THE HINDU Editorial Vocabulary-July 3, 2017- Topic 2

Victory in Mosul

Iraqi forces take back al-Nuri mosque from IS

The capture by Iraqi forces of the Grand al-Nuri Mosque in Mosul, from where Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi declared himself ‘caliph’ in July 2014, marks the end of the ‘caliphate’ in Iraq. For three years, the mosque was a symbol of power for the IS, whose black flag flew atop the historic 150-ft tall al-Hadba minaret. IS fighters blew up the minaret when they retreated, practically declaring their defeat in Iraq’s second largest city. 

They are now confined to some pockets of Mosul, and Iraqi commanders believe it is only a matter of days before they can declare total victory. For the Iraqi troops, the eight-month battle has been particularly torturous, given the high casualties and the strong IS resistance, on the battlefield and through suicide attacks elsewhere. It is quite a turnaround for the Iraqi army, which left its barracks and fled the city without even a nominal fight three years ago when it came under IS attack. The ease with which the IS took Mosul, home to over a million people, had raised alarming questions about the professional capability of the Iraqi army to defend its territory against further possible IS expansion. But Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, who ordered the Mosul mission and stayed the course despite the huge challenges involved, has put to rest such concerns, for now.

Mr. Abadi managed to stitch together a difficult alliance to fight the jihadists. While the elite Iraqi counter-terror forces led the ground battle, Iran-trained Shia Popular Mobilization Units as well as the Kurdish Peshmerga militia also joined in. The U.S. provided air cover. Despite conflicting interests — the U.S. and Iran are rivals while both Tehran and Baghdad have uneasy ties with the Kurds — the joint front they forged against the IS could be a replicable model elsewhere, especially in Syria where the IS still controls territories. For Mr. Abadi, however, a bigger challenge is to rebuild Mosul, where hundreds of thousands of people have been displaced, and prevent the regrouping of the IS. The destruction of the ‘Caliphate’, the proto-state that Baghdadi established, doesn’t mean that the IS as an insurgency has been defeated. The group is likely to retreat to Iraq’s deserts, much like what al-Qaeda in Iraq, the predecessor of the IS, did during 2006-10 after the death of its leader, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, and subsequent military blows. They struck back when they found an opportunity in crisis-stricken Syria and in Iraq’s restive Sunni belt, including Mosul, which was simmering against the sectarian policies of Nouri al-Maliki’s Shia regime. The IS may also bide its time. Mr. Abadi should reassure Mosul’s population that his government will not make the mistakes his predecessor committed. He has retaken the city, and now he has to win over its people.

Vocabulary

Caliph: the chief Muslim civil and religious ruler, regarded as the successor of Muhammad.

Example: The Omayyad dynasty of caliphs ruled from Damascus until 750

Torturous: characterized by, involving, or causing excruciating pain or suffering.

Example: A torturous eight weeks in their prison camp

Barrack: a building or group of buildings used to house soldiers.

Example: The troops were ordered back to barracks

Synonyms: garrison, camp, encampment, depot, billet

Stitch: a sudden sharp pain in the side of the body, caused by strenuous exercise.

Example: She ran with a stitch in her side

Synonyms: sharp pain, stabbing pain, shooting pain, stab of pain

Alliance: a union or association formed for mutual benefit, especially between countries or organizations.

Example: A defensive alliance between Australia and New Zealand

Synonyms: association, union, league, confederation, federation

Insurgency: an active revolt or uprising.

Example: Rebels are waging an armed insurgency to topple the monarchy

Subsequent: coming after something in time; following.

Example: The theory was developed subsequent to the earthquake of 1906

Synonyms: following, ensuing, succeeding, later, future, coming

Reassure: say or do something to remove the doubts and fears of someone.

Example: He understood her feelings and tried to reassure her

Synonyms: put/set someone's mind at rest, put someone at ease

Simmering: stay just below the boiling point while being heated.

Example: The goulash was simmering slowly on the stove

Synonyms: boil gently, cook gently, bubble, stew

Restive: unable to keep still or silent and becoming increasingly difficult to control, especially because of impatience, dissatisfaction, or boredom.

Example: No, the workers were not restive , nor were pickets lining up outside.

Synonyms: unruly, disorderly, uncontrollable, unmanageable