Lessons Learned From Syria and Iraq?

摘要

Washington and Moscow have so far pursued sharply divergent strategies against Islamic State. The US has opted mainly for air-strikes and attempts to train so-called 'moderate' rebels to serve as ground forces - to mixed effect - while also seeking to squeeze the group's money flows and supply lines. Late entrant Russia, by contrast, has lent full air support to Syrian government troops as they move to crush opposition rebels and regain territory - in theory, to allow it to better take on the jihadist group later. As the international spotlight swings to tackling an emerging Islamic State presence in Libya, it's worth examining whether any lessons can be learned from the approaches taken in Syria and Iraq - and how the strategies might play out on the Libya stage.