Reclaiming Mosul: For Iraq Leaders, A Gap In Political Lessons Learned by Scott Peterson, Christian Science Monitor
Jihadist attackers of the Islamic State burned two humvees of Lt. Col. Helan Mahmoud Ali’s unit Friday morning, but did little to dent the Iraqi Army’s methodical advance on Mosul.
Backed up by US airpower, long-range artillery, Kurdish peshmerga forces and, further back, even Shiite militias, the Iraqi Army will inevitably expel the self-declared Islamic State from its last stronghold in Iraq, says Ali, echoing top Iraqi and American commanders.
Thousands of residents are reported to have been rounded up for use as human shields by IS – and some 200 executed for not following IS orders, according to the Associated Press. Jihadi tactics have so far included dozens of suicide car bombs, and booby-trapped towns criss-crossed with underground attack and escape tunnels.
The Iraqi Army has learned the military lessons of successive battles against IS, and is applying them to the Mosul fight – planning to deploy only federal troops inside the Sunni-majority city, for example, while the Kurdish peshmerga tackle outlying villages, and Shiite militias accused of past anti-Sunni abuses are kept well away.
But analysts warn that – in sharp contrast – few political lessons appear to have been absorbed by Iraq’s Shiite ruling elite about the need to resolve issues for Iraq’s disenfranchised Sunni minority, such as inclusive governance, that helped feed Sunni anger and the spread of IS in Iraq.
Unless these issues are resolved, analysts say, this disconnect could mean that militarily expelling IS from Mosul may not prevent a new variation of IS from emerging, leeching off continued Sunni bitterness…
Comments
Every analysis I have read about Mosul is woefully incomplete.
There are strong reports that the coalition offensive delayed because Turkey wishes to expand its national influence if not boundaries to Mosul which it claims is theirs under international laws drawn after WWI.
At one point the offensive was delayed by bluster the Turks were ready to intervene if Kurdish forces lead the way and those rebels were a main component of the assault force.
While delayed the Islamic State moved much more quickly withdrawing fighters and leaders and then mounting a successful raid on Kirkuk.
Does Obama really want to bill himself as the head of this mess?
Plus the Iraqi troops are now being lead by Iranian leaning forces and leaders.
Everything we bled for and gained isn't even worth used toilet paper and I can't say I much admire Kilcullen's head in the sand we shouldn't do that again, exactly what? Succeed and then let the next admin give up? I am getting through Out of the Mountains but it needs to be seriously critiqued not read like a prayer book.
I felt Bush had the bull by the horns but Obama seems to enjoy being gored.unknown but not inexplicable ideologically. Because in the latter matrix failure is measured success for reasons ideological.
Meanwhile the human casualties and tragedy known as Syria is reaching the proportions of pre-invasion Hussein -land and remains totally out of control with Russian, Iranian, and Syrian bombers hitting anything beneath their wings without the censor US forces get even by accident.