The situation is moving quickly with sunni ISIS insurgents moving far south of Mosul - meaning Mosul is no takeable set piece bastion.

Latest seems to be that a major massacre by ISUS insurgents has occurred far south of Mosul around Tikrit.* This and other massacres may:

- increase the evacuations south from Baghdad

- increases chances of US air and drone strikes on ISIS insurgents.

- perhaps lead to cruise missile launches from Western naval units in the Persian Gulf and maybe in the Mediterranean.

* see http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-06-16/isis-insurgents-publish-photos-of-mass-execution-in-iraq/5525342

Complicated, is the understatement of the century.
Look, all we can do is use our technological target acquisition advantages, to completely understand the military movements of this mass murdering Jihadist group.
And then attack them from the air, with extreme prejudice, when they are massed and strung out in the open. And then only if officially invited to do so!
And for now, there's plenty of open space between, where they are now and Baghdad?
We, should attack them with stealth airborne resources, once so exposed, light them up and then just hit them with surface to ground Armour piercing missiles and dozens of thousand rounds a minute mini-guns, and from all sides!
Napalm also is acceptable for this group of mass murderers, to light them up and maximize both the terror and confusion, that is still necessary, to complete the military objective!?
We want them running in absolute terror, in all directions, not actuating and lining up SAMS!
Better a thousand of them than millions of innocents!
The main attack, second and third waves, gunships, coming in hard on the heels of stealth resources?
In one way out another, so as to pack the scene with as many warships as poss?
We simply cannot return to acceptable collateral damage, as a tactic, as none is actually acceptable.
One suspects there is still respect for strength and a show of resolute implacability in the middle east, and is all that can ever sway the miscreants.
One can't imagine anything so extreme, as to be too extreme for alqida.
Or indeed, a need to deal with them as robustly as possible, as soon as is possible!
Once the aforementioned mission, is mission accomplished, then surely the local regular army, must be relied on to mop up and complete the mission, as if it were their mission!
That said, I'm just not sure that the west has enough resources there out the moment, to make a successful mission possible, or simply minimize and restrict the casualties, to the intended target!
Rhrosty.

Well I guess Rhrosty, your plan is at least likely to stop too many of the Iraqi regular army joining the insurgents.

The real question is, where do you find someone strong enough, tough enough & ruthless enough to control the country & bring peace even if only by fear.

Yep, where do you find a Saddam Hussein when you need one?

As Pete says, the atrocities committed by these terrorists (how come that term is being avoided lately ?):

- increases chances of US air and drone strikes on ISIS insurgents.

- perhaps lead to cruise missile launches from Western naval units in the Persian Gulf and maybe in the Mediterranean.

I certainly hope so. If that doesn't work too well, I wouldn't be surprised, as the terrorists get much closer to Baghdad, that Iran will send in crack-troops - with conditional US approval to push out to Fallujah and Ramadi, and up to Tikrit (the birthplace of Saladin, Salah-ud-Din, a Kurd after all), where - IF they are successful - Iranian forces will confront Kurdish forces. Of course, the US worry is that the Iranians won't leave afterwards, but consolidate its control of all of Iraq south of Bakubah or even Tikrit, and east of Fallujah.

But that will be another story.

ISIS may be beaten back, but the problem will still be how to completely destroy it, and remove a bunch of murderous fascists and utter reactionaries from the face of the Earth - and similar thugs, such as Boko Haram.

Another problem will be what to do with ISIS returnees to Australia (if they could be identified) - now that ISIS has clearly committed war crimes, and crimes against humanity, I would certainly support arrangements that any returnees be detained until they have been proven, chapter and verse, to have had nothing to do with these sorts of crimes.

Joe

Iraq government's situation is very complicated.

No it's not.

They are all #uc%wits & the Middle East is getting what it deserve.

Let's not forget they are all innocent civilians that are doing the fighting & killing. If the US get's involved then they will say that THEY killed all the "innocent civilians." Best to just sit back & laugh. Close the Borders so no one can get out. Let anyone in who wants to be there.

None of the Wests business. We tried & they made it fail. Stiff Doo Doo.

Hi Rhrosty

Your theories of peace through war are beguiling.

Yeah the West raining symbols of peace on the baddies may well sound like "throwing a grenade into the proverbial burning building" but Hey Chuck "Puke" Hagel is deep in the Situation Room planning. Balance should not hold back Crusaders vs A-rabs.

The following weapons may force peace to break out, or else:

- the AC-130 gunship, a Hercules chock full of bullets and shells, boppy music, http://youtu.be/QBGRhI4WtiA ;

- the A-10 Warthog in Action. An equalizer - Great for trucks, even tanks http://youtu.be/eCnjWmtfvFo ;

- and who can forget the "Highway of Death" Gulf War One, the Score Peace 1, Evil 0. http://youtu.be/hhmXleZXAr0

Go Team!