US Department of Defense: Iraqis are incredibly skilled in counterterrorism operations
Shafaq News/ The region remainsvigilant as the terror group ISIS adapts its strategies in response tocoalition efforts, according to a report from the US Department of Defense, titled“Defeat-ISIS Group Adapts to Continue Pressure on Islamic State.”
In 2014, ISIS launched a violentcampaign across Iraq and Syria, threatening millions with a brutal regimecharacterized by murder, rape, and genocide. Unlike other terror organizations,ISIS aimed to establish a caliphate and sought to eliminate those who did notshare its ideology. “The ISIS genocidal moves against the Yazidi people in Iraqresulted in at least 5,000 deaths including the kidnapping and forcedconversion of tens of thousands, are a case in point of what their rule mighthave looked like,” the report affirmed.
At its peak, ISIS controlledsignificant territories, including Mosul, Iraq's second-largest city. However,the US-led Defeat-ISIS coalition has successfully liberated much of thisterritory, showcasing “a new and effective way of confronting this worldwidethreat.”
The report cited Alan Matney, theDepartment of Defense's coordinator for the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS,stating, “The terrorists no longer rule territory, but the ideology espoused bythe group continues, and there is still a need for the coalition.” Heemphasized the importance of adaptability, saying, “I think if we've learnedanything over the last 10 years of the coalition, then I would argue that thisthreat does not go away: It changes and it adapts.”
"Where we are right now, is weare at a normal and healthy stage where we are adapting, too."
Over the past decade, the coalitionhas shifted its focus from reclaiming territory to anticipating ISIS's nextmoves and potential targets. “Groups like ISIS just continually assess whattheir strengths are, assess what their weaknesses are and try to positionthemselves to take advantage of that,” Matney noted. “We do the same.”
Matney explained that ISIS aims tostretch its opponents thin, saying, “ISIS, very deliberately, wants us tooverreact or react in a way that is strategically impossible to maintain. Itwants us to use so many resources that individual countries just can't doit." He added, “The coalition really has been our key tool to counteringthat strategy. Collectively, we've spread the burden of opposing ISISeffectively, and we still are [effective] today.”
The coalition's approach hastransitioned from military confrontations to intelligence-sharing andcounterterrorism training for partner nations. In Iraq, the coalitioncollaborates closely with Iraqi security forces, with Matney asserting, “TheIraqis are incredibly skilled now in counterterrorism operations. They havebecome really skilled partners. We also have local partners in Syria who arehighly skilled and highly capable."
As a result of coalition successes,ISIS faces significant challenges in Iraq and Syria. ISIS now tries to operatein West Africa, Somalia, Afghanistan and Southeast Asia. “It's kind of seepingback into places where they are hard to find, requiring different approachesfor how you go after it,” Matney explained, emphasizing the coalition'sadaptability.
While the US has reduced itsmilitary presence in areas like Afghanistan and West Africa, Matney highlightedthe importance of its partners, stating, “While we don't have as much insightinto what is going on day to day, we have 87 partners, among our partners thatcan help us meet those needs.”
"In these other areas, where dowe have collective strengths? Who among our partners can help us meet thoseneeds?"
Matney also described the coalitionas “a unique multilateral organization” that operates differently fromconsensus-based entities like the United Nations or NATO. “When the coalitionstood up, we chose a different model,” he noted, highlighting the coalition'sagility. “I tell people, 'Every member gets a vote, but nobody gets a veto.'”This flexibility allows for effective responses even when some nations opt notto participate in certain operations.
The coalition's model has served asan example for other multinational efforts, with Matney citing the UkraineDefense Contact Group as a recent illustration. “This is not to say this is thenew template for everything, everywhere,” he cautioned. “But it is something wecan point to and say how it worked for us, and how it may be adapted in othercircumstances.”
Disclaimer: The views presented bythe author do not necessarily reflect the official standpoint of Shafaq NewsAgency.
