Expelling ISIS from Ramadi: Why It Matters

The expulsion of ISIS fighters from the Iraqi city of Ramadi is a morale-boosting victory for the Iraqi Security Forces after a thoroughly forgettable 2015, good news for beleaguered Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi - and another sign that ISIS is stretched thin across its vast territory in Iraq and Syria.
The recapture of central Ramadi - occupied by ISIS seven months ago as Iraqi troops fled in disarray - is also a sign that closer coordination between Iraqi forces on the ground and coalition airpower is having results, even in a crowded urban area.
The United States had already begun retraining Iraqi army brigades in the aftermath of a chaotic retreat from Mosul in June 2014.
In June this year, U.S. authorities dispatched a further 450 military trainers to work with Sunni tribal militia, and greater attention was devoted to dealing with ISIS' use of IEDs and vehicle suicide bombs.