ISIS militants attack and take over Iraqi northern city of Mosul - Page 51 - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

Wastedyouth · 02-20-2015, 11:24 AM

Hmm, I shall be certain to not be around in 5 weeks.

Wastedyouth · 02-20-2015, 11:25 AM

stupid double post.

Azure · 02-20-2015, 11:52 AM

Would be really interesting to see what kind of involvement JSOC has in the war against ISIS.

Considering how big the organization is, and how Obama has used them one would have to think that they pretty much have free reign to do whatever it takes to shut down ISIS.

afc wimbledon · 02-20-2015, 01:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

This is one of three things to me

1) This is a intentional misdirection, similar to Britain setting up false rally points prior to the D-Day invasion by putting false vehicles and training soldiers under the command of a for real heroic face slapping general like Patton to convince the Germans that the D-Day invasion was going to happen somewhere else.

You basically as so well stated force the enemy to move its forces away from where you want to go and then stab them in the back from another direction.

2) Psychological warfare. Its equivalent to you getting into the bar fight and before the fight starts your opponent tells you that he's going to kick you in the face and there's nothing you can do about it, then he outright kicks you in the face and you doubt your abilities and it puts you off balance.

3) this has become a political exercise where the US can basically say look we're doing something and then watch the home polling numbers rise because they've flexed their muscles with very little potential cost. Look at all we're doing in fighting ISIL.

I'm cynically leaning towards three by the way.

In terms of the briefing its really not giving much information. I'm assuming that there will be an increased demand for allied air strike capabilities, I would also bet that there will be an increased demand for allied helicopter airlift capability for this to work.

I don't know what the makeup is in terms of the different attacking units. But if we're talking infantry on infantry warfare against an enemy with 5 weeks to dig in then the Iraqi and other units are going to use. 30,000 isn't going to be enough. If the estimates are correct that ISIL have 200,000 troops in place, then they are on the right side of the forces calculation in terms of repulsing an attacking force. And I get that ISIL is fighting on multiple different forces, but there's a reason why the Russians believed in a 3 to 1 force advantage because the Russians are the all time champs in terms of fighting in an urban environment, and they understand that an urban setting is a 3x force multiplier for a defending force.

The only way to counter this is to bring in massive air strike and artillary assets to pound defensive positions, have at least one mobile armored formation on call to dig enemies out. And on top of that have your special forces attacking from different directions to create chaos and incertainty.

If they basically zerg rush (bad gaming term, sorry) we're going to see a lot of dead Iraqi's and others and a ISIS terrorist group with a high moral level.

I suspect it is also a warning for the civilians to get out, I have no doubt Mosul will be carpet bombed into oblivion, before the Iraqis go anywhere near it.

northcrunk · 02-20-2015, 01:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by afc wimbledon

I suspect it is also a warning for the civilians to get out, I have no doubt Mosul will be carpet bombed into oblivion, before the Iraqis go anywhere near it.

I think your right, also I think it is a misdirection a la WW2. They will probably attack sooner and from a different direction (or possible a different area). Have all the ISIS fighters in Mosul awaiting a big attack and take away all of their gains outside the city then start capet bombing.

Hessen · 02-20-2015, 01:55 PM

By giving a warning of a rather large attack force (only Iraqi numbers actually given) you either scare the defenders into retreating or draw more in for the fight. In either case the US has an advantage. They flee and the city is out of their hands which turns it into a re-captured city. They dig in with larger numbers it's more in one place to attack, bomb and otherwise kill.

Both a retreat and or loss of thousands of ISIS mercenaries are also massive wins for the Allies as the rest of ISIS and other terror groups will see the loss and it should weaken their resolve.

fulham · 02-20-2015, 02:07 PM

Smart Strategic move,

1. They give time for civilians who don't support isis to leave or prepare for the bombardment.

2. They obviously have people on the ground in Mosul, who can see how Isis is preparing for this invasion, and this will allow the US to plan airstrikes, and the eventual invasion with much greater efficiency.

Badgers Nose · 02-20-2015, 02:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

Go in at night and snatch up their leaders, or saw a couple of their heads off, make them nervous.

Permission to use as my new signature?

Taken out of context, this is pure gold.

CaptainCrunch · 02-20-2015, 03:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Badgers Nose

Permission to use as my new signature?

Taken out of context, this is pure gold.

Certainly

CaptainCrunch · 02-20-2015, 03:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fulham

Smart Strategic move,

1. They give time for civilians who don't support isis to leave or prepare for the bombardment.

2. They obviously have people on the ground in Mosul, who can see how Isis is preparing for this invasion, and this will allow the US to plan airstrikes, and the eventual invasion with much greater efficiency.

