By Kyle Herda
Impunity Watch Reporter, Europe
PARIS, France – The United States began a series of airstrikes in Iraq this week in an attempt to assist resistance against the Islamic State in Iraq and Greater Syria (“ISIS”), leading Europe to question whether to get involved, and if so, how involvement should be done.
On Monday, France called a meeting of European Union foreign affairs in order to determine what should be done about the Middle East. ISIS is spreading and growing at a rapid pace, and European nations are worried that if left alone, turmoil in the Middle East could become a global threat. ISIS fighting has already spread throughout the nations of Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, and has caused massive disturbances.
The fears of a possible Christian genocide by ISIS has led to a huge fleeing of Christians from the region, leaving areas like Mosul completely free of Christians. In an attempt to mitigate the number of Christians killed, France has helped facilitate asylum for those in Iraq fleeing ISIS.
French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius believes that the way to counter ISIS is to give the Kurds in Iraq “equipment that will allow them to defend themselves and to counterattack.” Italian Foreign Minister Federica Mogherini further said the goal is “providing support, even of a military sort, to the Kurdish government.”
One problem, however, is that France is already committed militarily to Africa. France further believes that the United States is better suited to fight ISIS in Iraq and help support the Kurds. France, on the other hand, is better suited to support Lebanon in the fight against ISIS, as France has close ties with the Lebanese army and trains Lebanese officers. It is also believed that weapons held by the Lebanese army would be less likely to fall into the hands of the enemy.
After allowing the fight in Syria to develop over three years into the large catastrophe that it is now, concerns loom over whether an early intervention now is necessary to prevent a larger ordeal in the future with ISIS. However, NATO has recently declared it a “high probability” that Russia will militarily intervene in Eastern Ukraine under the guise of a “humanitarian aid.” 45,000 Russian troops are currently aligned on the joint border with Ukraine, having amassed as Kiev pushes further east and nears the larger pro-Russian held cities like Donetsk. With a possible invasion of a European nation looking more and more possible by the day, the EU will certainly be cautious to invest militarily to any outside conflicts just in case help is needed at home.
For more information, please see:
Arab News – France asks EU to arm Kurds in Iraq – 12 August 2014
Vice News – Europe Is Still Pondering What to Do in Iraq – 11 August 2014
Reuters – Russia sending aid convoy to Ukraine despite Western warnings of ‘invasion pretext’ – 11 August 2014
France 24 – French military effort against ISIS ‘should focus on Lebanon’ – 11 August 2014
France 24 – Iraq’s fleeing Christians rebuild shattered lives in France – 10 August 2014
