[marron]

The Kurds have gained de facto independence.

[Olog-hai]

Good for the Kurds, but this reads like another “yay, they can fight the terrorists for us and we can just sit back now” screed.

[Sherman Logan]

Very simple. For ISIS to take and hold land against any sort of opposition, they have to concentrate to overwhelm that opposition.

Unfortunately for them, when they concentrate they make a target rich environment for airstrikes.

[Sherman Logan]

They also believe that the Yazidi, an ethno-religious group, that live in Sinjar and have been particularly targeted by ISIS, are Kurds directly related to them.

Well, yeah. They believe that because it's true.

Kurds are an ethnic/linguistic group. The majority are Sunni Muslims. But quite a few Kurds are Shia or Sufi. And there are a wild variety of oddball religions among some of the Kurds. One of which is the Yezidi.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kurdish_culture#Religion

[TBP]

Hopefully it’s begun to turn the tide.

[lexington minuteman 1775]

No!
Isis will merely move to areas where there is not as stiff resistance. They have been at war with the West and others like it for 1400 years they are not going to quit while they still have fighters on the ground to carry on the fight to the infidels.
FREEGARDS
LEX

[4rcane]

Turning point was Russian entry into the war. ISIS can’t afford to defend their territory in Iraq anymore