What Is The Real News Coming From Iraq And Syria

Yesterday’s Real News Out Of Iraq and Syria -- Max Boot, Commentary

There were three big stories yesterday out of Iraq and Syria. Question: which is the most significant?

Story No. 1: The U.S. Navy and Air Force, in cooperation with five Arab allies (Bahrain, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and UAE) launched a series of air strikes and cruise missile strikes on ISIS targets in and around Raqaa, Syria. Separately, the U.S. launched air strikes against the Khorasan group, another jihadist terrorist organization in Syria, closely linked with the Nusra Front, which was said to be plotting attacks against Western targets.

Story No. 2: ISIS continued to attack the Kurdish area of north-central Syria, killing large numbers of people and pushing more than 130,000 refugees over the Turkish border.

Story No. 3: ISIS attackers in Anbar Province, Iraq, reportedly killed more than 300 Iraqi soldiers after a weeklong siege of Camp Saqlawiya where some 800 soldiers had been trapped. Few if any Sunni tribal fighters did anything to prevent yet another large Iraqi army formation from suffering annihilation. The Iraqi army showed itself unable to supply its soldiers or to fight effectively.

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My Comment: Max Boot's above analysis is spot on ... the continuing collapse of the Iraqi military and the continuing conquest of territory by the Islamic State are the big stories .... not the current U.S. airstrikes that will probably diminish with time as interest from Washington goes elsewhere.

Update #1: A must read commentary .... A Haunting Feeling About Obama -- Peter Wehner, Commentary

Update #2: Even the New York Times is getting nervous on President Obama's strategy .... Wrong Turn on Syria: No Convincing Plan (Editorial).