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Strategy, not slogans, key in IS fight Strategy, not slogans, key in IS fight
(about 2 hours later)
The focus on sound-bite slogans such as no U.S. “boots on the ground” and “what will victory look like?” misses the key point of President Obama’s plan to lead a multinational coalition in the fight against the terrorist group that calls itself the Islamic State.The focus on sound-bite slogans such as no U.S. “boots on the ground” and “what will victory look like?” misses the key point of President Obama’s plan to lead a multinational coalition in the fight against the terrorist group that calls itself the Islamic State.
What Americans should hold Obama to were the statements in his radio address Saturday.What Americans should hold Obama to were the statements in his radio address Saturday.
The Islamic State’s main threat today is “to the people of Iraq, Syria and the broader Middle East,” he said. “It’s more effective to use our capabilities to help partners on the ground secure their own country’s futures. . . . We will use our air power. We will train and equip our partners. We will advise and we will assist. And we’ll lead a broad coalition of nations who have a stake in this fight. This isn’t America versus ISIL [the Islamic State]. This is the people of that region versus ISIL. It’s the world versus ISIL.”The Islamic State’s main threat today is “to the people of Iraq, Syria and the broader Middle East,” he said. “It’s more effective to use our capabilities to help partners on the ground secure their own country’s futures. . . . We will use our air power. We will train and equip our partners. We will advise and we will assist. And we’ll lead a broad coalition of nations who have a stake in this fight. This isn’t America versus ISIL [the Islamic State]. This is the people of that region versus ISIL. It’s the world versus ISIL.”
What happens if the new Shiite-led Iraqi government begins to break apart, with Kurds and Sunni tribal leaders thinking of their own futures rather than remaining united against the Islamic State?What happens if the new Shiite-led Iraqi government begins to break apart, with Kurds and Sunni tribal leaders thinking of their own futures rather than remaining united against the Islamic State?
In a little-publicized answer Thursday before the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Secretary of State John F. Kerry said, “Let me tell you, if the government in Baghdad doesn’t keep up their end . . . then they’re going to have trouble seeing the United States of America do the things they need to do.”In a little-publicized answer Thursday before the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Secretary of State John F. Kerry said, “Let me tell you, if the government in Baghdad doesn’t keep up their end . . . then they’re going to have trouble seeing the United States of America do the things they need to do.”
For me that means no “surge” of U.S. forces like the one in 2007, when President George W. Bush sent 30,000 troops to Iraq.For me that means no “surge” of U.S. forces like the one in 2007, when President George W. Bush sent 30,000 troops to Iraq.
Obama already showed he can resist Baghdad’s calls for help.Obama already showed he can resist Baghdad’s calls for help.
Beginning last year, as the Sunni-led Islamic State took parts of Iraq that were home to Sunni majorities — Fallujah and Mosul — the United States received increasingly dramatic requests for support from Iraq’s then-prime minister, Nouri al-Maliki.Beginning last year, as the Sunni-led Islamic State took parts of Iraq that were home to Sunni majorities — Fallujah and Mosul — the United States received increasingly dramatic requests for support from Iraq’s then-prime minister, Nouri al-Maliki.
Kerry told the House Foreign Affairs Committee, “I was chomping at the bit and agonizing over that, watching these [Islamic State] convoys, and you’d see them on CNN and you’d say why aren’t we doing this or that.”Kerry told the House Foreign Affairs Committee, “I was chomping at the bit and agonizing over that, watching these [Islamic State] convoys, and you’d see them on CNN and you’d say why aren’t we doing this or that.”
Obama was pressing Iraqi leaders to replace Maliki, who had “politicized and helped corrupt the Iraqi forces . . . [which] created the power vacuum that allowed the Islamic State to win so much territory,” said Anthony Cordesman, an intelligence expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.Obama was pressing Iraqi leaders to replace Maliki, who had “politicized and helped corrupt the Iraqi forces . . . [which] created the power vacuum that allowed the Islamic State to win so much territory,” said Anthony Cordesman, an intelligence expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.
As Obama would put it later, he had no intention of “being the Iraqi air force.”As Obama would put it later, he had no intention of “being the Iraqi air force.”
Kerry told the panel, “If we had begun to do that [bombing Islamic State units] . . . we might have actually interrupted, if not prevented, the capacity of the Iraqi government to have a new government.”Kerry told the panel, “If we had begun to do that [bombing Islamic State units] . . . we might have actually interrupted, if not prevented, the capacity of the Iraqi government to have a new government.”
