Anti-IS coalition determined to win, but Iraqi prime minister speaks of "failure"
Paris (AsiaNews/Agencies) – In a statement at the end of the meeting that took place in France, the representatives of about 20 countries and international organisations involved in the US-led coalition against the Islamic State (IS) group pledged support for Baghdad’s plan for retaking Ramadi. They also reiterated the coalition’s desire and commitment to win the war against extremists. To achieve this, they are calling on the Iraqi government to bring in Sunni tribes, not just Shia groups.
US Deputy Secretary of State Anthony Blinken insisted the coalition had made "real gains," noting that 10,000 IS fighters were dead and the group now had 25 per cent less territory than before the air strikes began.
However, despite Blinken’s claims, the war will be long. In fact, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi described the fall of Ramadi as a "failure" for the global community. What is more, most IS fighters are now from Arab countries and the West.
In his view, Iraqi forces needed more and better weapons. But “We are not asking for arms,” he explained. Instead, “let us purchase arms easily," he pleaded, adding that most of his country's weapons contracts were with Russia or Iran, which are both under Western sanctions.
Noting that foreigners now outnumber Iraqis in IS, he went on to ask the international community to explain "why so many terrorists are from Saudi Arabia, why so many from the Gulf, why so many from Egypt, why so many from Syria, and Turkey and from European countries?"
In a similar vein, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani accused Arab and Western governments of backing the wrong side.
"Unfortunately some countries miscalculated and thought that terrorist groups would be a means for them to achieve their objectives, whereas sooner or later they were always going to be affected by the scourge of terrorism themselves," he said.
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