The Fight for Yemen (PBS Frontline)

This video contains information on the current conflict in Yemen, including the Houthi rebels, AQAP, and the Saudi coalition.

See the full video here.

ISIS’s Command and Control

ISIS’s Command and Control, courtesy of NYT.

ISIS has a sophisticated command and control structure which taps the networks of members of AQI, Saddam Hussein’s Baathist Party, and former inmates from Camp Bucca. The key leader is Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, who is now operating under the name of Caliph Ibrahim. He is assisted in his governance with as Shura Council, including:

Abu Muslim al Afari al Turkmani

Abu Ali al Anbari

Abu Arkan al Amiri

Omar al Shishani

Abu Ayman al Iraqi

Abu Muhammad al Adnani

Abu al Athir Amr al Absi

Other key leaders on thematic issues include:

• 

  Fares Reif al Naima – Chief Quatermaster

• 

  Abu Yahya al Iraqi – Chief Bodyguard

• 

  Abdul Rahman al Afari – Veteran Affairs

• 

  Khairy Abed Mahmoud al Taey – Explosives Expert

• 

  Abdulla Ahmad al-Mishhadani – Facilitator

• 

  Abu Safwan al-Rifai – Chief of Military Intelligence

Check out:

NYT. “How ISIS Works.” http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2014/09/16/world/middleeast/how-isis-works.html?_r=0

PBS. “Who Runs the Islamic State?” http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/iraq-war-on-terror/rise-of-isis/who-runs-the-islamic-state/

The Rise of ISIS

PBS Frontline released a fifty-minute documentary on “The Rise of ISIS” – a must watch!

See the video at: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/rise-of-isis/

Losing Iraq

Great PBS documentary describing the current situation in Iraq and ISIL.

Linked at: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/losing-iraq/?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_term=*Situation%20Report&utm_campaign=SitRep_0730

President Obama on Iraq and ISIL

President Obama describes the current U.S. foreign policy options on Iraq as recorded by PBS.

How to Train a Rebel Army (Secretly) in Seven Steps

FRONTLINE’s Muhammad Ali explains a covert U.S. program to train Syrian rebels in Qatar.

Obama said he wants to step up training for rebel groups in Syria. But there’s already a covert rebel training program in effect. FRONTLINE’s Muhammad Ali explains how it works.

Rise of the Drones

PBS NOVA documentary on the exponential growth and use of drone technology.

Washington Post series looks at lives of Iraq, Afghanistan veterans

This PBS Newshour report looks at “The Washington Post launched a special series Sunday called “A legacy of pain and pride” which looks at the lives of military veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan through stories and polls in conjunction with the Kaiser Family Foundation. Hari Sreenivasan speaks with one of the authors of the series Greg Jaffe about the poll results and what they reveal about Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans.”

Frontline Special Report on Crimea

Two Crimeas, courtesy of PBS Frontline.

Jones, James. “Inside Ukraine’s Propaganda War.” PBS Frontline. March 14, 2014. http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/foreign-affairs-defense/inside-ukraines-propaganda-war/