The Recapture of Ramadi and the Future of the U.S. War against ISIS in Iraq

The recapture of Ramadi rehabilitated the reputation of the Iraqi army which suffered a great prestige loss after the fall of the city to the ISIS seven months ago. The recapture of Ramadi also came at a critical juncture for the US since Obama administration’s policy in fighting against ISIS in Iraq was also under heavy criticism. The battle for Anbar, in this sense, has multiple implications for the future battles against ISIS. This study discusses the opportunities mprovided by and the challenges posed by the recapture of Ramadi for the US-led coalition and the Abadi government in Iraq.