After the execution of Iraqi Colonel Yasser al-Jourani by the Islamic State, the Iraqi Army Aviation Unit decided to send a decisive message. This airstrike package was part of it.

Throughout this video, you'll see several direct strikes with kinetic munitions against the Islamic State throughout Iraq. The series of strikes was conducted by the Iraqi Aviation Unit in response to the execution of Colonel Yasser al-Jourani. In an attempt to make their message loud and clear, the Iraqi Aviation Unit published this video to their YouTube channel. The music in the video was also an addition from the Aviation Unit.

When you look at the differences between Iraq and Afghanistan, it immediately becomes clear why Iraq was able to stand on it's own two feet when the Islamic State arrived. In Afghanistan, the emergence of the Islamic State required immediate ground and air assistance from the United States. The Afghan National Army was not well equipped enough to handle fighting a war on two fronts against both the Taliban and ISKP. In Iraq, this was not an issue, as a majority of the country was already on the side of the government.

On top of the Iraqi people dominantly supporting their own government, the Iraqi Military was far better trained and equipped to handle the Islamic State. Not only did they have far more access to air power, which allowed them to dominate the skies, they also had multiple allied groups working with them inside of the country like the PMU militia units and the Kurdish YPG.