Iraq PM: We Lost 2,300 American Humvees to ISIS in Mosul Alone

[FSP-Rebel]

Seeks More Arms and Vehicles From US

In an interview today on Iraqiya TV, Prime Minister Hayder Abadi made a plea for more US military aid, saying the country lost a lot of weapons over the course of last year’s war, including large caches abandoned by troops in the initial ISIS push last summer.

“We lost 2,300 Humvees in Mosul alone,” noted Abadi. The Humvees weren’t destroyed, by and large, but were rather simply left behind by fleeing troops, and were subsequently taken by ISIS. The Humvees were only a portion of what was lost, as ISIS acquired tanks, artillery, armored vehicles, basically a small army’s worth of advanced US gear in the fall of the major city.

After the fall of Mosul, the US began seeking to ratchet up sales and aid to Iraq, and approved the sale of another 1,000 Humvees to Iraq, an estimated $579 million deal. How much of that has been delivered so far is unclear, but the fall of Ramadi this month led to scores of additional armored vehicles, including Humvees, being seized by ISIS.

There has been surprisingly little debate in the US about the wisdom of further shipments to Iraq’s military, inasmuch as those shipments have tended to amount to delayed shipments to ISIS, and the Pentagon has hyped the large number of Humvees and armored vehicles it has destroyed in the war so far, seemingly oblivious to the fact that those are US-provided arms that the US is just going to keep providing.

More...http://news.antiwar.com/2015/05/31/i...n-mosul-alone/

[FSP-Rebel]

ISIS Suicide Bombers Kill 45 Police in Anbar Province 63 Others Wounded as Humvee Bombs Demolish Police Base

ISIS continues to push against Iraqi security forces around the Anbar Province today, with a major round of suicide bombing attacks leveling an important police base in Madina al-Tharthar, just north of Ramadi, and killing 45 Iraqi police and security forces, wounding 63 others.

The attacks were carried out by three separate suicide bombers, each in explosive-laden Humvees. ISIS secured thousands of US-made Humvees in the capture of Mosul last summer, and has added more with each new city taken from fleeing Iraqi troops.

The bases in and around that area have been a rallying point for both the remnants of Iraqi police forces and thousands of Shi’ite militia fighters who have been called to Anbar to stop the ISIS advance. So far, this has just turned them into an easier to reach target for the ISIS forces.

Though Iraqi officials have tried to downplay the loss of Ramadi, insisting they believe they’ll retake it soon, top Iraqi militia leader Badr Brigade head Hadi Ameri said it was unrealistic to expect any near-term moves on the city, citing sectarian tensions between the Shi’ite government and the Sunni population of Anbar.

http://news.antiwar.com/2015/06/01/i...nbar-province/

[phill4paul]

Well, they weren't exactly American Humvees. In-so-much as my truck is not Chevy's. And I'm pretty sure the $579 million deal for another 1000 is just part of an aid package subsidy. Still waiting on that return on investment through oil.

[enhanced_deficit]

With help from ddg team?


On different note:

[Ronin Truth]

Did they leave the keys in them?

[donnay]

I am sure they were gifted to them by the CIA. Just like the rest of the gifts they have collected thus far.

[acptulsa]

The Humvees weren’t destroyed, by and large, but were rather simply left behind by fleeing troops, and were subsequently taken by ISIS.

Who in his right mind leaves the keys in the HMMV and flees from an advancing enemy, across the desert, on foot?

In fact, what crazy people leave the keys in the HMMV and flee from an advancing enemy, across the desert, on foot?

Indeed, who flees from a HMMV which isn't already full of enemy troops?

[Ronin Truth]

Who in his right mind leaves the keys in the HMMV and flees from an advancing enemy, across the desert, on foot?

In fact, what crazy people leave the keys in the HMMV and flee from an advancing enemy, across the desert, on foot?

Indeed, who flees from a HMMV which isn't already full of enemy troops?

Just following orders?

[acptulsa]

Just following orders?

That would be the most logical explanation. It would, in fact, be about a country mile more logical than the second most logical explanation.

[Occam's Banana]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lRcle-JgnFA

[Ronin Truth]

That would be the most logical explanation. It would, in fact, be about a country mile more logical than the second most logical explanation.

