Iraqi PM declares "State of Emergency" as ISIS occupy Mosul

[Volnotova]

EXACTLY WHAT I THOUGHT

Speaking of which, are they ISIS or ISIL? My country's news refer to them as ISIL for some damn reason.

It depends on how it's translated.

It is sometimes translated as "The Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant" or "The Islamic State in Iraq and Syria".

The name in Arabic is "الدولة الاسلامية في العراق والشام".

'Iraq and Syria' wouldn't be the right translation.

Al-Sham refers to what in the English language tends to be called the Levant.

If the local abbreviation were to be used it would be Daish/Daesh.

Also:

Video has surfaced that proofs mass-execution of Shia POWs by ISIL militants

[Lemanrussland]

It depends on how it's translated.

It is sometimes translated as "The Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant" or "The Islamic State in Iraq and Syria".

The name in Arabic is "الدولة الاسلامية في العراق والشام".

'Iraq and Syria' wouldn't be the right translation.

Al-Sham refers to what in the English language tends to be called the Levant.

If the local abbreviation were to be used it would be Daish/Daesh.

Also:

Video has surfaced that proofs mass-execution of Shia POWs by ISIL militants

Syria and the Levant were basically synonymous a long time, all of the major Islamic provinces of Syria (Rashidun, Umayyad and Abbasid Caliphates, and then later the Ottomans) covered all of the Levant.

That's probably why ISIS is offered as a translation, I agree that ISIL is more correct, though.

[The New United States]

I've always called it "The Islamic State of Iraq and (ash-)Sham," thus ISIS. Never heard many people call it "The Islamic State of Iraq and Syria," until the mainstream media exploded about the recent advance.I agree that "Iraq and (ash-)Sham" or "Iraq and the Levant" are the most accurate, but I prefer the former.

Anyways, it was obvious this would happen eventually, but: http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/mi ... gents.html

[Benuty]

Yes but look at the name, the son failed so they are sending in the father [who was actually an "ok" president] to clean up the mess .

You seem to have forgotten he was president during the first US-led invasion of Iraq as well.

Which served the purpose of kicking them out of Kuwait not occupying them and nation building.

[Greed and Death]

http://www.foxnews.com/world/2014/06/15 ... -baghdad/#

It appears the Iraqi military stopped them before Baghdad.

[Wind in the Willows]

It's a terrible source, but it also appears that they are executing soldiers.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... water.html

[The Gaelic Kingdoms of Britain]

http://www.foxnews.com/world/2014/06/15/iraq-military-halts-advance-isis-north-baghdad/#

It appears the Iraqi military stopped them before Baghdad.

"Sunni Islamist Militants"....Seems a like a bit of redundant phrasing.

[Greed and Death]

http://www.foxnews.com/world/2014/06/15/iraq-military-halts-advance-isis-north-baghdad/#

It appears the Iraqi military stopped them before Baghdad.

"Sunni Islamist Militants"....Seems a like a bit of redundant phrasing.

Not really, not all Sunni are islamist, or militant and not all islamist are militant and sunni.

[Gezi Park]

ISIS attempted to invade Tal Afar, a majority Turkmen town. Thankfully, our brothers and sisters repelled the attack. 26 ISIS militants killed. About half of the Turkmen population is Sunni, while the other half is Shiite. But they live and fight together.

http://www.dailysabah.com/mideast/2014/ ... thern-iraq

[Alien Space Bats]

Where is it that the worst civil wars are taking place? Syria and Iraq. What do those two countries have in common? Well, one thing is that they are friendly with Iran.

And another thing is an extraordinarily severe drought.

Indeed, if we bring Yemen into the mix — that being the country where the next ugly civil war/revolution is brewing — then your "Friends of Iran" theory drops to 2-1 while my "Nasty drought and/or water shortage fueled by climate change" theory goes to 3-0.

At which I then ask: What has Iran got to do with Nigeria?

<pause>

Correlation isn't causation, and shitty correlation based on highly selective causation even less so. Iran is not, as you suggest, to blame for the instability in Iraq and Syria — unless you want to take the vile view of Sunni radicals that Shi'a is to blame for the problem for just existing (and that its solution is the extermination of Shi'a on a global scale). No, the thing here is what it is: A number of experts on the region (such as NBC's Richard Engel) have been saying for almost a year now that the Syrian Civil War was ultimately going to devolve into a broader Sunni-Shi'ite conflict across an arc stretching from Damascus to Baghdad, and what we're seeing now is the fulfillment of that prediction.

As for Iran's objectives in intervening, those should be obvious: Iran can scarcely allow itself to be surrounded on three sides by hostile Sunni states with an eye towards resolving a sectarian schism dating back 13 centuries through their eradication. It's intervention in Iraq is so obviously defensive as to almost shout that fact to the world.

