"Is ISIS Failing? 8 Questions to Consider" Topic

"The once fearsome Islamic State group, also known by the acronym ISIS, has fallen off the front pages. The big news from the Syrian battlefield is Russia's air campaign to prop up the regime of President Bashar Assad by attacking various rebel groups. These groups include the Islamic State almost as an afterthought, and Russia's aim is to construct durable air and naval facilities on the Mediterranean coast.

Targeting the other groups first, Moscow claims to have destroyed dozens of Islamic State manpower, storage, resupply, and training targets, but Russian President Vladimir Putin's credibility is zero. In any case, in Syria and Iraq, the Islamic State's ground war has stalled. Its recent successes comprise far-away suicide bombings that may be inspired by ISIS, rather than organized by it. Claims that the Islamic State is still gaining ground or even maintaining its strength call for skepticism. Here are some of the relevant questions:…"
Full article here
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Amicalement
Armand

Well, it appears that they just downed a Russian airliner, so they seem to be in the news here still, quite a bit.

They've also expanded into other countries, e.g. Afghanistan, Libya, and Yemen, last I recall, and perhaps even Somalia, so I disagree with the premise.

What is your opinion, Tango?

Well they seem to be doing a lot of damage and holding a lot of ground. As well as expanding their franchise to many other locations. And as noted it appears they did take down that Russian airliner.

And what it seems their expansion is certainly helped by locals jumping on the Daesh band wagon.

I'm betting whoever put that device on that airliner, was not inserted by Daesh proper. But rallied to the Daesh call for home grown locals to kill the infidel. We have seen this before in the US and Europe as well.

And don't forget, the very fundamentalist Moslem Brotherhood had it's roots in Egypt. And Christians are also killed, injured, churches burned down etc. in the former land of The Pharaohs, on many occasions.

Plus all the other situations with the leadership, elections, government, etc., … IMO it would be a good place for Daesh to recruit, yes ?

So overall IMO, Daesh is winning and everybody who isn't Daesh is losing. Too many places to point fingers. Regardless the locals just don't have the "mojo" to stop Daesh. No matter how much support the US/West/Russia gives them.

The fact Iraq and Syria have had to get assistance from Russia and little ground has been retaken I would cast my vote towards ISIS not falling down any. As Legion noted they are expanding into other regions so I see growth.

ISIS is a spent force in Syria and Iraq. They no longer pose a conventional threat in the region like they did when their "blitzkrieg" swept through large swathes of Syria and Iraq.

They are still a terrorist threat and a nuisance, but nothing more.

And as long as they are a threat they are not defeated …

And yet they continue to take new cities in Iraq, from time to time, and they still control what appears to me to be the majority of what we used to know as the country of Syria, so I would hardly call them a "spent force".

Like any insurgency, the DAESH bags will be difficult to root out. Fortunately for those living under DAESH rule, they're generally not very well liked.

It looks like the Russians are hurting them according to Patrick Cockburn who is a measured lad.

I was interested in what he has to say about the relative effectiveness of the two air campaigns here.

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In my opinion Russian intervention is, for those who sides with the good boys, a good thing because:
- they don't care a bit of politically correct approach to such kind of foe
- they will seriously make war
- they'll force those who wage fake war to ISIS and similar to get out from cover and hipocris

Regardless … for a variety of reasons … It's the locals' fight. In their back, front and side yards, etc. … And again for a variety of reasons very few it seems in the region have the "brass" to do the job. And when I say "Locals'", I include Turkey. The 2d largest military in NATO … who seem to only be interested in killing Kurds … not Daesh …

Again, regardless of vast amounts of training, supplies, assets, etc., etc., the US/West/NATO/Russia had, has, is, will provide …

If someone made us a nice dancing, cheerleader figure, similar to Dom's dancing banana, there would be no further questions required.

I'd love to see that, in at least two, or three color schemes, e.g. red and white, blue and white, yellow and white, etc..

It was a local fight primarily, I suspect, until they killed several hundred Russians on that downed airliner.

Now, I suspect, we are seeing the calm before the storm, once that revelation is confirmed, and Putin is forced to take them on aggressively, before his inaction to deal with that overwhelms him.

Despite official media statements to the contrary, US comms intercepts show that Russia believes a bomb brought down their jet as well:

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Something to add to the conversation about "Daesh". Saw yesterday on CNN that ISIS in Afghanistan … yes, ISIS in A'stan … Beheaded 7 civilians from the Hazara Tribe. One of the 6 major tribes in A'stan. The 7 were 3 women, 2 children and 2 men.

Now I'm betting these Daesh there were probably mostly locals, probably former Taliban that jumped on the Daesh Band wagon. The reason they beheaded the Hazaras is anyone's guest. Daesh usually does not need a reason …

The ANA/ANP has a hard time with the Taliban's 3 major factions. Now they both have to deal with Daesh.

My $$$ is on the Taliban. But we'll see. The last horse in this race, IMO will be the marginally (?) effective ANA/ANP.

Hazaras are protesting in the streets of Kabul carrying the coffins of their 7 beheaded tribe members. Saying that the Afghan government should do something. Good luck with that … The horror and tragedy continues …

Remember Paris …

Yea, there goes the original premise, out the window……

Terrorism is the last resort of the desperate, so ISIS may in fact no longer be the threat it once was in the ME when it seemed to be "unstoppable."

I think they are definitely weakened as a military force after recent setbacks in Syria and Iraq, so now they use domestic terrorism as a weapon to lash out at their enemies because they are losing on the ground.

28mm Fanatik,
I diasgree. This isn't lashing-out by weakened fanatics since an operation of the scale in Paris took months to plan and execute. In addition to getting the actual terrorists in place, they needed dozens of sleepers to coordinate weapons transfers as well as transportation and safe houses.

I think this is a begining with any true results to be seen months or years down the road.