ISIS
July 5, 2017 — Paul Mirengoff
The U.S.-led anti-ISIS coalition struck the terrorist group 37 times on July 4. So reports the Daily Caller, citing a statement by Operation Inherent Resolve (OIR). The majority of the strikes took place in Syria, in support of the Syrian Democratic Force’s (SDF) push on ISIS’s capital of Raqqa. They hit ISIS oil infrastructure, as well as 17 fighting positions in or near Raqqa. Backed by U.S. air strikes the
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June 7, 2017 — Paul Mirengoff
The Washington Post reports that gunmen stormed two major sites in Tehran today. They killed at least 12 people and wounded another 42 in gunfire and suicide blasts in parliament and at the tomb of Ayatollah Khomeini (the Post calls this a “revered shrine”). ISIS claimed responsibility for the attacks. According to the Post, this is the first serious terrorist attack in Iran. Past attacks have been confined to minor
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April 13, 2017 — John Hinderaker
One of the liberal media’s themes these days is that President Trump has changed his position on a variety of issues. I think this is about 25% true and 75% false. What is most notable, I think, is how strongly Trump has moved to fulfill his campaign promises. One of many areas where President Trump is doing exactly what he said he would do is the war against ISIS. On
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December 31, 2016 — Steven Hayward
Looks like Angela Merkel may be starting to get it. From the BBC: Merkel: Islamist terror is ‘greatest threat’ to Germany Islamist terrorism is the biggest challenge facing Germany, Chancellor Angela Merkel has said in her New Year message. Referring to the deadly truck attack in Berlin by a Tunisian asylum seeker, she said it was “sickening” when acts of terror were carried out by people who had sought protection.
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December 29, 2016 — Paul Mirengoff
Raqqa is headquarters for ISIS’ shrinking caliphate. It is where the ISIS terrorists say they planned major attacks on Paris and Brussels, and where new attacks against the West undoubtedly are being hatched. The fall of Raqqa wouldn’t mean the end of the threat ISIS poses. Due to the Obama administration’s obliviousness and indifference, ISIS had time to spread its tentacles and its influence. Nonetheless, expulsion from its seat power
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November 7, 2016 — Paul Mirengoff
ISIS is now under attack in both its Iraqi and Syrian strongholds: The operation has begun to retake Raqqa, the capital of the Islamic State — and it’s a Kurdish woman commanding the Syrian Democratic Forces who could take the city that brings down the caliphate. The operation called Wrath of Euphrates launched Saturday night and was announced by the SDF alliance today at a press conference in the Syrian
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October 31, 2016 — Scott Johnson
Abdirizak Warsame was the elected leader of the group of “Minnesota men” who sought to join ISIS until the FBI interrupted their plans in 2015. The government charged Warsame and others with conspiracy to support a foreign terrorist organization and with conspiracy to commit murder overseas. When the FBI showed Warsame the mountain of evidence it had compiled against him and his friends, he agreed to plead guilty and cooperate
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October 18, 2016 — Paul Mirengoff
Dabiq is the Syrian village that ISIS promised would be the scene of an apocalyptic showdown, an Armageddon, in which Muslims would win a great battle against the infidels, consisting of 80 nations each ten thousand strong. But recently, as I noted here, ISIS had to abandon Dabiq under pressure from Free Syrian rebels backed by Turkish and U.S. air power. ISIS’s occupation ended not with an apocalypse, but a
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October 16, 2016 — Paul Mirengoff
Iraqi forces have commenced an offensive to retake the city of Mosul, ISIS’s last main stronghold in Iraq. According to the Washington Post, the battle will be waged by tens of thousands of Iraqi troops, perhaps as many as 80,000. The forces will consist of Kurdish peshmerga soldiers, Sunni tribal fighters, army, police, Shiite militias, and elite counterterrorism units. The U.S. will back their effort with air support and “advisers”
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August 27, 2016 — Paul Mirengoff
This past week, Turkey entered the fight in Syria against ISIS to much ballyhoo from the mainstream media. But according to Christoper Caldwell, who quotes the German weekly Der Spiegel, “ISIS is a pretext, the Kurds are the target.” Says Caldwell, Turkey’s strategic objective is not to “crush” ISIS. It is to crush the most effective part of the anti-ISIS coalition: the Syrian-Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD) and People’s Protection
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August 18, 2016 — Paul Mirengoff
Anjem Choudary, the British hate-spewing Islamic preacher, has been found guilty of supporting Islamic State. He faces up to ten years of prison time. Choudary will be familiar to some of our readers. He used to appear on Fox News talk shows to defend the actions of terrorists. Often with a smile. Or was it a smirk? Choudary was convicted at the Old Bailey. Jurors heard testimony that he swore
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August 6, 2016 — Paul Mirengoff
Syrian rebels say they have broken a weeks-long siege in Aleppo in northern Syria. Such a breakthrough would represent both a symbolic and a strategic victory against the Assad regime, Hezbollah, and their backers — Iran and Russia. The Assad regime denies that there has been a breakthrough. However, video and photos uploaded by rebels and opposition activists suggest that the rebels have at least temporarily broken through the siege.
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August 3, 2016 — Paul Mirengoff
Until today when he was fired, Nicholas Young was a transit police officer for Washington, D.C.’s Metro system which operates the city’s subway system. Today, Young was arrested and charged with providing material support to ISIS. He is said to the first police officer in the United States arrested and charged with supporting ISIS. Young’s involvement with foreign terrorists extends back to at least 2010. According to CNN: Young has
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July 26, 2016 — Paul Mirengoff
The Democrats declined to mention ISIS (or even terrorism) one time during the 61 speeches delivered on opening day of their convention, but the “jayvee” remains active nonetheless. Armed men (believed to be two in number) shouting “Allah Akbar” stormed a church in France during morning mass today. ISIS promptly declared that its “soldiers” carried out the attack. The church is in Normandy, near the gorgeous city Rouen — “the
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July 16, 2016 — Scott Johnson
At a White House diplomatic corps reception yesterday afternoon that included France’s ambassador to the United States, President Obama spoke about the massacre in Nice. The White House has posted the text of his remarks. Obama’s remarks may be slightly more vacuous than yada yada. Referring to ISIS, he vowed that “we are going to destroy this vile terrorist organization.” Stirring words, followed by this: And in contrast to these
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July 15, 2016 — Scott Johnson
After the horrifying massacre in Nice last night we are at risk of misdirecting our anger. The perpetrator seems to be another in the line of those inspired by ISIS. ISIS must be destroyed. ISIS grew in Iraq in the vacuum that followed our withdrawal. Our withdrawal is attributable directly to the deepest wishes of President Obama. He was proud of it. It was nevertheless a mistake for which he
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July 14, 2016 — Paul Mirengoff
A terrorist drove a truck into a crowd along Nice’s spectacular Promenade des Anglais, where thousands had gathered to watch fireworks commemorating Bastille Day. Reportedly, the terrorist also shot at the crowd before police shot and killed him. Approximately 80 people are believed to be dead, a number that likely will rise. Many others are wounded. My wife has two cousins who were in Nice today. One, an elderly woman,
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