Tag Archives: ISIL

Dunford on ISIS: ‘The Enemy Doesn’t Respect Borders and Neither Do We’

Dunford on ISIS: ‘The Enemy Doesn’t Respect Borders and Neither Do We’

Defense Secretary Ash Carter, foreground, and Marine Corps Gen. Joseph F. Dunford Jr., chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, testify before the House Armed Services Committee about U.S. strategy for Syria and Iraq in Washington, D.C. on Dec. 1, 2015. DoD Photo

Defense Secretary Ash Carter, foreground, and Marine Corps Gen. Joseph F. Dunford Jr., chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, testify before the House Armed Services Committee about U.S. strategy for Syria and Iraq in Washington, D.C. on Dec. 1, 2015. DoD Photo

In discussing the administration’s strategy to defeat the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS), the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff on Tuesday told the House Armed Services Committee “the enemy doesn’t respect borders and neither do we.” Read More

Analysis: Implications of Turkish Shoot Down of Russian Warplane

Analysis: Implications of Turkish Shoot Down of Russian Warplane

A Russian Su-24 Fencer shortly after its was shot down by a Turkish F-16 on Nov. 24, 2015.

A Russian Su-24 Fencer shortly after its was shot down by a Turkish F-16 on Nov. 24, 2015.

The ongoing conflict in Syria took a turn Tuesday when a Turkish Lockheed Martin F-16 reportedly shot down a Russian Air Force Sukhoi Su-24 Fencer fighter-bomber. The Fencer’s large weapon-payload capacity has made it a favorite for Russian forces supporting their ally Bashar al-Assad in Syria. The aircraft lost today reportedly was bombing targets near the Turkish border. Read More

French Fighters Launch from Carrier Charles de Gaulle Against ISIS Targets in Iraq

French Fighters Launch from Carrier Charles de Gaulle Against ISIS Targets in Iraq

A French Dassault Rafale M launches from nuclear carrier Charles de Gaulle in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea on Nov. 23. French Ministry of Defense Photo

A French Dassault Rafale M launches from nuclear carrier Charles de Gaulle in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea on Nov. 23. French Ministry of Defense Photo

The French Navy launched strike fighters to against Islamic State in Iraq and Syria targets in Iraq from its nuclear aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle (R91) on Monday, the French Minstry of Defense announced. Read More

Marine Harriers Strike ISIS Targets; French Carrier Leaves for Middle East

Marine Harriers Strike ISIS Targets; French Carrier Leaves for Middle East

An AV-8B Harrier assigned to Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 162 (Reinforced), 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (26th MEU), launches from the amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge (LHD-3) on Nov. 19, 2015. US Navy Photo

An AV-8B Harrier assigned to Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 162 (Reinforced), 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (26th MEU), launches from the amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge (LHD-3) on Nov. 19, 2015. US Navy Photo

Naval forces resumed air strikes against the Islamic State this week after a one-month pause in participation in Operation Inherent Resolve (OIR), the Navy announced today. Read More

CSIS Panel: Russia Still Dangerous in its Decline

CSIS Panel: Russia Still Dangerous in its Decline

The Russian Honor Guard stand-by as part of a ceremony in 2006. U.S. DoD Photo

The Russian Honor Guard stand-by as part of a ceremony in 2006. U.S. DoD Photo

Although “Russia is not a rising power . . . even in military terms,” Moscow can still “disturb and do harm,” one of the nation’s leading scholars on strategy told attendees at a Center for Strategic and International Studies forum Friday. Read More

Opinion: A New Approach to Dealing with ISIS

Opinion: A New Approach to Dealing with ISIS

French fighters leave for strikes against ISIS targets in Syria on Nov. 15, 2015. French Ministry of Defense Photo

French fighters leave for strikes against ISIS targets in Syria on Nov. 15, 2015. French Ministry of Defense Photo

The desire for some expressive use of military power to release pent-up anger in France and the Western world in response to the latest terrorist attack in Paris is reaching a new level. France responded with strikes against Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS, ISIL and also called Daesh) targets over the weekend. Read More

Hollande: French Carrier Charles de Gaulle Leaves for Middle East on Thursday

Hollande: French Carrier Charles de Gaulle Leaves for Middle East on Thursday

French carrier Charles de Gaulle (R91). French Navy Photo

French carrier Charles de Gaulle (R91). French Navy Photo

This post has been updated with a revised schedule for deployment of French carrier Charles de Gaulle.

France is sending its nuclear aircraft carrier to the Middle East on Thursday for its second deployment this year against the combined forces of Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, president François Hollande told the French parliament during an emergency Monday meeting. Read More

Carrier USS Harry S. Truman to Deploy to Middle East on Monday

Carrier USS Harry S. Truman to Deploy to Middle East on Monday

USS Harry S. Truman (CVN-75) gets underway in preparation for Hurricane Joaquin on Oct. 1, 2015. US Navy Photo

USS Harry S. Truman (CVN-75) gets underway in preparation for Hurricane Joaquin on Oct. 1, 2015. US Navy Photo

A previous version of this post had the incorrect hull number for carrier Harry S. Truman.

The Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group (CSG) — centered on nuclear aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN-75) — is slated to depart Naval Station Norfolk on Monday to join the U.S. led coalition against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS or ISIL). Read More