BEIRUT — When world leaders convene for the U.N. General Assembly this week, it will be a year since the U.S. president declared the formation of an international coalition to “degrade and ultimately destroy” the Islamic State terrorist group.
Despite billions of dollars spent and thousands of airstrikes, the campaign appears to have made little impact.
The terrorist group may control slightly less territory than a year ago, but it continues to launch attacks and maintains key strongholds in Syria and Iraq. The terrorists’ reach has expanded to other countries, including Libya, Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula and Afghanistan.
U.S.-led airstrikes helped Syrian Kurds hold the strategic border town of Kobani in January, and seize another key border town, Tal Abyad, this summer. But a much-touted offensive to oust Islamic State terrorists from the Iraqi city of Ramadi remains stalled; there have been grave losses among the few Syrian rebels trained by the U.S. to fight the Islamic State; an Islamic State-free zone announced by Turkey and the U.S. has failed to materialize.
At the same time, growing concern about the Syrian refugee crisis and reports that the Islamic State may be planning attacks against Europe may spur some countries to get more involved in the anti-Islamic State coalition. On Sunday, President Francois Hollande announced that French jet fighters had carried out their first airstrikes against targets in Syria. France had previously limited its air campaign to targets in Iraq.
But short of sending in ground forces — an option Western countries are not willing to entertain — the stalemate in the war against the Islamic State group is likely to persist.
“Quite simply, the countries best-placed to contribute meaningfully to the anti-(Islamic State) effort do not share the same interests in Syria,” said Faysal Itani, a resident fellow at the Atlantic Council.
The Russian military buildup of aircraft, missiles, tanks and other equipment is complicating the fight against terrorists in Syria.
Russia’s declared purpose is helping the government of President Bashar Assad battle the Islamic terrorists, and Moscow has urged the West to go along. In an interview broadcast ahead of his meeting on Monday with President Barack Obama, Russian President Vladimir Putin sharply criticized U.S. military support for Syrian rebels, describing it as illegal and useless.
The Obama administration is concerned that Russia’s real intention is to shore up Assad and strike at other factions seeking to topple him under the pretext of fighting international terrorism.
