200 Contractors Surrounded
 

If this is true - and I understand that some would object to the source of the report - this sounds pretty consistent to how we reacted to a similar scenario of Americans under attack on 9/11/2012:

http://www.wnd.com/2014/06/200-u-s-c...dists-in-iraq/

WND has learned from sources that the jihadists have closed down escape routes, and the U.S. Air Force is in a stand-down position. U.S. forces are not assisting even with air cover so a private extradition flight could land for a rescue, the sources said.

Privately scheduled exit flights have fallen through, sources said, as several private pilots originally scheduled to make the flights have quit.

The sources contend the U.S. military could provide the necessary air cover to protect C-130s or other air transport craft sufficient to make the evacuation, but so far officials have refused to get involved.

The pilots just simply quit and walked away?

Looks like privatization of military operations was a terrible mistake.

As was expecting the Iraqis to fight other Muslims.

As was going into Iraq in the first place.

Who could've seen THIS coming?

Dave

When are we finally going to realize we really aren't very good at running the whole world and just give it up?

That's what I want to know.

Dave

"The sources contend the U.S. military could provide the necessary air cover to protect C-130s or other air transport craft sufficient to make the evacuation, but so far officials have refused to get involved."

Sound familiar?

If these were stranded Climate Change Scientists I bet he would of already moved hell and high water to get them out... :rolleyes:

I think just about everyone knew Dave. Why did POTUS let it happen...?

Ummm....I don't think the current POTUS did all I listed on his own. Some of the most egregious errors in my list were existing policy and a foolish conflict already well under way.

As to the gist of your loaded question, Jim;

I don't know. Why don't you share your theory on that?

Dave

Bush's fault, grow up already.

What is going on now is Obama fault, He is the pres. suck it up.

It's not a theory, he was warned and it was loud and clear.

Wouldn't it be easier to just admit that you voted for a complete idiot than
come here and try to defend him day after day :rolleyes:

Edit: ohh, loaded question, well I think you know.

You're shittin' us right Mike? Not a single source named and it all comes from Jerome 'Birther' Corsi at World Net Daily? That's a reputable source for you guys these days? Wow...:rolleyes:

This is certainly a Presidential decision.

Pete

You might be right Bob ;) We'll know soon I'd say.

Pete

Maybe Mike is just doin' a little sandbagging? ;) Corsi did say that the AP is ignoring it. :rolleyes:

Actually, I think this rescue would fit under the rubric of “short-term immediate things that need to be done militarily.”

News at 11:00?

Any legit source?

Maybe the Iranians and the Shia's will ride to their rescue? That'd be a hoot. :rolleyes:

http://www.latimes.com/world/middlee...613-story.html

I totally doubt there will be any prompt overland intervention into Iraq from Iran. We're talking 150 road miles (approx) from the nearest jumping-off point on the Iran/Iraq border to Tikrit. It would take them a few days just to deploy a suitable force, and then travel time would depend on the Iranian skill at mobile warfare. And things may have changed, but I don't recall them doing anything impressive along those lines in the war with Saddam....

And you know, if Iran did go into Iraq, do you think rescuing Americans would be very high on their 'to-do' list? Their move would be to protect the Shia areas in the south, probably NOT including an attempt at holding Baghdad....

Probably not true. However it fits the narrative of a dithering president.

I saw him on the TV today and I was disappointed...He is going to wait
several days before deciding on hitting ISIS.:mad:

I am told the US embassy in Bagdad is one of the largest in the world..huge.

How did I know it would degenerate to this already?

Dave

$750 million worth of big.

Yep, we really don't know if there is full truth to this or not. Could just be the start to another baseless smear campaign. Time will tell.

Dave

All wasted, along with thousands of American lives.

So sad.

Dave

I'm not understanding something. Those contractors are in Iraq of their own free will. They know the dangers. Why is it my responsibility as a taxpayer to extract them when they could see the danger coming weeks ago?

First those money grubbing opportunists profit obscenely off me, then they want me to pull their bacon out of the fire?

Fuck em'...every last one of them.

I did acknowledge in the original post that some would object to the source. I would treat this as an unsubstantiated report at this point.

But IF it is true, it would be criminal IMHO to leave those US citizens stranded in increasingly hostile territory.

There is that, too. Although, if they are Americans, some effort should be made to extract them, IMO.

One of the stupidest posts ever. They were surrounded by military and supporting a US military task - the delivery of F-16's to the Iraqis. I hardly think that they should assume that trained soldiers would cut and run at the first sign of trouble. Nor should they assume that they would be left to fend for themselves like this. If this was a family member of yours left stranded there, I hardly think your first response to this would be "Fuck 'em". :rolleyes:

Why? You think they have any sympathy for me as a taxpayer while they ream the government for their services?

I wouldn't have to worry about that, my family are honest hardworking people, not greedy opportunists.

Frankly I thing those contractors have a lot of nerve expecting me to pay for their bail out.

Agreed, but only if extraction is reasonably feasible. I know that sounds cold, but I don't believe in placing substantially more at risk. If we could clearly get a single transport in to haul them all out, fine. Beyond that, you start making risk assessments.

Dave

Apparently evacuations have begun:

http://www.wnd.com/2014/06/200-u-s-c...dists-in-iraq/

Frank Biggs, a contractor with Sallyport Global, told WND through a Skype instant message that he was transported from Balad to Baghdad and was communicating from a C-130 preparing to take off to Dubai.

Biggs said 300 in total have been evacuated from Balad and another 100 are still awaiting airlift. He said the Iraqi Air Force is trying to evacuate everyone by midnight local time.

I hope they get the rest out of there in time.

Lord knows what the hell you're rambling about. If you have an issue with what the contractors are charging, take it up with Chucky Hagel at DOD.

I'm far less concerned with your tax burden than I am with the lives of 200 people.

Dave

Good news.

Dave

I did acknowledge that your were getting out in front of any criticism regarding your source, i.e. "sandbagging". ;)

Mr. Pots expressed a valid point in the post above yours. WTF were these 'contractors' and their bosses thinking? If I were a 'whiffed up' reporter of the caliber of Corsi, I might think that the reason was to provoke a military response ala sending in the cavalry riding to rescue. That would get us right back into the middle of this thousand year feud between the Sunnis and the Shias. Personally, I think we ought to let them duke it out by themselves.

The neocons led us into this mess in the first place, let them send their kids in this time. Mebbe Bush can volunteer to be the mediator like Carter did with the Israelis and the Palestinians? :D

Did you have your memory wiped in '08 Mike?:rolleyes:

BENGHAZI/SQUIRREL! :rolleyes: Talk about one note songs. You're predictable if nothing else Jim.

Jerome Corsi ??!
What? Because Josef Goebbles is dead? Are you shitting me indeed!
Corsi is known for an agenda that drives him to present his partisan fantasies as factual, my dogs poop has more credibility.

Sent from my SM-N900V using Tapatalk

Then perhaps the thread title should have been- "Contractors Allegedly Surrounded."

Do your really read the stuff coming out of WND? I know that you are partisan to the core, but I thought you had more going for you than reliance on lunatics for your news.

Civilian Contractors?!

Fuck em.

Overpaid underworked war profiteers is what they are.

Why should our underpaid, overworked military personnel have to put it on the line to save their sorry asses!?

Fuck em.

I don't recall you voicing similar objections when folks post links from Mother Jones. :rolleyes: