I/. http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Middle-East/2014/Aug-14/267223-anbar-governor-seeks-us-help-against-isis-militants.ashx?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter#axzz3AMdfXsQN
Aug. 14, 2014 | 01:54 PM Anbar governor seeks US help against ISIS militants Reuters BAGHDAD: The governor of Iraq's Sunni heartland Anbar Province said he had asked for U.S. support in the battle against Islamic State of Iraq and Greater Syria (ISIS) militants because opponents of the group may not have the stamina for a long fight. Ahmed Khalaf al-Dulaimi told Reuters his requests, made in several meetings with the Americans, included air support against the militants who control a large part of Anbar and the country's north. II/. http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-28767183 13 August 2014 Last updated at 10:11 Iraq: US sends more military advisers to Kurdistan They have walked for days to get here" - Caroline Wyatt reports on those fleeing attacks The US has sent 130 more military advisers to the Kurdish region of northern Iraq, Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel says. The marines and special operations forces will assess the humanitarian situation and will not be engaged in combat, a US defence official said. The US has been carrying out air strikes against fighters from militant group Islamic State (IS). IS fighters have forced tens of thousands to flee their homes. "This is not a combat boots on the ground kind of operation," Mr Hagel said, in remarks made at Camp Pendleton in California. The "assessment team members" had arrived in the northern city of Irbil and would "give more in-depth assessment of where we can continue to help," he said. Acts of genocide' The personnel are in addition to about 250 military advisers already in Iraq. A US defence official said the government would continue to explore ways to support "Iraqis affected by the ongoing fighting in Sinjar", and to prevent "potential acts of genocide" by IS. The UN has said that tens of thousands of civilians, including members of the Yazidi sect, are trapped on Sinjar mountain by IS fighters and need "life-saving assistance". The US, Britain and France have been delivering humanitarian aid to the Yazidis stranded in the north. UK Royal Air Force jets have arrived in Cyprus to support aid delivery efforts by helping Hercules cargo planes identify safe areas on the ground to drop supplies. The US government says its planes have air-dropped nearly 100,000 meals and more than 27,000 gallons (123,000 litres) of fresh drinking water to the area, with the latest operation taking place on Tuesday. The US has also reportedly begun supplying weapons to the Kurdish forces, known as Peshmergas, who have been fighting IS in the north. The UN says more than a million people have been displaced by the fighting Meanwhile, a suicide bomber attacked a checkpoint near the home of newly-appointed Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi in Baghdad, Reuters news agency reported, citing security sources and local media. There were no immediate details on casualties. Iraq's president asked Mr Abadi to form a new cabinet on Monday, snubbing the incumbent PM Nouri Maliki. The move came after months of political infighting, which experts say has contributed to Iraq's inability to fight the IS threat. However, Mr Maliki said on Wednesday that any new government should not take office until Iraq's federal court issued a ruling on an objection that he filed against Mr Abadi's appointment. [image: line] Analysis: Jim Muir, BBC Middle East correspondent Mr Abadi is certainly off to a flying start, given the near-universal relief that an alternative to the contentious Mr Maliki has finally emerged. But he faces a gargantuan task. Pulling the fragments of Iraq back together, and especially bringing the suspicious Sunnis back on board, is going to take a lot more than pious words and good intentions. The UN says <http://www.unhcr.org/53e9ff869.html> there are now an estimated 1.2 million internally displaced Iraqis. The rapid advance across Iraq by IS militant fighters has thrown the country into chaos. IS overran Iraq's second largest city, Mosul, in June. Its fighters had taken the central city of Falluja and parts of nearby Ramadi in December 2013. On 29 June, IS said it had created a caliphate, or Islamic state, stretching from Aleppo in Syria to the province of Diyala in Iraq. III/. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/iraq-crisis-britain-told-to-up-the-ante-with-military-action-against-isis-as-horrific-details-emerge-of-yazidi-nightmare-on-mount-sinjar-9665633.html Iraq crisis: Europe edges closer to military action against Isis as horrific details emerge of Yazidi nightmare on Mount Sinjar Survivors describe a people trapped under sniper fire and girls 'throwing themselves off the mountain' Adam Withnall <http://www.independent.co.uk/biography/adam-withnall> Wednesday 13 August 2014 Britain edged closer to military action to help the tens of thousands trapped on Mount Sinjar in Iraq today, as horrific reports continued to emerge of a people in a "scramble for survival". Pressure is mounting on countries around the world to join the US in a military intervention which Barack Obama has said is necessary to prevent "an act of genocide". Speaking after he returned from his holiday a day early to chair a meeting of the Government's emergency committee, Cobra, David Cameron confirmed the UK would "play a role" in delivering a plan to rescue the stranded Yazidi people. France announced today that it would start supplying arms to the Kurdish forces who are on the front line against the Islamist militants Isis. And on Tuesday around 130 US soldiers arrived in the Kurdish capital of Irbil, in what the Pentagon described as a temporary mission to help coordinate the rescue of some 50,000 civilians trapped up the mountain. Video: David Cameron discusses Britain's plan for Yazidis Mr Cameron said the UK involvement remained a humanitarian mission that would branch out from simply giving supplies to those trapped. He said that Britain was helping to deliver ammunition to the Kurdish fighters - but drew the line at directly supplying them with weapons as the French have now pledged to do. The Prime Minister added: "The first thing is to deal with this desperate humanitarian situation with people who are exposed, starving and dying of thirst...getting them to a place of safety." Though so many Yazidi remain on the mountain, others have now made their own gruelling efforts to escape - and have spoken to reporters about their persecution at the hands of Isis. Survivors