by Michael P. Dempsey
Why it matters: Like the mythological hydra, the Islamic State has remained resilient in addition to lethal, fifty-fifty afterwards losing its physical caliphate inward Republic of Iraq in addition to Syrian Arab Republic concluding year—continuing to thrive inward areas without local authorization in addition to legitimacy in addition to to recruit from vulnerable Sunni populations. Equally worrisome, the recent attacks demonstrate the group’s might to retain its followers; inward the twelvemonth since the autumn of Raqqa, no Islamic State branch has renounced its pledge of fealty. The details: Last calendar week inward southern Syria, the Islamic State conducted a serial of attacks that killed to a greater extent than than 200 people in addition to wounded 180 more. In Iraq, Islamic State fighters convey of late engaged inward hit-and-run attacks, kidnappings in addition to other criminal activities, alone a few months afterwards Prime Minister Abadi had declared the grouping defeated.
Meanwhile, inward Afghanistan, the Islamic State has launched several high-profile attacks inward Kabul inward the past times few months, including a deadly assail on a voter-registration center in addition to but about other on the Interior Ministry. Similar deadly attacks convey occurred inward Libya, Yemen, in addition to the Sinai.
What’s next: The Islamic State is currently focused on keeping a toehold inward Republic of Iraq in addition to Syrian Arab Republic in addition to embedding its supporters into local populations there. The group’s leaders undoubtedly calculate that but about other chance to find territory volition acquaint itself 1 time Baghdad in addition to Damascus examine unable, or unwilling, to rebuild shattered communities.
Islamic State leaders are encouraging overseas affiliates to acquit independent operations, specially attacks past times local citizens throughout the West. The grouping volition thence rest active inward the public’s eye, helping to create the perception of battlefield momentum in addition to attract recruits.
The bottom line: The events of the past times few months serve every bit a abrupt reminder that the Islamic State however poses a pregnant danger, that the weather that fueled its ascent convey non been adequately addressed, in addition to that inward the absence of a sustained, multi-pronged strategy to appear this threat, the Islamic State volition well-nigh surely find its Earth in addition to forcefulness its means dorsum to the transcend of America’s crowded safety agenda.
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