IRAQ – The Iraqi military ran out of Hellfire missiles six days ago, and though the U.S. is rushing more missiles into the country, Iraq has only two modified Cessna aircraft to launch them in their battle against the radical Islamic militia ISIS.
ISIS has captured 28 tanks and shot down three helicopters, a significant percentage of the government force, and the militia killed an entire Iraqi Security Force brigade in the last couple of days at the border with Syria, which ISIS now controls.
The losses have left the Iraqi military with no offensive capability, and no real air force.
With the brigade at the border at Al Qaim wiped out, ISIS now controls the territory from Rubiya to Al Qaim. The tribes in Al Qaim tried to fight them, but ISIS unleashed a major artillery barrage, then a major assault, and they could not hold the back.

Taking Al Qaim opens up the entire Euphrates Valley to the insurgents, and ISIS has a safe haven across the border in Syria, which makes air strikes difficult.  (read more)

(VIA CNN)  Baghdad, Iraq (CNN) — A strategic border crossing and three other cities in western Iraq fell Saturday to the control of ISIS militants, a senior Iraqi security official said.
In addition to their offensives in northern Iraq, the militants have now strengthened their hand in the western province of Anbar, the country’s largest geographically, and were controlling Al-Qaim, Rawa, Ana and Huseiba, said the senior official, who’s based in Anbar.
Most importantly, the Islamic State in Syria and Iraq, or ISIS, controlled the strategic town of Al-Qaim on the border with Syria, where the enemy fighters enjoy a stronghold, Iraqi security officials said Saturday.
Together, the four towns are situated along a highway from Syria to Baghdad, heightening possibilities that the militants could now march from the west to lay siege to the Iraqi capital.
Iraqi government officials didn’t have an immediate comment, other than security officials saying they were expecting troop reinforcements in Anbar.
Also, the first retinue of U.S. military advisers was expected to arrive soon in Iraq.  (read more)