For months, many Western observers have been closely following the minute-by-minute developments concerning the battle between Islamic State and coalition forces in the hopes that such data will help them discern what the future may hold.
Yet knowledge of the end game has been available for anyone viewing the Obama administration with the eyes of a hedgehog, not a fox.
In an article published over seven months ago, I anticipated the main developments to have taken place since U.S. President Obama declared war (i.e., “airstrikes”) on the Islamic State in September, 2014. Titled “Does Obama Need ‘Time to Defeat or Forget ISIS?” I made the following predictions, all of which have come true, and in the same sequence:
Obama’s “it will take time” [to defeat IS] assertion prompts the following prediction: U.S. airstrikes on IS targets will continue to be just enough to pacify those calling for action against the caliphate (“we’re doing what we can”). The official [U.S. government’s] narrative will be that the Islamic State is gradually being weakened, that victory is a matter of time (remember, “It will take time”)….
[W]e will hear about the occasional victory against IS—this or that leader killed or captured…
Then, just as they “suddenly” appeared in Iraq, we will “suddenly” again hear—probably first from IS itself—that the Islamic State has made some major comeback, winning over some new piece of territory, as the caliphate continues to grow and get stronger.
Now consider how the Obama administration’s actions have fulfilled these predictions, and often in the same sequence.
The official [U.S. government’s] narrative will be that the Islamic State is gradually being weakened, that victory is a matter of time…
Last February, key Obama administration figures—including Secretary of State John Kerry and retired General John Allen, the president’s special coordinator for the coalition against the Islamic State—triumphantly asserted that, thanks to U.S. airstrikes, “half the group’s [IS] leaders in Iraq had been killed.”
Not long thereafter, an investigative report demonstrated that such claims were utterly false and hardly representative of reality.
[W]e will hear about the occasional victory against IS…
In April, the Pentagon announced that, thanks to U.S. airstrikes and the Iraqi army, “ISIL [Islamic State] is no longer the dominant force in roughly 25 to 30% of the populated areas of Iraqi territory where it once had complete freedom of movement.” The Pentagon even released a map showing which territories the Islamic State had lost.
Soon, however, it became evident that the Pentagon’s claim and map were misleading and incomplete. Among other irregularities, the map, while showing territories that IS once held and territories it had since lost, failed to indicate the new territories IS had gained since the coalition effort began—making the 25%-30% claim totally misleading.
[W]e will hear about … this or that leader killed or captured…
Nor was Obama administration grandstanding concerning the killing of “key” IS figures wanting. Most recently, on May 16, U.S. special forces managed to kill Abu Sayyaf. Although only a mid-ranking leader, Defense Secretary Ashton Carter said his killing “represents another significant blow to Isis.” (Read here for an idea of how many times U.S. officials have made the “significant blow” assertion whenever this or that jihadi dies, only for the jihad to spread and conquer more lands.)
Even the New York Times observed that “Abu Sayyaf is a midlevel leader in the organization — one terrorism analyst compared him to Al Capone’s accountant — and likely is replaceable in fairly short order.”
Then, just as they “suddenly” appeared in Iraq, we will “suddenly” again hear—probably first from IS itself—that the Islamic State has made some major comeback, winning over some new piece of territory, as the caliphate continues to grow and get stronger.
Finally, after the Obama administration had claimed that it had killed half of IS leadership, that it had pushed IS out of 25%-30% previously held territory, that its killing of an IS midlevel leader was a “significant blow”—right on cue, the Islamic State just announced its takeover of Ramadi, the capital of Anbar, one of Iraq’s most strategic provinces. According to a May 17 Reuters report:
Islamic State militants said they had taken full control of the western Iraqi city of Ramadi on Sunday in the biggest defeat for the Baghdad government since last summer.
[…]
It was the biggest victory for Islamic State in Iraq since security forces and Shi’ite paramilitary groups began pushing the militants back last year, aided by air strikes from a U.S.-led coalition.
