Mosul falls to ISIS

[Beiruty]

If I was a contractor over there, they would only be cutting off my head after I was dead. There is no way I'd allow myself to be captured alive. Anybody who does is an idiot.

That's what the last round in our pistols were for

A buddy of mine is there - if he goes down, he's going down singing his death song in a pile of brass

The news wire reports that there are 200 security contractors in Al-balad base. All are now trapped or under siege. Very bad situation. I could not believe how the Iraqi armed forces collapse so fast. Now ISIS have looted $500,000,000 and some 400,000 firearms plus hundreds of light and heavy armored units.

[baldeagle]

Andy, maybe your buddy is OK? The Iraqi Air Force is evacing the contractors from Balad. 300 have already been evaced. There's 100 left. They should have them all out of there by midnight. http://www.wnd.com/2014/06/200-u-s-cont ... s-in-iraq/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; The US should be ashamed of itself. They hired the contractors. It was their responsibility to get them out. Absolutely shameful. If I was a contractor, I would never work for the US again.

[Dave2]

The US should be ashamed of itself. They hired the contractors. It was their responsibility to get them out.

The US gov't will do whatever saves the careers of those in US gov't, not the lives of the boys and girls on the ground; that's the reality. We knew that perfectly well going in so we had our own evac plans - and if those didn't work out, we aimed to take as many with us to Valhalla as we could.

All the same...

If I was a contractor, I would never work for the US again.

[philip964]

http://www.marianneforcongress.com/the_ ... essary_war" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

She is running for congress. It is Bush's fault.

It seems my anti gun friends are also pro Obama and anti Bush. They love this stuff and believe it all to their core. He can do no wrong.

[philip964]

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2 ... -york.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Current ISIS leader to New York reservists on his release from prison in Iraq "See you in New York"

[Captain Matt]

www.thedailybeast.com

Enquiring minds want to know!

[ddstuder]

Glad your friend is out Andy!

Making you homesick?

[puma guy]

In other news - my Brit team-mate is home after what he called a "hairy week". I just found out that an American I know is still there, trying to make it out.

Glad to hear that. Hope you American friend makes it out too. Forum rules don't allow me to make the remarks and comments I'd like to about our fiddler in chief.

[VMI77]

Are these mercenaries? If so I could care less.

If not, ok. Not sure what to do about it though.
I'd bet air strikes (drone strikes if you prefer) will start hitting within 24 hours.

Not mercenaries, employees of the DOD there to prepare a transfer of fighter jets to the Iraqi government.

[Cedar Park Dad]

Are these mercenaries? If so I could care less.

If not, ok. Not sure what to do about it though.
I'd bet air strikes (drone strikes if you prefer) will start hitting within 24 hours.

Not mercenaries, employees of the DOD there to prepare a transfer of fighter jets to the Iraqi government.

Why are we giving them fighter jets?