The U.S. and its global partners have adapted their strategies in attacking ISIS by backing a new group in the northern region of Iraq and Syria. Last week, a major offensive movement took place as the Kurdish Peshmerga and the Yazidi fighters, backed my American air support, pushed into Mount Sinjar in northern Iraq in order to reclaim the strategically crucial Highway 47 that connects Syria to Iraq from Mosul to Raqqa; as well as the city adjacent to Mount Sinjar inhabited by the religious minority, Yazidi people.
The Islamic State captured the region 15 months ago and punished the Yazidis with despicable actions for not practicing ISIS's form of Islam.
Evidence of this includes terrible findings discovered once the city was reclaimed, involving multiple mass graves around the city. This offensive backed by U.S. airstrikes was the most successful attack on ISIS thus far and the U.S. backing of the Peshmerga in the northern regions of Iraq and Syria must continue if we want to wrest control of the region from ISIS.
I implore the U.S. to continue backing the stronger and more adept Peshmerga fighters rather than pouring money and forces into the Iraqi army, an army that has proven its inability to fight against ISIS despite its resoundingly higher amount of soldiers. According to Al Jazeera, "Captain Nikolaj Thide, a spokesperson for the U.S.-led coalition, confirmed that to date, more than 11,500 Iraqi soldiers and volunteers have received training such as battlefield tactics, land navigation and infantry skills. But that is a small fraction of the more than 250,000 Iraqi soldiers available, in addition to the thousands of tribal militias."
I disagree with this tactic because only the tiniest fraction of soldiers there are actually receiving any training and even the trained soldiers are unable to fight against the much more organized and skilled fighters of ISIS.
According to the Washington Post, "Iraqi security forces fled Ramadi without putting up a fight, despite holding as much as a 10-to-1 advantage over Islamic State militants, according to two senior U.S. defense officials."
The same situation occurred in the city of Mosul as militants dropped their arms and supplies mainly funded by Americans due to a lack of leadership among other problems. These retreats resulted in widespread chaos throughout the cities as rapes and murders were perpetrated by ISIS fighters.
If we are to continue the success enjoyed in Sinjar, we must continue more coordinated and better organized offensives in other regions by working more with other government, such as the newly more involved French, as well as other allies. The U.S. and its allies need to use this momentum to reconquer Ramadi, Mosul and the rest of the territory that ISIS occupies.
I am not calling for American "boots on the ground," but more calculated and organized attacks on specific cities backed by American arms and intelligence could quickly crumble ISIS strongholds. We have seen it time and time again that arming various unorganized militias and groups with little to no experience is incredibly detrimental to the greater good of the region.
ISIS is getting scared and understand that the control over Iraq and Syria could soon slip. If we launch stronger offensives and capitalize on this momentum we can defeat the disgusting ISIS ideology.
Related Links:
Using force against ISIS is necessary
Interfaith vigil offers support, prayers for victims of ISIS
Reach the columnist at Graham.Paul@asu.edu or follow @GrahamASUpress on Twitter.
Editor’s note: The opinions presented in this column are the author’s and do not imply any endorsement from The State Press or its editors.
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