There is nothing small or insignificant about Islamic State (IS). Everything about it, from its sudden appearance onto the world’s terror stage and its rapid expansion across the Middle East to its call for jihadist recruits and the military power needed to beat back the IS threat, all speak volumes about the massive influence and scope of this militant organisation. That it is a force that is keeping world powers on their toes should sound alarm bells. In their biggest raid and greatest victory in nearly a year, IS militants have claimed complete control if the western Iraqi city of Ramadi, seizing tanks and doing what it does best: killing scores of ‘infidels’ (anyone who is not in sync with the IS’s warped ideology) and members of the Iraqi security forces. Ramadi, the capital city of Anbar province, is a Sunni stronghold and the government has dispatched Shia militias, as it has done in the past on other fronts, to wage war against IS militants and win back the area. It is so tragic that this is the only way the government is able to contemplate regaining control because Iraqi army officers have either deserted, been killed or joined the IS ranks. Sending in Shia militias into Sunni dominated areas has the potential to spark sectarian conflict but there seems to be no other alternative given the absence of any other ground troops. After its initial sweep of territorial expansion last year, Iraqi Shia militias have been pushing back IS’s ambitions for further conquest. That US airstrikes moved in support of the Iraqi government’s efforts helped but now, it seems, IS is trying to reclaim its initial glory. After all, how much beheading, killing of Yazidis, humanitarian aid workers and journalists, and mass executions can you do before you go back to your old ways? IS has also been in the news for its advance towards the ancient heritage site of Palmyra, Syria, a move that is being watched closely by the entire world. That is because Palmyra is one of the most important historic civilisational sites in the entire Middle East. IS has reached the northern city of Tadmur in Syria adjacent to where the Palmyra ruins are located. Palmyra is an ancient Roman city dating back to the second century BC. It is a UNESCO protected world heritage site and is a reminder that culture and history pulsate in the Middle East. The whole world is watching anxiously because IS has laid low other archeological sites it has captured in the Middle East, crushing prized remnants of history because, according to their version of Islam, these sites are idolatrous. That is why the Syrian military, allies and US airstrikes have been bombarding IS in Tadmur to prevent it from pushing on into Palmyra. Latest reports indicate that there has been some success in pushing IS back and saving the ancient site, for now. But how long will this fragile situation last? IS is hell bent upon its deluded mission and will not be held back for long. That is why the US and its allies need to get their act together, and for once think about the ground realities. Prepping more and more proxy armies and mixing them into the cauldron that is the Middle East will not help it defeat IS; it will only make the whole arena bloodier and more complexidly conflict-ridden. What is needed is alignment with all those who are enemies of IS to get rid of this scourge that has engulfed the Middle East. That means the US must mend fences with the Assad regime in Syria and the government in Iran to band together and pound the IS strongholds into oblivion. For that, old rivalries and agendas need to be put aside and the future of this region needs to be considered. The US is already reaping the ‘fruits’ of its disastrous proxy policy; why has it not yet learnt its lesson? *