ISIS won't let those people leave, they're effective hostages. They'll tie them to every strategically significant target or command post.

Air Strikes won't get it done, and a prepared and dug in enemy can withstand a air or artillery strike and then inflict mass casualties in return.

A urban battlefield is a tremendous advantage to the defender, and I don't have a lot of faith for example in Iraqi troops.

Its not like ISIS can't re-enforce, if as its claimed they have 200,000 fighters, (I have my doubts about those numbers), they won't come to the city in long armored convoys, they'll re-enforce on the fly in smaller numbers, and even if they lose the city they'll stay behind and fight as insurrectionists.

Personally, I would fricken find a way to attack in the next 2 to three days and hit the city with everything I had. I wouldn't wait that long.

This gives up the initiative and gives the enemy time to create defenses.

Wastedyouth · 02-21-2015, 12:25 AM

Just want to clarify, as I see in my original post in this thread that I said I was 30kms from Mosul when I was in my hotel, it is actually closer to 75 kms.

The site I work at is about 53kms from Mosul. I see I had put up on several posts that site was a bit closer, I thought this was true at the time, I never actual googled my location I was just going off of what the security guys said. So maybe its closer to 30-40 by the crow flies? Who knows.

Just wanted to clarify because I don't want to misrepresent my locations. We are, apparently the closest Expat run construction/facility to Mosul though. Not that thats anything to brag about, haha.

Here is a googlemap showing my approximate location. I believe I am just a bit west and south of Kalak. Google maps has a tough time approximating the distances via road because a lot of the roads aren't on the map.

https://www.google.iq/maps/dir/Kalak...d43.13!2d36.34

Cheese · 02-21-2015, 12:43 AM

Wastedyouth...are you able to post any pictures of the area your in?

Wastedyouth · 02-21-2015, 01:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cheese

Wastedyouth...are you able to post any pictures of the area your in?

I have stuff on my iPhone but I am not sure how to post it on here.

blueski · 02-21-2015, 03:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wastedyouth

Just want to clarify, as I see in my original post in this thread that I said I was 30kms from Mosul when I was in my hotel, it is actually closer to 75 kms.

The site I work at is about 53kms from Mosul. I see I had put up on several posts that site was a bit closer, I thought this was true at the time, I never actual googled my location I was just going off of what the security guys said. So maybe its closer to 30-40 by the crow flies? Who knows.

Just wanted to clarify because I don't want to misrepresent my locations. We are, apparently the closest Expat run construction/facility to Mosul though. Not that thats anything to brag about, haha.

Here is a googlemap showing my approximate location. I believe I am just a bit west and south of Kalak. Google maps has a tough time approximating the distances via road because a lot of the roads aren't on the map.

https://www.google.iq/maps/dir/Kalak...d43.13!2d36.34

I sure hope ISIS doesn't read Calgary Puck. Stay safe!

Cheese · 02-21-2015, 03:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wastedyouth

I have stuff on my iPhone but I am not sure how to post it on here.

Post them to this place
http://tinypic.com/?t=postupload
then grab the link and use the insert image icon above to add here.

Wastedyouth · 02-21-2015, 04:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blueski

I sure hope ISIS doesn't read Calgary Puck. Stay safe!

Meh, as one of the very few Canadians in Kurdistan at the moment (non-military) I think they probably already have an idea of where I am. But it would be pretty tough to get me. Too much security around.

Kavvy · 02-21-2015, 07:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wastedyouth

Meh, as one of the very few Canadians in Kurdistan at the moment (non-military) I think they probably already have an idea of where I am. But it would be pretty tough to get me. Too much security around.

Dude, I love your insight, but isn't it time to leave?

Wastedyouth · 02-21-2015, 07:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kavvy

Dude, I love your insight, but isn't it time to leave?

Nah, project's not done. And at the risk of sounding incredibly arrogant, if I left, the company i work for would be in a really ####ty position. Plus, where would I go? There are no good open positions in Alberta at the moment.

Up next is Nigeria possibly and Boko Haram!

metallicat · 02-21-2015, 07:47 AM

Are you married? Do you have kids?

Wastedyouth · 02-21-2015, 07:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by oilers_fan

Are you married? Do you have kids?

Neither. It is incredibly hard to try to start a good relationship with this job at the moment. Everyone I work with though is from everywhere else in the world, Ireland, New Zealand, Wales, Chile, France and are married though.
They all think North American girls are spoiled and can't handle the lifestyle that we all currently have.
Which I can agree with. I have tried to make it work with several women back home over the years, none of them can handle being in a relationship where the guy is gone for 4 to 6 weeks every 2 months.

Plus everyone freaks out when they watch the news.