English: Iraq–Syria locator map for bilateral relations. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

This is an important lead article from the Economist. Check it out!

via Iraq, Syria and jihadism: The will and the way | The Economist.

Once again, this article highlights that President Obama has not done his homework. He only listens to public opinion and a kitchen cabinet of “yes” people. For me, Obama’s vision of the Middle East since taking office was based on prejudice and bias. It’s his misguided views on political Islam that have created this mess. This blog focuses on strategy and is particularly critical of Obama’s “so-called” strategy. Obama went from “no strategy” to “strategy for defeating ISIS” but no where is there an effective foreign policy and military policy for addressing the political, social and economic crisis in the Middle East – this crisis was precipitated when Obama prematurely withdrew US troops from Iraq. Whilst I am no supporter of Turkey’s leadership nor many of her policies, at least, Turkey is trying to force Obama to declare a cohesive strategy.

I worry that both Obama and Kerry are completely out of their depth. On the one hand, there is a risk of terrorists becoming a World force, including securing weapons of mass destruction. On the other hand, there is the risk of provoking World War III.

Overall, the problem is caused by Obama’s weakness and biased judgement. He’s weak in the eyes of the Islamists to whom he has been trying to reach out. On the global scale, Russia, China and Iran are all feeding off Obama’s weakness, creating new geopolitical tensions.  Also Obama has turned on the US’s only true ally in the Middle East, namely Israel.

It looks like Kobani has been abandoned by the US & Turkey to ISIS. History will judge both countries harshly for the loss of more Kurdish blood.

Thoughts?