It seems that every country in the world – including all the powers in the Middle East region itself – agrees that Islamic State is to be condemned, and yet its few tens of thousands of fighters have been able to take over half of Syria and large parts of Iraq. So why has the anti-Islamic State coalition not yet been able to root the group out?
One of the reasons is that the countries involved are divided among themselves over their broader strategic aims for Syria and the region. Opposing Islamic State is the lowest common denominator among them. To work together more effectively, they need to reach a broader consensus on the political outcomes not just for Syria, but for the wider region, including at least a basic détente between Saudi Arabia and Iran.
