... groups, two questions arise: what is the nature of these differences, and whether Islamic State can overcome them and unite other members of the international jihadist movement under its banner?
The rise of ISIS in June 2014 and the seizure of Mosul, Iraq’s second largest city, resulted from a comprehensive and multifaceted process, incorporating a variety of factors, ranging from the US invasion of Iraq in 2003 and the political vacuum that followed to Iran’s growing influence in the ...
Military aircraft in the Middle East conflicts
December 18, 2011 was a momentous day for the U.S. Air Force: it flew the
last combat sorties
as part of
Operation New Dawn
, the final phase of the second Iraq War that began in 2003. For the first time since the start of the Desert Storm operation in 1991, U.S. war planes stopped combat operations over Iraq
[1]
. However, Iraq did not enjoy a peaceful sky for long. On August 8, 2014 two U.S. Navy carrier-based ...
By Brian E. Frydenborg, February 26th, 2015 (updated February 27th-28th)
Originally published on LinkedIn Pulse here
If you think your site or another would be a good place for this content please do not hesitate to reach out to me! Please feel free to share and repost on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter (you can follow me there at @bfry1981)
One of the sad things about looking at current commentary about Russia, America, and the state of their relationship is the lack of measured and reasoned...
... brink of targeting Brussels. The capital of Belgium was already targeted a few months ago: in May 2014, Mehdi Nemmouche – a French citizen who had trained in Syria – killed 4 persons in Brussels’ Jewish museum.
Jihad in Syria and in Iraq has attracted some 15,000 foreign fighters, of which 3,000 are Westerners. If Belgium has the highest number of jihadists per inhabitant in Europe, French jihadists are more numerous in absolute terms. The figures provided by the French Ministry ...
How the Obama Administration Removed Iraq’s Largest Political Obstacle
Originally published Nov. 2nd, 2014
How Did It Come To This?
At some point during Obama’s second term of his presidency, he and his Administration realized that Nuri Kamal al-Maliki was part of the problem,...
Regular attacks by the Islamic State movement on civilians and other business interests have so far failed to scare off Russian oil companies from Iraq. Despite numerous risks, these businesses appear prepared to continue pumping Iraqi hydrocarbon reserves, only proving that their degree of safety is sufficiently solid, even amidst this time of Iraqi troubles.
Keeping Abreast
After large-scale fighting ...
... prevailing in the Middle East and elsewhere affects the policies of regional and global powers alike. Russia is no exception. In recent years, Moscow has taken steps to develop contacts with Kurdish political movements and establish economic cooperation with Iraqi Kurdistan, where Russian oil and gas companies have set up shop. The February 2013 visit to Russia by Kurdistan Regional Government President Massoud Barzani, dubbed by the Kurdish people as the “first official visit,” served as a significant ...
... military spending.
One reason to be optimistic about addressing the IS problem is that there is a 'coaltion of the unwilling' which is nonetheless appearing more assertive than its more 'willing' counterpart back to 2003 in Iraq. No wonder since the threat for other states in the region is formidable. On the other side, the new Iraqi government shall be one of the major pieces of the puzzle since it has to become a better alternative for Iraqi Sunnites. Concentrating power ...
... Islamic Jihad and, Iranian media reported, to discuss the worsening situation in Lebanon, where the main ethnic and confessional groups are becoming increasingly polarized against the backdrop of events in Syria
[17]
.
Sunni and Shiite: Battleground Iraq
Qatar may well be deliberately sharing influence over the Palestinian national movement in order to obtain Iran’s support in their escalating confrontation with the Saudis.
After its partial return to the international forefront, Iran has ...
Dr. Glen Segell
(Fellow – The Ezri Center for Iran and Persian Gulf Studies,University of Haifa, Israel)
The Southern flank of Europe is the Mediterranean Sea. It is a small sea and many countries rely on the freedom of both sea and air traffic for their economy. On the one hand there was optimism that the Arab Spring would bring greater freedom for the individual in countries on the southern shores of the Mediterranean Sea. There was further optimism that the North African countries of Tunisia...
