War on ISIS Given Official Name: 'Operation Inherent Resolve'
The United States' war on terror group ISIS in Iraq and Syria has been given an official name and dubbed "Operation Inherent Resolve."
"According to CENTCOM officials, the name INHERENT RESOLVE is intended to reflect the unwavering resolve and deep commitment of the U.S. and partner nations in the region and around the globe to eliminate the terrorist group ISIL and the threat they pose to Iraq, the region and the wider international community," read a statement by officials with U.S. Central Command, according to The Washington Post.
"It also symbolizes the willingness and dedication of coalition members to work closely with our friends in the region and apply all available dimensions of national power necessary — diplomatic, informational, military, economic — to degrade and ultimately destroy ISIL."
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President Barack Obama's administration announced the new name a day after the American leader spoke with close to 20 defense chiefs from countries that have joined the coalition against ISIS.
The U.S. has been hitting ISIS targets for close to two months now, seeking to halt the advances of the Islamic militant group. ISIS has declared an "Islamic caliphate" on the territory of Iraq and Syria, targeting religious minorities and committing a growing tide of human rights abuses, including beheadings recorded on camera.
"Operation Inherent Resolve" will be used to differentiate America's current engagement from "Operation Enduring Freedom," the global anti-terror campaign that includes military action in Afghanistan and other areas around the world. The latter is set to be renamed to "Operation Resolute Support" as of December to reflect America's new role, following the pullout of troops.
Meanwhile U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Martin Dempsey told CNN that he believes the U.S has a "winning strategy" to defeat ISIS. Dempsey also said he does not believe the Islamic militants will be able to capture the Iraqi capital of Baghdad, their long-term target for months.
"I don't see that happening," he said. "I'm confident we can assist the Iraqis to keep Baghdad from falling."
Dempsey defended Obama's strategy not to send ground troops into the region, and rely on airstrikes against terror targets instead. He noted that America does not want to see troops sent into Iraq once again, after being pulled out from a previous conflict that ranged from 2003 to 2011.
The U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff praised the "significant commitment" from members of the international community who have agreed to aid the U.S. in the war against ISIS. He said that "war is discovery," and insisted that the battle against ISIS will require "patience."
Sharing his thoughts on the new name of the operation, Dempsey said that "we need to be able to be credible and sustainable over time in order to accomplish the mission that we've been given."
Dempsey further blamed the rise of ISIS partly on mistakes made by the Iraqi government.
"The coaching, and teaching, and mentoring, the thousands of interactions at the local level were all wasted by the government of Iraq that chose deliberately to follow a sectarian agenda and alienate entire segments of the population, which created an environment in which ISIL could return and could flourish," he said.
Yahoo News pointed out that the U.S. has a long history of naming large-scale military operations, with one of the most famous ones being the D-Day landings in World War II against Nazi Germany that were code-named "Operation Overlord."
