On 11 AUG 16 NEC-SE posted in the Western Free Press, an article titled:  “Is the Leadership of Al-Qa’ida in Al-Raqqa or is it Headed to Al-Raqqa?”

In the article we stated:  “If Al-Qa’ida wins in Kirkuk that means the next leadership on the block can possibly be Osama Bin Laden’s Son. The west can think of this war as an advertising campaign for a newly emerging rebranded organization.”

“In the current environment and with less than 100 days to an historical election in the United States, is the administration going to push to clear Mosul in Iraq for political gains, or will it refocus on tangible gains that will defeat a potential Al-Qa’ida -ISIS merger?”

Given the uninformed visit by Ash Carter to Turkey which led to a statement by Government of Iraq that Turkey will not participate in the Mosul operation the unintended consequence of this political decision is that the Turks will now play a major role in the ongoing Kirkuk fight and in the settlement over Mosul.  It is possible that the current administration just extended the Mosul clearing operations by many months given it made a decision it had not taught through fully.  NEC-SE hopes that the next American administration focuses on real tangible gains rather than short term political success for individual political parties especially when people people are dying throughout the region.

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Related Articles:

http://www.yenisafak.com/en/news/us-secretary-of-defense-ash-carter-visits-turkeys-incirlik-airbase-2361571

http://www.wsj.com/articles/ash-carter-visits-iraq-for-meetings-on-mosul-offensive-1477123003