Obama throws Cameron under the bus

[seanraaron]

After that Obama pulled troops way too quickly - that was the reason ISIS could be created and flourish unchecked for many years.

Not like the UK who stuck in until the end, right? Again, this is what the comment about Euros being unwilling to "put any skin in" was about. This is the first President in forever who didn't want to play world cop - something most people like to criticise the US for, but the fact is that the rest of NATO is pretty useless without America to run the show.

If Cameron hadn't bailed and been an actual partner in trying to ensure Iraq was stable, I'm sure things would have turned out differently.

[AtW]

If Cameron hadn't bailed and been an actual partner in trying to ensure Iraq was stable, I'm sure things would have turned out differently.

UK did not have big enough force to do it on it's own, plus Iraq was of US doing, so primary responsibility for it was that of the US - Obama's specifically, he can't blame Congress or Senate for that

[seanraaron]

UK did not have big enough force to do it on it's own, plus Iraq was of US doing, so primary responsibility for it was that of the US - Obama's specifically, he can't blame Congress or Senate for that

I wouldn't expect the UK to have done everything, but the UK was responsible for a province or two and bailed. Not the best message to send re: the special relationship, aside from "we're unreliable."

[d000hg]

That wasn't ISIS at the time, it was fight back (helped by Iran) which got crushed with surge.

That was under Bush Jnr.

After that Obama pulled troops way too quickly - that was the reason ISIS could be created and flourish unchecked for many years.

So Obama did the wrong thing but not continuing to oppress a foreign country after crushing them in an illegal war?

[seanraaron]

I think it would have helped to urge the Iraqi government to extend an olive branch to the former Baathists. Let's face it having a government seen as strongly anti-Sunni and unwilling to compromise for national unity didn't help anything.

[AtW]

I think it would have helped to urge the Iraqi government to extend an olive branch to the former Baathists. Let's face it having a government seen as strongly anti-Sunni and unwilling to compromise for national unity didn't help anything.

It's a tad hard from Washington DC to urge Iranian backed Govt in Iraq to compromise with Sunnies (the ones that were fighting big war with Iran), without having troops on the ground.

Obama pulled the troops and completely ignored what was going on there for many years until ISIS started cutting heads of American citizens.