Congress Approves Obama’s Mission Against ISIS

Turkey has the second-largest European army in NATO, and its military participation in the anti-ISIS coalition could tip the balance in the battle against the militants.

But while Turkey’s parliament adopted a resolution authorizing military action against ISIS, the country has not yet offered any assets to the U.S.-led coalition against ISIS nor is it participating in any significant way.


“Turkey is deeply ambivalent about choosing sides in this fight,” Phillips said.

“Turkey’s primary interest is to overthrow the regime of Bashar al Assad and to undermine the emergence of an autonomous Kurdish entity in Syria. It will only send troops if the deployment of those troops advances Turkey’s core goals.”

The current siege on the Syrian border town of Kobani is a perfect example of the limited effect of airstrikes.



While Kurdish forces have been battling to defend the town, ISIS militants have pounded Kobani with heavy artillery and besieged the town from multiple sides.

On Monday, ISIS fighters appeared to be making headway toward seizing full control of the city, raising their black flag over a building on Kobani’s eastern outskirts, according to Reuters.

The U.S. must intensify airstrikes — particularly on the hills on the south side of Kobani — in order to avert a “slaughter” in the border city, Phillips said.

“If Kobani falls there will be a genocide of huge proportions — tens of thousands of people will be beheaded,” Phillips warned. “And ISIS will be emboldened into thinking that they can do whatever they want, no matter what Obama says.”