US decided to go gun blazing (from the air) to pursue Islamic State.
Air power alone will not defeat Islamic State. President Obama even went to the point to use Somalia and Yemen example.
US Air Power in Somalia and Yemen decreased the effectiveness of the terrorist, but did not defeated them. They are still there and pretty strong too. In a sense they helped the terrorist recruit more people. It is practically a stand off that goes on for 13 years.
Syria is even more complex as it will have to fight also the Assad’s regime (and Iran which is an ally in Iraq). Probably in reality there will be some kind of secret deal between President Obama and Assad of ” no conflict”.
Islamic State also is shifting his positioning. It is getting more recruits and concentrating in cities where it is harder to strike without collateral damage. Also it looks like it starts to employ a scorched earth tactic destroying oil field and infrastructure (and soon I guess dams) since they cannot hold them due to the US airpower.
So Islamic State will be in the news for a long long time!
investorpolitico 