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The Combined Air and Space Operations Center (CAOC) at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, provides command and control of air power throughout Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan, and 17 other nations. (Photo by Tech. Sgt. Joshua Strang/ Air Force)
Daily Beast: Exclusive: Inside America’s ISIS Air Strike Center in Iraq
As many as 50 U.S. drone strikes directed by the Kurds helped to secure Sinjar—demonstrating how closely the two militaries are working together against ISIS.
ERBIL, Northern Iraq — The morning after the attacks in Paris that left 129 dead, the U.S. officers manning the coalition’s control room hadn’t yet heard that the killings had been claimed by ISIS, the same foe they were pounding with munitions from warplanes in the sky above Iraq.
“I don’t think they [ISIS] are gaining strength,” President Obama told ABC before the Paris attacks, while also admitting that “What we have not yet been able to do is to completely decapitate their control and command structures.”
The Daily Beast visited the operations room on Saturday, the day after the Kurds had recaptured the city of Sinjar from ISIS with close Americans air support. During the battle for Sinjar, U.S. and coalition special forces advisers were positioned on Sinjar Mountain above the city where the fight was taking place to help the Kurds pick targets, a demonstration of how closely the Americans are working with the Kurds to take and hold ISIS territory.
WNU Editor: While reading this post I lost count on how many people are involved in approving a U.S. air strike.
Update: U.S. drones have been striking Islamic State members planning attacks in America (Washington Post).
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