Exclusive: Inside British Army's mission in Iraq helping to defeat IS

The 1st Battalion, The Royal Yorkshire Regiment - to use their new and proper title - are a proud bunch of soldiers.
Their cap badge is associated with more than 330 years of history, the latest chapter of which is being written by personnel from Burma Company, who are currently deployed on operations in northern Iraq.
Some might be surprised to learn that the British Army is active on the ground in Iraq 20 years on from the start of Operation Telic.
But the situation today is different. This operation is called Shader, and UK troops - alongside dozens of other nations - are in the region at the strict invitation of the Kurdish-Iraqi government.
But why is the British Army there, and what exactly is it doing?
Forces News was granted exclusive access to embed with the soldiers of 1 Royal Yorks as they conducted operations in the region around Erbil, the capital of the region known as Kurdistan.
More: www.forces.net...
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[@exmoorfarmer4880]

Those infantry lads had some good skills on rifle to pistol transition. It shows just how far the average soldiers' training and skills have come. Top notch.

[@PabloE888]

Not seen 😬

[@BryanMennie1]

Absolutely. Great drills. Good to see they have been putting in the graft.

[@jamie_d___]

The British Soldiers are the absolute last group I'd ever want to have to fight , true professionals , and tough AF

[@DarrenWalsh-r3v]

Oh please

[@jp3630]

English: BriTs are sO scAry Helmand: hold my AK..

[@tro775]

Love how its probably wannabe civilians talking

[@pdalaigh]

I love your sense of humour 😅

[@Nick-bf3eg]

@@jp3630deffo a yank

[@strawdawgs78]

I have fond memories of being a U.S. Marine in Basra (a British AO at that time) in 2008. That was quite an experience.

[@WhatAboutYou123]

if you don't mind me asking, what was your body count during your deployments ? just curious.

[@iraq_00]

Greetings to you from the city of Basra. You have left us criminals and terrorist rulers. Where is the democracy that they talked about? The people are dying every day. Do you regret what you did, but remorse will not work?

[@Domhomplom]

@@iraq_00 how’s kuwait?

[@iraq_00]

@@Domhomplom If you do not know, you should search and find out why Iraq invaded Kuwait, and do not forget that the United States of America gave the green light to Saddam Hussein to launch the attack

[@BaloonLlama6056]

@@iraq_00ah yes another conspiracy theory

[@americanminotaur2518]

Thanks for your service guys! Stay safe out there. ❤🇺🇸🇬🇧🇩🇪🇪🇪❤

[@Mis-AdventureCH]

Miss your old DPM pattern camo. It was unique to UK and very sexy. Good to see the Estonians still there. Rolled with them a few times back in 2004. Super solid guys.

[@Daveluvutube]

DPM is disgusting in my opinion MTP is elite

[@Mis-AdventureCH]

@@Daveluvutube That was the classic British look. They and they alone wore it. As far as armies go, the British army does more with less and is legend in and of itself. MPT started in SOCOM, but then got picked up by everyone. It is no longer "Elite." Nothing about it is unique anymore.

[@KnjazNazrath]

I'm really happy for you, imma let you finish, but DPM S95 is the best camo of all time! The best camo OF ALL TIME!

[@captaincornflakes6384]

The only country that uses MTP as a general issue pattern is Britain, as opposed to DPM which has historically been issued from south American countries, to Africa as well as Asia so I wouldn't exactly say that DPM is unique to the UK.

[@Daveluvutube]

@@captaincornflakes6384 yeh former British colonies

[@fastfreddy19641]

You forget how young some of the soldiers are. Great to see this generation just as good as the ones gone by.

[@mikerobinson3899]

I wish all of them a safe deployment

[@nicolealbanese154]

Safety and getting back home is TOP Priority!! THANK you for your SERVICE!! TRUE GREAT MEN AND WOMAN!!!

[@rhiansmith9705]

Fantastic reporting!

[@KB22-22]

It’s a shame that we gonna be reduced to about 75,000 in about 5 years time! Shocking really as we are the best trained and disciplined troops in the world! Everyone comes to us for our training .

