Forces Battle Over Oil Refinery as Iraqi Government Requests U.S. Airstrikes

Should the radical Islamists take over the Middle East, keep this article filed away in a timeline of how this all came about.

Fox News  " 'The militants have managed to break in to the refinery. Now they are in control of the production units, administration building and four watch towers. This is 75 percent of the refinery," an official speaking from inside the refinery in Beiji told Reuters on Wednesday."

http://brianlangis.wordpress.com/2014/06/12/iraqs-oil-fields-and-pipelines/

 

Foreign Policy   ... "On Thursday, a government spokesman said its forces were in "complete control" of the refinery, however a witness noted ISIL fighters were still in the area and that clashes were continuing. On Wednesday, Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshya Zebari appealed to the United States "to launch air strikes against militants." General Martin Dempsey, chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, said incomplete intelligence in Iraq would make "an air campaign more difficult" meanwhile Gen. David Petraeus, who served as the top commander in Iraq, said, "This cannot be the United States being the air force of Shia militias or a Shia on Sunni Arab fight." Washington is indicating that it wants Iraq to form a new inclusive government without Maliki, however a spokesman for the prime minister said he would not resign as a condition for U.S. airstrikes." ...

This all sounds good and proper, but shouldn't our concern be how it threatens our faithful ally, Israel? This government's first priority should be to make America energy-independent: allow the Keystone pipeline and get off this ridiculous global warming schtick. If you determine your foreign policy by what Hollywood celebrities want, you in a heap o' trouble, boy.  TD