‘Paris Attacks Will Escalate War in Iraq and Syria’
The November 13 terror attacks in Paris will almost inevitably lead to an escalation of war in Iraq and Syria, argues Fyodor Lukyanov, the academic director of the Valdai Discussion Club, a group of international experts focused on Russia.
Fyodor’s views have come close on the heels of French President Francois Hollande’s vow for a “merciless” response to the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), which has claimed responsibility for the Paris attacks in which 132 people have already died.
According to a report in The New York Times, France has already started bombing Syria and attacked the Syrian city of Raqqa on Sunday night. It is believed to be the most aggressive strike against the Islamic State terrorist group.
[ Are Russian Airstrikes Killing Civilians in Syria? ]
Fyodor states that the French government has been challenged with such audacity that it does not have the right not to respond; Paris has found itself in the same position as Washington after the September 11, 2001 attacks.
In his article, Fyodor opines that the millions marching for solidarity in January after the killings at the office of the Charlie Hebdo magazine might have mimicked national mobilization, but the government also cannot avoid launching a major retribution. It might include more intensive attacks on the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria.
It is now time the United States, despite President Obama’s reluctance to get drawn into any military action, showed proper leadership and the ability to provide effective and strong support to its allies, Fyodor suggests.
