REPORT - Irak intervention
Session of the 25th of September.
The General Assembly of the United Nations is currently (from the 24th to the 30th of September) having a general debate, where the Iraqi issue was mentionned at first. The United states, followed by France, Uk, and most of the Europeans and Arab countries, suggested an intervention against ISIS.
Since our session, a few decisions were taken, mostly concerning this coalition, set by John Kerry. The latter managed to gather a large amount of countries against the threat poser by ISIS : here is a map (from CBC news) showing which country are involved (noticing the fact that UK and France are know actively participating to air-strikes).
But the fight against ISIS also became tangible for French people, after a French citizen, Hervé Gourdel, was beheaded on the 24th of September. It took place in Algeria, in the name of ISIS, by a group called Jund al-Khalifa, litteraly the "soldiers of the caliphate".
This is the fourth western citizen who has been beheaded by ISIS : before him, two American reporters, James Foley on the 19th of August, Steven Sotloff on the 2nd of September, and a British humanitarian activist David Haines, on the 13th of September died the same way.
ON the 3rd of October, another British man, Alan Henning was beheaded. James Cameron made his response very clear : "Islamic State must be destroyed" (The Times of Israel).
ON the 3rd of October, another British man, Alan Henning was beheaded. James Cameron made his response very clear : "Islamic State must be destroyed" (The Times of Israel).
President François Hollande decided to carry on air-strikes, but significantly increased national security (through Vigipirate plan).
What is at stake now are the means and resources of ISIS, which are sweeping. The financial apparatus of ISIS is complicated and remarkably efficient. The most lucrative income is coming from oil : the regions they seized are bursting with oil easily workable from syrian refineries and iraqi oil fields, which is why the United States have bombed 12 of those refeneries (from Business Insider).
Here is an article from Business Insider explaining how ISIS became so rich : "Here's How The World's Richest Terrorist Group Makes Millions Every Day", with a summary map of what they call "Syraq".
Facing ISIS momentous development, Al-Qaida is afraid that the newly constituted but arrogant and powerful group outshined them. Lately, the outdated terrorist group of Ayman al-Zawairi offered a reconciliation.
The Iraqi issue is not over, and we should ask this question after 2003 intervention flop : are we plunging in a new quagmire ?
The last issue of The Economist shows a picture of Obama in air-fighter uniform, with this sentence : "Mission relauched".
But Kurds already are doubting of the efficience of the fight against IS.
