Elections

Fact-Checking The Fact Checkers On ISIS In The VP Debate

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Russ Read Pentagon/Foreign Policy Reporter
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Fact-checkers at Politico said Wednesday that Republican vice presidential nominee Gov. Mike Pence’s claim that Iraq is overrun by the Islamic State is a stretch of the truth, but an examination of the terrorist group’s history and current threats reveal a different story.

“Iraq has been overrun by ISIS,” said Pence during the Tuesday night debate, as quoted by Politico’s Darren Samuelsohn and Danny Vinik. Pence allegedly “flubbed” this point, write the authors, citing as proof recent ISIS losses, including two major Iraqi cities. While it is true that ISIS has suffered major defeats in recent months, it is also true that Iraq was in fact overrun by the terrorist group, which continues to pose a threat to Iraq and the region.

At its peak, ISIS controlled vast swaths of Iraq’s northern and western regions. The terrorist group completely overpowered the Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) throughout 2014 and 2015, eventually threatening or controlling every major city in the northern half of the country, and many of the its southern cities. Reports at the time consistently noted that the ISF were powerless to stop the terrorist group during its rise, often fleeing at the sight of ISIS forces.

Even the capital of Baghdad, a veritable fortress compared to most Iraqi cities, fell victim to ISIS attacks as recently as July.

Samuelsohn and Vinik pointed to the Iraqi cities of Ramadi and Fallujah as examples of victory over ISIS, but closer examination of the situation in both cities shows they have hardly been secured. The authors claim that Ramadi was retaken in December, which is accurate from a territorial perspective, but operations against ISIS the vicinity of Ramadi have continued to this day, despite victory being declared in December. The situation in Fallujah is similar, with U.S. forces engaging in strikes against ISIS targets as recently as Sept. 20.

ISIS continues to hold Mosul, Iraq’s second largest city, with a population estimated at 1.5 million people; the rough equivalent of Philadelphia.

As it loses territory, ISIS is reverting to its terrorist roots, melting into the general population and engaging in terrorist attacks in cities across Iraq at will. While the country may not fly as many black flags as it used to, it continues to be “overrun” with terrorists.

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