US gets support. Now, sustainability matters
After months of dithering over how to respond to the global threat posed by the Islamic State, it is heartening to note that the international community has finally managed to get its act together and launch sustained military action against the terror group. Though there are almost no boots on the ground at this time, the US and France (which joined the fight last week), have expanded their campaign in these past few days. On Tuesday, the US struck IS targets in Syria for the first time, using cruise missiles, drones and warplanes. The group's headquarters in Raqqa were also bombed, and reportedly some senior jihadi leaders were killed. large-scale foreign military intervention in Iraq and Syria remains a controversial issue — both in the West and in West Asia — given how America's last two wars have unravelled. US President Barack Obama, who came to office promising that he will end the “dumb wars” begun by his predecessors, has been understandably reluctant to sanction any new combat ventures. last year's debate over US airstrikes in Syria, after the Bashar al-Assad regime supposedly crossed a ‘red line' with a chemical weapons attack, did not make it any easier for him. Nevertheless, given how rapidly the Islamic State has gained strength, not acting against the group — which now controls large swathes of territory in Iraq and Syria — was no longer an option. On Wednesday, Mr Obama also chaired a meeting of the UN Security Council during which a resolution to defeat the Islamic State was considered. Irrespective of its fate, the campaign has already received its biggest boost — support from key Arab states.
Earlier this week, the Pentagon confirmed that five regional powers — Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Qatar and Bahrain — had officially joined the coalition to fight the Islamic State. Turkey, which had been reluctant as the Islamic State was holding 41 of its citizens, has also agreed to step in, now that the hostages have been released. This is a major development for two reasons: First, it gives greater legitimacy to what would otherwise have been yet another Western campaign in West Asia. Second, while the Arab world has had a cosy relationship with the West, joint military campaigns such as this are extremely rare. However, despite the recent show of unity, the Arab states' roles in the campaign against the Islamic State remain unclear. Of the five, Jordan is the only one to have publicly acknowledged carrying out airstrikes. This is possibly because, after Iraq and Syria, it faces the biggest threat from the Islamic State which has already breached its borders. The only problem is that Jordan's Air Force is not the best of the lot. Saudi Arabia (followed by the UAE), has the strongest fire-power. But their contribution may remain limited to allowing America free access to their airspace and military bases. The same will also be true for Bahrain, which has the smallest Air Force.