(Wall Street Journal) Editorial - The retaking of central Ramadi on Monday by Iraqi security forces was accomplished largely by the Iraqi military's Sunni forces with the help of local Sunni tribes, who were aided by U.S. training and weapons. The U.S. has picked up the pace of its assistance in recent weeks, inserting more special forces and supplying more arms. Tactical bombing by the U.S. has limited Islamic State movement, and shoulder-fired antitank weapons have been able to stop ISIS truck bombs from a distance. Shiite militias were kept out of the Ramadi military campaign. The Islamic State's success depends on projecting an aura of inevitable victory. Retaking Ramadi is the first step toward shattering that Islamist illusion.
2015-12-29 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive