The anti-ISIS coalition is growing. UK, Denmark and Belgium join strikes in Iraq. -Time.

Parliament debates joining the war. Time/Reuters

The United Kingdom, Denmark and Belgium joins the anti-ISIS coalition and will send airstrikes to Iraq. -Time.  The three countries join a growing list of European and Arab countries fighting against ISIS. In addition to the Arab nations, including Saudi Arabia and Qatar, France, Australia and America have all pledged airstrikes. In the United Kingdom, Parliament voted decisively for the war. As of this posting none of the new nations have pledged to expand their strikes to Syria. 

My Comment:

I'm not surprised that the United Kingdom has joined the war. They lost one of their own in brutal fashion a short time ago. They must have been under immense pressure to do something after the execution. The United Kingdom is also America's most loyal ally so it is not surprising that they would join. As for Denmark and Belgium, I'm not quite sure what their motivation is. I have to assume that they have had their problems with Islamic extremism in the past. They must want to nip it in the bud while they still can. 

So is this going to seriously effect ISIS? I don't see this doing all that much. These will be token airstrikes to support the main U.S. effort at best. Airstrikes can only do so much and when it comes down to it you need an army to defeat and army. And there is no army in Iraq or Syria that is strong enough to fight ISIS, especially since everyone is fighting everyone else there. Still, any help is appreciated. 

Of course should ISIS fail to be destroyed, which is pretty likely, they will have a propaganda and recruiting tool. They already have an aura of invincibility. Going up against the combined forces of a united Arab league as well as major European powers and the most powerful military in the world, the United States, and surviving will be a huge accomplishment, to say nothing of what happens if they continue to have major victories on the ground. And their continued campaign against western civilians have been fairly effective as a recruiting tool as well. In short, ISIS isn't going to be defeated by airstrikes and this is going to be a long, ugly war.