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Author:

Robinson, Linda, 1962- author.

Title:

Assessment of the politico-military campaign to counter ISIL and options for adaptation / Linda Robinson.

Publisher:

RAND Corporation,

Copyright Date:

2016

Description:

xi, 79 pages : color map ; 23 cm.

Subject:

IS (Organization)
Terrorism--Middle East--Prevention--21st century.
Terrorism--Islam--Islam--21st century.
Islamic fundamentalism--21st century.
Islam and politics--Middle East--21st century.
Insurgency--Middle East--21st century.
Security, International--21st century.
United States--Military policy--21st century.
United States--Politics and government--21st century.

Other Authors:

National Defense Research Institute (U.S.)
United States. Office of the Secretary of Defense, Office of the Secretary of Defense, sponsoring body.

Notes:

"RR-1290-OSD"--Cover page 4. "RAND National Defense Research Institute." "Prepared for the Office of the Secretary of Defense." Includes bibliographical references (pages 75-79).

Contents:

The Counter-ISIL Strategy, the Political Context, and the Threat -- Assessing the Counter-ISIL Forces -- Assessment of the Counter-ISIL Campaign -- Recommendations.

Summary:

"This report assesses the campaign against the Islamic State (ISIL), focusing on the military and political lines of effort. The capabilities and motivation of the various counter-ISIL forces on the battlefield are assessed, as well as the U.S.-led efforts to provide training, equipment, advice, and assistance, including air support. While the campaign has degraded ISIL by targeting leadership and retaking a portion of territory, achieving lasting defeat of ISIL will be elusive without local forces capable of holding territory. Successful conclusion of the campaign will require significantly increased effort on two fronts. First, more-comprehensive training, advising, and assisting will be required to create more-capable , coordinated indigenous forces of appropriate composition and enable them to regain and hold territory. Second, political agreements must be forged to resolve key drivers of conflict among Iraqis and Syrians. Without these elements, resurgent extremist violence is likely. Many factors complicate the prospects for success, including sectarian divisions in Iraq, Iranian support for Shia militias in Iraq and Syria, the Syrian civil war, and Russian intervention to support the besieged regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. However, the Syrian regime also lacks sufficient competent local forces and is heavily reliant on external militia support. The government in Iraq, led by Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, has pledged decentralization efforts to address Sunni concerns, but lacks sufficient Shia support to enact them. This report offers recommendations for a more comprehensive advisory approach, emphasizing the political line of effort, and achieving synergy between the military and political efforts"--Back cover.

Series:

[Research report] ; RR-1290-OSD

ISBN:

0833094823
9780833094827

OCLC:

(OCoLC)947020722

Locations:

USUX851 -- Iowa State University - Parks Library (Ames)