Topic: Isis Iraq

Kamala Harris claimed during the debate that no active-duty U.S. military personnel are currently in combat zones, a statement challenged by recent casualties and deployments. U.S. troops remain engaged in operations against ISIS in Iraq and faced fatal attacks in Jordan earlier this year. Additional naval forces continue to engage Houthi rebels in the Red Sea, contradicting the assertion of a peaceful deployment status.

A professor from the University of Tehran, speaking on EuroNews, characterized the United States as a "rogue regime" for the assassination of Soleimani and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis. He argued that these leaders were instrumental in defeating ISIS in Iraq. The professor criticized Western exceptionalism and the history of US intervention in Libya, Afghanistan, and Yemen.

New York Times reporter Rukmini Callimachi detailed findings from abandoned ISIS documents in Mosul, Iraq. The reports suggest that ISIS utilized existing Iraqi civil servants to maintain city infrastructure, resulting in cleaner streets and functioning sewers compared to the subsequent Iraqi government. The efficiency of ISIS governance is cited as a factor that fostered local sympathy due to the perceived corruption of the Iraqi state.

Iraq has declared final victory over ISIS after driving the militant group from its last strongholds along the Syrian border. Despite the declaration, U.S. troops are expected to remain in the region for the "foreseeable future." The show concludes with a reminder of the Thursday broadcast, a promotion for the "Bing It" search tool, and a final "Value for Value" appeal to the audience.

Canada has suspended its military training mission in Iraq due to clashes between Iraqi and Kurdish forces. Canadian troops had been in the region since 2014 to assist in the fight against ISIS. The situation on the ground is described by military sources as a "shit show" with no clear resolution.

Following a referendum where 90% of voters chose independence, the Iraqi national government cancelled international flights to the Kurdish region. Turkey and the United States opposed the vote, fearing it would disrupt the coalition against ISIS. The segment features interviews with Kurdish soldiers who lost limbs fighting ISIS, highlighting the tension between their military sacrifice and the lack of international support for their sovereign ambitions.

The battle for Mosul is intensifying, with reports of ISIS using children as human shields and strapping bombs to dogs. Amnesty International has also implicated Iraqi federal police in the torture and killing of villagers. The UN reports that over 34,000 people have fled the city in recent weeks.

Defense Secretary Ash Carter stated at the Pentagon that the U.S. is prepared to do more to accelerate the defeat of ISIS in Iraq, anticipating the need for "additional authorities." This is interpreted as a push for a new Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF) to replace the 2001 version. Carter indicated that President Obama is ready to approve expanded capabilities as commanders identify opportunities.

During a press conference at the Department of Defense, President Obama cited a New York Times article about an ISIS defector to argue that U.S. "open gun laws" make the country a target for homegrown extremists. He used this claim to justify the necessity of military operations in Syria and Iraq. Critics argue this logic is flawed, as terrorists have successfully used bombs, trucks, and axes in countries with strict gun control.

The Pentagon announced the completion of "Phase One" in the military campaign against ISIS, which focused on degrading the group's conventional military capabilities. The campaign is now entering "Phase Two," aimed at dismantling the organization's infrastructure. Officials claim ISIS can no longer move freely in large convoys as they did during the fall of Mosul.

Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter addresses ROTC members regarding the criteria for defeating ISIS in Raqqa and Mosul. Carter describes the extremist ideology as a "cancer" that requires constant military intervention even after territorial defeat. The hosts criticize Carter's suggestion that the military may need to address Americans who have "lost their way" and are inspired by ISIS domestically.

A suicide bombing at an amateur soccer game outside Baghdad killed 26 people, an event that received significantly less Western media coverage than the Brussels attacks. The hosts speculate that such attacks on sporting events may be "tests" to gauge public reaction and security vulnerabilities. The recent death of Dutch soccer legend Johan Cruyff is also mentioned in the context of potential upcoming memorial events being targets.

During confirmation hearings, acting Army Secretary Eric Fanning is questioned by Senator John McCain regarding the lack of a Status of Forces Agreement in Iraq. Fanning reports that 6,400 ISIS fighters were killed in three months but warns of a long fight ahead. The hosts note that Fanning is the first openly gay secretary of a military branch.

A US military raid unearthed a detailed ISIS code of conduct regarding the treatment of female sex slaves, primarily from the Yazidi minority. The fatwa includes specific prohibitions, such as forbidding an owner from having sex with both a mother and her daughter, which the hosts discuss in the context of extremist recruitment.

Defense Secretary Ashton Carter testifies before Congress about the war against ISIS (ISIL). The hosts question the existence of the "65-nation coalition" frequently cited by the Obama administration, noting that John Kerry is still "begging" for basic assistance like police training and ammunition. They mock the idea of "enablers" who provide band-aids instead of kinetic military action.

Former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair appears on CNN with Fareed Zakaria to apologize for the faulty intelligence that led to the 2003 invasion of Iraq. Blair admits there are "elements of truth" to the claim that the invasion contributed to the rise of ISIS, though he defends the removal of Saddam Hussein. He compares the failure of intervention in Iraq to the failure of non-intervention in Syria.

Iraq's Parliament Defense and Security Committee head, Hakeem al-Zamili, indicated that Iraq may soon request Russian airstrikes against ISIS on its soil. The Iraqi government reportedly views US-led coalition efforts as ineffective and prefers the intelligence-sharing mechanism established between Russia, Iran, and Syria. The hosts suggest this move exposes the failure of US policy and the reality that the US has been using ISIS as a mercenary force.

Iraqi forces and Shiite militias engage in a major offensive to retake Tikrit from Islamic State fighters. Reports indicate that Saddam Hussein's lavish tomb has been reduced to concrete rubble during the fighting. The hosts discuss the term "rubblization" as a deliberate military strategy to bomb regions back to the "Stone Age," noting the prevalence of such imagery in modern war reporting.

Geopolitical strategy focuses on U.S. control of the world's oceans to prevent the rise of competing naval powers and the occupation of Eurasia. The analysis suggests a policy of "spoiling attacks" and funding contending powers to keep rivals focused on each other, citing the Reagan administration's approach to the Iran-Iraq War. The hosts express skepticism regarding the morality and long-term financial benefits of "rubbleizing" regions like the Middle East.

Reports that ISIS militants bulldozed the ancient Assyrian city of Nimrud are met with skepticism regarding the authenticity of the footage provided. The discussion critiques the prevalence of "vertical video" in modern news reporting and suggests that some of the artifacts shown being destroyed in previous videos were actually plaster replicas rather than priceless originals.