One of Barack Obama’s biggest failures was allowing ISIS to grow in strength.
The Islamic terrorist organization gained in strength and gobbled up territory in Iraq and Syria.
But all that changed when General “Mad Dog” Mattis took charge.
When Donald Trump tapped Mattis to be his Secretary of Defense, conservatives cheered.
They knew Trump meant business when he said he wanted to defeat ISIS and turn the page from Obama’s policy of weakness.
Mattis stated he was changing course from Obama’s policies to those of annihilation in the fight against ISIS.
Fox News reported:
“Defense Secretary James Mattis said Sunday the U.S. has switched to “annihilation tactics” against the Islamic State and is focused on completely surrounding the militants instead of moving them from place to place.
“Our strategy right now is to accelerate the campaign against ISIS. It is a threat to all civilized nations. And the bottom line is we are going to move in an accelerated and reinforced manner, throw them on their back foot,” Mattis said in a televised interview on CBS News’ “Face the Nation.”
He said the goal was to take out the militants before they could flee to neighboring countries.
“Our intention is that the foreign fighters do not survive the fight to return home to North Africa, to Europe, to America, to Asia, to Africa. We’re not going to allow them to do so. We’re going to stop them there and take apart the caliphate,” Mattis said.”
Mattis’ new plan paid immediate dividends.
By early July, the caliphate was crushed and Mosul was liberated from ISIS’ control.
The Independent writes:
“Isis has been driven from its de facto Iraqi capital of Mosul, leading Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi to declare that one half of Isis’ so-called caliphate has fallen.
The organisation now holds on to just nine per cent of the territory it controlled at the height of its powers in 2015.
US-backed forces are also making gains on the militants’ last stronghold of Raqqa in Syria, and rumours persist – from reputable sources – that leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi has been killed.”
Lt. General Stephen Townsend, the commanding general leading the coalition fight against ISIS in Iraq called the victory a significant step.
CNBC reported:
“The general called the defeat of ISIS in Mosul, Iraq’s second-largest city, “certainly a significant accomplishment” but added there are other population centers in the region that have yet to be cleared of remaining Islamic State militants.
Moreover, the coalition commander said despite the retaking of Mosul there was still “mopping up” to do there, including finding potential hiding places for ISIS militants, both above and below ground.
He called Mosul a “city the size of Philadelphia” and said the work still to be done was “painstaking and dangerous.”
The U.S. military also believes there are numerous hidden IEDs, or improvised explosive devices, spread throughout Mosul that pose a danger to civilians and security forces.”
General Matti shut down Obama’s failed strategy in the fight against ISIS and replaced it with one that will achieve victory.
Coalition forces liberating Mosul is a major step toward that goal.
We will keep you updated on any new developments in the battle against ISIS.
