THE HINDU Editorial Vocabulary- November 9, 2016- Topic 2
The operation to recapture Raqqa in Syria launched by a U.S.-backed coalition of Kurdish and
Arab fighters is bound to increase the military pressure on the Islamic State,
which is already under attack in Mosul, its power centre in Iraq. The Raqqa
offensive has long been on the cards. The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF)
finally moved their troops to the city’s defence lines after getting weapons
and the clearance from the U.S. As in the case of the battle for Mosul where
the U.S. provides air cover to the Iraqi forces and Shia militias, in Raqqa it will
provide assistance to the SDF. The U.S. strategy is to choke the IS from both
sides, and its partners on the ground seem ready to take the high risk of
attacking the group’s strongest bases. Over the past year the Kurdish fighters
have been consistently effective in ground battles against the IS. Most of the
major territorial losses of the IS in Syria — be it Kobane, Tal Abyad or Manbij
— were at the hands of the Kurds. The jihadist group, which once had direct
access to the Turkish border, has now retreated to its core in Syria,
stretching from Raqqa to Deir Ezzour. Against this background, the SDF clearly
has an upper hand. The IS will also find it challenging to defend two of its
most important cities at the same time. But that doesn’t mean that the SDF will
have an easy walk into Raqqa.
The SDF is certain to face strong
resistance. Raqqa is one of the first cities the IS captured; it has in place a
ferocious, ideologically charged and battle-ready team to build a strong
defence. As the ongoing Mosul battle shows, breaching the IS defence lines will
take time and also lives. Raqqa has a population of about 2.2 lakh. Major
air-borne campaigns to help the SDF advance on the ground will be risky and
could result in large civilian casualties. The IS also uses human shields to
stop ground advances of enemies. But the most pressing challenge the SDF faces
is the response from Turkey. Raqqa is a Sunni-populated town. Turkey is opposed
to the SDF taking over Raqqa as a major constituent of the coalition is the
Kurdish militia, the People’s Protection Units (YPG). Turkey sees the YPG as
the Syrian unit of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, which it calls a terrorist
force. The dilemma that the U.S. faces is one of bringing both the YPG and Turkey
on the same side of the battle for Raqqa. Turkey had in the past played dubious
games with the IS. If it decides to do that again now, the war on the IS could
be derailed.
Vocabulary
Recapture: capture (a person or animal that has escaped).
Example: Armed police have recaptured a prisoner who's been on the run for five days
Offensive: causing someone to feel deeply hurt, upset, or angry.
Example: The allegations made are deeply offensive to us
Synonyms: insulting, insolent, derogatory, disrespectful, hurtful, wounding
Choke: an action or sound of a person or animal having or
seeming to have difficulty in breathing.
Example: Willie choked on a mouthful of soda
Synonyms: gag, retch, cough, fight for breath
Retreated: (of an army) withdraw from enemy forces as a result of their superior power
or after a defeat.
Example: The French retreated in disarray
Synonyms: withdraw, retire, draw back, pull back/out, fall
back, give way
Ferocious: savagely fierce, cruel, or violent.
Example: The wolverine is nature's most ferocious and violent animal
Synonyms: fierce, savage, wild, predatory, aggressive, dangerous; brutal
Breaching: make a gap in and break through (a wall, barrier, or defense).
Example: The river breached its bank
Synonyms: break (through), burst (through), rupture, bust
Dubious: hesitating or doubting.
Example: Alex looked dubious, but complied
Synonyms: doubtful, uncertain, unsure, hesitant, undecided, indefinite
Derailed: cause (a train or trolley car) to leave its tracks accidentally.
Example: A train was derailed after it collided with a herd of cattle