NEW YORK, October 10 (RIA Novosti) – US plans to use counter-terrorism tactics from Yemen and Somalia on Islamic State (IS) militants in Syria and Iraq are "short-sighted" and over-dependent on drones, Danya Greenfield from the Atlantic Council think-tank told RIA Novosti.
"Despite President Barack Obama's assertion that the US counter-terrorism strategy against militants in Yemen and Somalia provide a successful model to be emulated in its fight against IS, the approach in these two turbulent countries is actually short-sighted and threatens US national security objectives," Greenfield told RIA Novosti on Thursday.
"An over-reliance on drone strikes has a negative impact of civilian casualties, intelligence and targeting mistakes, and the rise of anti-American sentiment that can increase safe havens for extremist groups. A long-term, sustainable policy would focus on the pervasive lack of economic opportunity, structural unemployment, cronyism and the inequitable distribution of state resources," the pundit said.
Obama says IS can be routed by US-led airstrikes and by bolstering a ground force of Kurds, Iraqis and moderate elements of Syria's opposition. He announced his strategy last month, saying similar tactics were working in Yemen and Somalia.
