Quote:Prior to the withdrawal ISIS had been reduced to a fragment of what it had been and what it is now. They had lost the popular support of the masses in North Iraq and Iraq was more than capable of handling its remnants on its own.


Then the civil war in Syria started and it provided ISIS with a bedrock of choas to grow virtually unopposed. Syria couldn't reach them because of the civil war thing and Iraq couldn't do anything because it all happened across the border. By the time ISIS came across the border again they were big enough that Iraq was on equal footing at best.


The withdrawal didn't help because it means ISIS could expand into Iraq but if US troops were still in Iraq ISIS would still be big, they just wouldn't be in Iraq.

Quote:Prior to the withdrawal ISIS had been reduced to a fragment of what it had been and what it is now. They had lost the popular support of the masses in North Iraq and Iraq was more than capable of handling its remnants on its own.


Then the civil war in Syria started and it provided ISIS with a bedrock of choas to grow virtually unopposed. Syria couldn't reach them because of the civil war thing and Iraq couldn't do anything because it all happened across the border. By the time ISIS came across the border again they were big enough that Iraq was on equal footing at best.


The withdrawal didn't help because it means ISIS could expand into Iraq but if US troops were still in Iraq ISIS would still be big, they just wouldn't be in Iraq.