Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

New York Times Op-ed: Calm Down. ISIS Isn’t Winning.
New York Times ^ | 05/22/2015 | Ahmed Ali

Posted on 05/22/2015 1:29:00 PM PDT by SeekAndFind

WASHINGTON — THE fall of the Iraqi city of Ramadi on Sunday, and of the Syrian city of Palmyra on Wednesday, is a big gain for the Islamic State, but not an utter disaster, as many observers fear.

Rather than inducing panic in Western capitals, it should lead to a realistic assessment of the Islamic State’s strengths and weaknesses. One setback in a long war must not trigger hasty strategic shifts that lead to foreign countries’ becoming mired in Iraq once more.

Palmyra has economic and cultural significance, as it sits among gas fields and is home to renowned ruins. But Ramadi, in western Iraq, is of far greater military and strategic consequence.

The attack on Ramadi was a sign of desperation, not strength. It took 16 months of continual clashes with tenacious Iraqi security forces and loyal Sunni tribes before the Islamic State, also known as ISIS, could take Ramadi. Before it fell, the Islamic State already controlled half of the city. Its battlefield rivals were exhausted, and it wanted to give its adherents a psychological boost. Ramadi was a ripe target.

But the Islamic State is not on an unstoppable march. In Iraq, and to some extent Syria, it remains on the defensive. In April, the Islamic State’s defenses in large swaths of Salahuddin Province and the provincial capital, Tikrit, collapsed. In the north, Iraqi Kurds have contained the Islamic State. In Syria, Kurds supported by Iraqi pesh merga forces and by American airstrikes decisively defeated the group in the town of Kobani. Unlike the disastrous fall of Mosul in June 2014, the conquest of Ramadi hasn’t led to a collapse of Iraqi military units.

There is even a silver lining in the fall of Ramadi.

(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...


TOPICS: Egypt; Foreign Affairs; Israel; News/Current Events; Russia; Syria; US: New York; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: ahmedali; anbar; demagogicparty; egypt; iran; isis; isiscaliphate; israel; kurdistan; memebuilding; newyork; newyorkcity; newyorkslimes; newyorktimes; palmyra; partisanmediashill; partisanmediashills; ramadi; russia; syria; turkey; waronterror; whpropaganda; yemen
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-49 next last

1 posted on 05/22/2015 1:29:00 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: SeekAndFind

NYT’s......it must be true. Not to worry all is well.


2 posted on 05/22/2015 1:30:08 PM PDT by ColdOne (I miss my poochie... Tasha 2000~3/14/11)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SeekAndFind

A sure sign that ISIS *IS* winning.


3 posted on 05/22/2015 1:31:49 PM PDT by Attention Surplus Disorder
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SeekAndFind

Cue Baghdad Bob pic..


4 posted on 05/22/2015 1:31:52 PM PDT by cardinal4 (Certified Islamophobe..)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: cardinal4

Its the last of the ninth and we have “Casey at the Bat”.


5 posted on 05/22/2015 1:33:35 PM PDT by Don Corleone ("Oil the gun..eat the cannoli. Take it to the Mattress.")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: SeekAndFind

Phew!!

Boy am I glad to read this. I was getting kind of worried there for a bit.


6 posted on 05/22/2015 1:34:16 PM PDT by Maceman
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SeekAndFind
It isn't winning. It has won.
7 posted on 05/22/2015 1:35:37 PM PDT by fhayek
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SeekAndFind

8 posted on 05/22/2015 1:38:30 PM PDT by Bratch
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SeekAndFind

`Who you gonna believe? Us or your lyin’ eyes.’ The Old Gray Whore


9 posted on 05/22/2015 1:38:48 PM PDT by tumblindice (America's founding fathers: all armed conservatives.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SeekAndFind
"Never believe anything in politics until it is officially denied." Bismark

They announced today that they're going to purchase a nuclear weapon from Pakistan. Even allowing for the fact that nobody talks smack like these bearded a-holes, I think that might take the shine off 0bama's victory dance if it turns up going off over Tel Aviv or New York.

10 posted on 05/22/2015 1:38:53 PM PDT by Billthedrill
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SeekAndFind

Isis launched a major attack on Haditha today, the last major city west of Baghdad still not in ISIS hands.

Two French brothers died in a suicide bombing of the government barracks there.

Attack has been beaten off, but ISIS has occupied an industrial area just west of the city.

But yeah.. we’re winning, or sumpin’.


11 posted on 05/22/2015 1:39:42 PM PDT by tcrlaf (They told me it could never happen in America. And then it did....)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SeekAndFind

Nah...we’re just in the “let’s get them overconfident” stage.


12 posted on 05/22/2015 1:39:48 PM PDT by gorush (History repeats itself because human nature is static)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: cardinal4

CALM DOWN, ISIS IS NOT WINNING


13 posted on 05/22/2015 1:41:26 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: SeekAndFind

Tell that to the hundreds, maybe thousands of non-crazy non-Muslims who have been beheaded. Just can’t tell nowadays. It depends on how whatever particular cognizant newsqueer has for marching orders from Obama.

This is exactly the kind of dissembling, diversion and disorder issued forth by our Tyrant and his complicit media.

Soon, we’ll see that night when a couple hundred cantankerous legislators will be murdered in the night, then perhaps a burning at the Capitol, or in the associate office buildings. What kind of new Reich will we get?

Do you imagine these fools at NYT are going to play a part in education of the masses once they’ve done their deed?


14 posted on 05/22/2015 1:41:50 PM PDT by Gaffer
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SeekAndFind

You can always find someone to write your point of view. I’m sure this writer has extensive training and experience in military matters.


15 posted on 05/22/2015 1:42:16 PM PDT by 1Old Pro
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SeekAndFind
Thankfully, the Obama administration seems to recognize that beating the Islamic State on the ground is an Iraqi responsibility.

So when have we decided that each nation should defend itself without any ally troops on the ground?

16 posted on 05/22/2015 1:44:33 PM PDT by 1Old Pro
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SeekAndFind
Lessee: ISIS completes its seizure of al Anbar, part of the Kurdish territories, part of Syria and the goes own to finish Syria and seize Lebanon. Iran continues its progress with its allies in the Palestinian territories and south Lebanon and completes the development of their nuclear weapons and its long-range delivery systems. North Africa continues to move toward ISIS and continues to provide infiltrators into Europe.

At the same time, this administration punishes Israel and imports large numbers of Muslims into Detroit.

Well, this should be entertaining.

17 posted on 05/22/2015 1:45:17 PM PDT by Chainmail (A simple rule of life: if you can be blamed, you're responsible.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SeekAndFind

Actually, they ARE winning. With Imam Baraq’s assistance.


18 posted on 05/22/2015 1:46:00 PM PDT by Old Yeller (Civil rights are for civilized people.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SeekAndFind

Well, at least Palmyra used to be near renowned ruins. Who knows what’s going on there now?


19 posted on 05/22/2015 1:50:10 PM PDT by colorado tanker
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: 1Old Pro

Ahmed Ali is co-founder of the All-India Progressive Writers’ Movement.

The guy is a poet and short story writer by trade. He has a nice example of his fiction here.


20 posted on 05/22/2015 1:54:01 PM PDT by Obadiah (This is Bravo-6, we have Zips in the wire! I repeat, Zips in the wire.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-49 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson