The UK government must implement a “grand strategy” if it wants to defeat Islamic State, a parliamentary committee said on Wednesday, adding that military successes must not be “undermined” by a lack of political progress on the ground.
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In a document published by the House of Commons Defence Committee, lawmakers compared current military actions in Syria to the country’s operations in Iraq.
“Assuming Daesh [IS] is squeezed out of both countries, we have to focus too on what happens next – both in other countries to which Daesh may migrate and in Syria especially where there is no shortage of other Islamist groups, just as unsafe, which are planning to take control”, committee chairman Julian Lewis, a conservative MP, said in a statement.
The UK and coalition’s strategy to counter Daesh is predominately focused on…
Dr Julian Lewis MP, Chair of the Defence Committee, stated: “Whilst substantial progress in eliminating DAESH [Islamic State] is clearly being achieved in Iraq, the situation in Syria is far more complex”.
The UK has been taking part in air strikes against Islamist militants in Iraq since 2014 and Parliament authorised their extension to Syria a year ago.
It also warned of Daesh migrating to Africa or Asia or forming affiliates.
“A safer and more stable Iraq is in everyone’s interest”. “We believe this is partly due to the aspirations of the UK Government in respect of each country”.
US and Iraqi officials are also concerned there has not been enough planning for how to manage Mosul, Iraq’s second-largest city and a mosaic of ethnic and sectarian groups, if and when Islamic State is kicked out.
“Whilst the progress in the military campaign to counter Daesh is beginning to gain momentum, the same can not be said for the progress of political reform”. The lack of political reform in Iraq, let alone Syria, may undermine the military progress to date, they added.
It called on the Government to put more information about the targets for airstrikes in Syria into the public domain, in order to “justify and validate” its policy of military action.
Responding to the report, the British government said its strategy went beyond military strikes to focus on tackling IS’s cash flow and propaganda machine.
“As a result, Daesh is losing territory in Iraq and Syria”.
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“And we are working with global partners and the United Nations towards a political settlement in Syria”.
