3 chapters across the catalog
The opposition group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), formerly linked to Al-Qaeda, has established a transitional government in Damascus. Concerns remain regarding the group's ability to govern a united Syria and the potential for the country to transition into a state governed by strict Sharia law.
ISIS Caliphate Aspirations, Sunni Moderate Rejection Strategy
General Martin Dempsey explained that ISIS leaders view themselves as the heirs to a caliphate stretching from Lebanon to Kuwait. He argued that the group relies on continuous success to maintain religious legitimacy and must be defeated from within by moderate Sunni populations. The analysis suggests that while the U.S. can assist, the ultimate rejection of the group's apocalyptic narrative must be regional.
Kim Kagan, Institute for the Study of War Analysis
Kimberly Kagan of the Institute for the Study of War appeared on C-SPAN to discuss the escalating crisis in Iraq and Syria. She emphasizes the use of the term "ISIS" as the Islamic State of Iraq and Sham (Al-Sham), which refers to the Levant region. Her presentation style is compared to a televangelist, and her analysis focuses on the need for US military action to counter the extremist group's southward movement toward Baghdad.