By delaying, Obama gained time to begin assembling partners for the fight against the Islamic State.By delaying, Obama gained time to begin assembling partners for the fight against the Islamic State.
One result, according to Kerry, was that “an immediate billion dollars would be paid over” to the Kurds in Irbil by the new government — funds that Maliki had withheld. It was needed for back salaries to the pesh merga fighters and civil personnel.One result, according to Kerry, was that “an immediate billion dollars would be paid over” to the Kurds in Irbil by the new government — funds that Maliki had withheld. It was needed for back salaries to the pesh merga fighters and civil personnel.
Syria presents a different set of problems, as former defense secretary Robert Gates outlined Sunday on ABC’s “This Week.”Syria presents a different set of problems, as former defense secretary Robert Gates outlined Sunday on ABC’s “This Week.”
“Syria in a way is the embodiment of four different conflicts going on in the Middle East simultaneously,” Gates said. “The first is Shia Islam versus Sunni Islam. The second is authoritarians versus reformers. The third is secularists versus Islamists and then fourth is whether countries like Syria . . . that are comprised of historically adversarial ethnic groups, religious sects and so on, can hold together absent repression.”“Syria in a way is the embodiment of four different conflicts going on in the Middle East simultaneously,” Gates said. “The first is Shia Islam versus Sunni Islam. The second is authoritarians versus reformers. The third is secularists versus Islamists and then fourth is whether countries like Syria . . . that are comprised of historically adversarial ethnic groups, religious sects and so on, can hold together absent repression.”
Many armed groups oppose Syria’s Bashar al-Assad, but they distrust each other on leadership, making it hard for the United States to choose among them.Many armed groups oppose Syria’s Bashar al-Assad, but they distrust each other on leadership, making it hard for the United States to choose among them.
Here again, Obama has been criticized for delaying support to the anti-Assad forces, even after his top national security advisers in 2012 proposed that training moderate fighters should begin. Instead, last year he authorized a small CIA program in Jordan.Here again, Obama has been criticized for delaying support to the anti-Assad forces, even after his top national security advisers in 2012 proposed that training moderate fighters should begin. Instead, last year he authorized a small CIA program in Jordan.
With the rise of the Islamic State this year, Obama saw the chance to put together otherwise feuding Syrian groups against a common enemy. He agreed to go to Congress for $500 million to begin a multiyear Defense Department effort to train and equip small units of vetted Syrian fighters to go after the Islamic State, headquartered in their country.With the rise of the Islamic State this year, Obama saw the chance to put together otherwise feuding Syrian groups against a common enemy. He agreed to go to Congress for $500 million to begin a multiyear Defense Department effort to train and equip small units of vetted Syrian fighters to go after the Islamic State, headquartered in their country.
Congress approved it last week, and training at facilities in Saudi Arabia is to begin early next year. On Sept. 7, Obama insisted on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” “In Syria, the boots on the ground have to be Syrian.”Congress approved it last week, and training at facilities in Saudi Arabia is to begin early next year. On Sept. 7, Obama insisted on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” “In Syria, the boots on the ground have to be Syrian.”
Three days later, he said U.S. airstrikes against the Islamic State would expand beyond Iraq to Syria. Three days later, he said U.S. airstrikes against the Islamic State would expand beyond Iraq to Syria. The United States began bombing in Syria on Monday.
On Sunday, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Samantha Power said on “This Week” that Iraq’s request for U.N. assistance against the Islamic State included going after “safe havens in foreign countries — and what they mean by that, of course, is Syria.”On Sunday, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Samantha Power said on “This Week” that Iraq’s request for U.N. assistance against the Islamic State included going after “safe havens in foreign countries — and what they mean by that, of course, is Syria.”
That appeal, Power said, provides a legal basis under the U.N. charter for a strike against the terrorist targets in Syria.That appeal, Power said, provides a legal basis under the U.N. charter for a strike against the terrorist targets in Syria.
Obama’s plans against the Islamic State will need to be changed based on circumstances. That’s when the boots-on-the-ground mantra will be tested.Obama’s plans against the Islamic State will need to be changed based on circumstances. That’s when the boots-on-the-ground mantra will be tested.
For previous Fine Print columns, go to washingtonpost.com/fedpage.For previous Fine Print columns, go to washingtonpost.com/fedpage.