Reuters
Daveed Gartenstein-Ross, The Atlantic: ISIS Is Losing Its Greatest Weapon: Momentum
Evidence suggests that the Islamic State's power has been declining for months.
There was a time when the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria appeared unstoppable. In September and October, as the jihadist group captured territory through a major offensive in Iraq’s Anbar province, culminating in the fall of the town of Hit on October 13, observers feared that even Baghdad was in danger of being overrun. ISIS is now in the midst of another major military movement in Anbar, but the always-overblown fears about the organization’s advance are now receding—and the group’s decline has grown increasingly apparent.
ISIS’s signature attributes, ferocity and unpredictability, have raised the group’s profile and inspired a spate of lone-wolf attackers. But the organization has also made several strategic errors along the way. The Islamic State’s lifeblood is partially money and territory, but primarily momentum against weak and ill-prepared enemies. And that momentum, which peaked in early August, has stalled.
WNU Editor: Their momentum has declined .... but a part of me wonders if they are more focused on consolidating their territories instead of conquering new ones.
6 comments:
ISIS appeared unstoppable because there was no resistance. But then Russia entered the fray. The US phony war was exposed and it (along with Russia) had to use force against ISIS, which really only occupies a few cities and some highways, but which was supposedly a major challenge for "the finest military force the world has ever seen."
ISIS, which really only occupies a few cities and some highways
Actually Islamic State controls territory in eastern Syria and western Iraq. True, most of it is villages (and a few oil wells.) However, even at a reduced level, it controls around 25-28% of Syria (down from 35% back in July) and perhaps 15% of Iraq.
What is phony about the war except the Commander in Thief?
Has Obama ever been in a fist fight?
Fighting is not in his nature, unless it is verbally berating the the political opposition at home.
Dreams of my Father is pathetic. He teased a girl and smoked dope? Is that all we have of his school years. Hard to imagine the girl was bullied and not him to. It is hard to imagine that he never got into a fight unless he was a groveler.
"A 1999 national survey of high school students found that in the past year:
More than 1 in 3 students had been in a physical fight;"
http://keepschoolssafe.org/students/fighting.htm
2/3rds to the 12th power.
=POWER(2/3,12) = .007707
Obama is a statistical anomaly.
Putin would make a better U.S. president than Obama.
@Philip
Here's the Dec 22 map showing ISIS control in Syria, two cities and highways in the east, nowhere near 25%. ISIS has little or no control in western Syria where most of the people are. Iraq is similar.
"What is phony about the war except the Commander in Thief?"
On December 28th and 29th of 2015, the Coelition of Dodgy Opportunists flew 22 sorties, 12 of which carried out airstrikes in support of the Iraqi offensive on Ramadi, and the YPG attack on the Tigris. The other 10 aircraft returned to base with full weapons loads.
On December 28th and 29th of 2015, the RUAF alone, forces 128 sorties, targetting Jihadi C&C, the oil smuggling, and provided Air support for R+6 ground offensives across 4 Syrian Provinces, which recaptured one Airbase, two Army Bases, 22 villages, 6 towns, one city, dozens of strategic hilltops and over 150 miles of highway.
In addition, the "tired" and "worn out" SPAF flew 32 sorties in support of these offenses.
Post a Comment