Can the U.S. Defeat ISIS Without Removing Assad?

[webfact]

Can the U.S. Defeat ISIS Without Removing Assad?
Two months into its campaign against the Islamic State, the White House may be rethinking its strategy.
ADAM CHANDLER

WASHINGTON: -- In September, President Obama announced the American campaign to "degrade and ultimately destroy" ISIS, an operation defined in large part by what it wouldn't entail, namely "putting boots on the ground." Two months later, with ISIS stalled but not deterred, the whole American strategy against the militant group may be coming under review.

One of the top priorities is the question of what the U.S. posture should be toward Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad, whom Obama said in 2011 must go but who remains in power three years later. Many administration critics, both at home and abroad, have argued that the Syrian president is benefiting from the American strategy of directing focus and firepower on Assad's enemies in the Syrian civil war. American-led airstrikes have targeted not just ISIS, but also two separate groups in Syria that are battling the Assad regime.

Doing little to counter Assad's campaign of barrel bombs and mass civilian murder has come at a cost. The moderate (or "moderate") rebels the United States is seeking to empower in Syria feel alienated by American actions at best, and imperiled at worst. The U.S.-led coalition's focus on ISIS has freed up the Syrian government to launch attacks elsewhere in the country. Meanwhile, Turkey, the most important and reluctant ally in the international coalition, has refused to offer meaningful assistance unless plans to oust (or least confront) Assad make their way into the American strategy.

Full story: http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2014/11/can-the-us-defeat-isis-without-removing-assad/382735/

-- The Atlantic 2014-11-14

[RustBucket]

I think we all know that boots ARE going to go on the ground and the UK troops will be forced in there also.

Once again the west lied to by its leaders.

[ersl]

But IS/ISIS is CIA/MI6/Mossad so how can they beat themselves? S & M???

Who would explain the sudden disappearance of large numbers of secret agency personnel?

Israel has been treating injured IS in the Golan Heights, too.

UK is on the ground in Afghanistan now. Mybest mate's brother is there now on secret mission with other NATO undercovers too.

IS is BOOTS ON THE GROUND!

[Suradit69]

^{Yes they can.}

^{..and leave Assad in power..better than the alternatives.}

^{That would be major loss of face though.}

But removing Sadaam worked so well. What could go wrong this time?

20 Feb 2003 On The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer, Defense Secretary Donald

Rumsfeld predicts that American forces will be welcomed as liberators

by the Iraqi people: "There is no question but that they would be

welcomed... Go back to Afghanistan, the people were in the streets

playing music, cheering, flying kites, and doing all the things that

the Taliban and the al-Qaeda would not let them do."

http://www.rotten.com/library/bio/usa/donald-rumsfeld/

Edited November 14, 2014 by Suradit69

[ezzra]

Follow the money, their funding, their bankers, their suppliers of arms, their collaborators,

the countries who buy the oil from them, get them out of the way and ISIS will have the

life chocked out of them...

[SOTIRIOS]

...create a phantom enemy....

..use it as an excuse to start yet another war....invade the country....and do as you please....with 'just cause'......

....isn't everybody tired of this charade....or does it have to happen in your own back yard first....

...but then it will be too late.....

...imagine being obliterated...on a pretext......

[cup-O-coffee]

It truly is amazing how thin the US is spreading itself. I wonder when the elasticity is going to reach its limit.

It certainly cannot be that long.

[TheKnave]

Our president spent too much time reading, and lent too much creedence to all those Facebook posts during the Arab Spring (break). Sure, a bunch of iPhone-wielding students are gonna fill the vacuum left by the Alawite strongman, fearsome fighting force that they are.

Had he backed Assad, even covertly, none of this mess would have happened, and he would have still had the option of stabbing Assad in the back later, when the outcome might be better assured...

Boy Scouts at the helm.

What would Chuck Norris do?

[Travelman868]

^{Yes they can.}

^{..and leave Assad in power..better than the alternatives.}

^{That would be major loss of face though.}

Assad is not a saint but look at the alternative. Before the conflict Syria was in the main peaceful. There was religious freedom and girls were educated.

IS are prepared to kill anyone who does not agree with their distorted idea's, they do not care if they kill young children women or girls. They quote

from the Qur-an but are just animals

[coma]

Mass civilian murder ? Please ! That is what these rebel/ terrorist groups have been doing. NOT Assad.

[ggt]

To remove Assad...one would have to remove the Russians from Syria...Ain't gonna happen...

[SOTIRIOS]

[maidee]

is this still the time of the kings, where one would think, it would be nice to invade another country, let's slaughter as many people as possible and take the land and wealth , but don't count that any of my family will go, we have peasants and foot soldiers to do the dirty work for us ?

[pkspeaker]

this article is such a bunch of stupid shit, i especially like the way this idiot tells us how the 'moderate rebels feel' like he's so down with islamic militants.. the 'moderate' rebels are considered cock-sukers by the vast majority of the rebels and hold almost no territory, the territory they did hold is almost gone as fighters left to join al-nusra and isis.. w/o Assad alnusra& isis will have the entire syria and damascus and the syria airforce which has shown the capability to launch 200 sorties a day, its the 1 thing that is keeping isis at bay.. the notion that 'moderate rebels' would inherit syria if the syrian government was pounded into collapse is bullshit beyond words.

also the us backed iraqi regime also uses barrel bombs, the us itself pounded civilian area's like falluja when they were fighting these rebels so that is more bullshit

if nato is so opposed to barrel bombs then they can send assad some expensive sophesticated laser guided bombs on condition that he stop using the barrels, i'm sure he would aggree..

Edited November 15, 2014 by pkspeaker

[GlobalCtzn]

...create a phantom enemy....

..use it as an excuse to start yet another war....invade the country....and do as you please....with 'just cause'......

....isn't everybody tired of this charade....or does it have to happen in your own back yard first....

...but then it will be too late.....

...imagine being obliterated...on a pretext......

Best post on this thread by far! You understand the production being played out quite clearly, and your last line will resound in my head all day today I think................

[gk10002000]

Why should it be the US that is the only country trying to defeat ISIS?

[rbt]

I am torn between two evils: the US meddling in other people's affairs and the IS's religious crap. Let us hope they destroy each other, and then maybe we can get some peace in the world.

[Ulysses G.]

I am torn between two evils: the US meddling in other people's affairs and the IS's religious crap. Let us hope they destroy each other, and then maybe we can get some peace in the world.

I'm pretty sure that Iran, North Korea, Russia and numerous others will not allow that

- world peace - to happen.

Edited November 16, 2014 by Ulysses G.

[beechguy]

I am torn between two evils: the US meddling in other people's affairs and the IS's religious crap. Let us hope they destroy each other, and then maybe we can get some peace in the world.

Yea, I think the last time the U.S. tried that, the world gave us WW1 and WW2 to help finish for you.