Leading Baath Party Member, Izzet al-Douri Injured by US Airstrike in Sinjar, Iraq

According to BAS News, the highest ranking surviving member of Iraq’s Baath party is reported to have been injured by an American airstrike in Sinjar, Iraq. Al-Douri (seen in the lead picture with Saddam Hussein) was the King of Clubs on America’s deck of 52 most wanted personalities during the 2003 invasion of Iraq. Reports […]

How to Force Iran to do our Dirty Work in Iraq

On Saturday, Will Rodriguez published a piece here at SOFREP that laid bare an apparent use of American-made weaponry by Iran in Iraq. My article is not a point-by-point engagement of Mr. Rodriguez’s piece. Rather, it is simply a response that highlights some potential alternatives for continuing to remain so rigid in our approach to security policy in […]

Iranians using M1 Abrams Tanks and More Bad News…

It’s been a little over a year since Fallujah and Ramadi fell to ISIS and almost seven months since US troops returned to Iraq. Back in September I wrote a series describing how we got where we’re at and how things would continue to deteriorate as we send more troops to push the problem past […]

ISIS, the Stalking Horse

ISIS’ branding and propaganda has been enormously successful since they seemingly came out of nowhere to seize the city of Mosul last summer. Islamist groups from Yemen to Central Asia to Libya are purportedly pledging allegiance to the group and flying its black flag. Washington, the Kremlin, and Beijing are all warning of the danger […]

Word Play: The Life-and-Death Consequences of Word Choice, Labels, and Designations

Following the horrific murders of three Muslim North Carolina residents in mid-February, the Palestinian National Authority has condemned the attack as “terrorism” and requested that U.S. law enforcement allow its own investigators to participate in the case. The PA is not the only party labeling the murders as terror attacks and a hate crime. Multiple sources […]

Italy Versus ISIS

A few days ago, following the tragic events in Paris, the Italian government finally approved a new anti-terrorism law. The new law imposes severe penalties for convicted foreign fighters and jihadi recruiters, establishes new rules for exploiting the work of intelligence, and encourages more careful checks at the borders. The Italian army will pursue its home-front mission supporting the […]

Seven Ways ISIL Uses Terrorism as a Tool

ISIL has openly stated its desire to draw the United States and other Coalition forces into a massive ground invasion which they believe will usher about the second coming of the Prophet…

Egypt: Taking Revenge On ISIS

In response to the continued barbarism and bloodlust of ISIS, Egypt got in on the action after 21 of its citizens–all Coptic Christians–were beheaded on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea in neighboring Libya. In the early-morning hours of 16 February, the Egyptian Air Force targeted Islamic State assembly areas, weapons storage facilities, and training […]

President Obama’s Half Baked ISIS Strategy=Epic Fail

The last two Presidents have executed foreign policy strategies that have been schizophrenic at worst, and ambiguous at best. The US invasion of Iraq and the “no look” withdrawal has created a power vacuum in that region. One can easily argue that US policy in Iraq had a hand in creating civil war in both Iraq […]

Wanted: ISIS Looking to Hire Oil Experts, Other Professionals

“The Engineer.” In Afghanistan and a few other Muslim countries, it is a term of respect afforded to men in positions of authority or specialty based on their past education. For anyone with an engineering background, and specifically with an oil background, well, old brother ISIS just might have a job for you. Recent reporting […]

UPDATE: Jordanian F-16 Down in Syria

I want to start by offering thoughts and prayers to all of Lieutenant al-Kasasbeh’s family, friends, and fellow Jordanian warriors, on behalf of the entire FighterSweep team.