Pinpointing Why?

In a press conference discussing the threat facing the Kurds of Kobanî, on the border with Turkey, Pentagon Spokesman Rear Admiral Kirby said yesterday that U.S. strategy “is not about pinpointing a particular place on the map” according to a tweet from Kristin Wong of The Hill.

.@PentagonPresSec on #Kobani: The strategy is not about pinpointing a particular place on the map, and that’s it.

— Kristina Wong (@kristina_wong) October 15, 2014

Which led me to respond with what seemed like a rather obvious question.

@kristina_wong @PentagonPresSec What is UR assessment on y #Kobani is considered an important strategic objective by ISIS?

— Kyle Shideler (@ShidelerK) October 15, 2014

Kirby did ultimately address this issue, telling reporters, “”What makes Kobani significant is the fact that ISIL wants it.”

Yes but WHY do they want it?

The why of things matter. While seemingly a little thing, the question gets to the heart of our current difficulty in the jihadist war against us. The enemy has a strategy, and not just a short to intermediate-term strategy as it is being exercised by ISIS in Kobanî but a grand strategy against the West. But knowing the enemy’s strategy requires understanding his doctrine, Shariah, which our leadership refuses to do, and increasingly, is prohibited from doing. As a result they insist our enemies are mere mindless killers. Rebels without a cause, whose long-term strategy is irrelevant. What their objectives are, or how they wish to accomplish them seemingly do not matter.

Following an extended public outcry in the past several days (a twitter campaign yesterday by American Activists in support of arming Kurdish forces topped out at 800 tweets/hour ), U.S. forces have intensified the bombing against ISIS targets near Kobanî. According to Reuters this has played a role in helping reverse Kurdish fortunes, as the ISIS advance has now stalled. While obviously good news in the short run, military strategy can’t afford to be dictated by public opinion either, although it would seem that the instincts of the American public on this issue are appropriate.

What must occur is a detailed analysis of the enemy threat doctrine, Shariah, and an examination of how that doctrine is informing the objectives of its adherents (including ISIS) in the present campaign. It is then a matter of developing a strategy of our own which prevents the enemy from accomplishing its objectives while at the same time advancing our own. Until that is done however, we effectively do not have a strategy,  only “pinpoints on a map.”