[@ItzD3fW1sH]

Woefully inadequate numbers

[@KB22-22]

@@ItzD3fW1sH 💯

[@meme4one]

It's already at 75500.

[@KB22-22]

@@meme4one 82000 present to 73000 is what they gov are aiming 👍🏻👍🏻🙏🏻

[@williammurphyslaw]

We are 72500 thats army refine 2025 Doctrine and they want further cuts to 70k

[@jjsmallpiece9234]

Just like being in Bradford

[@snakeybriskins6432]

😂😂😂😂 that place is a absolute dump glad I don't live there 😂😂

[@robocop3961]

@@snakeybriskins6432😂 it’s disgusting 🤣🤣👍🏻

[@snakeybriskins6432]

@@robocop3961 rather be homeless than live there 😂😂🙈

[@succesoliha3017]

Amazing ❤

[@righteousbyfaithinChrist]

💪🇬🇧🤝🇺🇸🙏❤️

[@moudahaddad1484]

War criminals 🤮

[@jdmfanbb6]

Nothing but respect, Hoorah!

[@paulquine6728]

Good to see the reporter had the good grace to have a shave, comb his hair and dress smartly.

[@swiift9801]

My brothers on here, the one behind at 7:27, love you Kieran ❤️

[@Vythz]

Good man 👍🏻

[@stuartdunbar1229]

My son is the sergeant who gives the Estonian the patch👍

[@andrewkelsall1644]

​@@stuartdunbar1229my son going in 2 weeks says your son top man great respect

[@fToo]

So they're effectively working as bodyguards ?

[@carlabroderick5508]

No they train Iraqis and Kurds to fight Daesh. Incidentally they protect authorities in transit because Daesh wants to assassinate them.

[@tomonions2452]

I do hope the 6.31 piece was using a fixed tripod camera and not someone standing there holding the camera...

[@bremnersghost948]

Yorkshire, Yorkshire, Yorkshire!!

[@Crackshotsteph]

1:54 The Officer has an old school full cover pistol holster. Man that dude has been in the Army for a time.

[@maneshipocrates2264]

What are they still doing in Iraq after 20 years?

[@Jimmythefish577]

Trying to clean up the mess that Blair and Bush created. That’s the very least we can do after creating the instability in the region that led to the rise of ISIS.

[@jamieconnor3505]

helping to stabilise the country

[@disnacdisnac4215]

@@jamieconnor3505 🤣

[@zozita.]

@@jamieconnor3505 stability is like a weapon of mass destruction

[@maneshipocrates2264]

@daemontargaryen6757 My point! The UK and US should not join these countries.

[@darrenbairstow6153]

Great work, but what about the enemy within?

[@ironwolves6056]

Nice to see yorkshire lads at work ✌️

[@L5GUK]

'an stuff like tha'

[@nathanmundoringa5375]

Be Strong everything is passed 🎉

[@disnacdisnac4215]

Amnesia is a deficit in memory caused by brain damage or disease,[1] but it can also be caused temporarily by the use of various sedatives and hypnotic drugs. The memory can be either wholly or partially lost due to the extent of damage that was caused.[2] There are two main types of amnesia: retrograde amnesia and anterograde amnesia. Retrograde amnesia is the inability to retrieve information that was acquired before a particular date, usually the date of an accident or operation.[3] In some cases the memory loss can extend back decades, while in others the person may lose only a few months of memory. Anterograde amnesia is the inability to transfer new information from the short-term store into the long-term store. People with anterograde amnesia cannot remember things for long periods of time. These two types are not mutually exclusive; both can occur simultaneously.[4]

[@Tupac-g8c6x]

@@disnacdisnac4215😂😂😂👍

[@coylaxy7868]

Kurdistan Peshmerga 💪💪💪💪💪💪🦅🦅🦅🦅

[@jimmyjohnson7027]

Good to see The Hackle.

