Ramadi
Ramadi 2003-2011
During the Iraq War from 2003 to 2011 the Iraq
city of Ramadi in Anbar province was the location of fierce fighting -
conducting principally by the U.S. Marines against Sunni insurgents.
Ramadi 2015
In May 2015 the Islamic State fighters captured
Ramadi from government troops. Many residents suspected of being
government sympathizers were killed by IS fighters and many residents
fled to Baghdad and other locations. The capture of Ramadi was seen as a
setback to the Iraqi government and U.S. strategic policy.
Photos of Ramadi
May 2015.
"Gallery: Battle of Ramadi nine years later". Army Times.
In 2006 the U.S. forces along with Iraqi forces fought a big fight with
the Sunni insurgents for Ramadi.
News Reports about Ramadi
May 31, 2015.
"The Iraqi Army is too Exhausted to Fight". By Mitchell Prothero,
Politico Magazine. The Iraqi Army units in Ramadi were not led
by competent officers, did not receive adequate supplies of ammunition,
food, and equipment, and did not receive the necessary air support from
the U.S. led Coalition.
May 30, 2015.
"Thousands Who Run, Few Who Fight: A Journalist on Ramadi's Fall".
National Public Radio. News correspondent says the "Golden
Division" - Iraqi Special Forces - is one of the few government units
that actually fights well.
May 24, 2015.
"U.S. Defense Chief: Iraqi Troops Turned Tail in Ramadi".
Bloomberg. Although the Iraqi army forces vastly outnumbered the
ISIS fighters during the Ramadi fight they still vacated their positions
and demonstrated a lack of will to fight. Other critics say that Special
Forces advisors and Joint Terminal Air Controllers (JTACs) need to be
forward deployed with Iraq fighting units.
May 24, 2015.
"Nine years on, Ramadi still matters to troops, vets, families".
Army Times.
May 23, 2015.
"Chaos in Iraqi forces contributed to Islamic State's biggest win this
year". The Washington Post. The Iraqi government forces
lacked coordination among the Iraqi Army, special operations forces,
police, and Sunni tribesmen.
May 22, 2015.
"Iraq after the fall of Ramadi: How to avoid another unraveling of
Iraq". Brookings. The author, Kenneth Pollack, provides
some recommendations to include arming of Sunni tribesmen and attaching
U.S. advisors and JTACs to battalion-sized Iraqi government units.
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