Ramadi fell to ISIS in a battle that ran from early May 14th through into the 15th. Americans from the Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter down to talk radio meth heads blamed the Iraqi soldiers: "I hope they develop the will to fight."
Then it came out that US Air Force surveillance had identified the ISIS attack group outside of Ramadi. Someone in the chain of command made the decision not to waste what was the largest concentration of ISIS assets seen in one place since Mosul in June of 2014.
Damning the Iraqis had been created as a cover-up.
For an UPDATE discussion of that situation:
UPDATE: CENTCOM watched 30 ISIS truck bombs roll on Ramadi and did nothing. May 14th? A bloodbath
We lost two Marines in April of 2008 to a VBIED similar to the 20 1-ton VBIEDs thrown at Ramadi on the 14th.
Our forces never went up against a weapon like the ten new 15,000 pound truck bombs in Ramadi. That's twice the size of the 1995 Oklahoma City bomb that wasted the Murrah office building.
This diary memorializes the daily reports from CENTCOM for the first three days of this Battle of Ramadi.
Compare/contrast with claims related to a sand storm and other PR artifacts that have appeared in public releases. Below the fold:
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Historical parallels go directly to the policies that produced the Abu Ghraib torture/murder scandal. And back to the institutionalized hatreds of the CIA National interrogation Center in Saigon. Torture and betrayal are close cousins.
News Articles & Press Releases
May 17: Military Airstrikes Continue Against ISIL Terrorists in Syria and Iraq
May 16: Military Airstrikes Continue Against ISIL Terrorists in Syria and Iraq
May 15: Military Airstrikes Continue Against ISIL Terrorists in Syria and Iraq
May 14: Military Airstrikes Continue Against ISIL Terrorists in Syria and Iraq
The strikes were conducted as part of Operation Inherent Resolve.
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May 17: Military Airstrikes Continue Against ISIL Terrorists in Syria and Iraq
CJTF - Operation Inherent Resolve News Release
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May 17, 2015
Release # 20150517
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
SOUTHWEST ASIA – Coalition military forces continued to attack ISIL terrorists in Syria and Iraq between 8 a.m., May 16, and 8 a.m., May 17, local time. In Syria, coalition military forces conducted eight airstrikes using bomber, attack and fighter aircraft. Separately in Iraq, coalition military forces conducted 18 airstrikes approved by the Iraqi Ministry of Defense using attack, bomber, fighter and remotely piloted aircraft against ISIL terrorists.
The following is a summary of the strikes conducted since the last press release:
Syria
Near Al Hasakah, six airstrikes struck one large and two small ISIL tactical units, destroying six ISIL fighting positions, four ISIL vehicles, two ISIL heavy machine guns, an ISIL armored vehicle, an ISIL motorcycle and an ISIL excavator.
Near Kobani, two airstrikes destroyed two ISIL vehicles, an ISIL VBIED and an ISIL building.
Iraq
Near Bayji, four airstrikes struck three ISIL tactical units, destroying six ISIL fighting positions and an ISIL excavator.
Near Fallujah, three airstrikes struck three ISIL tactical units, destroying two ISIL vehicles, an ISIL building and an ISIL heavy machine gun.
Near Mosul, two airstrikes struck two ISIL staging areas.
Near Ramadi, seven airstrikes struck one large and five small ISIL tactical units and an ISIL IED facility, destroying four ISIL resupply structures, three ISIL fighting positions, two ISIL buildings, two ISIL heavy machine guns, an ISIL VBIED and an ISIL motorcycle.
Near Sinjar, one airstrike struck an ISIL tactical unit, destroying an ISIL building and an ISIL VBIED.
Near Tal Afar, one airstrike destroyed two ISIL heavy machine guns and two ISIL buildings.
Airstrike assessments are based on initial reports. All aircraft returned to base safely.
The strikes were conducted as part of Operation Inherent Resolve, the operation to eliminate the ISIL terrorist group and the threat they pose to Iraq, Syria, the region and the wider international community. The destruction of ISIL targets in Syria and Iraq further limits the terrorist group's ability to project terror and conduct operations. Coalition nations which have conducted airstrikes in Iraq include Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Jordan, Netherlands, United Kingdom and United States. Coalition nations which have conducted airstrikes in Syria include Bahrain, Canada, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and the U.S.
