ISIL more likely to fail in Iraq: Analyst

Press TV has conducted an interview with Naseer al-Omari, an author and political commentator from New York, to discuss the situation in Iraq.

What follows is an approximate transcription of the interview.

Press TV: One of the major concerns as a result of this situation in Iraq is the fate of these displaced people? What do you think their fate would be?

Omari: The refugees who are fleeing into the Kurdish areas are relatively safe because I think ISIS has not targeted Kurdish areas. However, their needs, as many organizations have already stated, are entire needs of help. We are talking about tens of thousands of people who left their homes.

This really adds to the “strife” in Iraq and the region where refugees are just flooding from one country to another and one region to another.

Press TV: How much do you think the ISIL could advance in Iraq, because we know that they failed in Syria, will they fail in Iraq too?

Omari: I believe they’re even more likely to fail in Iraq because we have seen the Iraqi army today, yesterday and a few days ago taking action and regrouping.

The international community will not allow this terrorist group to have a permanent foothold in Iraq. The neighboring countries are not comfortable with this group on their borders. The Maliki government will not allow this terrorist group to threaten Baghdad. I think that we are seeing the beginning of the counterattack.

Press TV: What political will should there be to counter the ISIL attack?

Omari: Inside Iraq and the Maliki government, I think it’s very powerful. The support regionally, even from countries that we assume are not too friendly to the Maliki government, is very, very strong.

This group has no friends. This terrorist group is even fighting against the Syrian army, and they are fighting against the Kurds. This group is killing, engaging in mass executions of both Sunnis and Shias, and Iraqi army members.

They truly have no friends, although I believe they have enjoyed the support of some wealthy individuals in the [Persian] Gulf region and around the Arab and probably Muslim world.

I think governments have a different perspective because of the grave threats that this group poses for everybody.