Air Strikes Failing To Halt Is.

[Gromit]

// Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan has warned that a ground operation is needed to defeat the militants, fuelling concerns that US-led air strikes are doing little to halt Isil's advances.

"The terror will not be over... unless we cooperate for a ground operation," president Erdogan said in a televised speech in the eastern city of Gaziantep, adding that air strikes were not enough on their own.

"Months have passed but no results have been achieved. Kobane is about to fall." //

It is clear that air strikes are not working. Are they just for show? Is Obama too scared to tackle IS properly?

[Gromit]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/islamic-state/11146053/Turkey-calls-for-ground-invasion-of-Kobane-to-stop-Isil.html

[anotheoldgit]

Gromit

/// It is clear that air strikes are not working. Are they just for show? Is Obama too scared to tackle IS properly? ///

By saying that it seems you are in favour of America sending in 'Boots on the ground', but don't forget where they go we follow along in our usual poodle like fashion.

Why should it be the US's or even our responsibility, if Turkey thinks ground troops are needed, then let them send them in themselves, after all their country is big enough, and it is not as if they are solely taking on the rest of the world.

[Bazile]

I dont think that it is any suprise that air strikes are not working , given the enemy that they are fighting against .

Afterall , it's not like IS are a platoon of soldiers grouped in a single location that you can readily identify and swoop down on with your latest laser guided bombs .
The enemy i should think are moving from town to town , from house to house and so a air strike strategy , whils't it may have some sucess , it's only going to be very limited .

Boots on the ground is what's needed to acheive any meaningful impact and as we all know the obama administration - never mind any other government -are not keen to go down that route .

It's a difficult problem and one that is only going to get worse in the near future - IS knows that

[anotheoldgit]

Bazile

/// Boots on the ground is what's needed to acheive any meaningful impact ///

And that is exactly what IS wants, why give into their wishes?

[Old_Geezer]

Air strikes are no magic solution. They can hamper, and if there are static headquarters or other vital locations, can make a mess of them, but nothing is going to replace on the ground confrontation. They are good as a nuisance to the foe, and as backup to regular troops though.

[Old_Geezer]

You don;t cut off your nose to spite your face any more than you refuse to do what you must simply because the opposition hopes you might go ahead. You do what you must and show the opposition that was a mistake on their part.

[Bazile]

aog - that's why i said it's a difficult problem

[vulcan42]

Whatever happened to the drones that were told could follow insurgents for hours and then hit with pinpoint accuracy? The IS even have flags on their vehicles to help us.

[jim360]

IS may want to be careful what it wishes for. In the long run they would lose any military battle that involved fighting against so many troops. At the moment, IS is winning precisely because there are no boots on the ground -- or at least not enough. However the will needs to be there from local countries to tackle IS first. Turkey's lack of movement in turn stops other countries, chiefly the US, from placing boots on the ground.

But in practice there's no way that IS wants to get engaged in a war with the full US/ Turkish army. They have what the want now; only piecemeal efforts to stop them that aren't going to be enough.

[youngmafbog]

No, they won't and they are not intended to.

IS long term goal is to build a caliphate right across to Southern Spain, it's short term goal appears to be to antagonize the West into fighting a battle. I doubt they want boots on the ground, but I am pretty sure your man John knows they won't. I suspect what they are looking for is indiscriminate or large scale bombing which will, of course, have huge collateral damage which will play into their hands - 'Look what the West is doing to you'

The best thing to do is hold they at bay (to a degree since they are on the Turkish border now) and in one place. At least we know where they are. In addition most of the real nutters have gone there and so wont be thinking of bombing the street of the UK - yet.

Once we have a plan then the West will have to go in. But that plan must include the exit strategy. It will have to be pretty long term though.

A very difficult situation with no easy answer.

[Zeuhl]

I think we're going to bounce along for some time with many unpleasant, costly and unfulfilling steps along the way until it reaches the stage where it is appropriate to apply - let's not say 'Final Solution' - let's say 'Big Push'

[dannyk13]

If the ISIS manage to invade any part of Turkey then ,as they are a member, surely the UN will have to get involved.

[Bazile]

The sad and depressing thing is that even if we manage to ' defeat ' IS ; there will enevitable be another enemy rising up that we will then have to , once again deal with .

This problem will be with us for generations to come , i suspect

[mushroom25]

at present cannot see how a ground operation can be effective - the enemy aren't conveniently wearing black hats or any other identifying feature. you can't shoot every shalwar kameez wearing bearded male just in case he's an insurgent.

[ludwig]

// surely the UN will have to get involved //

You mean NATO. The UN won't do anything.

[dieseldick]

never mind who is to blame, all the world should be in it together and annialate these is vermin. i mean how to hell can all the forces in the world not go in a wipe them all out once and for all, i just cannot get my head around it.

[youngmafbog]

//I don't think our long term plan can be to use missiles costing £150,000 a chuck to take out pick-up trucks.//

The cost is somewhat a side issue. The forces have to fire these to practice anyway so might as well use a 'proper' target rather than an old WWII tank on Salisbury plain. Missiles do not have an infinite life either.

[youngmafbog]

Diesel, a knee jerk is not the answer. We must trad carefully and do things in our time not ISIS's.

[anotheoldgit]

jim360

/// IS may want to be careful what it wishes for. In the long run they would lose any military battle that involved fighting against so many troops. ///

And were the coalition troops successful in getting rid of the Taliban even after 13 years?