About eight months ago, I started writing about the threat of ISIS forces in Syria taking the city of Ayn al Arab (which is now more commonly known by its other name Kobani.) Taking that city would have given ISIS control of most of the Syrian border with Turkey and it would also have meant that ISIS forces had consolidated their power over a large area, an outcome which would have allowed ISIS to redeploy its forces for further gains elsewhere. The fall of the city would also have led to enormous slaughter of its inhabitants since many were from ethnic or religious groups not "favored" by ISIS.
When the attack on Kobani first began, the Kurdish forces in the area resisted. They were outnumbered and outgunned by ISIS, but they did not give up. Turkey prevented other Kurds from joining the defenders, but they did not give up. America promised weapons, but none arrived for months, but they did not give up. Finally president Obama approved air strikes on ISIS forces in the area, and that slowed the ISIS advance. The Kurds on the ground started to get some weapons as well. By the time that more force became available to the Kurds, they had lost nearly 80% of the city to ISIS forces. The Kurds fought on to their great credit. Over the weekend, the Kurds finally ousted the last ISIS forces from the city.
This was a crushing defeat for ISIS. For the first time, opposition forces (in the form of the Kurds) stood and fought against the terrorist army. Not only is it a propaganda loss, but it is also a strategic loss as well. The Kurds and all the others in the Middle East now can see that ISIS can be beaten. That is critical for the future. In addition, the entire northern flank of the ISIS forces is threatened by the Kobani Kurdish forces. This requires ISIS to keep a large chunk of its army tied down to prevent the loss of further territory to these Kurds. It makes ISIS in Iraq and elsewhere in Syria much weaker.
The world owes a debt of gratitude to the brave Kurdish forces in Kobani.
When the attack on Kobani first began, the Kurdish forces in the area resisted. They were outnumbered and outgunned by ISIS, but they did not give up. Turkey prevented other Kurds from joining the defenders, but they did not give up. America promised weapons, but none arrived for months, but they did not give up. Finally president Obama approved air strikes on ISIS forces in the area, and that slowed the ISIS advance. The Kurds on the ground started to get some weapons as well. By the time that more force became available to the Kurds, they had lost nearly 80% of the city to ISIS forces. The Kurds fought on to their great credit. Over the weekend, the Kurds finally ousted the last ISIS forces from the city.
This was a crushing defeat for ISIS. For the first time, opposition forces (in the form of the Kurds) stood and fought against the terrorist army. Not only is it a propaganda loss, but it is also a strategic loss as well. The Kurds and all the others in the Middle East now can see that ISIS can be beaten. That is critical for the future. In addition, the entire northern flank of the ISIS forces is threatened by the Kobani Kurdish forces. This requires ISIS to keep a large chunk of its army tied down to prevent the loss of further territory to these Kurds. It makes ISIS in Iraq and elsewhere in Syria much weaker.
The world owes a debt of gratitude to the brave Kurdish forces in Kobani.
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