As IS falls back in Iraq and northern Syria, a new feudal order appears to be taking root. While non-IS/Kurdish factions seem to be willing to work within the pre-war political system, such sentiments are clearly nominal in nature.
In areas where Hezbollah and the Badr Organization rule, Islamist law (notably milder than IS' brand) is imposed and cooperation with the Iraqi and post-war Syrian governments is a subject of heated debate.
In southern Iraq/Syria, secular militias have also carved out their own fiefdoms and share the Shia's lack of interest in full involvement in any attempts at nation state governance post-war.
In the far north of the fighting, Kurdish forces have imposed their authority over areas they occupy and have openly rejected anything less than full independence once their common enemy in IS is dealt with prompting fear and reluctance to engage fully in the war on the part of Turkey.
IS is also in a strong position in central and western Syria and has proven it's adaptability on both the battlefield and in the political arena. IS will likely persist as a permanent political entity in the region, it's current loses slowing dramatically or stopping once it's territory condenses to the point that they're no longer overextended.
All of this points to the emergence of weak feudal states in Iraq and Syria with IS, small but highly militarized and Kurdistan as independent and rival Sunni states.
In areas where Hezbollah and the Badr Organization rule, Islamist law (notably milder than IS' brand) is imposed and cooperation with the Iraqi and post-war Syrian governments is a subject of heated debate.
In southern Iraq/Syria, secular militias have also carved out their own fiefdoms and share the Shia's lack of interest in full involvement in any attempts at nation state governance post-war.
In the far north of the fighting, Kurdish forces have imposed their authority over areas they occupy and have openly rejected anything less than full independence once their common enemy in IS is dealt with prompting fear and reluctance to engage fully in the war on the part of Turkey.
IS is also in a strong position in central and western Syria and has proven it's adaptability on both the battlefield and in the political arena. IS will likely persist as a permanent political entity in the region, it's current loses slowing dramatically or stopping once it's territory condenses to the point that they're no longer overextended.
All of this points to the emergence of weak feudal states in Iraq and Syria with IS, small but highly militarized and Kurdistan as independent and rival Sunni states.
