The end of the ISIS caliphate is in sight In a statement released last Saturday, 21 October, by the White House, President Donald Trump said: “The defeat of ISIS in Raqqa represents a critical breakthrough in our worldwide campaign to defeat ISIS and its wicked ideology,” adding “with the liberation of ISIS's capital and the vast majority of its territory, the end of the ISIS caliphate is in sight.” What was described by some as the “liberation of Raqqa” and by others as “loss of the Caliphate” raised questions and concerns among Middle East observers regarding the next step or steps to be taken by the administration. For a while, Syria was not on Washington's radar screen. Trump also stressed in his statement: “We will soon transition into a new phase in which we will support local security forces, de-escalate violence across Syria and advance the conditions for lasting peace, so that the terrorists cannot return to threaten our collective security again.” Secretary of State Rex Tillerson issued a statement too in which he said “ISIS's loss of Raqqa does not mean our fight against ISIS is over. The Global Coalition will continue to draw on all elements of national power – military, intelligence, diplomacy, economic, law enforcement and the strength of our communities – until all Syrians have been liberated from ISIS brutality and we can ensure that it can no longer export its terror around the world.” A Wall Street Journal editorial over the weekend reflected concerns about the near and far future “After Victory in Raqqa,” saying Iran stands to benefit from a post-caliphate US withdrawal: “If the US withdraws, it's only a matter of time before Iran and its allies assert control over the area once held by ISIS. This would amount to defeating Islamic State so Iran can dominate the region — from Tehran through Iraq to Western Syria and Lebanon.” Asked a few days ago about the post-ISIS plans for Syria, Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman John McCain (R-Arizona) responded that “there is no strategy in Syria that I know of.” As for ISIS, many terrorism experts believe that after fleeing from Raqqa, ISIS is “burrowing for footholds from Asia to Africa.” Nativism, bullying and bigotry... in 2017 Talking about President Trump and criticising his stances but not mentioning his name was what former president George W Bush did last Thursday, 19 October, in a speech at a George W Bush Institute event in New York. The 43rd president said: “We see a fading confidence in the value of free markets and international trade, forgetting that conflict, instability and poverty follow in the wake of protectionism.” He also told the audience, “we've seen the return of isolationist sentiments, forgetting that American security is directly threatened by the chaos and despair of distant places.” Regarding immigration policy or anti-immigrant sentiments, he said: “We've seen nationalism distorted into nativism, forgotten the dynamism that immigration has always brought to America.” The Republican former president did not miss the chance to say: “Bullying and prejudice in our public life sets a national tone, provides permission for cruelty and bigotry, and compromises the moral education of children.” He emphasised: “Bigotry or white supremacy in any form is blasphemy against the American creed.” The next day, last Friday, 20 October, White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders denied that former presidents Obama and George W Bush were referring to President Trump when they warned in separate speeches that the country was being torn apart by what has been said and done in recent months. But former Trump strategic adviser Steve Bannon did not stay silent. At the California Republican party convention last Friday, as Vox reported, Bannon said: “President Bush, to me, embarrassed himself...The speechwriter wrote a highfalutin' speech, it's clear [Bush] didn't understand anything he was talking about.” He added, “he has no earthly idea whether he's coming or going, just like it was when he was president of the United States.” The America First architect also said, “There has not been a more destructive presidency than George Bush's.” Yes, Bannon is out of the White House, but remains on the political scene –and definitely with a harsher and louder message than before. He is waging his war against the Republican Party, and against the Washington establishment more generally. It seems we will witness and follow more such attacks by him.
