A few days ago, we received the welcome news of the U.S. special forces operation in Syria in which a top Islamic State official was killed. But it was "too little, too late," particularly for the thousands of civilians who have been slaughtered by Islamic State. And it changed nothing on the ground, as Islamic State continues to take the offensive and seize territory. Despite the U.S.-led coalition's aerial campaign against it, Islamic State succeeded over the weekend in conquering the Iraqi city of Ramadi. An op-ed in The New York Times this week questioned whether Iraq would be able to keep up the fight against Islamic State without Iranian support. We here at Israel Hayom have also raised that question. And this is perhaps the biggest problem for Israel in this whole story. There is no doubt that the capture of Ramadi, just 110 kilometers (68 miles) from Baghdad, is Islamic State's greatest accomplishment since the start of 2015. Things should not have turned out this way. The Iraqi army and Sunni militias, with American guidance and backed by coalition airstrikes, were supposed to be able to retake control of Anbar province, of which Ramadi is the capital. The New York Times reminded its readers this week of the painful history of Anbar, where the U.S. lost more than 1,000 soldiers. Due to Washington's closeness with the government in Baghdad, the recent events in Anbar province mark a new humiliating foreign policy failure for the Obama administration. Who would have imagined this after Islamic State's recent losses in Tikrit and on the border with Kurdistan? In Iraq's hinterland, Islamic State is alive and kicking. The loss of Ramadi was a failure for the Iraqi Army and Sunni militias affiliated with it. The Iraqi prime minister said last month that defending Ramadi and retaking Anbar province were top priorities for the government in Baghdad. But in reality, the Iraqi army crumbled and fled, with soldiers leaving behind their weapons for Islamic State to take. In today's situation, with the U.S.-led coalition providing support only from the air, the Iraqi government has no choice but to call on Shiite militias for help. And here is where Iran enters the picture. The problem with Shiite militias is how they treat Sunni populations, as well as, of course, their relationship with Iran, which views Iraq and Syria (as well as Yemen) as fertile ground to enhance its power and spread its influence. If you will, Iran is serving in the role of a messiah. And Washington sounds optimistic about this. This is how the war against Islamic State now looks. It is not pleasant. In fact, it is terrible.
