It is interesting, and not incidental, to see CNNi (CNN International) lead the shift in leftist talking points about Egyptian President Fattah el-Sisi by focusing on their collectivist opinion that el-Sisi is “a hardliner”.

However, actions -what CNN would like to avoid- of Sisi speak louder than the CNN words. Sisi has shown over the past two years his willingness to insure minority protections within Egypt yet he has simultaneously taken a zero tolerance position toward Islamic extremism.

The Muslim Brotherhood, as a political construct, is the extremist bane of all mid-East moderates. The Muslim Brotherhood is essentially the larger construct within ISIS; and yet the Muslim Brotherhood is discussed on leftist news media as if they are not a terrorist entity.

Because of the frequency and scope of this specific media narrative it simply cannot be coincidental; someone is driving this false narrative.

CAIRO (AP) – Arab League member nations formally announced on Sunday an agreement to form a joint military force. While details of how such a force would actually operate remain thin, the agreement is a telling sign of a new determination among Saudi Arabia, Egypt and their allies to intervene aggressively in regional hotspots, whether against Islamic militants or Iran-backed groups.

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An excellent article in the Washington Post today includes written Question and Answer exchange with General David Petraeus after a recent re-visit to Iraq and the region.

General Petraeus: […] I think Iraq and the coalition forces are making considerable progress against the Islamic State. In fact, I would argue that the foremost threat to Iraq’s long-term stability and the broader regional equilibrium is not the Islamic State; rather, it is Shiite militias, many backed by — and some guided by — Iran.

These militia returned to the streets of Iraq in response to a fatwa by Shia leader Grand Ayatollah Sistani at a moment of extreme danger. And they prevented the Islamic State from continuing its offensive into Baghdad. Nonetheless, they have, in some cases, cleared not only Sunni extremists but also Sunni civilians and committed atrocities against them.

Thus, they have, to a degree, been both part of Iraq’s salvation but also the most serious threat to the all-important effort of once again getting the Sunni Arab population in Iraq to feel that it has a stake in the success of Iraq rather than a stake in its failure. Longer term, Iranian-backed Shia militia could emerge as the preeminent power in the country, one that is outside the control of the government and instead answerable to Tehran. (more…)

We have shared Jon McNaughton’s work before and his latest is right on target.

Interactive version HERE and Video Below (more…)

The “Benghazi Brief” remains the most controversial research report we have ever produced.  The brief contains over two years of research and hundreds of very specific citations supporting it.

The Brief has also been challenged and with extensive vetting factually withstood all scrutiny.  The report, while exhaustive in detail, remains the strongest summary of events surrounding the two years leading up to the Benghazi Libya attack on 9/11/12.

We have repeatedly stated The Benghazi Brief, and ALL of the cited information contained therein, is available for use by anyone who has a goal of communicating the truth surrounding the controversial events.

We presented the brief so that a larger understanding, a factual understanding, is possible. It can be used in part or in whole, or edited for use by any party. Anyone can do whatever they want with the detailed information provided. Our only request continues to be that the truth contained within it be maintained.

With that, a group of people committed to sharing the actual truth, and answering some of the more ridiculous conspiracy claims, have put the brief into a Power Point presentation so that it can be communicated to an audience during a speech or delivery.

The Power Point version is AVAILABLE HERE

The brief itself is available below in it’s entirety.

God Bless.

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As previously mentioned, there is a growing body of evidence reflecting the next strategy in the psychological operations being used by ISIS.  Essentially, the chatter is claiming that the captured Christian hostages, the Assyrians’, were specifically taken so that ISIS could put together a message for U.S. President Barack Obama.

It is difficult to know how much credibility to assign to these claims.   There is also a growing conversation about how Obama’s refusal to identify the religious motivation of  ISIS could also be driving the jihadists to intensify their ‘religious targeting’ in an effort to make Western Leaders (who refuse to identify the authentic Islam behavior of ISIS) seem like they are foolish, weak and afraid.