[Scholmeria]

ISIS attempted to invade Tal Afar, a majority Turkmen town. Thankfully, our brothers and sisters repelled the attack. 26 ISIS militants killed. About half of the Turkmen population is Sunni, while the other half is Shiite. But they live and fight together.

http://www.dailysabah.com/mideast/2014/ ... thern-iraq

I did not know there are is a Turkish minority in Iraq.

[Gezi Park]

ISIS attempted to invade Tal Afar, a majority Turkmen town. Thankfully, our brothers and sisters repelled the attack. 26 ISIS militants killed. About half of the Turkmen population is Sunni, while the other half is Shiite. But they live and fight together.

http://www.dailysabah.com/mideast/2014/ ... thern-iraq

I did not know there are is a Turkish minority in Iraq.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iraqi_Turkmens

[Bulgar Rouge]

ISIS attempted to invade Tal Afar, a majority Turkmen town. Thankfully, our brothers and sisters repelled the attack. 26 ISIS militants killed. About half of the Turkmen population is Sunni, while the other half is Shiite. But they live and fight together.

http://www.dailysabah.com/mideast/2014/ ... thern-iraq

Yeah, tell that to Reuters who insist that ISIS are "sunni rebels" who threaten to breakup Iraq because they're "fighting the unpopular Shia government".

[Aushanit]

It's a shitty situation but Maliki put himself in this situation with his governments treatment of Sunni's and his Stalin-esque purge of the military of almost all Sunni command which basically which not only weakened his armed forces which helped in the situation we see of Iraqi troops fleeing from combat due to bad leadership and it also helped Isis Mot only occupied land thanks to sympathetic Iraqi Sunnis but also helps the recruite locally. While I doubt Bagdad will fall I hope Maliki can get his shit straight. Because with proper leadership the Iraqi army is a force to be feared and with elements of the very well trained Revolutionary Guard they can fight up north with ease and if they can struck a deal with the Kurds the Peshmerga can operate a very effective campaign from the Northeast and squeeze ISIS back into Syria.

[Gezi Park]

ISIS attempted to invade Tal Afar, a majority Turkmen town. Thankfully, our brothers and sisters repelled the attack. 26 ISIS militants killed. About half of the Turkmen population is Sunni, while the other half is Shiite. But they live and fight together.

http://www.dailysabah.com/mideast/2014/ ... thern-iraq

Yeah, tell that to Reuters who insist that ISIS are "sunni rebels" who threaten to breakup Iraq because they're "fighting the unpopular Shia government".

There's indeed a sectarian problem in Iraq but that doesn't apply to Turkish minority. ISIS is literally a Sunni fascist organization. Maliki is yea Shi'a but relevantly secular and not fanatic.

[Bimbomania]

We shoulnt get involved. If the Iraqis want an islamic state that's their problem. If we do decide to bomb , don't half-ass it. Make it Laos 2.0

[Volnotova]

ISIL is still taking more ground.

So, what do you all think? Are we heading for a Saigon Redux?

How long till we see helicopters evacuating the US embassy?

EDIT: Oh wait, they're already planning to.

[Al-Faisal]

'Iraq and Syria' wouldn't be the right translation.

Al-Sham refers to what in the English language tends to be called the Levant.

Al-Sham means Syria. It refers to a historical region and old country, however, not simply modern Syria. But it is correct to say 'Iraq and Syria.'

[Volnotova]

Tal Afar has fallen.

[Hollorous]

We shoulnt get involved. If the Iraqis want an islamic state that's their problem. If we do decide to bomb , don't half-ass it. Make it Laos 2.0

Laos 2.0? So a horrific slaughter that ultimately accomplishes nothing?

[Scholmeria]

I did not know there are is a Turkish minority in Iraq.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iraqi_Turkmens

So, they have nothing with Turks of Turkey?

[Viritica]

http://online.wsj.com/articles/iran-deploys-forces-to-fight-al-qaeda-inspired-militants-in-iraq-iranian-security-sources-1402592470

Iran is sending the Revolutionary Guard into Iraq and gave its air force permission to bomb ISIS within 60 miles of the border.

About fucking time. For once I'm cheering for the Iranians.

[Bimbomania]

We shoulnt get involved. If the Iraqis want an islamic state that's their problem. If we do decide to bomb , don't half-ass it. Make it Laos 2.0

Laos 2.0? So a horrific slaughter that ultimately accomplishes nothing?

It would send a strong message to the entire world : don't fuck with the US.

[Blakk Metal]

We shoulnt get involved. If the Iraqis want an islamic state that's their problem. If we do decide to bomb , don't half-ass it. Make it Laos 2.0

Fuck it, go LeMay on their asses.

[Estado Paulista]

Tal Afar has fallen.

How long until Baghdad falls?