The Obama administration is
reportedly preparing a campaign to destroy the Islamic State militant group
that could outlast the president's remaining time in office, according to a
published report.
The New York Times, citing U.S. officials, reported
late Sunday that the White House plan involves three phases that some Pentagon
officials believe will require at least three years of sustained effort.
ADVERTISEMENT
The first phase, airstrikes against Islamic State,
also known as ISIS, is already underway in Iraq, where U.S. aircraft have
launched 143 attacks since August 8. The second phase involves an intensified
effort to train, advise, and equip the Iraqi army, Kurdish Peshmerga fighters,
and any Sunni tribesmen willing to fight their ISIS co-religionists. The Times
reports that this second phase will begin sometime after Iraq forms a new
government, which could happen sometime this week.
The third, and most politically fraught phase of
the campaign, according to The Times, would require airstrikes against ISIS
inside Syria. Last month, the government of Bashar al-Assad in Damascus warned
the Obama administration not to launch airstrikes against ISIS in Syria without
its permission.
No comments:
Post a Comment