"On the road to Raqqa" Topic

"Raqqa we are coming" say the words spray-painted in Kurdish at the entrance to this empty little town, which lies on the front line of a U.S.-backed advance toward the Islamic State's capital.

The city of Raqqa is 17 miles away, a tantalizingly short hop to the place showcased in the militants' propaganda videos as an Islamist utopia, where the terrorist attacks in Paris and Brussels were planned and where, U.S. officials warn, new plots against the West are being forged.

But a full offensive to retake the city could still be months or more away, despite hopes in Washington that an operation to take the Islamic State's most symbolically significant stronghold would be well underway before President Obama left office…"
Main page
link

Amicalement
Armand

It will be interesting to see who actually does liberate Raqqa. The Kurds, locals, etc., with [massive]US/Coalition support. Or Assad and his allies, the Russians, IRGC, etc.

It IMO, is really Assad's territory. And it is Daesh's HQ is Syria. If the Syrians, with Russian CAS, etc., takes Raqqa using the same methods as they did Aleppo. It will take less time as what is happening in Mosul. However, the CD will be huge. But IMO any time Daesh is eliminated is a move in the right direction.

And the West has to get used to the fact Assad is not going anywhere. He will continue to be the dictator of Syria. With heavy Russian support, etc.

The West needs to remember … what happened when Saddam and Gaddafi were removed. We don't need to make that sort of decision again.

My vote goes for the Russians/Assad guys… (smile)

Amicalement
Armand

Of course if the Coalition are undertaking operations in Raqqa, will they allow the Syrian army to join in?

I agree Armand. I hope wiser minds decide it's Assad's territory. Again let Assad and his buddies like Russia, IRGC, Hezbollah, etc., loose more blood & treasure. In a fight which revolves around moslems, islamists, jihadis, etc., basically slaughtering each other. None of them involved are friends of the West. Save for some like the Kurds. And no matter what happens they will get the short stick … again.

Again it's Assad's territory … Has the West not learned anything about "nation building" ?

The west prefers regime change without the nation building from what we've seen.

It does at times … but it always does not work out that way …