Coming soon at BARGAIN PRICES, a chain of "Abdul's Used American Humvees" franchise outlets.

Look for our scratch and dent sale. HUGE MARKDOWNS!!!

[Cleaner44]

My little attempt to troll McCain. Please consider retweeting for fun!

In hindsight, the existing hashtag of #BadTeamBuildingActivities probably would have been a great choice.

[Uriel999]

Did they leave the keys in them?

Who in his right mind leaves the keys in the HMMV and flees from an advancing enemy, across the desert, on foot?

In fact, what crazy people leave the keys in the HMMV and flee from an advancing enemy, across the desert, on foot?

Indeed, who flees from a HMMV which isn't already full of enemy troops?

Military vehicles don't use keys. In fact it is a common military joke to tell new joins to go get the Humvee keys.

[Ronin Truth]

Military vehicles don't use keys. In fact it is a common military joke to tell new joins to go get the Humvee keys.

Facilitate the theft. After all it's only stolen tax dollars, unless they're borrowed, unless they're only fabricated from thin air.

[phill4paul]

Insurgent Offensive Bogs Down After Capturing US Humvees

MOSUL, Iraq — Just days after the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) seized control of Iraq’s northern cities of Mosul and Tikrit, the group’s lightning offensive has reportedly ground to a halt after ISIS unsuccessfully attempted to use dozens of captured U.S. M1114 Humvees.

“We were considerably more mobile with Toyota Technicals,” complained ISIS cell leader Ibrahim ibn Abdullah ibn Sabah Al-Rahman. “But once we captured these unreliable monstrosities, our leadership started worrying about our safety.”

“Now we can’t even leave our base without at least four up-armored Humvees and an RPG team, plus we have to have three ground guides with reflective belts every time we are backing out of our parking spot,” Al-Rahman said as he angrily gestured towards a dilapidated Humvee. “And don’t get me started on all the protective gear we have to wear. Even the suicide bombers were told they wouldn’t be getting into paradise if they were caught in one without a helmet, flak, gloves, and flame retardant clothes!”

During the course of the interview, Al-Rahman was interrupted by at least one angry phone call from ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, demanding to know why none of the Humvees had their drip pans and chock blocks in place.

The M1114 HMMWV, known to the public as the “Humvee” and to the American soldier as “the $#@!ing Humvee,” is the U.S. military’s all-purpose mobile field kitchen, capable of cooking up to six soldiers alive in as many minutes. During the Iraq War, the U.S. discovered that they were also extremely effective at uncovering IEDs, leading to the war-winning strategy of driving over them as frequently as possible.

At the end of the Iraq War — in a gesture of revenge — the U.S. abandoned thousands of Humvees in Iraq, an act compared to the Soviets seeding millions of land mines in Afghanistan, and with similar results once the Iraqis began to drive them.

The Humvees were captured by ISIS on Tuesday after being abandoned by Iraqi soldiers unable to locate the vehicles’ keys, which they claimed the U.S. advisers who alerted them to this feature had never provided. Although ISIS attempted to use the vehicles immediately, they were unable to properly employ them because of the Humvee’s incredibly poor fuel consumption, as well as unsuccessful attempts to obtain spare parts from manufacturer A.M. General in Indiana.

To make matters worse, in an almost-kharmic act of retribution, retreating Iraqi soldiers have begun emplacing landmines and other ordnance along the roads, easily blowing up the few ISIS Humvees that have ventured south of Mosul.

“In the name of the Blessed Prophet, these things are death traps!” exclaimed one of Al-Rahman’s fighters. “How the hell could anyone drive these things around a parking lot, let alone into a combat zone?”

Al-Rahman then reminded him that you go to jihad with the mujahideen you have, not the mujahideen you wish you had.

Following a 35% increase in casualties caused by repeated Humvee rollovers, Al-Baghdadi called a halt to offensive operations, pending a series of mandatory safety classes for ISIS fighters. ISIS sources have vowed that the offensive would resume as soon as the classes had achieved 100% attendance, which would also give them time to capture some wreckers so they could at least tow the Humvees into battle.

ISIS has also apparently captured a dozen U.S.-made MRAPs from the Iraqi Army, but after two days had still not figured out how to drive them out of the motor pool.

Read more: http://www.duffelblog.com/2014/06/is...#ixzz3cF471QMT