In 1942 Germany had the Russian forces in rapid retreat and branched off to capture the Ukrainian oil fields, and Stalingrad on the way. They quickly captured the majority of the city, but quickly found that the fighting in the rubble meant that their superior heavy weapons had little effect on an entrenched infantry, and that it was impossible to cut off Russian resupply across the Volga river.

This combined with long supply lines and an exposed flank, meant that this struggled consumed a disproportionate amount of energy men and materiel, halted their advance, and drained resources from elsewhere. The final collapse and surrender of the 6th Army marked the turning point of the Russian campaign.

There are clear parallels with Kobani. ISIS using captured weapons from Iraq have extended their reach to Kobani, and have assaulted it with an assumed overwhelming force against lightly armed militia.

ISIS's problems in achieving their objective have been that
-they underestimated the determination of the Kurds (largely due to the barbaric treatment of those surrendering),
-ISIS has failed to cut off the Kurds resupply lines to the city from the North, and
-under estimated the damage that the US and allies could do to their heavy weapons, entrenched positions and supply lines.

ISIS has now lost hundreds of men and much irreplaceable heavy weapons, and is facing a stark choice of either committing further men and equipment to the meat grinder the US has set up for them in a slender hope of occupying the city in an extended campaign, or a humiliating retreat from most of the area that would significantly dent their recruitment drives especially if fighters left behind are pictured hanged or decapitated by a vengeful population they previously brutalised. This of course does not take into account the losses they are suffering in Iraq, and their deteriorating finances.

In my opinion, while this does not mean that ISIS is finished, it may mean that their easy victories are finished, and they will now need to fight just to exist.

Yes, SM,

Our prayers are with the brave Kurds, who are saving themselves and stopping that which may otherwise be unstoppable by the crumbling West.

If not for them, this is what awaits us: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-10-21/abdullah-elmir-abu-khaled-singles-out-australia-to-is-militants/5830100

We don't deserve to lick the dust of their shoes.

Breslau would be a better analogue than Stalingrad, in taking the city the Soviets lost men at a rate of two to one compared to the Germans but they finally prevailed.
The Turks might allow PKK and Peshmerga fighters to "relieve" Kobane then cut them off and let ISIS destroy them, two birds with one stone.

Yuyutsu

I guess you missed the part about Kobani being about to fall before western intervention.

Yuyutsu,
Oh yeah you Lefties just lurrrrve the PKK, who incidentally have killed thousands of people including other Kurds.
"Not fit to lick the dust from their boots", give me a break,this is a fight between two factions who are both equally hostile to Europeans and equally dangerous.

Yuyutsu >> We don't deserve to lick the dust of their shoes.<<

Can you please explain what exactly that is supposed to mean. I cannot make any sense of that comment. Who is "we" and who's shoes?

And the crumbling West...

Maybe you missed a dose of your medicine as this must be your craziest post yet.