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Tim Mak, Daily Beast: Exclusive: Pentagon Map Hides ISIS Gains
The U.S. military presented evidence that it was beating back the so-called Islamic State but it doesn't even count coalition setbacks.
The Defense Department released a map last week showing territory where it is has pushed ISIS back, claiming that the terrorist group is “no longer able to operate freely in roughly 25 to 30 percent of populated areas of Iraqi territory where it once could.” This was touted as evidence of success by numerous news outlets.
Pushing ISIS back is clearly a good step. But the information from the Pentagon is, at best, misleading and incomplete, experts in the region and people on the ground tell The Daily Beast. They said the map misinforms the public about how effective the U.S.-led effort to beat back ISIS has actually been. The map released by the Pentagon excludes inconvenient facts in some parts, and obscures them in others.
WNU Editor: The Pentagon continues to push their case that the Islamic State is losing .... Pentagon: Strikes forcing ISIS to move weapons, fighters back to Syria (The Hill). What's my take .... Charles Lister is correct when he says the following ....
.... “A far more important facet of assessing our success or failure is measuring ISIS’s capacity to continue offensive operations and to reach beyond its lines of actual control. In that respect, I’d say ISIS has been very minimally challenged since August 2014 and its only this kind of measurement that will persuade local actors on the ground that ISIS is losing,” Lister told The Daily Beast.
An analysis that it appears the Pentagon does not want to be publicly disclosed or discussed.
1 comment:
Amerli is marked ISIL. I thought they were driven out. That is worrisome.
Jurf As Sakhar was a 'Bridge Too Far' for ISIS. Their loss there is not a big deal IMO.
The only thing that should concern ISIS is the loss of territory in Diyala and what the Kurds have taken back.
The loss of most of Tikrit is a little worrisome for them.
Pretty much everywhere else ISIS is holding or expanding. Their loss of Kobane was a one-off due to American air power. The Syrian Kurds are not cowards, but when 'concerned' (troll) nations and other nations like Turkey ensure you get very few weapons, there is not much they can do.
Iran could put more assets in the field. IMHO they prefer to see Iraq bleed until the only Iraqis standing our militias trained like Hezbollah and are as friendly to Iran as Hezbollah. It is much in Iran's favor for the Iraqi army fail and be replaced by Shia militias and for Iraqis to thank them for saving them. the Ia is pa potential center and competitor for power. It would not hurt Iran of other competitors like Sadr had their militias savaged and brought to heel.
The ISIS attacks around Qaboun are worrisome as the SA cleared 3 towns on the route form Damascus to Homs. Now those gains of 6 months or a year ago might be taken away.
If Yemen goes badly Saudi Arabia might give ISIS aid while the build their north border wall to goose the downfall of Assad and thus hurt Iran badly. That is assuming that they do not already give aid. Obama will never test us unless he poll test sit and it is to his benefit.
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