Al Qaeda in Iraq

Editor's Note: Despite its successful terrorist attacks in Europe, the Islamic State is being hit hard in Iraq. Indeed, Iraqi forces and their U.S. and coalition allies are gearing up to retake Mosul, Iraq's second largest city and the Islamic State's main base in the country. Although kicking the Islamic State out of Mosul would be a true sign of progress, Joshua Rovner of SMU and Caitlin Talmadge of GWU offer some cautions. They point out that ultimate success will depend on who fights the battle, who rules after the peace, and how Mosul is integrated into overall U.S.