Russians & Rooks.

This is coolbert:

What the reporter means to say is that Iranian combat aircraft as piloted by Russians attack ISIL combat units.

"Russia and Iran attack ISIS Jihadists"

To defeat ISIL those Kurds and Iraqi national army units will require a lot of CAS [close-air-support]. That CAS perhaps coming from a surprising source.

"My contacts in Kurdistan are now saying that many of these attacks are being launched by the Iraqi air force. The only problem is that the US government has not sold airplanes to Iraq, but Russia has armed them with SU-25s. These are Russian jets bearing an Iraq insignia and are piloted by Russian pilots since Iraq does not have trained aviators to handle the jets."

"Kurdish leaders have also said that the greatest assistance being received in Erbil on the ground is from Israel, not the United States."

Su-25 Russian ground attack aircraft. Called a "Frogfoot" by NATO and a "Rook" by the Russian.

Combat warplanes as supplied to the Iraqi by the Iranian and flown by Russians. Also personnel on the ground to maintain, arm, fuel, etc.

See previous blog entries regarding the "Rooks":

http://militaryanalysis.blogspot.com/2014/07/rooks.html

http://militaryanalysis.blogspot.com/2014/08/su-25-rook.html

coolbert.