ISIS Is Collapsing But Trump May Enhance Its Recruiting In Order To Help Putin

While Donald Trump rants and raves and lies about all the terrorists flocking across our borders, the largest and most dangerous terrorist organization is on the verge of collapse. It looks like Obama's strategy of a slow but methodical attack on ISIS with a minimum of direct US involvement has led to the collapse of the organization and its prized caliphate in Iraq and Syria, its most important propaganda tool.

A new report by King's College in London says that ISIS has already accepted it will lose its entire physical presence in Iraq and Syria and is preparing to shift to becoming mostly an online presence. The number of new ISIS recruits has shrunk to a trickle and its existing forces are beginning to melt away. The successful recapture of Mosul by largely Iraqi forces has left Raqqa in Syria as its final stronghold, a city that is already under attack. According to the report, "If compelled to, the group’s true believers will simply retreat into the virtual world, where they will use the vast archive of propaganda assembled by the group over these past few years to keep themselves buoyant with nostalgia". The Post article adds, "The plan reveals a level of desperation for a terrorist organization that has seen its territory shrink rapidly over the past year".

No doubt Donald Trump will take credit for eliminating the caliphate and ISIS, but the reality will be that it was largely accomplished through Obama's patient strategy. But apparently Trump and his administration don't realize that ISIS is already largely defeated. Reports tonight indicate that the Department of Defense is recommending sending ground troops into Northern Syria in order to "speed up" the defeat of ISIS. Presumably, this means coordinating with Syrian Army and the Russians to retake Raqqa. And, at the same time, aiding Bashir al-Assad in regaining total control of Syria, as the Russians have always wanted, not only by eliminating ISIS but also by allowing Syrian/Russian military forces to clear out the rebels in the west of the country.

If there is anything that would revive ISIS and Islamic terrorist recruiting, it would be the presence of American ground troops in Syria. And if there is anything that would make the Russians happier, it would be to have their client state in Syria back in one piece. Trump looks ready to bizarrely please them both.