By Frederick W. Kagan and Kimberly Kagan:
What it would take to defeat ISIS: “We cannot defeat ISIS or al Qaeda with airstrikes, but we can damage both groups much more significantly than we have so far. We can force them to go to ground, to stop maneuvering vehicles, and to stop massing forces. Doing so would degrade their abilities to conduct offensive operations significantly and would facilitate the formation of opposition groups that could ultimately recapture ground they now hold. […]
“The U.S. military footprint required is likely around 10,000 troops. Iraq does not at this point need American combat brigades leading the fight. It needs more U.S. Special Forces, tactical air controllers to direct precision strikes in direct support of Iraqis fighting on the ground, additional helicopter and artillery support, and a variety of other technical capabilities that only the U.S. can provide.”
Read more: AEI