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‘Strategy’ fleeting term in Iraq

The Associated PressIslamic State forces, which last week destroyed this bridge on the Euphrates River to cut off the northern entrance to Ramadi, Iraq, appear to be getting stronger and not weaker.
The Associated PressIslamic State forces, which last week destroyed this bridge on the Euphrates River to cut off the northern entrance to Ramadi, Iraq, appear to be getting stronger and not weaker. The Associated PressIslamic State forces, which last week destroyed this bridge on the Euphrates River to cut off the northern entrance to Ramadi, Iraq, appear to be getting stronger and not weaker.

By Opinion Free Press 3 min read

If President Obama’s words about United States strategy against the Islamic State sounded familiar, they should. He said virtually the same thing last August.

The U.S., he said Monday during the G-7 summit in Germany, lacks “a complete strategy” for training Iraqi forces to fight the terror group. Ten months ago, he said “we don’t have a strategy” for defeating the Islamic State.

Now, no one assumed the Islamic State would be taken out in one fell swoop, and it certainly is realistic to expect Iraqis to take the major role in defending their country.

But 10 months is a long time to get your strategy together.

In that time, the Islamic State has made ground gains in both Syria and Iraq, has continued to be supplied with recruits and appears to have an unlimited supply of money.