New data shows that Obama's ISIS plan may actually be working

[applegrove]

New data shows that Obama's ISIS plan may actually be working

Martin Matishak, The Fiscal Times at Business Insider

http://www.businessinsider.com/new-data-shows-that-obamas-isis-plan-may-actually-be-working-2015-12

"SNIP............


An analysis by HIS Jane’s Conflict Monitor team estimates that ISIS lost nearly 800 square miles, or 14 percent, of its territory in 2015. The terror group, while still in control of large chunks of land and cities inside Iraq and Syria, was routed along Syria’s northern border with Turkey, which has long been a concern of the U.S. and its allies as a major causeway for jihadists.

The rollback can largely be credited to Kurdish forces, known as the Peshmerga, who have become the critical ally on the ground in the anti-ISIS fight. Jane’s estimates that the Kurds expanded the territory under their control by 9,800 square miles, or 186 percent, in the last calendar year.

But for every action, there is an opposite reaction: ISIS drove deeper into western Syria and captured the Iraqi city of Ramadi, which was a major blow to the government in Baghdad.

The estimates come at a critical time for the U.S.-led effort against ISIS. Iraqi forces are now engaged in a bitter fight to retake Ramadi from the extremist group. Earlier this month Defense Secretary Ash Carter said Iraqi progress in retaking the city had been "disappointingly slow” but the picture seems to be improving.



...............SNIP"

[2naSalit]

1. But, but, but

the Repugs say that he's weak and feckless!

[spanone]

2. when christie said that the other day, i wished i could've slapped the shit out of him

[2naSalit]

4. I had the same reaction

along with a serious case of nausea.

[Thinkingabout]

3. Same rattle from the GOP, they did things their way in the Bush adminstration, now

Obama did not only have to restore the relationships destroyed by Bush and now having to deal with terrorists created in the vacuum of the Iraq invasion.