Investigative report.

Kevin Edminster
English 2010
Will ISIL recent attacks outside Syria and Iraq lead to a larger international Coalition taking military
action against them? I believe that in recent weeks ISIL (Islamic State in Iraq and Levant) has raised
the stakes they are willing to play for when they attack both Russia and France, I believe that in the
next few weeks we will see a much larger group of nations take much more forceful action against
ISIL. In the past few weeks ISIL has made and aggressive attacks in Paris, Beirut, and the destruction
of the Russian airliner over Egypt via a bomb on board. These attacks indicate a frightening testament
to the determination of ISIL to carry their fight to as many western countries as they can which does
include The United States. Since The United States started their airstrikes against ISIL back in 2014,
the debate on what the best way to combat and deal with ISIL has been very active. The debate has
many aspects and it is constantly gaining new ones as event unfold. Some of the factors that contribute
to this debate is the United States airstrikes against ISIL, Russian airstrikes against ISIL and other
rebels groups, The Syrian refugee crisis, The Russian Airline bombing, and finally the recent terror
attack on Paris France. All of these event have had a major impact on the situation with ISIL especially
the terror attack against Russia and France.
Since ISIL was first formed and declared itself a separate nation and attack Iraq, Western nations with
the help from some Persian Gulf countries (mainly Saudi Arabia) have been launching airstrikes in
support of the Iraq army, The most important of these airstrikes was when ISIL tried to take the Mosul
Dam and United State airstrikes prevent ISIL forces from gaining control of it. Since the very first
bomb from an American plane landed on ISIL they have promised revenge and attacks against the
Western nations. However until recently ISIL has made no attacks against Western nations instead they
would encourage domestic and individual acts of terrorism, an example of this would the shooting of
four U.S service members in Tennessee (). This lead to questions of whether the main group would
focus its attention on Syria and Iraq and just encourage these types of attacks by lone wolfs. While
these attacks by domestic terrorist is not an appealing idea it is a manageable one because of that there
was never a real commitment from nations to defeat ISIL because there was never a threat to their
citizens. Since the start of the airstrikes against ISIL a few nations have joined in either offering there
own jets to bomb ISIL or giving intelligence so that targets can be hit more accurately. Russia recently
became involved in the war against ISIL by starting its own bombing campaign against the terror
group. Russia involvement in the war is a serious game changer for the changes of forming a large
international coalition because Russia has long been at odds with the Western nations over Syria, so if
the two groups can set aside there differences and work together that opens a lot of doors for many
nations to join the campaign.
One of the saddest side effects of this war has been the Syrian refugee crisis. Not only is it sad but it is
a key issue for the western nations epically in Europe because it presents the problem of if these nations
let the refugees in then there is the possibility that ISIL could use this as cover to get some of there
operatives into Western countries undetected. If this were to happen ISIL could implant sleep cells
(inactive groups of operatives) all over these countries and wait to attack at a time when ISIL didnt
have to focus mainly Iraq and Syria. With hundreds of thousand of people fleeing the war-torn area of
Syria this issue Is one that needs to be resolved as soon as possible.
Recently ISIL set off a bomb on-board a Russian airliner over Egypt, This signaled the start of what
was about to become the expansion of ISIL terrorist attacks outside its boarders in Syria and Iraq. The
Russian jet was leaving from an airport in an Egyptian tourist town on the coast when it exploded at

high attitude rains piece of it on the desert below killing 229 men, women, and children. Within hours
of the plane crash ISIL claimed responsibility for the attack say that a bomb inside a soda can () was
used to destroy the plan. ISIL claimed that this attack was in response to Russias recent bombing
campaign against them and other rebel groups in Syria. Russia has always taken a tough line when it
comes to terrorism since they have fought many wars with extremist in the southern area of Chechnya
(). so it should come as no surprise that since ISIL has decided to attack Russian citizens that Vladimir
Putin has began discussing enlarging Russia's role in the fighting ordering the Russian military to work
more closely with the coalition already attack ISIL. As I said earlier this represents a huge step forward
in the possibility in forming a large united international coalition with the purpose of defeating ISIL.
The bombing of the airliner is just one example of how ISIL is creating its own worst enemy and its
own destruction.
The recent and horrific attack in Paris and Beirut are yet another terrifying example of how ISIL is
willing to expand it campaign of terror and murder beyond its own self declared boarders in the Middle
East. On Friday the 13th this November three groups of terrorists launch coordinated shooting and
bombings across Paris. This attack killed 129 people and injured as many as 400 people. The attacks
happened at a rock concert, a crowed restaurant, and a soccer stadium where the French president was.
After the attackers had been killed French President Hollandie made a national broadcast in which he
said that this attack is an act of war and we will responded without mercy () two days after this
statement French jets launched a very aggressive bombing campaign against Raqqa the Capital of ISIL.
During these air raids French jets struck and destroyed roughly 20 different targets. After these
airstrikes it was announced that France was dispatching an Aircraft Carrier to the eastern
Mediterranean() to give France even more military power to attack ISIL. The only good thing to come
from this horrible event is that within hours of these attack Russian President Vladimir Putin orders his
military to give full cooperation to jointly launch strikes with France, Also in a speech president Obama
announced that the United States would step up its campaign of strikes against ISIL and increase
training and support of groups fighting ISIL. In a very real sense this is the very first steps in creating a
large international coalition with the single purpose of destroying ISIL and establishing peace in the
region.
As I said earlier I believe that these attacks and event will lead to a larger group of nations coming
together are forming a plan to destroy ISIL. The situation does seem grim with the chances being that
as nations react with more and more force towards ISIL, the terrorist group will try to launch terror
attack aimed at the nations united against the but as the saying goes the night is darkest just before the
dawn, we may have to fight and endure some opposition and more attacks from ISIL. However if we
ever truly want this problem to be solved we cant take half measures we have to fight this like a war
because thats what it is, but if the nations in the world can become united and wok together I believe
that they can destroy ISIL.