Targeting IS

The air campaign against the Islamic State, as those primitive extremists are now called, is basically about good targeting. Target definition is a labour-intensive, time demanding, costly exercise. It results of the combination of a large variety of information-gathering skills, related to human and technological intelligence activities. Very few countries are in a position to do that well. That´s an area where the EU armies need to acquire additional skills and means.

Then, there is the very delicate moment of target approval. Once the potential target has been identified, the action against that target needs to be approved by the right level of authority. This has to be done with great care, to avoid errors and collateral damage.

But all this is very effective in today´s world. This is the new way of neutralising real dangerous enemies. In the current circumstances, the message to the IS fellows is that they will be routed. There is the political will and the necessary coalition to do it. Those at the forefront of the air campaign mean business.

There is another message, this one for the young people in the EU that are planning to join the radicals in the Middle East. If you go, your chances are very limited. Either you will be caught when one of the targets is destroyed or you will be, like many others, killed in a hot fight with other rival groups out there. If you survive both situations, there will be a team of policemen waiting for you in Europe when you come back from Syria or Iraq. Therefore, be wise, keep quiet and do not go. To adhere to the extremism of IS has no future for you.