The Iraqi government [ failed in an attempt to retake Tikrit ]( http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/aug/19/isis-fighters-iraq-army-fails-tikrit ) ; Isis soldiers gave hard resistance. US air strikes are easy and effective in open country, but not in cities. If Tikrit is indeed controlled by Baathists and Sunni militants, as the article says, it should be possible to make a peace with them. They can't be very happy with Isis; they must regard it as a last resort to get out from under the Maliki's sectarian rule. The challenge will be to convince them that a new Iraqi government won't be equally bad.
Ссылка: https://stallman.org/archives/2014-may-aug.html#20_August_2014_%28Iraqi_gov%27t_failed_in_an_attempt_to_retake_Tikrit%29