[@da90sReAlvloc]

British army still the best in the world

[@death_parade]

British Army is a global force. They'll send one -division- platoon to Falklands, one -division- platoon to Gibraltar. One -division- platoon to Suez. One -division- platoon to the Horn. One -division- platoon to Chagos. One -division- platoon to Singapore and one more -division- platoon to Formosa. And thus British Army will control the entire sea trade. Globul Army. Best Army.

[@christopherbell2796]

Know a kurdish . Came here was harrased , treated like a terrorist. Recieved training and weapons from uk ,us etc .

[@garyproffitt5941]

Treat them with valor, determination and vigor with the British Army and U.S. Marines mission to Iraq.

[@YourMateNate3]

I was there in Erbil back in 18’-19’ At that time it was a very covert base. Can’t say what we were doing there but definitely a deployment that opened my eyes to a lot of things. Erbil is a very beautiful city and the operations we conduct out there are crucial to NATO countries.

[@lorcanpatrick7188]

You definitely never saw combat lol

[@lorcanpatrick7188]

Absolute nerd

[@jaceks6338]

"Can’t say what we were doing" because you'd end up at a tribunal. Probably raping civilians.

[@mauricebeyjr611]

As a US Soldier, I thinks it's bout time we leave Iraq now, we've been there too long.

[@elijahmckenzie9207]

The British are actually invited to Iraq… unlike US who illegally invaded.

[@mauricebeyjr611]

@@elijahmckenzie9207 do you have a source to support that claim? My belief was that Iraqis didn't want noone in there country

[@cadennorris960]

@@elijahmckenzie9207Lmao that is such a massive cope and so blatantly false it’s mind boggling. The brits were one of the few NATO countries who invaded Iraq with us so no they were not invited. Some time in 2016 or 2017 (after the end of the initial invasion and insurgency) I believe it was, both the UK AND the US were invited to Iraq by the Iraqi government. You can push your blatantly false propaganda all you want but it doesn’t change reality.

[@cadennorris960]

@@elijahmckenzie9207 “The rise of the Islamic State group - its roots were in al-Qaida affiliates - and its expanding threat to the U.S. and allies across Europe sent the U.S. back into Iraq at the invitation of the Baghdad government in 2014. Over that summer and fall, the U.S.-led coalition launched airstrike campaigns in Iraq and then Syria, and restarted a broad effort to train and advise Iraq's military”. That is a quote from an associated press article. I have sources you have your false biased opinion.

[@cliffordwebb3656]

I expect they'll leave when the oil runs out. No oil in Afghan. Enough said. That's why they're still occupying Northern Syria, to the detriment of the ongoing fight of the Syrians against Daesh.

[@ÆthelwulfOfNordHymbraLand2333]

The civilian farmers of this region have had enough of foreign troops kicking down their doors for Israel.

[@GideonVan]

Good way of wasting goverment money. Was there any attacks on these people before they got there?

[@daraghvlogs4795]

Well

[@VK6AB-]

Blair as leader of the Government and Jackson as CGS should be tried for war crimes. According to the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) in Geneva, the invasion of Iraq was neither in self-defense against armed attack nor sanctioned by UN Security Council resolution authorizing the use of force by member states and thus constituted the crime of war of aggression. The fact Jackson and his immediate chain of command did not disobey or even challenge the illegal order to invade IRQ speaks volumes. Not one single officer stood up and said this is wrong and its an illegal order, not one. Think about how bad the leadership culture must be - wooden headed, unintelligent, uninspiring leadership. Still lions lead by donkeys. Get the soldiers out of IRQ and prosecute the politicians and military leaders involved for war crimes. Only then will this mess be made right.

[@suburbia2050]

God shut up Putin troll, the International Commission of Jurists has no statute, it is meaningless, but sure why not tell Putin to adhere Russian law to their commission! Also the "war of aggression" component of the UN charter is not legally binding either, its merely a definition to define a military dispute between two nation states, so how can it be "illegal" muppet. Half of the World, especially nation states of Africa, the Middle East and South America during the UN charter decades would all be War Criminals if that were case. I guess you are used to living under a dictatorship, but let me tell you no Iraqi on the ground wanted to live under Saddam Hussein who really was a war criminal, for decades, and no one did anything about it, what do the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) in Geneva think about that? I guess you didnt notice all the Iraqis out on the streets celebrating his downfall and who themselves put him to trial.

