Quick takesSaudi-led alliance sends troops to Syria; protecting Mosul dam; Italy and refugees
On Monday, Saudi Arabia announced the formation of a new alliance, consisting of thirty-four Sunni Arab and Muslim states, to fight terrorism. The alliance forces will join the moderate rebels in Syria – Prime Minister David Cameron said last week that these rebels were 70,000-strong – not only to fight ISIS, but also to turn their fire on the weakening Assad regime’s military; Italy will send troops to defend the strategically important Mosul Dam in northern Iraq; the EC ordered Italy to use force if necessary to compel migrants and refugees to have their fingerprints taken, this obliging these refugees to apply for asylum in Italy rather than use Italy as a corridor on their way to other EU countries.
Coalition soldiers on patrol // Source: commons.wikimedia.org
Syria: Saudi-led anti-ISIS coalition prepares for post-Assad Syria
Britain is likely to become even more involved in the war in Syria. On Monday, Saudi Arabia announced the formation of a new alliance, consisting of thirty-four Sunni Arab and Muslim states, to fight terrorism. On Tuesday, the United Kingdom said it would support the alliance’s “ground army” when it is put together. The Saudis, who will lead the new alliance, said that the alliance’s first operations will include sending special forces into help defeat ISIS. The United Kingdom will not provide ground troops, but that British forces would be on standby to provide air support and “command and control.”
The forces of the anti-terror Muslim alliance will join the moderate rebels in Syria – Prime Minister David Cameron said last week that these rebels were 70,000-strong – not only to fight ISIS, but also to turn their fire on the weakening Assad regime’s military. Analysts say that one reason for the formation of the new alliance is a growing sense that the reluctance of Iran, Hezbollah, and Russia to send ground troops to help the disintegrating Syrian military means that the end of the Assad regime is near. The Saudis and their Sunni Muslim allies thus want to prevent any vacuum being created by further retreats of regime forces, let alone a total collapse from being filled by ISIS and its supporters.
Iraq: Italian troops to protect dam
Italy said it will send 450 troops to defend the strategic Mosul dam, located near the city occupied by ISIS since June 2014. The dam was built on the Tigris River in 1980 by a German-Italian consortium. The Italian company Trevi still has an interest in it, and has secured a large contract to expand it. The dam is a vital water and power source for Mosul, Iraq’s second city. Kurdish forces, backed by U.S. air support, took the dam from ISIS in August 2014. Experts say that If the dam is destroyed or seriously damaged, it could unleash major flooding in Mosul and the capital Baghdad, 250 miles to the south.
Italy: EC orders Italy to collect refugees’ fingerprints, accept asylum applications
The European Commission is losing its patience with Italy’s foot-dragging on securing its borders. The other day the EC ordered Italy to use force if necessary to compel migrants and refugees to have their fingerprints taken so these fingerprints can be added to a centralized database of refugees arriving in Europe. Also, the move means that the refugees, having given their fingerprints to the Italian authorities, will be obliged to apply for asylum in Italy, rather than use Italy as a corridor on their way to other European countries. The Dublin Convention requires that refugees be registered and then to apply for asylum in the first EU country that they arrive in. EU countries have accused Italy of turning a blind eye to the requirement to register incoming refugees, so these refugees do not have to stay in Italy while their application for asylum is being adjudicated, but are free to leave the country by train and bus and travel north to countries such as Germany, France, and Britain.