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May 16: Military Airstrikes Continue Against ISIL Terrorists in Syria and Iraq
CJTF - Operation Inherent Resolve News Release
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May 16, 2015
Release # 20150516
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
SOUTHWEST ASIA – Coalition military forces continued to attack ISIL terrorists in Syria and Iraq between 8 a.m., May 15, and 8 a.m., May 16, local time. In Syria, coalition military forces conducted six airstrikes using bomber and fighter aircraft. Separately in Iraq, coalition military forces conducted 15 airstrikes approved by the Iraqi Ministry of Defense using attack, fighter and remotely piloted aircraft against ISIL terrorists.
“The Coalition continues to strike Daesh terrorist targets in and around Ramadi, Iraq” said Brig. Gen. Thomas Weidley, CJTF-OIR chief of staff. “Our ISF partners are fighting to retain this terrain, and we are resolved to support them with intelligence, planning assistance and airstrikes in this important effort.”
The following is a summary of the strikes conducted since the last press release:
Syria
Near Al Hasakah, six airstrikes struck five ISIL tactical units, destroying two ISIL fighting positions, an ISIL vehicle and an ISIL heavy machine gun.
Iraq
Near Al Hawijah, two airstrikes struck an ISIL encampment, destroying an ISIL fighting position.
Near Bayji, three airstrikes struck three ISIL tactical units, destroying two ISIL structures and two ISIL vehicles.
Near Mosul, three airstrikes struck an ISIL tactical unit, destroying three ISIL buildings, two ISIL fighting positions and two ISIL heavy machine guns.
Near Ramadi, four airstrikes struck one large and three small ISIL tactical units, destroying four ISIL vehicles, three ISIL structures, two ISIL fighting positions and an ISIL VBIED.
Near Sinjar, one airstrike destroyed an ISIL building and an ISIL fighting position.
Near Tal Afar, two airstrikes struck an ISIL tactical unit, destroying two ISIL buildings, an ISIL cache, an ISIL fighting position and an ISIL vehicle.
Airstrike assessments are based on initial reports. All aircraft returned to base safely.
The strikes were conducted as part of Operation Inherent Resolve, the operation to eliminate the ISIL terrorist group and the threat they pose to Iraq, Syria, the region and the wider international community. The destruction of ISIL targets in Syria and Iraq further limits the terrorist group's ability to project terror and conduct operations. Coalition nations which have conducted airstrikes in Iraq include Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Jordan, Netherlands, United Kingdom and United States. Coalition nations which have conducted airstrikes in Syria include Bahrain, Canada, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and the U.S.
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May 15: Military Airstrikes Continue Against ISIL Terrorists in Syria and Iraq
CJTF - Operation Inherent Resolve News Release
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May 15, 2015
Release # 20150515
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
SOUTHWEST ASIA – Coalition military forces continued to attack ISIL terrorists in Syria and Iraq between 8 a.m., May 14, and 8 a.m., May 15, local time. In Syria, coalition military forces conducted 12 airstrikes using attack, bomber, fighter and remotely piloted aircraft. Separately in Iraq, coalition military forces conducted 12 airstrikes approved by the Iraqi Ministry of Defense using attack, bomber, fighter and remotely piloted aircraft against ISIL terrorists.
“Daesh targets were again struck near Al Hasakah, Syria,” said Col. Wayne Marotto, CJTF-OIR chief of public affairs. “These strikes continue to take their toll against Daesh terrorists there.”
The following is a summary of the strikes conducted since the last press release:
Syria
- Near Al Hasakah, six airstrikes struck one large and four small ISIL tactical units, destroying five ISIL fighting positions and two ISIL vehicles.
- Near Aleppo, one airstrike struck multiple fighting positons.
- Near Ar Raqqah, one airstrike destroyed an ISIL vehicle.
- Near Kobani, four airstrikes struck two ISIL tactical units, destroying two ISIL fighting positions and an ISIL tank.