[@cadennorris960]

Both the US and UK have been invited to Iraq by the Iraqi government. If you truly think we wronged them then you should appreciate that we are now there at their invitation helping fix those issues.

[@VK6AB-]

@@cadennorris960 Wronged them? The invasion of Iraq was a war crime. Their country is still a mess, unemployment is running at greater than 25%. It’s a problem the US and UK created - running endless COIN ops won’t solve a single problem. There is no winning strategy, don’t believe me? Ask your nearest dim witted Sandhurst graduate what the exit strategy is and what it’s timeline will be, also ask how it’s approach will be measured and what success for IRQ looks like when you leave. Then go and ask your RSM/CSM the same question. If the answer includes elimination of Daesh/ISIS/ISIL - then you are being mislead by someone that doesn’t know what they are talking about. COIN ops don’t eliminate terrorists they just end up producing a larger recruiting base.

[@ranmouri-sm2ld]

​@@cadennorris960Do you mean this corrupt Iraqi government installed by America? Surely they will need USE and UK all the time and

[@markwatters6875]

Stay alert, stay low and enjoy 👍🇦🇺

[@William366Evans]

Many respects brother 🇦🇺 from 🇬🇧

[@markwatters6875]

@@William366Evans thanks. Have a good one 👍🇦🇺

[@anaz4v]

Beware .Al Sadr can turn against them at any moment.

[@rahmanmikaeelrahman7613]

What does IS stands for?

[@loganwolfram4216]

"Food is provided by the Americans" oh no. I'm so sorry.

[@cadennorris960]

We have used contractors for catering in Iraq since the initial invasion in 2003. The food seemed to be good quality atleast back in like 07 so I don’t see any issues.

[@richarddepledge960]

I spent 2.5 years in Erbil. DIP CP OP. Great times. Totally different to Baghdad and Basra.

[@zozita.]

What the difference

[@coylaxy7868]

@@zozita. Erbil is much more stable and has much better infastructure and a lot less attacks and it only has had 1 suicide bombing ever and its controlled by the kurdish peshmerga not araps so yeah

[@zozita.]

@@coylaxy7868 All of Iraq has security Basra rejects fhe occupation the Kurds accept the occupation as traitors I love uk people not soldiers on my land

[@iraq_00]

Greetings to you from the city of Basra. You have left us criminals and terrorist rulers. Where is the democracy that they talked about? The people are dying every day. Do you regret what you did, but remorse will not work?

[@zozita.]

@@iraq_00 ليش انت سني وشيعة اساس دمار العراق الي يحكمون العراق مو من داخل العراق كانوا خارج العراق ومعارضين يعني الشعب مالة دخل من الاساس الشيعة مظلومين بحكم صدام وبحكم الحثالة هسة شنو متنعمين بالكهرباء بالمياه بالاسماك الي تموت بمرض الي صاب المواشي لو تصحر لو الامان كانو الشيعة عايشين بالجنة في ظل الحكومة الحالية منو يجي اي شخص حكم العراق يفكر بدول وتارك شعبة صدام يشيل لفلوس لفلسطين ومصر واليمن سوريا الاردن الحكومة الحالية لفلوس لسوريا ولبنان واليمن وايران على راس القائمة ليكول ايران امهم لان كانو عايشين عدهم يخافون ينقلبون ضدهم الشعب كلة انظلم لا شيعي ولا سني الخونة الي ساكنين بالخارج ودمروا الشعب لا تخلي الطائفية تعمي عيونك

[@mattwordsworth9825]

Hopefully the Iraqi military can push ISIS out of Iraq entirely. Atleast the Iraqis are willing to defend their nation from terrorists

[@cadennorris960]

The ANA were too illiterate and too stoned to defend anything.

