Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- January 12, 2017

Riyadh Mohammed, Foreign Affairs: The Fight for Mosul

Why It's Taking Longer Than Expected

As the battle to retake Mosul from the Islamic State (also known as ISIS) stretches into its fourth month, the Iraqi army has won applause from the far corners of the globe. U.S. Brigadier General Rick Uribe said the Iraqi forces are “at their peak” and “will continue to improve because of the lessons they are learning on a daily basis.” Nevertheless, the battle is expected to last many more months.

AN ISIS STRONGHOLD

In June 2014, ISIS captured Mosul, Iraq’s second-largest city in the north, sending shock waves around the world. Within days, four Iraqi army divisions and police forces in four provinces collapsed, leaving ISIS in control of one-third of Iraq. Millions of civilians were displaced, and Christians were forced to leave. Within a month, ISIS would gain control of one-third of Syria as well and would declare an Islamic caliphate, the dream of every Islamist extremist. Soon ISIS was threatening Erbil, the capital of Iraq’s Kurdistan region, which provoked the United States to launch air raids to protect the city.

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Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- January 12, 2017

What more will it take to free Mosul from ISIS? -- Tim Lister, CNN

Iran, Mattis, and the Real Threat to U.S. Strategic Interests in the Middle East -- Anthony H. Cordesman, CSIS

In Its Nuclear Race With India, Pakistan Catches Up -- Stratfor

Military Intervention in The Gambia Now More Likely -- Thomas Murphy, The Cipher Brief

Cyprus peace talks: Can Cypriots heal their divided island? -- Selin Girit, BBC

Could The Divided Island Of Cyprus Reunite? -- Merrit Kennedy, NPR

Disunity and Impotence at the United Nations -- Spiegel Online

Is France ready for Marine Le Pen? -- Elizabeth Bryant, DW

Why Europe became a baby -- John Lloyd, Reuters

How Russia Decided to Allow a Little Domestic Violence -- Leonid Bershidsky, Bloomberg

Why Russia's Kremlin watchers take Trump dossier with a grain of salt -- Fred Weir, CSM

True or not, Russia allegations will scar Trump presidency -- Peter Apps, Reuters

How Tillerson testimony injects doubt into Trump foreign policy -- Howard LaFranchi, CSM

Inside LAX's New Anti-Terrorism Intelligence Unit -- Geoff MaNaugh, The Atlantic

Why Do We Fight? -- Alexander Amoroso, The Bridge