Syria conflict: Aleppo offensive threatens peace talks

A Syrian government offensive on rebel-held areas around Aleppo is threatening to derail air strikes, was unprecedented and that the divided northern city might soon be encircled. The UN special envoy declared on Monday that the talks in Geneva had begun. But government and opposition officials contradicted Staffan de Mistura on Tuesday, as the fighting […]

SecDef Carter Wants More Boots on the Ground, But Not to Fight

Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter, speaking from the World Economic Forum in Davos to CNBC, stated that America must put more “boots on the ground” in Iraq to defeat the Islamic State, but promised they will not actually do any fighting. Carter appeared particularly interested the long-planned invasion of Mosul, the Islamic State’s capital in Iraq, and […]

US Establishing New Air Base in Northeast Syria

The announcement of an American air base being established in Northeast Syria comes with little surprise on the heels of a separate announcement for additional US troops being sent to Syria and Iraq. With the planned battle for retaking Mosul (Iraq) and other combat operations in the region, it will be a very important strategic […]

Revisiting our Strategy for Iraq and Syria

Here we go again – sort of. With no discernable borders between Iraq and Syria, Special Operations is once again being thrown into the breach assisting the Iraqis to gain control of their own homeland. Syria is added into the mix this time, but hopefully, it will be a one off. It’s the wishful thinking […]

“rel=”nofollow”: The Terrorist Group That Would Be a State”

“Michael W.S. Ryan presents a net assessment of ISIS: its strengths and weaknesses. The conclusion will propose some recommendations for degrading ISIS, both militarily and ideologically. Clearly, ISIS is a fluid topic, subject to change.” This recently published comprehensive 59-page report by the Center on Irregular Warfare and Armed Groups of the U.S. Naval War […]

The Islamic State is Jerry-Rigging a Surface-to-Air Missile

ISIL has recently debuted a few new weapons systems it plans on deploying in its battle against the infidels. One weapon, based on an air-to-air AA-2 missile, likely won’t be much bother to modern aircraft with advanced deterrent systems, but you have to give them credit for trying. The video claiming to show a mish […]

Report: Turkey detains Three Russians in Raid Aimed at ISIS

Turkey’s state-run news agency says police in the Mediterranean city of Antalya have detained three Russian nationals in a raid on suspected Islamic State militants. The Anadolu Agency said anti-terrorism police conducted the raids on Wednesday, a day after an ISIS suicide bomber detonated a bomb in Istanbul’s historic Sultanahmet district, killing 10 foreigners, most of them […]

ISIS Has Built A Secure Messaging App

ISIS has a new Android app for exchanging secure messages, joining another app that distributes propaganda and recruiting material, according to a counterterrorism network called the Ghost Security Group. Last month, Ghost Security and others, observed ISIS members using private messages on the Telegram app and direct messages on Twitter to send followers to a site (since vanished) to download the Amaq […]

Understanding the Lure of Young People to Join ISIS

What is the appeal about joining an Islamic extremist organization such as ISIS or al Qaida if you live outside of the Middle East? Friends and family members of those that travel to Syria and other Middle Eastern nations to train with ISIS or al Qaida seems shocked that their family member would be capable of […]