[@Keithrrr]

Long live Kurdistan

[@alexblue6991]

The British army should be protecting their own borders with thousands of illegal Immigrants coming into Britain every month they have been turned into the salvation army helping foreign countries

[@clivecartey]

Sorry, a rather silly comment bearing in mind this segment is about our forces serving and being in potential danger - but - could not the interviewer find something better, more theatre appropriate, to wear than something from his Mum's ironing basket........?

[@user-rk5cu5tg2g]

And exploit them for their resources. We see through it, mate.

[@drscopeify]

This has nothing to do with oil it is about the Kurdish people who were committed genocide against by Saddam Hussain who tried to erase them from the world but here they are today and they are super hard working and industrious people I tell you come back in 20 years and that part of Iraq will look like a western country , well all of Iraq will develop really nicely but especially the Kurdish people.

[@patshiels5429]

Food provided by the Americans that’s a bonus

[@accountretired9479]

How close or far is Iraq from Russia?

[@abdullaheid15252]

Pretty far Iraq is an Arab country

[@markgilmour1169]

Loved Erbil safe place with good locals.

[@rq21abdullahi96]

No there not there to fight ISIS 😂 they are there to watch Iran.

[@Dublinboy29]

The heckle really is great camouflage

[@johnnunn8688]

Tyres as a backstop on a range?

[@fod1855]

Filled with sand, anyway the actual backstop appears to be a cliff.

[@Pemmont107]

Hopefully we've learn the lesson of Afghanistan. We abandoned one country to Islamic extremism (thanks to Biden..). Never again.

[@garagenigel]

It wasn't Biden who surrendered to the Taliban though was it! It was Trump the coward! He didn't even tell the Afghan government or his NATO allies!

[@zozita.]

And Iraq is in the hands of Iran that controls it

[@samiman5606]

You brit inviding Iraq and emigrants inviding your homeland britannia you got the tiste of your own medicine and the emigrants sleeping with your beautiful wihte cheeks hhhhh

[@cadennorris960]

We were going to withdraw either way so you can’t logically blame Biden for that. You can however blame him for the haste of the withdrawal.

[@divpolitics9520]

Obama did the same thing in Iraq.

[@BIBIWCICC]

This clearly shows that command still hasn’t learnt. We have absolutely no need to be in Iraq.

[@death_parade]

How else will UK prove that it is still a "global force" lmao?

[@OperationFoxley19441]

We shouldn't have been in Iraq in the first place.

[@Red-74-]

Being an ex serviceman I can see the UK are still meddling in other countries affairs

[@danadezza]

🦎

[@Maxthethird3]

@@danadezza🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 correct

[@drscopeify]

You have no idea man, Northern Iraq is the home of the Kurdish people, they are very western and advanced people, I tell you in 20 years from now Northern Iraq will look like Dubai or Emirates or Israel and will be very advanced culture and part of the world they just need a little bit security right now while they are developing but soon enough will be able to defend themselves. This is a noble mission and they will return the favor for generations to come as they become a very developed part of the middle east. It was just bad luck they ended up in such a nasty hostile area they were butchered by Saddam Hussain even 5000 were murdered by Saddam using Chemical weapons in the Halabja massacre. The least we can do is give them a little bit of safety from the crazies in ISIS but soon enough they will be able to take care of themselves.

[@kabzaify]

@@drscopeifySo according being advanced means being western?😊

[@drscopeify]

@@kabzaify Well that is up to them. Israel, South Korea, Japan all developed in to western way of life from their own decision to do so. Even China is very western, economy, clothing, way of life, work, it's so very western but they chose to do so.

[@funkmachine9094]

it's been 30 years and not the u.s or the u.k can defeat them. it's an idea and you can't kill and idea. it's good that they try to "help" but really war is just a business and soldiers need to work.

