Reduce Recruiting of ISIL Fighters
Question (LR3): What actions and polices can regional and coalition nations employ to reduce recruitment of ISIL inspired fighters? Author | Editor: Cragin, K. (National Defense University). This paper addresses the issue of ISIL recruitment from Literature Review Question #3. To do this, it utilizes a quick look format and focuses on two non-standard ideas […]
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Benefits of Coalition Presence in Iran
Question (R3 QL4): What are the critical elements of a continued Coalition presence, following the effective military defeat of Da’esh [in Iraq] that Iran may view as beneficial? Author | Editor: Astorino-Coutois, A. (NSI, Inc). Dr. Omar Al-Shahery of Carnegie Mellon University offers a critical caveat in considering the question posed for this Quick Look. […]
Continue ReadingAims of Shia Militias Post-ISIL
Question (R3 QL3): What are the aims and objectives of the Shia Militia Groups following the effective military defeat of Da’esh? Author | Editor: Astorino-Coutois, A. (NSI, Inc). Referring to the Shi’a Militias as a unitary or homogenous entity masks the reality that what are now dozens of groups in Iraq were established at different […]
Continue ReadingDa’esh Transition to Insurgency
Question (R3 #2): How does Da’esh’s transition to insurgency manifest itself, and what actions should the Coalition take to minimize their ability to maintain either military effectiveness or popular support? Author | Editor: DeGennaro, P. (TRADOC G-2/G-27). The self-proclaimed Islamic State (IS) or Da’esh, as the group has become known, transition to insurgency is underway. […]
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Da’esh Move to ZeroNet
Question (Follow-up QL3): The response to QL5 (see Appendix A) noted that ISIL is moving to ZeroNet platform for peer-to-peer messaging, which is extremely robust to distributed denial-of-service (DDOS) attack/other counter measures. What effect could this have on Intel efforts? Author | Editor: Robinson, S., Perez, E., Derrick, D. & Ligon, G. (University of Nebraska, […]
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Population Support for ISIL in Iraq
Question (QL3): What does primary source opinion research tell us about population support for ISIL in ISIL-held Iraq and globally outside the Combined Joint Operation Area (CJOA) (Syria and Iraq)? Author | Editor: Canna, S. (NSI, Inc). Opinion polls conducted by independent outfits in 2015 and 2016 derive the same result: the vast majority of […]
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Undermine ISIL’s “Virtual Caliphate”
Question (LR4): What is the strategic framework for undermining ISIL’s “Virtual Caliphate?” Author | Editor: Canna, S. (NSI, Inc). Iran’s Approach in Iraq Shifting to a Virtual Caliphate As ISIS loses ground in Syria and Iraq, the organization seems to be evolving to emphasize the information battlefront to both maintain and gain support from sympathetic […]
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Turkish Army Syrian Intervention
Question (QL2): What are the strategic and operational implications of the Turkish Army’s recent intervention in northern Syria for the coalition campaign plan to defeat ISIL? What is the impact of this intervention on the viability of coalition vetted indigenous ground forces, Syrian Defense Forces and Jabhat Fatah al-Sham (formerly ANF)? Author | Editor: Astorino-Coutois, […]
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Iran’s Post-ISIL Strategic Calculus
Question (LR2): What will be Iran’s strategic calculus regarding Iraq and the region post-ISIL? How will JCPOA impact the calculus? What opportunities exist for the US/Coalition to shape the environment favorable to our interests? Author | Editor: Astorino-Coutois, A. (NSI, Inc). Iran’s Approach in Iraq A number of the Iran SMEs who contributed to this […]
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Counter Information Messaging
Question (V1): What is Missing from Counter Messaging in the Information Domain. What are USCENTCOM and the global counter-ISIL coalition missing from countermessaging efforts in the information domain? Author | Editor: Canna, S. (NSI, Inc). “Western countries have failed to match the coordination, intensity, not to mention zealotry of the communication effort of [Daesh’s] global, […]
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