Sunnis

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – The Obama administration got itself some headlines on Wednesday morning by pledging to send a few hundred more military trainers to Iraq and to create a new base in al-Anbar Province. But there is less to this announcement than meets the eye. The US has some 3000 […]

Barack Obama

Obama: We don’t have a “complete strategy” against ISIL

contributors

CBS News | (Video Report) | – – “President Obama said Monday the United States does not have a complete plan to train and equip Iraqi forces to fight the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS), saying Baghdad needs to show a greater commitment to building a fighting force. “We don’t yet have a […]

Iraq

Weapons of the Wet: ISIL/ Daesh Cuts water to Iraqi Towns south of Ramadi

contributors

Ben Wedeman | (CNN Video) | – – “Baghdad, Iraq (CNN) ISIS has closed off a dam to the north of the Iraqi city of Ramadi — seized by its forces last month — cutting water supplies to pro-government towns downstream and making it easier for its fighters to attack forces loyal to Baghdad, local […]

Displaced and Refugees

Caught in ISIL crossfire, 8.2 Million Iraqis In Need of Emergency Humanitarian Assistance

contributors

By Kanya D’Almeida | – UNITED NATIONS (IPS) – As fighting drags on between Iraqi armed forces and the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), millions of refugees caught between the warring groups are in dire need of humanitarian assistance. Speaking at an appeal launch at the European Parliament in Brussels Thursday, Lise […]

Bashar al-Assad

US Air Force Absent as Daesh/ ISIL advances on North Aleppo against Sunni Rebels

Juan Cole

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – Daesh (ISIL, ISIS), the murderous terrorist organization that has taken over the eastern desert of Syria and the western desert of Iraq, along with perhaps 3 million townspeople, is now making a move on Syria’s largest city, Aleppo. For the past five days, Daesh has been fighting […]

Africa

Can Nigeria’s new Muslim President defeat Boko Haram Extremists?

contributors

By Lisa Vives | — NEW YORK (IPS) – Muhammadu Buhari, his hand on the Holy Book, was sworn in as Nigeria’s president at an open-air ceremony this past Friday in the capital city of Abuja. His speech acknowledged many of the challenges facing the largest democracy in Africa but offered hope that these challenges […]

Iraq

Iraqi Army, Shiite Militias Retake area west of Ramadi from ISIL/ Daesh

contributors

Press TV | (Video) — Reports coming out of Iraq suggest that government forces have managed to recapture a 5-kilometer area in the west of the flashpoint city. The latest advances follow fierce battles with the Takfiri terrorists. Dozens of terrorists have already been killed in the confrontation. Iraqi volunteer forces are advancing on Ramadi […]

Iraq

Nasty, New Neighbours: How Close Will Extremists Get To Baghdad?

contributors

By Mustafa Habib | (Niqash.org) | – The fall of Ramadi means that Baghdad, Karbala and Babel have unpleasant new neighbours in the Islamic State group. How long before the extremists are in the capital’s backyard? At one stage it seemed as though the chances of the extremist group known as the Islamic State entering […]

Featured

Why ISIL’s Attacks on Shiites of Saudi Arabia Threaten World Economy

Juan Cole

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – Daesh (ISIL, ISIS) took responsibility for a terrorist attack Friday on the Shiite al-Husayn Mosque in Dammam, which left three victims dead. Saudi security forces are taking credit for spotting that the car the terrorists were driving was suspicious and preventing it from getting too near the […]