Iraq

By Nadia Prupis, staff writer| (Commondreams.org) | – – The U.S. is poised to repeat all the same mistakes in Syria that it made in Iraq after 9/11, says former head of Defense Intelligence Agency The Islamic State (ISIS) formed in the wake of the U.S. invasion of Iraq, said (Ret.) U.S. General Mike Flynn. […]

Iraq

Iraq: Eastern front against ISIL slowed by Internal Divisions, Unenthusiastic USAF

contributors

By Mustafa Habib | (Niqash.org) | – – Iraqi fighters in Anbar are waiting to push the Islamic State group out of cities like Ramadi. But they wonder when it will happen, if ever. Many believe that politics are why this particular victory must take so long. The tribal fighters of the central Iraqi province […]

Iraq

Pushing back against ISIL/ Daesh: How the Kurds Reclaimed Sinjar

contributors

VICE News | (Video report) | – – “Islamic State (IS) fighters swept into the Iraqi city of Sinjar in August 2014, forcing Kurdish peshmerga forces to retreat. The city, primarily made up of Yazidis, a religious minority with roots going back thousands of years in the region, was soon overran with IS militants. They […]

Iraq War

2003: Iraqi Governors who did not want Americans in their Country

Juan Cole

“Could we have a prudent pause?”

France

Paris attacks: how effective has the military response been?

contributors

By Scott Lucas | (The Conversation) | – – Even as Parisians were trying to assess the scale of the attacks by Islamic State (IS) which killed 132 people on November 13, politicians were promising a decisive and effective military response. French President Francois Hollande assured, “We will be merciless toward the barbarians of Islamic […]

Featured

Is Daesh/ ISIL a modern Raiding Pirate state?

Juan Cole

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – Some analysts trying to understand Daesh (ISIL, ISIS) had suggested that it differs from al-Qaeda in its emphasis on taking and holding territory, thus becoming a state– something that al-Qaeda was largely uninterested in. They expected the self-proclaimed “caliph” Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi to concentrate his resources […]

Iraq

ISIL imposes Harsh Loyalty tests on Fighters at Mosul

contributors

Special Correspondent | (Niqash.org) | – – Locals in Mosul say the Islamic State group has started a campaign to “test the loyalty” of their members. Those who joined for money or power are being asked to take pay cuts or head to the front lines. There is a verse in the Koran that asks […]

Iraq

ISIL Reels from major loss to Kurdish Forces at Sinjar

contributors

Wall Street Journal | (Video News Report) | – – “Kurdish forces on Friday retook control of the strategic Iraqi city of Sinjar from Islamic State militants, Kurdish officials said, as a separate assault began on the southern city of Ramadi.” Wall Street Journal: “Kurdish Forces Retake Sinjar From [so-called] Islamic State [group]”

Featured

Kurdish Fighters cut Road between ISIL centers of Raqqa and Mosul

Juan Cole

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – Al-Arabiya reports that the Security Council in Iraqi Kurdistan has announced that their paramilitary, the Peshmerga have taken 150 square kilometers of the city of Sinjar from Daesh (ISIL, ISIS) and has the entire city surrounded. Some sources say that 70% of the city has fallen […]