strategies. The commander-in-chief should acknowledge that this was a failure of his policy to better organize the counter offense, or step down.
Carlos Danger says
Iran vs the Caliphate is the equivalent of Hitler vs Stalin a lifetime ago. If both are bloodied, The winner will be civilization.
Kios says
You are so right!
History repeats itself when we willfully ignore it!
gravenimage says
I agree with your first sentence, Carlos—the second, not so much.
As you may recall, Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union turning on each other in the earliest days of WWII did not exactly have the effect of ushering good days for the civilized world…
Murray says
So are the Turks going to get involved?
http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2014/09/28/352231851/turkey-signals-willingness-to-join-coalition-against-isis
An Unhappy Camper says
I have to disagree with the majority of the posters and I mean no disrespect to Canon White but color me skeptical. If IS that close to Bagdad it would be a much bigger deal the only place I’ve read it is the Daily Mail (and here based on the DM story) . The Daily Mail has a reputation of not fact checking it’s stories. I like at lest a couple of independent sources before I take something with more than a grain of salt. Anybody paying attention knows Bagdad is crawling with Shia militias (who will fight), and IRGC. Any battle for Bagdad would be long, bloody, not a sure thing and could bring out the Iranian army and they fight to win. If I know that IS knows that.
Michael says
I’m going to have to agree with you, Unhappy Camper.
The second I read “allegedly killed up to 1,000 soldiers during clashes yesterday” I had a pretty good feeling the story wasn’t entirely true. 1,000 iraqi soldiers dead in a single day? This isn’t Camp Speicher…
John C. Barile says
No, it’s Camp Saqlawiya. Another base overrun, an armored column annihilated.
Beagle says
IS has had forces northeast of Baghdad and just west and south of Baghdad for weeks. Proximity is not the issue.
Every time I read someone has a force which will fight IS I see it marched to a trench to be executed several days later. Time to give IS its due as a competent (albeit evil) fighting force.
No Fear says
“….be hear (?) a very short while……”
Christine Godinet says
I know it’s trivial. But my thoughts exactly.
Eels says
White has advanced Multiple Sclerosis. He is living and giving in a place that puts him in great danger on a daily basis. He is a great force for good.
Good for you to point out his predictive text predicited the wrong here.
When he reads your comment I am sure he will correct it.
AnneM says
God Bless Cannon White and the Christians of Baghdad!
John Adams says
Amen to your comments AnneM.
If you are not familiar with either of these names please check out You Tubes on Kamal Saleem or Walid Shoebat. Both are former Muslim terrorists (now Christians) with astounding information that the West needs to hear.
Rainman says
ISIS is using the tactics Stalin used in the defense of Stalingrad. ISIS is ‘hugging’ the Iraqi army. In Stalingrad the Russian forces stayed as close as possible to the German army to make the German artillery useless. ISIS is moving as close as possible to the Shite forces making it too risky for us to use missiles and artillery. Remember, ISIS is lead by Russian Chechnyans , who were trained in the Russian army, I’m guessing.
ISIS is a much better trained army than the Iraqis. Just what the hell was Petraeus doing over there anyways. The Iraqi army was one of the worst trained (By Petraeus) and led of all time, though they were one of the best equipped. All that money down a rat hole. Petraeus is one of the worst American commanders of all time. ISIS is his final legacy. Everything he did led to ISIS. He was in charge of the military, then of the CIA. What a disaster he has been.
Rainman
TH says
In Checnia Putin bombed the place to smithereens so the tactics of keeping close were no good.
anon says
Don’t blame Patreus, you can’t turn a sow’s ear into a silk purse.
Even the SEALS and Army Special Ops trained the Iraqi elite units and according to some of those trainers interviewed, it’s was a complete waste. The training wouldn’t stick, even after multiple attempts.
Why? It’s the people and culture. The men cut and run because their officers are incompetent and corrupt and there is no martial tradition worth speaking of in the Islamic world. Not to mention that thievery and indolence runs rampant that that part of the world.
Go back in history and look at the best combat units of the Muslims – they were composed of European slaves or mercenaries. The Ottoman Jannisaries were Greek, Serb and Bulgarian boys, forcibly converted to Islam and trained to be fanatical soldiers. Not to mention you could always find plenty of European mercenaries fighting for the Ottoman Sultan. The other group were the Egyptian slave soldiers – Mameluks, again composed of slaves taken from the Caucasus and other regions.
John Adams says
Absolutely no cause for alarm. President Obama the intrepid and fearless leader of America will send them a strongly worded letter.
Now if that won’t stop these jingoistic Jihadis nothing will.
John C. Barile says
That’ll show ’em!
John Haller says
I don’t get it. If ISIS is concentrated in two or three areas outside Baghdad, doesn’t that make it a target rich environment for the US and partner air forces? Like shooting fish in a barrel. This was one of the things that were not available to the Iraqis in June. Technicals, Abrahms Tanks artillery pieces etc are big fat targets for air strikes. Concentrated air strikes will turn Isis(Chechen lead or otherwise) into a bunch of pussies. ISIS fighters without their support infrastructure become cannon fodder. So is Obama on ISIS side?
Ha Meshuga says
A brave soul….
http://frrme.org/greetings-baghdad-update-canon-andrew-white/
duh_swami says
If ISIS overruns the ‘green zone’, and kills any Americans still there, will the US gov call it ‘workplace violence?