INDIAN COMMENTARY SAYS POLITICAL SOLUTION TO SYRIAN WAR NECESSARY TO EFFECTIVELY CONTAIN ISIL

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: FOIA Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 06708881
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: December 28, 2022
• Document Release Date: September 19, 2018
• Case Number: F-2017-02575
• Publication Date: April 8, 2015

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ENVELOPE
ZNR UUUUU
HEADER
CONTROLS
UNCLASSIFIEDII
081159Z APR 15
FM OSC RESTON VA
UNCLAS
4Q44
CITE OSC RESTON VA 152350
WARNING: TOPIC: DOMESTIC POLITICAL, INTERNATIONAL POLITICAL,
MILITARY, TERRORISM
SERIAL:SAR2015031928188164
BODY
COUNTRY: IRAQ, SYRIA, UNITED STATES
SUBJ: (U) INDIAN COMMENTARY SAYS POLITICAL SOLUTION TO SYRIAN WAR
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Necessary To Effectively Contain ISIL
SOURCE: Kolkata The Telegraph Online in English
19 Mar 15 (U)
TEXT:
( (U) Commentary by Sankar Sen: "Terrible Foe"]
[INTERNET]
[OSC Transcribed Text]
(U) This product may contain copyrighted material; authorized use
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Any reproduction, dissemination, or use is subject to the OSC usage
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It seems that the tide is gradually turning against the Islamic
State. Its advance, which had seemed unstoppable, has been halted.
With the capture of Mosul from the Iraqi army last June, the IS had
been able to acquire a huge stockpile of arms supplied by America
to
Iraq, including anti-tank and anti-aircraft missiles and vast
quantities of ammunition. In its campaigns, the IS demonstrated its
capacity to launch successfully a mode of hybrid warfare that fuses
terrorist and insurgent techniques with conventional warfare. It
has
also shown its capacity to simultaneously launch complex operations
in Syria and Iraq. It first softens targets with heavy artillery
fire, then opens breaches with suicide bombings, and follows it up
with attacks with Humvees fitted with guns from all sides. The IS's
speed, willingness to suffer casualties and its savage treatment of
prisoners scare away its opponents.
The IS now occupies a vast area of Syria and Iraq, an area
equalling
the size and population of Jordan. It is estimated that it has more
than 30,000 fighters in action. Its strength is also augmented by a
large number of foreign jihadists. Barack Obama has called for
"degrading and ultimately destroying ISIL" and many countries have
joined the America-led coalition. The latter is training Iraqi
government forces and providing arms to Syrian and Iraqi Kurds. The
ground situation shows that the IS is no longer able to advance in
areas where the Shias and the Kurds are in the majority.
It is also suffering financially. Aerial bombings have destroyed
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many
oil installations; IS earnings from the sale of oil have plummeted
from $2.3 million in June 2014 to about $1 million a day. Banks
under
its control have run out of Cash. The income from hostage ransoms
has
also come down.
But in order to effectively destroy the IS, America will have to
gi
ve
up its policy of "no boots on the ground". Obama asked the Congress
for a fresh authorization for use of military force, endorsing
limited use of ground forces including ground troops against the IS
and .its allies. Domestic polls in America show that after the
murder
of the American human right's activist, Kayla Mueller, America now
views the IS as a serious threat to its security, but is not in
favour of sending ground troops if air strikes fail to provide
expected results.
Now a plan for a big offensive by Iraqi and Kurdish forces to
recapture Mosul is afoot. It will have a positive effect. A
Caliphate
without territory will lose its legitimacy and appeal, and will
fail
to attract recruits from all corners of the globe. A Caliphate,
unlike the al Qaida, cannot go underground: The IS leader, Abu Bakr
al-Baghdadi, has already called himself the "commander of the
'faithful", a title reserved for the Caliph only. But the risks of
escalation are very high. Direct American intervention will provide
an enormous propaganda victory to the IS. It will also fuel the
suspicion that America Wants a modern-day crusade to kill Muslims.
This will encourage the worldwide recruitment of jihadis. It seems
that the present American strategy. to bleed the IS through aerial
bombings and a proxy war- is the best military option under the
given .
circumstances. Without expansion, the IS will lose its magical
appeal
and become like any other Middle Eastern Islamic state that has
failed to improve the lives of its people.
The end of the IS, however, is not going to come about soon. A
successful operation against it will only be practicable when they
can be eliminated from their heartland in eastern Syria. Fighting
the
terrorists is infinitely harder when they enjoy a haven. In Syria,
the continuance of the Assad regime creates a serious problem. A
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political solution to the Syrian war is necessary to effectively
contain the IS. Further, things can: go wrong if the IS wins the
allegiance of al Qaida, although at present there is a wide rift
between them. This will expand its base and make it a terrible foe.
[Description of Source: Kolkata The Telegraph Online in English --
Website of Kolkata's highest circulation English daily, owned by
ABP
Group, with a flagship publication Anandabazar Patrika in Bengali.
Known for 'in-depth coverage of east and northeast India issues, and
India-Bangladesh relations. Maintains an impartial editorial
policy;
URL: www.telegraphindia.com]
(U) This product may contain copyrighted material; authorized use
is
for national security purposes of the United States Government
only.
Any reproduction, dissemination, or use is subject to the OSC usage
policy and the original copyright.
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