Iraq
- Near Al Asad, three airstrikes struck an ISIL tactical unit and multiple ISIL structures, destroying two ISIL fighting positions.
- Near Bayji, four airstrikes struck four ISIL tactical units, destroying two ISIL fighting positions, an ISIL building and an ISIL structure.
- Near Fallujah, one airstrike struck an ISIL tactical unit.
- Near Ramadi, one airstrike struck an ISIL headquarters.
- Near Sinjar, one airstrike destroyed three ISIL buildings and three ISIL fighting positions.
- Near Tal Afar, two airstrikes struck an ISIL heavy machine gun firing position, destroying an ISIL mortar system.
Airstrike assessments are based on initial reports. All aircraft returned to base safely.
The strikes were conducted as part of Operation Inherent Resolve, the operation to eliminate the ISIL terrorist group and the threat they pose to Iraq, Syria, the region and the wider international community. The destruction of ISIL targets in Syria and Iraq further limits the terrorist group's ability to project terror and conduct operations. Coalition nations which have conducted airstrikes in Iraq include Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Jordan, Netherlands, United Kingdom and United States. Coalition nations which have conducted airstrikes in Syria include Bahrain, Canada, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and the U.S.
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May 14: Military Airstrikes Continue Against ISIL Terrorists in Syria and Iraq
CJTF - Operation Inherent Resolve News Release
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May 14, 2015
Release # 20150514
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
SOUTHWEST ASIA – Coalition military forces continued to attack ISIL terrorists in Syria and Iraq between 8 a.m., May 13, and 8 a.m., May 14, local time. In Syria, coalition military forces conducted nine airstrikes using attack, bomber and fighter aircraft. Separately in Iraq, coalition military forces conducted 22 airstrikes approved by the Iraqi Ministry of Defense using attack, fighter and remotely piloted aircraft against ISIL terrorists.
“Coalition airstrikes targeted Daesh terrorists and equipment near Al Hasakah, Syria,” said Brig. Gen. Thomas Weidley, CJTF-OIR chief of staff. “These strikes degrade their ability to conduct operations near this city result in more and more territory being ceded to Kurdish forces.”
The following is a summary of the strikes conducted since the last press release:
Syria
Near Al Hasakah, eight airstrikes struck six ISIL tactical units, destroying four ISIL fighting positions, two ISIL vehicles, an ISIL mortar position, an ISIL warehouse and an ISIL building.
Near Kobani, one airstrike struck an ISIL tactical unit, destroying an ISIL fighting position, an ISIL bunker, an ISIL checkpoint and an ISIL vehicle.
Iraq
Near Al Asad, two airstrikes struck an ISIL tactical unit and occupied land features, denying ISIL a tactical advantage and destroying an ISIL VBIED.
Near Al Qaim, one airstrike struck an ISIL tactical unit, destroying an ISIL vehicle.
Near Bayji, eight airstrikes struck one large and six small ISIL tactical units, destroying four ISIL weapons caches, three ISIL buildings, three ISIL vehicles, two ISIL structures, an ISIL fighting position and an ISIL staging point.
Near Fallujah, two airstrikes struck an ISIL large tactical unit, destroying two ISIL fighting positions, two ISIL excavators and an ISIL crossing point.
Near Mosul, six airstrikes struck four ISIL tactical units and two ISIL staging areas, destroying three ISIL excavators, an ISIL building, an ISIL heavy machine gun and an ISIL vehicle.
Near Ramadi, two airstrikes struck an ISIL tactical unit and an ISIL fighting position.
Near Sinjar, one airstrike struck an ISIL tactical unit, destroying an ISIL building.
Airstrike assessments are based on initial reports. All aircraft returned to base safely.
The strikes were conducted as part of Operation Inherent Resolve, the operation to eliminate the ISIL terrorist group and the threat they pose to Iraq, Syria, the region and the wider international community. The destruction of ISIL targets in Syria and Iraq further limits the terrorist group's ability to project terror and conduct operations. Coalition nations which have conducted airstrikes in Iraq include Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Jordan, Netherlands, United Kingdom and United States. Coalition nations which have conducted airstrikes in Syria include Bahrain, Canada, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and the U.S.
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