|
|
The West Failed to Learn the Most Important Lessons From the Rise and Fall of ISIS
Cockburn, Patrick
http://www.counterpunch.org/2019/01/29/the-west-failed-to-learn-the-most-important-lessons-from-the-rise-and-fall-of-isis/Date Written: 2019-01-29 Publisher: Counterpunch Year Published: 2019 Resource Type: Article Cx Number: CX23532 The attempted coup in Venezuela today is an example of imperial overreach western governments displayed in the Middle East. Abstract: -- Excerpt: The most important factor reopening the door to Isis was the civil war in Syria after 2011, where the armed opposition was rapidly taken over by jihadis directed by battle-hardened commanders sent by al-Qaeda in Iraq. Well-organised fanatics willing to die for a cause and experienced in warfare will always dominate their own side when serious fighting gets under way. I portrayed Isis as an Islamic version of the Khmer Rouge and, like their Cambodian counterparts, they systematically committed atrocities to terrify and demoralise their opponents.... Governments have by-and-large learned about the threat posed by Isis and are not going to allow it to rise again. But, in another important sense, the US, UK and allied governments have learned nothing from their disastrous actions in the Middle East and North Africa over the past 20 years which opened the door to Isis. During this period, they repeatedly denounced dictatorial but powerful national leaders – Saddam Hussein, Muammar Al Gaddafi, Bashar al-Assad – as illegitimate and instead supported shadowy opposition figures with whom they were friendly as the true leaders of their countries. Subject Headings |