Iraqi Prime Minister Maliki's quote about the war in Syria (date unknown): "I wish Syria unrest won't impact security in Iraq." If wishes were horses. . .
Maliki is an easy figure to hate, especially in these new circumstances. He has not been a good leader. He is a petty, small-minded man who keeps files on his political enemies. He does not deserve to rule Iraq. He should be out of office. But he is right about one thing, and that is the irresponsible support for what are genocidal Jihadist terrorists by the regimes in Saudi Arabia and Qatar must end.
Obviously, behind-the-scenes US pressure on these regimes (if that is even indeed the case) hasn't worked so far, so other avenues must be pursued. But there is no other way to end the long-term threat of terrorism in Iraq, the region and the world then to march to Riyadh. Marching to Mosul is a waste of time.
What's left of the Iraqi army, moderate Sunni fighters, and the Shiite militias who are willing to fight for a stable Iraq should turn back and go the other direction. Otherwise, this problem will only continue to grow, and it will further destroy Iraq. There will also be many more mass executions of moderate clerics, civilians, government workers, etc, by these radical Jihadist terrorists.
Obviously, behind-the-scenes US pressure on these regimes (if that is even indeed the case) hasn't worked so far, so other avenues must be pursued. But there is no other way to end the long-term threat of terrorism in Iraq, the region and the world then to march to Riyadh. Marching to Mosul is a waste of time.
What's left of the Iraqi army, moderate Sunni fighters, and the Shiite militias who are willing to fight for a stable Iraq should turn back and go the other direction. Otherwise, this problem will only continue to grow, and it will further destroy Iraq. There will also be many more mass executions of moderate clerics, civilians, government workers, etc, by these radical Jihadist terrorists.
An excerpt from, "Militants Post Images of Mass Killing in Iraq" ABC News, June 14, 2014:
The Islamic militant group that swept across northern Iraq and captured two major cities last week has posted graphic photos that appear to show its fighters massacring dozens of captured Iraqi soldiers.
The pictures on a militant website appear to show masked fighters of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, or ISIL, loading the captives onto flatbed trucks before forcing them to lie face-down in a shallow ditch with their arms tied behind their backs. The final images show the bodies of the captives soaked in blood after being shot.An excerpt from, "Iraq: ISIL execute 12 clerics in Mosul" by inSerbia.info, June 15, 2014:
The ISIL terrorists executed 12 Sunni clerics in front of Al-Isra Mosque in Mosul for refusing to take an oath of allegiance to the terror gang, state-run broadcaster al-Iraqiya reported on Saturday.
In another incident, ISIL elements executed and dismembered Mosul’s Central Mosque Imam (prayer leader) for turning down militants’ offer of joining them, local clerics said.
