On the night between September 22 and 23 something happened in the battle against the Islamic State group. That same night, the Americans expanded their offensive against the terrorist group in Syria. But the American pilots weren't alone. Fighter planes from Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Jordan and Bahrain joined them, and bases in Kuwait and Qatar provided logistical support for the American pilots. It was an event unprecedented in scope in the Middle East, all in one night. From that night on, it was clear that Arab nations had tacitly recognized the danger posed by jihadist Sunni terrorism, and more importantly were ready to fight it. Now the international coalition just needs to take care to keep Iran and the Assad regime in Syria out and possibly even make them the next targets in the global war on terrorism. Meanwhile, Iran and Syria -- who condemned that war and declared it an excuse for the West to return to the Middle East -- welcomed the attacks (Damascus) and even said they would participate in the attacks on Iraq if Islamic State forces approached the Iranian border (Tehran). That's what happens when America acts like America, and the Shiite extremists are feeling the pressure. There is no doubt that since August 8, when the Americans began bombing Islamic State targets in Iraq, the war has gathered momentum. After France stepped up, Britain, Belgium, the Netherlands and Denmark are also ready to attack. It looks like Islamic State went a step too far with the West when it flaunted the unbearable ease with which it beheads Westerners. It could be that we are currently watching a "mea culpa" by the international community. Even Turkey, which refused to join the coalition, is now on board, if not taking part in the actual battles. But even if the general direction is good, we are far from victory. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Martin Dempsey believes that a ground force made up of 12,000 to 15,000 rebel soldiers will have to be established to retake the areas Islamic State currently controls. As of now, Washington is training only a third of that number. Of course, there is also concern that Islamic State might carry out retaliatory attacks in major cities around the globe. The French citizen executed in Algeria is a signal to the West. And of course, the world is discovering the Khorasan group, which is affiliated with al-Qaida and is also threatening terrorist attacks against the West. And we can't forget the best story of the battle against the Islamic State, the story of the female pilot from the UAE who led her country's offensive force. This is a better reason for optimism than all of the Arab Springs put together. This is a real sign of spring. True, she received constant threats online, and that's the less encouraging aspect of the attacks on the night of September 22-23. This will all take time, but there are enough reasons for optimism these past few days to allow us to begin the new year with hope for change, even if the Middle East has taught us that things here -- much like the iPhone 6 -- can always get bent out of shape.
