Daesh may target West after defeats in Iraq: Academic

Press TV has interviewed Nabil Mikhail, a professor at George Washington University, to discuss the gains made by the Iraqi armed forces against the Takfiri Daesh terrorists in Iraq. 

The following is a rough transcription of the interview.

Press TV: Now with the Syrian army liberating one city after another and in Iraq forces retaking large swathes of land and controlling more cities as they move forward and areas from those Takfiri terrorists such as areas near Mosul, do you really think that Daesh or ISIL is losing momentum or even they might be on the verge of defeat?

Mikhail: Yes. ISIL (Daesh) is retreating and what is the view in Washington - that [is] what will interest me as a researcher. I believe there will be two views. One is professional which will be the military, the Pentagon. They will study the situations, they will follow up any developments and they will try to see whether there are any core relations between the two.

The other view will be the lackluster, the languid approach by the Obama administration hereby he will receive information late, he will show as much disinterest as possible and then he will pronounce it as a doctrine, so it is a very important strategic development  and let me just venture and say the following.

Russia may gain a lot because Russia is bolstering its position in Syria and exploring what can be done with the government of Iraq after it liberates Mosul because the liberation of Mosul could mean two things - revenge by ISIL against Western targets in Europe, Canada, the United States, God forbid, I hope this will not happen and also more freedom on the part of the Iraqi government to explore long-term strategic opportunities of cooperation with Iran, with India, with Russia and perhaps even some Arab countries.

Press TV: You spoke about the Russian influence in Syria in particular, now their role, that is the Russian airstrikes and ground forces pushes in support of the Syrian army troops in diminishing the power of the Takfiri terrorists is clearly undeniable in Syria. But in Iraq, in another country also controlled partly by Daesh terrorists, the so-called anti-Daesh coalition has so far technically speaking done nothing of the sorts that the Russians are able to do in Syria. Now what is behind, in your opinion, the recent gains as being made by the Iraqi army in Iraq?

Mikhail: The Iraqi army has more capabilities, more coordination with some ancillary troops. They are still calculating the strategic campus of the Mosul operation, it will not be an easy one, and perhaps they can even consult to the Russians and some Arab military commands - Egypt, perhaps the United Arab Emirates, others - so we have to take into [consideration] this full gamut of the strategic calculation and calculus.

Russia actually proved that its decision was right and again I am talking from Washington. The media, the liberal media, pundits and even the conservatives failed to understand the significance of the Russian move. It is tactical, it is strategic. Russia is giving the central government in Damascus the chance to capture territories, to establish national unity and then let us negotiate about the future of the country. So Russia has more involvement in Syria. Russia actually is, as I repeat, exploring opportunities of cooperation with the Iraqis...

Press TV: Speaking of the potential Russian involvement in Iraq, now in your opinion, has the Hashd al-Shaabi, the Iraqi Popular Mobilization Units as they are being referred to, had any major significance in assisting and supporting the Iraqi army’s advances toward Mosul and liberating one city after another?

Mikhail: I would assume so, although to confess I did not study their tactics and their strategy and their power employment policies that thoroughly, but you said something important which you picked from me, a potential Russian move in Iraq, that could happen and it will really have important implications for Turkey, for Iran, for the future of Syria but let us see how it can be done.

Iraq can depend on Russian intelligence cooperation, on more economic cooperation with the Russians but also Russia will tell America, Russia and America in this case will be honest. So I hope that the press in America, the liberal media, even the conservative outlets are not capturing the essence of these strategic moves by Moscow and also the help the American military is giving to Iraq but I should say Russia is playing a bigger role in Syria than America is playing in Iraq...

Press TV: Do you sense or suggest any kind of a shift in terms of strategy on behalf of the terrorists specifically in Iraq but also in the region, in Iraq and Syria?

Mikhail: That is an excellent question and it could be the subject of a long discussion. I hope I am wrong. God forbid, but there could be some major swings in the operations and the implementations of terror attacks by ISIL, by lone wolves, by even just independent terror attackers in many targets, ... throughout targets in Italy, in Europe, in Canada, in the United States, even in Asia, so the defeat of ISIL could switch the strategy and tactic of terror operatives to hit unexpected targets and again the challenge will be big for the Obama administration how to undermine the terror attack unleashed by ISIL.

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