Synced Incongruence

Keval Bavishi, reporting from the CJTF-OIR (Combined Joint Task Force- Operation Inherent Resolve), gives an account of the third session of the council, where the delegates discussed the way forward.

The members of the CJTF decided to take up the future plan of action as a discussion, for the delegates believed there was a need for a concrete plan of action. The Commander of the CJTF requested each of the nations to lay down the suggestions on the plan of action ahead. Interestingly, the suggestions put forward by the different nations barely had anything in common.

The Delegate of France brought up the issue of the refugees and the need for providing them with asylum. The Representative of NATO emphasized the need for a more cohesive, military based approach. The Delegate believed that the coalition needs to strengthen is military effectiveness and highlighted the stark difference in the levels of cooperation among the CJTF missions in Iraq and Syria. The Delegate of Qatar stressed on the importance of seizing the oil refineries under ISIS control. Various other delegates did agree that the territories held by the ISIS should be an important point of focus.

The Delegate of the United Kingdom (UK) of Great Britain and Northern Ireland held the view that Turkey should not be allowed to continue as a part of the coalition, as the delegate believed that Turkey had breached the trust of the council. The Delegate also stated that Turkey should be completely isolated. A very critical point brought up by the Delegate of Germany was that of regional terrorist organizations pledging their allegiance to the ISIS. The delegate specifically mentioned the organizations in the MENA (Middle East and North African) region, such as the Boko Haram who have already expressed their support for the Islamic terror outfit.

While the delegates discussed the next plan of action, the Delegate of Latvia expressed disappointment at the progress of the committee so far. The Delegate added to that a suggestion, where a strategy to break down ground forces into smaller sub teams was proposed. Although, the Delegate of Iraq was quick to counter the proposal, stating that smaller sub teams increase the chances for defection. The Delegate of Iraq also discussed the need for Security Sector Reforms (SSR) and the Disarmament, Demobilization, and Reintegration (DDR) reforms.

The Delegate of Malaysia, representing the voices of the ASEAN (Association of South East Asian Nations) members, raised a concern regarding the behaviour of people who return from ISIS and engage in radical activities again. The committee continued to face the same trouble: the lack of cohesion in policy. The first approach to defeat the ISIS did not seem to work as efficiently as the world would have wanted.