There has been some rare good news over the past few day on the war against ISIS and the battle for the Syrain border town of Kobani. It’s looking like ISIS has been defeated:
Isis has been defeated in Kobani — but what happens next? My piece on Isis, the Kurds & Western policy: http://t.co/FD7dF1NYa6 #Kurds #Syria
— Ranj Alaaldin (@RanjAlaaldin) January 28, 2015
Isis has finally been defeated in Kobani — but what happens next? http://t.co/PVEJkfYkob pic.twitter.com/0ocNDRXlDx
— Independent Voices (@IndyVoices) January 28, 2015
How the Islamic State was halted in #Kobani. http://t.co/zb7A2aGfft pic.twitter.com/G9KH9LIhP6
— Toronto Star (@TorontoStar) January 28, 2015
And this has State Department spokesperson Jen Psaki doing a little victory dance and snarking at the media for its doom-and-gloom coverage of the battle:
Remember when media focus was..if ISIL coalition loses Kobane all is lost-where is the focus now that @CENTCOM conf anti-ISIL controls 90%?
— Morgan Ortagus (@statedeptspox) January 27, 2015
She asks where the media will focus now that the battle has been won. How about, why did the Kurds have to make their own armored vehicles to beat back ISIS?
Amazing DYI armored vehicle belonging to Kurdish YPG in Kobani by @OOrsal—@reuterspictures pic.twitter.com/YkaB0u7Y19
— Mikko Takkunen (@photojournalism) January 28, 2015
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And if the U.S. is doing such a great job fighting ISIS, why are they gaining so much new territory?
Remarkable graphic via @WSJ: Months of airstrikes fail to slow ISIS in Syria; moved into west and nearer Damascus pic.twitter.com/Vtg4WToc6G
— Norah O'Donnell?? (@NorahODonnell) January 15, 2015
Or perhaps a few questions on what’s going on in Libya and what the White House intends to do about it?
A branch of #ISIS is claiming responsibility this morning for an attack on a hotel in #Libya that killed 10, 1 American
— CBS This Morning (@CBSThisMorning) January 28, 2015
Or how about the media asks why the U.S. is considering partnering with Bashar Assad to fight ISIS?
Springtime for Assad: Syria's dictator is in the spotlight as a potential U.S. ally against ISIS http://t.co/ZofsZpaUMr
— HuffPost (@HuffPost) January 28, 2015
Or maybe the media can ask a little more about the potential consequences of U.S. allies Japan and Jordan swapping hostages for terrorists?
BREAKING: Jordan agrees to prisoner swap with ISIS in deal that could free pilot, Japanese journalist: http://t.co/u0Bx1irBEd
— FOX & friends (@foxandfriends) January 28, 2015
At least ask a few questions on why the U.S. swapping Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl for 5 Taliban terrorists is really that much different than the ISIS-Japan-Jordan hostage deal which will only encourage more kidnappings to finance terror operations?
ISIS has raised some $45 million in ransom payments in the past year alone. http://t.co/p70No0RPIX
— Foreign Affairs (@ForeignAffairs) January 28, 2015
And let’s not forget Yemen, an Obama success story on how to fight ISIS:
Power vacuum jeopardises #Yemen's future – analysis by BBC's Jonathan Marcus http://t.co/HB3j5IrC83 pic.twitter.com/vfAX9KIhYX
— BBC News (World) (@BBCWorld) January 28, 2015
So, yes, media … please take Ms. Psaki up on her offer and do ask as many questions as you possibly can.
We’ll eagerly await her answers.
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