Kurds against IS: An Effective Military Solution?
The Kurdish military’s recent history immediately brings to mind images of its mythical female fighters, and of its real victories against Daesh. But its successes have been primarily in Syria. In Iraq, the Kurdish military has been hindered by poor preparation, lack of effective weaponry, and various political and tactical disagreements between actors. Without support from the West, Kurdish forces will not be able to win the on-ground offensive.
Rémy Hémez is a French Army senior officer. He is a researcher at the Defense research unit (Laboratoire de recherche sur la defense – LRD). He is seconded by the Defense ministry and brings his operational experience in studies related to contemporary military interventions and the transformation of the French defense structure.
He is a graduate from Saint-Cyr (French military academy) and the Ecole de guerre (French War college)
Published in Politique étrangère, vol. 81, No.1, Spring 2016.