Expanded U.S. airstrikes are first step in long campaign
By expanding his military campaign against the Islamic State group, President Barack Obama hopes to reverse the militants’ momentum in Iraq, squeeze their sanctuary in Syria and erode their recruiting appeal across the greater Mideast. Those are key steps toward Obama’s stated goal of eventually destroying the extremist group.
Islamic State group not unstoppable
The Islamic State group is often described as the most fearsome jihadi outfit of all: a global menace outweighing al-Qaida, with armies trembling before its advance.
Susan Estrich: The enemy of our enemy
The horrifying footage of the second beheading of an American journalist by ISIS, this time freelancer Steven Joel Sotloff, a 31-year-old from Florida who loved journalism, has again placed the president, and world leaders, in a terrible position. To be clear, the White House is studying the video. To be clear, no one is holding out much hope.
U.S. wary over hitting Syrian militants
The U.S. and its allies are trying to hammer out a coalition to push back the Islamic State group in Iraq. But any serious attempt to destroy the militants or even seriously degrade their capabilities means targeting their infrastructure in Syria.
Second Syria beheading raises stakes for U.S.
Islamic State extremists have released a video showing the beheading of a second American journalist, Steven Sotloff, and warned President Barack Obama that continuing airstrikes against the group in Iraq will be met with the killing of more Western captives.
Islamic State group becomes target of Arab satire
The bumbling young militant first drops the rocket launcher on the toes of his boss before taking aim and firing toward a military checkpoint outside of an Iraqi town — not realizing he’s fired it backward at his leader.
AP source: American militant killed in Syria
An American man believed to have been killed in Syria was there to fight alongside an extremist militant group, most likely the Islamic State, a U.S. official said Tuesday.
American woman being held hostage
The Islamic State militant group is holding hostage a young American woman who was doing humanitarian aid work in Syria, a family representative said Tuesday. The 26-year-old woman is the third American known to have been kidnapped by the militant group.
Syria warns U.S.: No unilateral strikes on militants
Syria said Monday it was ready to help confront the rising threat from the Islamic State group, but warned the United States against carrying out airstrikes without Damascus’ consent, saying any such attack would be considered an aggression.
Dempsey: We will act if Islamic group threatens U.S.
Gen. Martin Dempsey said Sunday that once he determines the Islamic State militants in Iraq have become a direct threat to the U.S. homeland, he will recommend the U.S. military move directly against the group in Syria.
U.S. won’t let borders hamper fight vs. extremists
A senior White House official raised the possibility Friday of a broader American military campaign that targets an Islamic extremist group’s bases in Syria, saying the U.S. would take whatever action is necessary to protect national security.
Foley’s parents had hoped to negotiate
The parents of slain journalist James Foley said they regarded an email they received from his captors last week as a hopeful sign they could negotiate with the Islamic militants.
U.S. special ops troops tried but failed to find hostages
President Barack Obama sent special operations troops to Syria this summer on a secret mission to rescue American hostages, including journalist James Foley, held by Islamic State extremists, but they did not find them, officials say.
Slain American journalist remembered as driven
In 2011, just after James Foley was released from the Libyan prison where he’d been held for six weeks, he acknowledged the peril journalists face covering the world’s most dangerous places, soberly conceding that a mistake could mean death.
Another American hostage at risk by Islamic State
In a horrifying act of revenge for U.S. airstrikes in northern Iraq, militants with the Islamic State extremist group have beheaded American journalist James Foley — and are threatening to kill another hostage, U.S. officials say.