[@drscopeify]

Well the Kurdish people are incredible people they for the first time in history have safe land to live in the northern 1/3 of Iraq and will now be very successful and prosperous I tell you in 20 years Northern Iraq will look like just any area in a western country, any area in the USA, they are hard working, freedom loving,, very Western people just stuck by the hand of fate in the middle of Iraq of all places. They will do things you have no idea in 20 years alone it will look like a totally western culture in the middle of Iraq just like how Israel developed or Dubai or Emirates they are totally western culture people just stuck in the middle east. They need a little bit of help from us to make sure they are safe from ISIS terrorists but soon enough as they develop Northern Iraq they will be able to do it on their own pretty easily just like Israel. They just need 20 years or so to develop and advance but this is a mission that is pretty simple and will lead to amazing results. This is not Afghanistan where the people failed to develop and build an army to defend their own land that is 100000% not the case with the Kurds they for sure will be able to develop just like Israel or other western middles east societies just give them a little bit of time. I actually think all of Iraq will develop really really nicely in the next 20 years but the Kurds all the way fully to western society. It will be amazing to see another part of the world advance in to high quality of life.

[@funkmachine9094]

@@drscopeify that will never happen. iraq will never look like the west. the middle east is not the west. in the west we have freedom and democracy. that's something the middle east will never have. islam won't allow it. that's the sad reality. and i feel bad for the christians in syria,lebanon and iraq who has to fear for their lives because of crazy dictators and terrorists who kill people in the same of islam. maybe in a few hundred years things will change but not in a near future.

[@drscopeify]

@@funkmachine9094 You will be surprised as Kurdish people share the same values as you do. You could have said the same about Japan and Kore and China.

[@mountainbearoutdoors]

good drills with the rifle and pistol.

[@anitmondal7080]

ban body armour

[@Callum679]

Captain Steve XD

[@trapset1539]

It's amazing that we send our own brave Troops over there too combat ISIS but leave our borders Wide open for them to freely infiltrate

[@death_parade]

How else is UK supposed to prove they are a "global force" lol? By having troops in 5 different nations spread across the world. Even if these troops are company sized units, it at least gives UK bragging rights of being a "global power", right? Same with the nonsense I keep hearing about how Royal Navy is the "only true blue water navy in the world other than USA". UK is over. It should just give up its seat in the UNSC P5.

[@TheNinjappa]

Clearly there is some oil money going on 😂.

[@8731GC]

🇮🇶 🫡 1 AIRSTRIKE would obliterate em 🫠

[@ernst91]

Go get em boys!

[@yungcaco1443]

Worrying about another country’s borders while our own is invaded and destroyed 🇬🇧 what a joke!!

[@sigmaputin6888]

What’s the point in fighting them when the government gleefully is bringing them in across the channel

[@robleeman8612]

Iraqi won't need to worry a out getting shot with them groupings

[@MindsetHumbled]

👏

[@docdildonica7515]

🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧 God Save The Commonwealth; Long Live The King

[@theojames109]

Daiesh last significant hit on NATO troops was the evacuation of Afghan. Why aren't we there?

[@drscopeify]

That was not Daiesh that was Taliban.

[@AkiZukiLenn]

so captain price been doing these.

[@millny123]

Found any WMD yet

[@drscopeify]

Of course they had WMC just ask the survivors of the about the 5000 Kurdish people who Saddam killed with Chemical weapons? Look up the Halabja massacre

[@sebby324]

The way that American said acclimatised lol

[@fod1855]

Americans say “Acclimated” rather than “Acclimatised”

[@benghaziwarrior3687]

Oil*

[@donkey459]

I honestly love the fact we're still in Iraq after 20 years Slava American military industrial complex 🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲

[@planetcaravan2925]

20 yrs is not much, vlad

[@samiman5606]

You brit inviding Iraq and emigrants inviding your homeland britannia you got the tiste of your own medicine and the emigrants sleeping with your beautiful wihte cheeks hhhhh

[@cadennorris960]

Kremlin bot

[@cliffordwebb3656]

Just another American oil war.

[@YXTheArtist]

Hope they got air defense

[@WembleyGaming]

Yeah but have the lads got FMTs for them CAVs 😂😂

[@Ihavpickle]

Wtf IS?

[@Siegefya]

Good to see Iraq (this part at least) in a much better state than when I was there. Don't forget who came before and they price they paid guys.

