Recent intensified fighting and offensive action in Idlib proved the U.S. is losing its idea leadership. The more so, there is much talk today about the risks of a new era of American isolationism and a lack of US leadership in the world.
The war in Syria indeed draws to an end, most obviously. There will be more mess, in all likelihood — wars almost always having frayed ends — but the outcome is clear. The Islamic State, along with the sectarian Salafists the U.S. financed and armed, are headed into history, but into history of Syria.
Washington would do anything to save its reputation right now. They will probably strike Assad’s facilities or will try to use Kurdish card.
If the United States were to adopt the traditional British policy of “divide and conquer” by attempting to ethnically and religiously pit Syrian, Kurdish, Turkey-backed factions against each other, the United States occupation will never be able to create a secure territory.
But as for today, they are too concerned that HTS-ISIS remnants would be eliminated in Idlib and all around Syria very soon. That is why CIA-Pentagon officials are now on the way to redeploy jihadists in which substantive investments have been made.
The salafists know too much and they will be useful destabilize the process of consolidating democracy in Afghanistan.
So the U.S. in going to to kill two birds with one stone.
So, as ISIS targets disappear in Iraq and Syria, US military shifts focus back to Afghanistan currently suffering from political, social and security instability due to the activity of the Taliban and the Islamic State terrorists.
The fact was proved by the Chief of Iranian General Staff, Major General Mohammad Hossein Baqeri. He accused the US of transferring ISIS remnants to Afghanistan. He said HTS-ISIS would be tasked to seize control of the heroin traffic in Afghanistan.
The more so, after allegedly killed Abu Sayed Orakzai, the head of ISIS in Afghanistan also known as Sad Arhabi, a fresh wave of terrorist attacks has rocked Afghanistan.
The Islamic State in Khorasan that is the Afghan branch of ISIS, have intensified carrying out high-profile attacks that have already killed hundreds of civilians.
Thus, Amaq release claimed responsibility for an IED attack which targeted a bulldozer belonging to the Afghan government in Jalalabad, Nangarhar. Also death toll climbs to 68 in Nangarhar suicide attack while 165 were wounded, reported 1TVNews.
Well, the US military forces continue a series of unabated illegal heliborne operations to rescue ISIS terrorists and commanders from Deir-Ezzor, Hasaka, Raqqa and they are now on the path of doing the same with HTS-ISIS in Idlib.
Everyone knew that Idlib story isn’t a success story for the US but in Afghanistan everything, it seems, just getting started again.
By Sophie Mangal, Syria Inside Media Center
The 21st Century
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