ISIS 'seizes Iraq's largest oil refinery' and kidnaps 100 foreigners but country's PM insists 'we have regained the initiative and are striking back'

[flowers]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2661134/Iraqi-PM-says-government-forces-striking-ISIS-plans-wave-terror-attacks-Baghdad.html

Nouri al-Maliki's comments came as ISIS 'seized control of 75% of Iraq's largest oil refinery'
But Iraqi government denied plant had been taken, saying 50 to 60 militants had been killed in fierce fighting
Iraqi troops say they have repelled an attack by ISIS on the country's largest oil refinery, killing 40 militants
Car bomb blast kills 12 and injures 30 in Baghdad as Islamist fanatics plan wave of terror attacks on the capital
Pentagon says Iraqi troops are now 'stiffening their resistance' around Baghdad with the help of Shi'ite volunteers
Gulf security expert believes ISIS have 'no real aspiration' to take the capital but will instead aim to 'cause havoc'
Dr David Roberts said: 'They are crazy in one sense, but have thus far been making intelligent strategic decisions'
Obama not expected to approve imminent air strikes, partly because there are few clear targets to curb offensive
ISIS militants are offering a rough travel guide for would-be jihadists in an attempt to recruit young Britons to Iraq
Thousands of volunteers in neighboring Iran have signed up to defend Shi'ite shrines under threat from ISIS
David Cameron says Britain must take a long-term approach to intervening in the Iraq crisis
Afghan president Hamid Karzai dismisses the idea of an Iraq-style al-Qaeda comeback in Afghanistan

[flowers]

yikes letting women fight .....wow that is huge isn't it?

[flowers]

[Fishrrman]

Australia, New Zealand, the Cook Islands and Canada are lookin' better all the time... !!

[kevindavis007]

Australia, New Zealand, the Cook Islands and Canada are lookin' better all the time... !!

To me Alpha Centuari would be perfect for me.

[Oceander]

the chart seems a little misleading.  Since when is the US of only "medium" security in the world?  this result seems plausible only if one concludes that the US involvement in Afghanistan represents a serious danger to the US' own domestic peace.  that seems highly doubtful.

[Oceander]

Pentagon says Iraqi troops are now 'stiffening their resistance' around Baghdad with the help of Shi'ite volunteers

That would be the Iranian "volunteers" mentioned further on in this piece.  I rather doubt they'll simply go home should the current government of Iraq remain in power over some portion of current Iraq territory; rather I think they'll form the advance guard for Iran's eventual annexation of whatever rump part of Iraq remains eo nomine once the front lines have stabilized and the Kurds have seceded.

[olde north church]

Australia, New Zealand, the Cook Islands and Canada are lookin' better all the time... !!

Canada is not.  Not if you enjoy speaking freely.

[Fishrrman]

[[ Canada is not.  Not if you enjoy speaking freely. ]]

If an army of American expatriates decided to invade Canada -- as WE are being invaded from the south now by Hispanics -- and brought along their "armaments", I doubt the armed forces of Canada would be able to do much to stop them.

Just how much of an "army" does Canada have -left-, anyway?
Numbers, please...

[jmyrlefuller]

the chart seems a little misleading.  Since when is the US of only "medium" security in the world?  this result seems plausible only if one concludes that the US involvement in Afghanistan represents a serious danger to the US' own domestic peace.  that seems highly doubtful.

The fact that the Secret Service would brutally crush any rebellion is about the only thing keeping certain contingents of the country from staging an armed revolution. We are divided, held together only by the iron fist of government.

The green ones have very little division.

The red ones have very little government.

[Oceander]

The fact that the Secret Service would brutally crush any rebellion is about the only thing keeping certain contingents of the country from staging an armed revolution. We are divided, held together only by the iron fist of government.

The green ones have very little division.

The red ones have very little government.

The Secret Service?  I don't think so.