U.S.-led Coalition Declares ISIS Forces Vanquished, Battle for Raqqa Over
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Jason Burke, a respected journalist, has a lengthy commentary; which is sub-titled: Islamic State’s last stronghold, Raqqa, has fallen. But the world’s attention must now focus on what it or other Islamist groups will plot next.
Link:https://www.theguardian.com/world/20...iraq-islamist?
A couple of quotes:Quote:
Raqqa may have fallen, but if Isis is down, it is far from out.....It is clear that any victory over Isis is partial. The recent military offensive has not been accompanied by a parallel political effort.(He ends with) So let us celebrate the defeat of Islamic State and its hateful so-called caliphate – and keep a wary eye out for the next fight.
An interesting 'Slate' article; which ends with:Link:http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/foreigners/2017/11/terrorist_acts_like_the_new_york_vehicle_attack_ar e_losing_their_ability.html?Quote:
Some officials in Western governments say they believe terrorism is just part of the modern world, and policies should be oriented toward building resilience against it. ISIS may have helped accomplish this goal by making terrorism seem a part of everyday life, making it fail to achieve its intended objective—to terrify.
Professor Paul Rogers has a short commentary that opens with:Link:https://www.opendemocracy.net/paul-r...lus-expertise?Quote:
In the ashes of the caliphate lie the seeds of a new and even more dangerous ISIS.
(Concludes) But it does indicate the sheer amount of knowledge and expertise that ISIS and related groups accrued in this latest phase of conflict. Far from disappearing, these will be put to use in perhaps unexpected ways. It is another reason why the "war on terror", even as it takes different forms, is likely to continue.
Within Paul Roger's article are two links to short reports on how ISIS gets its weapons.
The shortest is via a Balkan new website, which highlights:Link:http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/arti...ort-12-15-2017Quote:
...more than half of ISIS’s new weapons in Syria came from Bulgaria.
The second via 'Wired' is a far longer report on CAR's on-site inspector, which is a good read too, especially the factories in Tel Afar.
Link:https://www.wired.com/story/terror-i...-supply-chain/
The main report is by a NGO, Conflict Armament Research using open sources and on-site inspection. Their summary:Link:http://www.conflictarm.com/publications/Quote:
This report is the result of more than three years of field investigation into Islamic State supply chains. It presents an analysis of more than 40,000 items recovered from the group between 2014 and 2017. These items encompass weapons, ammunition, and the traceable components and chemical precursors used by the group to manufacture improvised explosive devices.
A "lurker" recommended this report by Ash Carter, ex-Defence Secretary, published by the Belfer Center in October 2017.
Link to a two page summary:https://www.belfercenter.org/sites/d...ager%20web.pdf
The full report:https://www.belfercenter.org/LastingDefeat
He refers in July 2015 to:This seems an odd statement:Quote:
Intelligence on ISIS was almost entirely lacking—we did not understand who our enemy was, where he was, or what he would do next.
A lengthy passage on Turkey and then this, not very diplomatic:Quote:
Iran has had virtually nothing to do with the liberation of Iraqi territory, and every Iraqi can see that.
Quote:
Regrettably, the Gulf countries have so fall fallen short of doing what they can. (In contrast) Singapore and Malaysia joined the counter-ISIS coalition: Singapore’s highly professional military contributed imagery analysts and an aerial refueling tanker to the fight in Iraq and Syria; and as a majority-Muslim nation, Malaysia’s public embrace of the fight against ISIS had major significance.
"In the opposite corner" is the main enemy ISIS.
Hassan Hassan, a journalist who writes for several papers and books, has this article, entitled:Link:https://www.theguardian.com/commenti...y-new-strategyQuote:
Its dreams of a caliphate are gone. Now Isis has a deadly new strategy; territorial losses in Syria and Iraq mean Islamic State militants are igniting bloody sectarian insurgencies elsewhere