[@farmanosman2759]

That’s kurdistan not iraq

[@ranmouri-sm2ld]

​@@farmanosman2759There is no country on the map called Kurdistan, only Iraq🤔😐

[@ioanbota9397]

I like

[@omerhassan9064]

Turkey fuming rn

[@lorcanpatrick7188]

They’re working with Turkey so no

[@drscopeify]

I doubt it Turkey would love for the Kurdish people to have a home land in another country so they can stop worrying about them trying to set up a homeland inside of Turkey so they should be helping if anything .

[@Valhalla88888]

Send in the Scots Guards far superior unit❤

[@nipboy9027]

A completely unbiased opinion hay🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️🤷‍♂️🤷‍♂️😂😂

[@farmanosman2759]

Erbil capital of kurdistan , nothing to do with iraq wrong info.

[@MrAttagon]

Absolutely nothing.

[@allanhugo9213]

So glad the Brits and the USA are partners. Always.

[@zozita.]

🤣🤣🤣

[@planetcaravan2925]

Idk, iraq and libya are bad examples

[@samiman5606]

You brit inviding Iraq and emigrants inviding your homeland britannia you got the tiste of your own medicine and the emigrants sleeping with your beautiful wihte cheeks hhhhh

[@zozita.]

@@planetcaravan2925 But their good oil is not

[@planetcaravan2925]

@@zozita. wagner is watching after libyas oil fields

[@pmozza]

It's more dangerous in Birmingham than it is in Erbil. Threats in Erbil😂😂😂

[@JW-2023]

They push out across an area as far north as the Syrian border and as far south as Baghdad. In June, Daesh attacked a group of Iraqi soldiers - killing two - in Kirkuk, 60 miles away from Erbil. Their AO is dangerous. Cheers!

[@fod1855]

@@JW-202360 miles might as well be in a different country. Erbil is safe, always has been.

[@pmozza]

​@@JW-2023Been here for 5 years buddy, please don't try and lecture me on their AO😂😂😂

[@JW-2023]

@@pmozza no lecture from me, mate. Chill out.

[@alizanealsaady5878]

Yeah Yeah Yeah what ever ?

[@davepb5798]

Arte et Marte!!

[@luke-THC]

Stll cleaning up tony blairs war crimes😂

[@5732noel]

Taxi drivers and stagging on!

[@Nosaveddataretro]

Since when could you get tats on your hands?

[@zeikerd]

Erbil is in Kurdistan

[@fod1855]

Yes, which is ‘officially’ in Iraq.

[@timbimjim514]

So WTF are we doing there? Where are those WMDs?

[@josueperez4333]

Hey man it’s been about 18 years since it was discovered that they were no wmds. Hope now you are up to date :)

[@drscopeify]

Of course they had WMC just ask the survivors of the about the 5000 Kurdish people who Saddam killed with Chemical weapons? Look up the Halabja massacre

[@VK6AB-]

According to the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) in Geneva, the invasion of Iraq was neither in self-defense against armed attack nor sanctioned by UN Security Council resolution authorizing the use of force by member states and thus constituted the crime of war of aggression. Ask your officers some simple questions (1) was the invasion of IRQ by US and UK lawful? (2) why are UK troops still in Iraq given (1). (3) Why is the environment hostile given (1). (IV) If UK was illegally invaded what would you do. (V) IRQ was destroyed by US and UK forces and officers have the right to disobey illegal orders. To date there have been at least 300,000 Iraqis killed. (VI) If IRQ was about terrorism why wasn't IRN (Iran), the largest sponsor of terrorism in the middle east attacked? (VII) If it was about 9/11, why wasn't Saudi Arabia attacked - thats where the 9/11 bombers and its mastermind came from (VIII) Osama Bin Laden was executed in PAK by Seal Team 6 in 2011, why did US and UK forces remain in AFG until 2021. (IX) If AFG was about nation building why did US and UK forces abandon it in 2021. (X) Are IRQ and AFG in better or worse shape now? (XI) Read the Chilcot Report - its a damning indictment of the war in IRAQ (XII) Why didn't CGS Mike Jackson refuse to invade Iraq - there were no WMD found ready for immediate use - the intelligence was shocking to fiction - it was literally comical - as CGS (he may well have been lied to/selectively informed) he should have refused Blair, instead he committed the British Army to a war of aggression - a war crime. (XIII) The Iraq war is a stain on the reputation of the British Army whose very good men and women were mislead by their government, senior military leadership and intelligence agencies. Good luck and stay safe - be smart, stand your ground ask questions, never obey illegal orders no matter who gives them to you.

