A new year for Daesh
The recapture of the Iraqi city of Ramadi from Daesh (Isis) has been hailed as a significant symbolic victory, and it is. But symbolic of what? The White House is claiming it as a sign that its strategy to defeat Daesh is working. But Ramadi could yet become a symbol of the world’s inability to handle the consequences of Daesh’s defeat.
We have been here a decade ago. In 2004, the recapture of Falluja by US troops was hailed as a turning point in the Iraq war. But the city’s recapture was not accompanied by a strategy to win over the support of the local population. The triumph was... This article is part of our premium content. Full story is available on Times of Malta Premium.