reaching Dohuk in northern Iraq said their nightmare in Sinjar began when the town was shelled by Islamists last week. The Kurdish-speaking population fled up the mountain - a barren landscape ill-equipped to cater for the needs of so many desperate people. Khalaf Hajji, who used to work at a school, said: "When we went up the mountain, snipers were firing at us. The girls were throwing themselves off the top of the mountain. We have lost all our faith in Iraq. They have hundreds of our women." Displaced Yazidi people fleeing violence from Isis forces make their way towards the Syrian border Speaking to BBC Breakfast from Irbil this morning, a volunteer who helped drop aid to the Yazidis said they tried to rescue as many as they could. Taban Sami Shoresh said: "Mount Sinjar is completely hemmed by Isis terrorists so they have no way out. They are completely trapped. So when we deliver aid it's their only hope and their only way out. "When the helicopter landed I've never seen so many people scramble for survival. You forget who you are. All they wanted to do was get on the plane to be saved, and we could only take so much. It's horrific. It's heartbreaking to see. "The world needs to open up their eyes to try and help them. We can't watch 30,000 people just die. That's complete genocide." Speaking to ITV News, the Kurdish government's key presidential advisor Hemen Hawrami warned that Britain and the rest of the world face the threat of terror attacks at home if they do not fight Isis in the Middle East. Video: Yazidis shelter in camps on Syrian border He said Kurdish forces need "advisors, aerial support and armament" from the international community, adding: "We cannot fight back these heavy weapons of IS, this terror state, alone because the source of their financials. This is a real strategic threat to us and also to the international security as well." The RAF has now made five successful aid drops on Mount Sinjar over the course of three nights, including thousands of reusable water purification containers and shelter kits to provide shade from the 40C (104F) heat. But among those calling for David Cameron to do more was Colonel Tim Collins, famous for the inspirational speech he delivered to troops on the eve of the 2003 Iraq War. Writing in the *Daily Telegraph*, he said the aid drops were a "pebble in the ocean" and that ancient civilisations could be "extinguished" if Britain does not send in troops as well as arming and training the Kurdish Peshmerga fighters. The former Defence Secretary Liam Fox has also demanded Britain join the US raids on the IS militants. An RAF Tornado on arrival at RAF Akrotiri Cyprus for reconnaissance missions over Iraq He backed the use of the military to protect Iraqi civilians from "barbaric" jihadists, writing in the Mail that the West's reaction to the crisis had been "catastrophic complacency". General Sir Mike Jackson, professional head of the Army during the Iraq War, said there is a "moral duty" to help with the humanitarian response. He told the newspaper he would have "no difficulty at all" in saying the UK should be alongside the US to up the "British ante" to the use of airpower on humanitarian grounds. Labour's Douglas Alexander, the shadow Foreign Secretary, welcomed the use of British military assets to help provide aid - but stopped short of joining calls for the UK to take part in a US-style direct intervention. And the Labour MP Graham Allen hit out at those calling for UK air strikes, saying: "Many MPs who voted for the Iraq war, started this blood-letting and the creation of Isis, have learnt nothing and bay for yet more violence." IV. http://www.trust.org/item/20140813204026-krtff Maliki's Dawa Party backs his replacement as Iraq PM Source: Reuters - Wed, 13 Aug 2014 20:48 GMT Author: Reuters BAGHDAD, Aug 13 (Reuters) - The Dawa Party of Iraq's Nuri al-Maliki on Wednesday called on Iraqi politicians to work with his replacement as prime minister, Haider al-Abadi, to form a new government. In a statement, the Dawa Party said it "called on political blocs to cooperate with the constitutionally designated prime minister, Mr. Abadi, and accelerate the formation of a government in the defined time period." Maliki has refused to stand aside. (Reporting by Ahmed Rasheed; Writing by Alexander Dziadosz) V. http://www.newswala.com/International-News/Iraqs-incumbent-Prime-Minister-Nuri-al-Maliki-vows-to-remain-in-post-until-court-decision-76216.html Iraq's incumbent Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki vows to remain in post until court decision Baghdad, Aug 13, 2014: Iraq's incumbent Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki Wednesday said his government will not quit until the federal court make its final decision over who will form the next government. "I confirm that we will go on in the government and will not stop and would not be replaced unless a federal court decision is issued," Xinhua quoted Maliki as saying during a televised weekly speech. "We wish that everyone would abide by this legal and constitutional context," Maliki said. He reiterated his previous remarks that the nomination of Haider al-Abadi to replace him to form the next government was a "violation" of the country's constitution and had "no value". He also hailed what he named "popular rejection" to the constitution violation saying that "those who expressed their rejection will continue, and it is necessary to continue rejection so that no one would underestimate the will of the people". Maliki added that he has ordered the security forces not to intervene in the political crisis over who will form the next government and to continue carrying out security duties to protect the country. On Monday, Iraqi President Fuad Masoum accepted the nomination of Haider al-Abadi as prime minister-designate, a significant milestone for the country's troubled political process, but the nomination angered incumbent Maliki who slammed the choice as a "violation of the constitution" and threatened to sue his political opponents. Maliki has been under growing pressure to give up his bid for a third term, as the National Alliance, a Shia bloc, which includes Maliki's State of the Law party, declared that the next prime minister must be accepted by other political partners of the Kurds and Sunnis. - IANS 2014-08-13 -- Peace Is Doable -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Green Youth Movement" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To post to this group, send an email to [email protected]. Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/greenyouth. 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