FA-18 Fighting Wing
On Saturday, the U.S. launched additional airstrikes against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS). The targets were two ISIS armored personnel carriers that were attacking Yazidi civilians. Kurdish forces who are also fighting against the Islamic State however, America’s very limited intervention in the crisis is not enough to stop the militants.
Two more airstrikes were also carried out after targeting the carriers. The U.S. warplanes also targeted a number of ISIS fighters near Abril, which is the capital city of a semi-autonomous Kurdish region. This is also the center for U.S.-Iraq joint operations. The airstrikes on Saturday took place a few days after the ISIS abducted hundreds of Yazidi women.
The abducted Yaziaid women are being held captive in schools at the city of Mosul. Most of the women are below the age of 35. Hundreds of these minorities are trapped on top of the Sinjar mountains with no supplies. 50,000 Yazidis are believed to be trapped on top of this mountain region, most of them being children.
President Obama announced Thursday that the U.S. will engage with the ISIS from the air if the Jihadists were to advance toward the U.S. embassy in Baghdad. The administration explained that the military operations are only to protect U.S. forces and diplomats in Iraq and to provide humanitarian aid to Iraqi and Kurdish civilians. Kurdish forces however stated that this limited aid from the U.S. military is not enough to withstand the attacks of the ISIS.
USA Today quoted James Jeffrey, a former U.S. ambassador in Baghdad who said American military involvement will have to be widened in order for their intervention to be effective. The Pentagon will need to intensify its airstrikes and put advisers in Iraq to stop the progress of the ISIS, he said. "That is going to require air power along with competent folks on the ground."
Meanwhile, Karqan Zebari, a representative of the Kurdistan Regional Government explained through Fox News the ISIS has gained momentum and that they have been able to acquire a great deal of military equipment. He stated that these Islamic Jihadists are using American weapons that they captured from Iraqi national troops. Military equipment is what is needed, he added. "We have not received any military equipment [from the U.S.] ... and this is where the ISIS has been able to advance."
Kurdish military personnel are currently armed with older Russian equipment which they had used ever since the fights against Saddam Hussein. The Kurds were originally supposed to receive a portion of the American-made weapons that the U.S. military left behind in Baghdad after they withdrew in 2009, but it never reached their possession.
Meanwhile, persecution and violence against Christians, Yazidis and Shabaks are continuing despite several airstrikes by the U.S. armed forces. The ISIS views Yazidis as “devil worshippers” as well as Christians and Turkmen.
