ISIS on the Run, Takes Capital of Iraq’s Largest Province

http://www.frontpagemag.com/2015/dgreenfield/isis-on-the-run-takes-capital-of-iraqs-largest-province/

May 15, 2015 by Daniel Greenfield 4 Comments

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Remember when the media told us that Obama was on this ISIS thing and we didn’t have to worry about it? Just like Iraq after the withdrawal, the bad news recedes until ‘suddenly’ something goes wrong.

The Islamic State on Friday took control of the provincial government center of Ramadi, the capital of Iraq’s largest province, in a major defeat for the Iraqi government.

Islamic State forces launched a fierce assault of car bombs on Iraqi government security facilities overnight, and by late afternoon, their black flag was flying over the governor’s office. Security forces appeared to be in full flight as militants consolidated control over the area and prevented anyone from leaving the area.
“Daash has surrounded the Anbar Operations Center and heavy fighting is taking place near the headquarters of operations,” said the official, who was inside the operations center. Gunfire and explosions could be heard over his phone line.
Local residents and security officials confirmed that not only was the Islamic State blocking residents from leaving the area, but had been going house to house gathering mobile phones of residents and had executed at least 50 pro-government tribal fighters as well as several top tribal leaders as they took control of the area.
One police officer told McClatchy that the Islamic State used armored bulldozers to move blast walls and other fortifications to clear the way for the wave of suicide bombers in vehicles, who then decimated much of the city center’s defenses.

Obama’s strategy clearly isn’t working, largely because he refuses to understand that the real problem here is Iran’s control over the Iraqi government.
He can’t accept that as the problem because his current strategy depends on an alliance with Iran. And that incentivizes Iran to further break down defenses against ISIS in Iraq, wrecking the police and military, and replacing them with their own militias.
This is a two-sided dance and Obama’s alliance with Iran is helping wreck what’s left of Iran, reducing it to a country divided between Iran and Al Qaeda.

About Daniel Greenfield

Daniel Greenfield, a Shillman Journalism Fellow at the Freedom Center, is a New York writer focusing on radical Islam.