Kurds Admit U.S. Troops Fighting in Iraq

The fighting in Iraq is as hot as it’s been since the US pulled their forces out a few years ago. Ironically, rather, sadly, it’s just as US troops are marching right back into the fray.

Most middle eastern experts point back to 2006, when Iraq appointed Nouri al-Maliki as their prime minister. This new government, largely established by US instruction, failed to include any strong leadership from the Sunni arabs. Maliki is a Shiite, and no surprise, his entire hand picked cabinet was also Shi-ite. This recent violent outbreak by ISIS isn’t a spur of the moment thing. Instead, it’s a long, drawn-out process of resentment and exclusion, stemming from the Maliki election 8 years ago.

So while the long-term solution is probably a diplomatic one, the short-term solution seems like it can only be a combative one.

Whether or not American soldiers should see battle in Iraq is a hotly debated topic. Several Congressmen from BOTH sides of the aisle are already pressuring Obama to send ground troops to Iraq and start airstrikes in Syria.

Through all of this, President Obama still swears American boots will never touch the ground in Iraq. Then, we just recently learned that ANOTHER platoon of 350 American soldiers are being sent to Iraq right now. The state department quickly put out a statement, attempting to cover their bases. The Pentagon says these troops will not see any battle, they’re just going over to defend the US embassy in Baghdad.

That makes sense on the surface, because most of the heavy fighting is in northern Iraq, miles away from Baghdad. But another report, leaked by Kurdish officials, says American special forces commandos are already fighting side-by-side with the Iraqi government against ISIS.

Obama did recently say that special ops teams tried to extract James Foley, Steven Sotloff and other captured American journalists, but he never admitted to sending soldiers into a live battle. Regardless, at least according to Kurdish leaders, Americans are already putting their lives on the line, once again, to defend a country thousands of miles outside of their home.