'Two and a Half Front War' is well under way

BBC ^ | March 4 2016 | Jonathan Marcus

[iowamark]

The war in Syria has not gone away, but the efforts to bring about a cessation of hostilities have succeeded in bringing about a partial lull in the fighting...

While much of the world's attention has been on Syria there have been significant developments in Iraq; some key pointers to important new capabilities being deployed; and more indications that preparations are under way to extend the anti-IS campaign to Libya.

For all the drama, hyperbole and tension of the nominating process in the US presidential race, what is happening now in Syria, Iraq and Libya is of crucial significance. Events there are shaping the world with which the next occupant of the White House will have to contend.

In Iraq, the IS-held city of Mosul is the next great prize...

So what might be termed "the two and a half front war" is well under way. Given time the US seems confident of a positive military outcome...

If anything, the relatively settled borders of the post-colonial era are now being called into question like never before.

It doesn't seem that long ago that President Obama seemed to have relegated the Middle East as a US interest, giving priority to a pivot towards Asia.

But the Middle East isn't going away.

In many ways its problems are on the move. And it is going to dominate US foreign policy during the early years of Mr Obama's successor - and probably beyond.

[Flintlock]

Next time, DON’T win the war, turn the place over to the enemy and then WALK AWAY.
It costs us men and $$$$$$$$$.
After all, you break it—you bought it, it’s YOURS.
Remember it, for next time.

.......AND trust me—THERE WILL BE A NEXT TIME. (Sooner than you think.)
(AND most likely in the same place, too.)

[PAR35]

I thought this was going to be about Russia fighting in the Ukraine and Syria, and was wondering where they were going to open a new front.

[Old Teufel Hunden]

Mosul is the big prize in the war against ISIS in Iraq. It’s the key, but from everything I have read I don’t believe our Generals have confidence that it can be taken this year, though Iraq wants to start the offensive this year. Rather than taking Mosul, why not go after a more obtainable objective. Defeat them in Fallujah and totally remove the threat of ISIS from in an around Baghdad. They aren’t launching these attacks on Baghdad from Mosul, they are from far closer like Fallujah. Mosul is close to ISIS’s center of power, it’s going to take a lot to remove them from there.