Islamic State's rout of the Iraqi army around Mosul in June was held up as a poster child of how dysfunctional Iraq had become under former Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki But events since have shone an almost equally unflattering light on both the region and the international community's capacity to address the multiple challenges posed by the radical jihadist group. The very brutality that has served it so well on the battlefield has also alienated many in the areas they rule — even as Islamic State continues to make territorial gains and attract new recruits.
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