In this article, Mt. Kander discusses the next major front in the coalition war against the Islamic State, and some of the some of the difficulties that will complicate and impede victory in Raqqah.
After the Battle in Mosul Comes the Battle for Raqqah
After last weeks hard-earned victory in Mosul, Iraq the next major front in the coalition war against the Islamic State lies in Raqqah, Syria. The city of Raqqah is the new ground zero for ISIS militants, and remains the official capital for the self-proclaimed Islamic State. This city has massive military and political incentives in its alleviation of the Islamic State presence. If the Islamic State loses Raqqah, it finally loses any real pretense to be considered the “state” that it claims itself to be. This would be one of the final major credibility blows to the terrorist organization, coming soon after the widely believed death of its Caliph by a Russian airstrike a couple months ago...continue reading on MTK