SYRIA – ISIS is clearly feeling the pain after weeks of intense air strikes against it by the U.S.- led coalition fighting the spread of the terrorist organization in the Middle East.

Employing its familiar tactics, the Islamic State is now threatening to execute the 150 Assyrian Christians they have taken hostage in Syria.

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Media sources are hearing the possibility of an ISIS video directly intended for U.S. President Obama. The question is being raised as to whether these captured 150 Assyrians’ will be part of that message.

(Reuters) – Islamic State militants have abducted at least 150 people from Assyrian Christian villages in northeastern Syria they had raided, Christian Syrian activists said on Tuesday.

A Syrian Christian group representing several NGO’s inside and outside the country said it had verified at least 150 people missing, including women and elderly, who had been kidnapped by the militants.

“We have verified at least 150 people who have been adducted from sources on the ground,” Bassam Ishak, President of the Syriac National Council of Syria, whose family itself is from Hasaka, told Reuters from Amman. […] (more…)

It has been outlined by independent journalists that Turkey has been aiding ISIS in various conflicts around Turkish border region. There was video smuggled out of Turkey which showed ISIS members meeting with Turkish Police.
An American journalist, Serena Shim, who reported on the Turks aid for the Islamic Terror State, was mysteriously killed soon after outlining a very similar story.
At each occurrence the official position of Turkey and Recep Erdogan is that they have NOT aided ISIS, despite the numerous and frequent accusations of the Kurds who have outlined the support.
Now things take an even more serious shift as solid evidence now proves the Turkish military in direct conversation with ISIS, providing them weapons, and engaging in military conflict against the Syrian Army to the benefit of Ansar al-Islam, a factional Islamic Group within ISIS.

In both March and June of 2014, secretly recorded phone conversation prove the Syrian army provided both anti-aircraft support and artillery bombardments for an alliance of Jihadist groups fighting the Syrian army around Kasab. (more…)

#BREAKING Turkey, US sign deal to train Syria rebels, officials say

— AFP News Agency (@AFP) February 19, 2015

Two days ago reports began to hit the media about the U.S. providing “Moderate Syrian Rebels” with equipment and technology to enable them to call in air strikes. The Wall Street Journal reported:

WASHINGTON—The U.S. has decided to provide pickup trucks equipped with machine guns and radios for calling in U.S. airstrikes to some moderate Syrian rebels, defense officials said. But the scope of any bombing hasn’t been worked out—a reflection of the complexities of the battlefield in Syria.

Military officials point to U.S. airstrikes, called in by Kurdish fighters, that helped drive Islamic State fighters from the city of Kobani as the model for the new campaign. (link)

The term “moderate” has been a source of contention amid those who have followed the ideology of the Syrian uprising since the fighting began around August/Sept of 2011.
When Syria first erupted there was a general sense of opposition to the leadership of Bashir Assad. However, as time progressed more and more severe jihadists flocked to Syria from battlefields in surrounding nations.
Eventually this power struggle led to the rise of the most powerful among them forming what is now known as ISIS. (more…)

Al-Baghdadi is the town recently captured by ISIS as they work to surround the 300+ U.S. Marines stationed at al Assad Air Force base to aid and support the central Iraqi military. This past week a probe attack was launched against U.S. military stationed at the air base.  The attack was presumably launched from the staging ground in the town of Al-Baghdadi.
In another alarming development, today the BBC is reporting that ISIS militants have burned to death 45 people in this town in western Iraq.  According to the report the local police chief, Col Qasim al-Obeidi, is saying members of his security forces are some of the 45 victims.

It was less than a week ago when ISIS fighters captured much of the town near the air base. Now local officials are claiming a compound within the town -said to house the families of other security personnel and local officials- is under attack. Police Chief al-Obeidi is pleading with the central Iraqi government as well as the coalition and international community for assistance. (more…)