[@PraetorUA]

Completely agree, but, they did invade Iraq so we can only be retroreflective. And according to our government, it was for good reason. I'm interested to hear your thoughts on how the UK benefited from the 'war against terror' in foreign nations such as Iraq? There must be some right?

[@VK6AB-]

@@PraetorUA You can look at that question from many different angles, but the "too long/didn't read" version is there were few if any significant benefits derived from the global war on terror. I could cynically argue we did EVENTUALLY learn many things about effective COIN ops but that doesn't help if you're engaged in a peer to peer conflict (e.g. UA where we have various current and former SOF/SF deployed as "advisors"). If anything the security threat has been increased with porous borders and the infiltration of hardened cells etc driven deeper underground. I could write a long diatribe on this from different perspectives but it would solve little as politicians and current Staff officers seem to learn little other than how to better deflect failure and avoid responsibility and accountability - personal gain is a bigger driver than collective honour. Its a few days past the anniversary of the 1st day of the Somme offensive - around sixty thousand casualties - a monumental failure of leadership, as was the invasion of Iraq, and the worst day in British military history - Given the deployment of the Royal Yorkshire Regiment, I note two Battalions from Yorkshire were decimated on that day, 10th West Yorks with 710 casualties and 8th Kings Own Yorkshire Light Infantry with 539 casualties. The current R Yorks is three Battalions, ponder that. As Winston Churchill once said "its better to jaw jaw than war war". I'll leave it at that.

[@hacherskanon3082]

"Ask your officers some simple questions". There's your problem. The officers didn't choose to go to war. The politicians did

[@ياربالمعدلالعاليادعولياخواني]

Agree you

[@VK6AB-]

@@hacherskanon3082 They do not have to obey illegal orders. Not one officer from the CGS (Mike Jackson at the time) down questioned the order to invade IRQ. Leadership is defined by the ability to ask hard questions and make hard decisions. The invasion of Iraq calls into question the culture of leadership in the British Armed forces. The invasion of IRQ had no merit whatsoever and not one single leader in the British Armed forces questioned the intelligence or the Governments position (specifically Tony Blairs). The Chilcot report is damning, the fact Armed Forces leadership did not push back is equally damning. Most thinking soldiers know AFG and IRQ were BS.

[@SuperServentofAllah]

Oil stealing justification

[@drscopeify]

There is no oil there

[@fastlearner9993]

@@drscopeify there is , nearly everywhere has oil , some more than others . read more, research more before typing nonsense

[@anandnairkollam]

Oil

[@calebbearup4282]

I still can't believe that the West hasn't done more to support an independent Kurdistan

[@Jeff-bg7pt]

Not again

[@maxitosh8465]

At 2.41…the Officer (YORKIBAR) says they are provided a “armoured force protection service” ….dude….your driving CIV DIV vehicles. Am I missing something here?

[@jameswells6206]

Armoured vehicle

[@maxitosh8465]

🤦

[@jameswells6206]

@@maxitosh8465 "says they are provided ". Good england

[@demurch0]

Still looking for WMDs?

[@drscopeify]

What about the 5000 Kurdish people who Saddam killed with Chemical weapons? Look up the Halabja massacre bro

[@garydonoghue4565]

waste of time / life and money... Just look at Afghan

[@drscopeify]

These are Kurdish people totally different world. You just don't know so i cant fault you for not know but maybe read up or watch some videos about the Kurdish people please.