The Islamic State vs the Baathists

For John, BLUF:  Things will get worse in Iraq before they get better.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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From Reuters News Agency we have an article showing the Islamic State (The Caliphate, the successor to ISIL) rounding up other Sunni activists who might be long term threats to the survival of the Islamic State.  The headline is "Islamic State rounds up ex-Baathists to eliminate potential rivals in Iraq's Mosul".♠

Someone commented off line that it is exactly like 2004-6 in the same areas, with the Sunnis uniting against a common enemy with the jihadis in the lead and then they splinter as they achieve their goal.  Then it spirals downward, unless someone steps in.

I am betting the Islamic State, the Caliphate, will fail, but that is not a guarantee on my part.  If it doesn't fail then it will be bad news for lots of people, including, perhaps, us.  That said, maybe Secretary of State John Kerry could negotiate an agreement with them to stay out of the Western Hemisphere, and maybe even Europe.

Regards  —  Cliff

♠  The ex-Baathists?  That is the party of the late Saddam Hussein.  And the party of Syria's Assad.  It sees itself as a socialist vanguard party reviving Arab culture.