Carnegie Endowment Events

Six months since the creation of the international coalition against the self-proclaimed Islamic State (IS), the military campaign is entering a new phase following the gruesome murder of a Jordanian pilot and the defeat of IS in Kobane last month. As the coalition prepares for a new ground campaign to retake major urban areas in Iraq, key questions loom about the role of U.S. troops, the progress of political change in Iraq, and the willingness and ability of coalition partners to address the underlying political and socioeconomic factors at the root of the Islamic State’s appeal. Questions also remain regarding the political, military, and regional aspects of the fight against the Islamic State, as well as the larger role that it plays within the ongoing struggle over ideas and values in the Arab world.