Al-Qaeda positioning to reclaim the mantle of global jihad from ISIS

The nature and threat of radical Islamic terrorism has been altered and expanded by ISIS, and Al-Qaeda has been quietly rebuilding its capabilities in preparation for ISIS’ defeat on the battlefield, according to terrorism officials. Three renowned experts on terrorism testified before the House Armed Services Committee on Tuesday, giving detailed briefs on their assessments of the […]

Pentagon is considering deploying conventional troops into Syria (MAYBE)

To jumpstart the campaign against ISIS, the Pentagon is considering deploying conventional troops into the fray against ISIS. The implications are far-reaching and many questions arise. This could have been an inevitable outcome. It could be a product of ‘mission creep.’ Stakeholders within the Pentagon are beginning to claim their ‘piece of the pie.’ The […]

CIA memo reveals ideas for Syrian regime change

A newly declassified CIA document explored multiple scenarios of Syrian regime collapse at a time when Hafez al-Assad’s government was embroiled in a covert “dirty war” with Israel and the West, and in the midst of a diplomatic crisis which marked an unprecedented level of isolation for Syria. The 24-page formerly classified memo entitled Syria: Scenarios of Dramatic Political Change was produced in July […]

Jihadist Private Military Contractors are now a thing

A jihadist private military contractor (PMC) has been growing in popularity and expanding its business model through the war in Syria, according to a report from Foreign Policy. The group, called Malhama Tactical, is owned and operated by a young Uzbek veteran of the Russian airborne infantry. He speaks fluent Russian and goes by his […]

Cease-fire frays in Syria’s south as rebels launch new offensive

BEIRUT — A cease-fire brokered by Turkey and Russia two months ago is fraying along Syria’s southern border as rebel forces launch their largest offensive in the area in more than a year. Monitors, activists and an aid group said fighting between opposition and pro-government forces raged for a fourth day Wednesday in the southern […]

Jihadist clashes in Syria signal deteriorating situation for opposition

Fighting occurred between jihadist opposition groups in northwest Syria on Monday, highlighting the fractious differences that remain among rebel forces in Syria. Following the seizure of Aleppo in December 2016 by Assad government forces, armed opposition groups in northwest Syria have begun to battle over remaining territory and resources. As Assad regime troops re-consolidate following […]

Watch: B-1 Lancer Bomber Night Takeoff in Full Afterburner

Manufactured by Rockwell, the B-1 Lancer bomber, affectionately known as the ‘Bone’ is a four engine supersonic aircraft with variable swept wings. The B-1 was originally thought to be a replacement for the B-52 Stratofortress. It entered service in 1986 as a nuclear bomber but has been widely used in a conventional role. Watch as […]

Fake News alert: no, this Danish woman did not kill 100 ISIS fighters

Over the last week, yet another fake news headline has been making the rounds on social media.  “Cute girl slays 100 ISIS fighters, you won’t believe what happens next!”  This news item was already clichéd during the heyday of ISIS clickbait articles back in 2015.  Now it is just getting embarrassing to watch people share […]

Big Phil’s War: Off to Erbil to join up with the Kurds (Part 6)

Turkish Airlines Flight 304 from Istanbul began its slow descent to Erbil, the main airport for the Kurdish Regional Government in northern Iraq. Looking down below, I could see the strange contrast of the region’s snowcapped hills and the evergreen valleys. It was not the only thing about the area that was incongruous: While it […]

Coalition spokesman on ISIS in West Mosul: “Surrender or die”

Air Force Col. John Dorrian, spokesman for Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve tasked with engaging ISIS, briefed the Pentagon on Wednesday about continuing operations against ISIS around the globe. Colonel Dorrian did not mince words, stating plainly that the ISIS fighters holding out in pockets of Iraq’s second largest city have “only two […]

Russian airstrike accidentally kills 3 Turkish soldiers in Syria

Three Turkish soldiers were killed and eleven others were injured when a Russian air strike accidentally hit a building occupied by the Turkish military in Syria on Thursday. “During an operation by a Russia Federation warplane against Islamic State targets in the region of the Euphrates Shield operation in Syria, a bomb accidentally hit a […]