Kobani Key to U.S. Strategy Against Islamic State

AP ^ | October 17, 2014 | Lara Jakes

[GonzoII]

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Dusty and remote, the Syrian city of Kobani has become an unlikely spoil in the war against Islamic State militants - and far more of a strategic prize than the United States wants to admit.

Perched on Turkey's border, the city of about 60,000 has been besieged for weeks by IS fighters. Kobani is now a ghost town: the U.N. estimates that fewer than 700 of its residents remain as its people flee to safety in Turkey.

The Obama administration has declared Kobani a humanitarian disaster, but not a factor in the overall strategy to defeat the Islamic State group.

"Kobani does not define the strategy of the coalition with respect to Daesh," Secretary of State John Kerry told reporters in Cairo earlier this week, using an Arabic acronym for the Islamic State group. "Kobani is one community, and it's a tragedy what is happening there, and we don't diminish that." But, Kerry said, the primary U.S. military focus is in neighboring Iraq.

But this week, the U.S. dramatically upped its air power strikes against IS in and around Kobani, including 53 strikes over the last three days alone. Several hundred IS fighters were killed, the Pentagon said.

Now, the U.S. cannot afford to lose Kobani, said Robert Ford, the former U.S. ambassador to Syria. That means the city's fate is tied, in part at least, to the success of the U.S.-led strategy against the Islamic State.

[GonzoII]

"And if it falls nonetheless, then it makes it looks like the U.S. military couldn't contain that, and that's how it would be seen in the region."

[tacticalogic]

Meanwhile, back in Baghdad.....

[JLAGRAYFOX]

Idiot, moron POTUS Obama...just don’t get it....Kobani is not the key....never was....the ISIS prize is first, Bagdad International Airport, then the USA embassy & staff and then the entire city fo Bagdad, and then Iraq & Syria!!! Obama has fallen for a simple historic diversion military scheme!!! ISIS either has his number or, he is in bed with them....take your choice!!!

Take the airport, while the USA centers on Kobani......when the airport is taken, the USA embassy staff cannot effectively evacuate, they will be captured and held hostage by ISIS and used as tools to force the USA to give up the city of Bagdad. Then onto taking control of all of Syria & Iraq...then the next takeover attempt will be the state of Jordan!!! Obama is asleep at the wheel or hs is one of them, ISIS!!! Sad!!!

[Texas Fossil]

If Kobone is suddenly “Key to strategy” why doesn’t the Obozo administration “arm them” as they have pleaded for?

The answer, they never intended to do anything for the Kurds until public opinion illuminated these treacherous vermin who are playing with Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Iran.

The Kurds only asked for heavy weapons similar to what ISIS was assaulting them with. Anti-tank weapons, heavy machine guns (50BMG) and guns and ammo.

They never asked for the air strikes, but are elated with any assistance. And the air strikes have been pretty effective since the Kurds were able to target the strikes.

Obozo create ISIS and he really wants no part of destroying them. But he looks so stupid that he finally had to make some small gesture.

[refermech]

Whatever the admin says, the opposite is true.

[Attention Surplus Disorder]

This is the kind of article that is really a stupidogram. The AP hadn’t heard of of whatever a Kobani is ten days ago. Suddenly, they are military experts, calling a serious piece of strategy like it’s a baseball game, and a little league one at that. Pissants.