Never again: How the military prepares for a Benghazi terrorist scenario in Africa

The night of September 11, 2012, the U.S. diplomatic post and the nearby CIA annex in Benghazi, Libya, were attacked by Islamic terrorists. The ensuing two-day battle left four Americans dead: U.S. Ambassador to Libya Chris Stevens, State Department employee Sean Smith, CIA contractor and former Navy SEAL Tyrone Woods, and CIA contractor and former […]

French soldiers kill al-Qaeda’s second ranked terrorist leader Yahya Abu al-Hammam: Exclusive analysis

Algerian Yahya Abu al-Hammam, a senior commander in Jama’a Nusrat ul-Islam wa al-Muslimin (JNIM) was killed in a special operation led by French forces. Yahya Abu al-Hammam ranked number two in the organization behind the Malian Tuareg Iyad Ag Ghaly. The assassination was conducted by French soldiers from the task force Operation Barkhane, an anti-insurgent operation in Africa’s […]

Airstrikes in Libya: US Africa Command cover-up or another nation’s unclaimed attack?

Last week the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM) denied carrying out an airstrike targeting al-Qaeda in southwest Libya despite the internationally recognized regime in Tripoli insisting they had involved their American colleagues in a joint attack. The spokesperson for the chairman of the Presidential Council of Libya said on Wednesday that a site with a […]

With Islamic State destroyed, what will happen to the more than 1,000 ISIS prisoners?

As the fight against the Islamic State in Syria (ISIS) draws to a bloody conclusion, the question of what will happen to the ISIS prisoners of war (POWs) who were captured by the U.S.-led international coalition or its local partners becomes increasingly pressing. During a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing, General Raymond Thomas, the head […]

Marine Raider receives Silver Star after single-handedly stopping an ISIS suicide vehicle

A Marine Raider has been awarded the Silver Star after braving intense enemy fire and destroying an incoming vehicle-born improvised explosive device (VBIED) in Iraq. The Raider, whose name has been withheld for operational security (OPSEC) reasons (he is still on active duty), was assigned to the 2nd Marine Raider Battalion (MRB), Marine Special Operations […]

“Kill the Enemy, But Please…Don’t Hurt His Feelings”

If this sounds strange, ludicrous and outright ridiculous…then congratulations! Welcome to our politically correct world where our leaders who send our troops into harm’s way to kill our enemies are more worried about hurting those said enemies’ feelings than they are about ensuring that our troops have everything they need to accomplish their mission and […]

Proxy warfare: The strategic dilemma of relying on proxy counterterrorism forces

Proxy warfare isn’t a new concept. It has been used since ancient times. More recently, the British used it quite successfully during the Dhofar War in Oman in the early 1970s. Special Air Service (SAS) operators trained, advised, and, perhaps, accompanied Yemeni dissenters in cross-border operations deep inside Yemen. Another example—this time of active proxy […]

Last of ISIS forces cornered in Syria, coalition’s final assault underway

The Islamic State’s (ISIS) reign of terror is about to end. The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), primarily comprised of Kurdish forces, have cornered the last remnants of the terrorist organization in a small enclave. Baghouz, which is situated close to the eastern bank of the Euphrates River, is the last remnant of territory under the […]