A common misconception about Islamic State propaganda is that it starts and finishes with brutality. However, whether it is a video depicting the execution of a group of men by firing squad in the desert, a mass beheading, or both, ultraviolence is merely part of the bigger picture. Brutality is just one of six broad themes that Islamic Sate uses to bolster its presence and further its strategic goals; the other five are mercy, victimhood, war, belonging and utopianism. Similar to the mechanisms by which they are conveyed, these themes are not discrete. Indeed, they are regularly employed...

The positioning of Russian aircraft in Syria gives the Kremlin an ability to shape and control U.S. and Western operations in both Syria and Iraq out of all proportion to the size of the Russian force. It can compel the U.S. to accept a de facto combined coalition with Russia, Syria, Iran, and Lebanese Hezbollah, possibly in support of indiscriminate operations against any and all regime opponents, not just ISIS and Jabhat al-Nusra. It may portend the establishment of a permanent Russian air and naval base in the Eastern Mediterranean. Russian forces have prepared and trained to conduct close...

A senior Jewish member of the Labour Party said in August that Corbyn's views are cause for "serious concern." Ivan Lewis, the shadow, or minority, party cabinet minister who is also a former chief executive of the Manchester Jewish Federation, urged his party not to vote for Corbyn. "Some of Corbyn's] stated political views are a cause for serious concern," Lewis said in letter to his local party members on Friday, according to the Guardian. "At the very least he has shown very poor judgment in expressing support for and failing to speak out against people who have engaged not in legitimate...

In an August 17 (2007) meeting, Israeli Mossad Chief Meir Dagan thanked Under Secretary Burns for America's support of Israel as evidenced by the previous day's signing of an MOU that provides Israel with USD 30 billion in security assistance from 2008-2018. Dagan reviewed Israel's five-pillar strategy concerning Iran's nuclear program, stressed that Iran is economically vulnerable, and pressed for more activity with Iran's minority groups aimed at regime change. Assessing the region, Dagan said Israel sees itself in the middle of a rapidly changing environment, in which the fate of one...

Le groupe qui se nomme Etat islamique (IS) a effectue le nettoyage ethnique sur une echelle historique dans le nord de l'Irak. IS a systematiquement cible les communautes musulmanes non arabes et non-sunnites, tuant ou enlevant des centaines, voire des milliers, et forcant plus de 830.000 autres a fuir les zones qu'il a capture depuis le 10 Juin 2014. Les minorites ethniques et religieuses - chretiens assyriens, Turkmenes chiites, chiites Shabak, Yezidis, Kakai et Sabean - Mandeens ont vecu ensemble dans la province de Ninive depuis des siecles. Des centaines, voire des milliers, de Yezidis,...

In an August 17 (2007) meeting, Israeli Mossad Chief Meir Dagan thanked Under Secretary Burns for America's support of Israel as evidenced by the previous day's signing of an MOU that provides Israel with USD 30 billion in security assistance from 2008-2018. Dagan reviewed Israel's five-pillar strategy concerning Iran's nuclear program, stressed that Iran is economically vulnerable, and pressed for more activity with Iran's minority groups aimed at regime change. Assessing the region, Dagan said Israel sees itself in the middle of a rapidly changing environment, in which the fate of one...

The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL)-formerly known as al-Qa'ida in Iraq and Islamic State of Iraq-was established in April 2004 by long-time Sunni extremist Abu Mus'ab al-Zarqawi, who the same year pledged his group's allegiance to Usama Bin Ladin. ISIL targeted Coalition forces and civilians using high-profile tactics such as vehicle-borne improvised explosive devices (VBIEDs), suicide bombers, and hostage executions, to pressure foreign countries and companies to leave Iraq, push Iraqis to stop supporting the United States and the Iraqi Government, and attract additional cadre...

Il est certain que les gouvernements francais, de Sarkozy a Hollande, ont joue avec le feu en detruisant la Libye, en bombardant l'Irak, et en aidant l'insurrection armee contre le pouvoir syrien. Mais comme souvent, ces calculs ont revele une faille. Les jeunes qui sont partis en Syrie ont recu un entrainement qu'ils n'auraient pas pu avoir autrement. Si on prend en compte le fait qu'ils detestent l'Occident et le sionisme, qu'ils ont subi depuis une ou deux generations les discriminations et les harcelements divers propres aux musulmans, on peut comprendre qu'ils aient envie d'en decoudre....