The U.S. Defense Department, while not confirming the fall of Ramadi, sought to play down the impact on the broader Iraq military campaign of an Islamic State seizure of the city.
To fully appreciate the significance of this latest conquest by the Islamic State, consider the words of Anbar governor Ahmed al-Dulaimi spoken back in November 2014: “If we lose Anbar, that means we will lose Iraq.”
Of course, none of these developments are surprising for those among us who were able to take a step back—to transcend the distracting noise and nonsense daily grinded out by mainstream media—and look at the big picture.
For those able to read the plain writing on the wall, the end game between Obama and the Islamic State was always easy to discern.
cheeseburger says
Obama is a stealth jihadist intent on destroying America.
mezcukor says
I agree with you. He wants to destroy America and Israel
Waiting says
The nations are being gathered together for God’s war of Armageddon. Until it begins, we will continue to hear the lies and demon inspired expressions that are used to gather them. Thank you, Mr. Ibrahim for having a clear voice that helps to keep us focused.
Tomasz says
The question Raymond is what next ?? It is quiet clear that this Islamic beast is set to destroy the Arab world and usher in a Islamic Empire, how do you think the autocrats and the monarchs of the Arab world would respond, in fact there must be a global initiative as obviously they are not going to stop in Iraq and Syria. It is absolutely clear, that the US and the coalition is losing in its efforts and that Obama with his Islamic agenda is not going to cut it !! So what next ?? As for me ” I will look unto the heavens, our help comes from the Lord our God’.(Psalms 121). Please keep up your good work and warn the nations !!
JohnnyCuredents says
Many say Obama is a Muslim. Personally, I think he is a run-of-the-mill atheist. Regardless of which side you come down on, though, one thing is crystal clear, viz., he is a traitor, not only to the US but also to Western civilization.
UncleVladdi says
All muslims are atheists.
Doug Brown says
It’s difficult discerning the thinking of Mr. Obama regarding Islam’s future, it’s even more frustrating getting a grip on what his personal perception is regarding his involvement with it. Is Obama willingly playing the part of a strong Islamic advocate, or is he being forced? The duplicitous and inane shortsightedness he regularly demonstrates about everything certainly boggles the imagination.
John says
Not difficult for me to discern.I always said that Obama will destroy the US.I also said that ISIS,Daech was Obama’s army.
mortimer zilch says
please clarify WHERE and FROM WHOM the ISIS forces are getting their weapons? Who is supplying them? make make are the weapons? American? Russian? Chinese? Korean? How are the ISIS forces being supplied? by boat, by plane? Please confirm. ty.
John says
Answer,the Pentagon,the Obama administration,with Qatar,Turkey.
ukipforbritain says
Personally, I think Obama is a religious fanatic. The fact he doesn’t talk about his fanaticism makes no difference – his actions tell you everything you need to know. Oh, and – it is absolutely certain – he is a Muslim.
mortimer zilch says
Keep up the good work !!
tobias1234 says
These are not the short
sighted views of a fool. The American President is no fool. The
tapestry of pax-americana… both internal to the nation as well as external via
foreign policy… is a work that is abhorred by lesser men. This abhorrence and
enmity grew in the mind of Frank Marshall Davis and implanted itself into the
impressionable mind of a man who resonated to that enmity. The growth of hateful ideologies quite often manifests
itself in ways similar to the unchecked spread of a tumor. Now Davis’ protégé sits in the White House consummately
skilled with the power of language and protected by the shroud of post-modern
righteousness. He unmakes the tapestry of pax-americana which was painstakingly woven
over generations thus upending American leadership in the U.S. and in world. He is the great de-stabilizer; fueled by
enmity that could not be overthrown by his formidable intellect. That enmity which reason could not vanquish
has ignited the globe. Everything he has touched – from Tunisia to Iran, from
social programs to human-kind’s oldest institutions – is part of the great
unraveling. Do not be surprised if the
tempo of the tapestry’s destruction increases as his time in office wanes.