Posted on Jul 30, 2016
Does the name of our opponent in Operation Inherent Resolve matter?
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What is the name of whom we are fighting? Depending on what article you read or who is speaking you hear ISIL, ISIS or Daesh. Seems like by all this time we would have a common name for this group of terrorists.
Posted in these groups: 
Operation Inherent Resolve (OIR)
Iraq
Operation Inherent Resolve (OIR) Iraq
Posted >1 y ago
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We have been engaging in covert warfare with disciples of Wahhabi Muslim doctrine since before 9/11/2001 and overt warfare with them since - in operations in Syria and Iraq we are fighting against al-Nusra Front, Al Qaeda, and ISIS [or their du jour name] and to some degree Iranian "militias" Lt Col John (Jack) Christensen
The enemy has been changing its names since the 1960s when the various and sundry Palestinian terror groups renamed themselves as they mastered the news cycles: Al-Quds Brigades, Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and subgroups or offshoots: Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine (DFLP), Abu Nidal organization (ANO), also known as Fatah - the Revolutionary Council (FRC), Ahmed Abu Reish Brigade. Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigade and Black September.
The name of the enemy as a focus makes sense in force-on-force conflicts. It doesn't make sense in warfare against non-state actors [even those with grand caliphate aspirations).
Thanks for mentioning me SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL
COL Mikel J. Burroughs LTC Stephen C. Capt Seid Waddell CW5 (Join to see) CW5 Charlie Poulton CSM Charles Hayden SGM David W. Carr LOM, DMSM MP SGT SFC William Farrell SSgt Robert Marx SSG James J. Palmer IV aka "JP4" SSgt (Join to see) TSgt Joe C. SGT John " Mac " McConnell SP5 Mark Kuzinski SGT Forrest Stewart SGT Robert Hawks SPC (Join to see) SrA Christopher Wright
The enemy has been changing its names since the 1960s when the various and sundry Palestinian terror groups renamed themselves as they mastered the news cycles: Al-Quds Brigades, Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and subgroups or offshoots: Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine (DFLP), Abu Nidal organization (ANO), also known as Fatah - the Revolutionary Council (FRC), Ahmed Abu Reish Brigade. Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigade and Black September.
The name of the enemy as a focus makes sense in force-on-force conflicts. It doesn't make sense in warfare against non-state actors [even those with grand caliphate aspirations).
Thanks for mentioning me SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL
COL Mikel J. Burroughs LTC Stephen C. Capt Seid Waddell CW5 (Join to see) CW5 Charlie Poulton CSM Charles Hayden SGM David W. Carr LOM, DMSM MP SGT SFC William Farrell SSgt Robert Marx SSG James J. Palmer IV aka "JP4" SSgt (Join to see) TSgt Joe C. SGT John " Mac " McConnell SP5 Mark Kuzinski SGT Forrest Stewart SGT Robert Hawks SPC (Join to see) SrA Christopher Wright
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Lt Col John (Jack) Christensen
You mention lots of anti Israeli groups, not to say that ISIS, or whatever, isn't anti Israel. However this group seems to be focused on more than downfall of Israel
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LTC Stephen F.
Lt Col John (Jack) Christensen - I was putting it in perspective. Those multiple anti-Israel groups were essentially PLO or off-shoots such as Fattah which had many offshoots. the same people renamed themselves.
ISIS, ISIL, Daesh are different names for the same group. That is the connection. I began studying terrorists when I was a cadet at West Point in the 1970s and have been an avid student of History and international affairs since then.
One of my old friends and classmates is Commander of CENTCOM and another classmate commands SOCOM. I do my best to never discuss information I was debriefed on; but< I try to discuss principle of terror and international affairs from open source info.
ISIS, ISIL, Daesh are different names for the same group. That is the connection. I began studying terrorists when I was a cadet at West Point in the 1970s and have been an avid student of History and international affairs since then.
One of my old friends and classmates is Commander of CENTCOM and another classmate commands SOCOM. I do my best to never discuss information I was debriefed on; but< I try to discuss principle of terror and international affairs from open source info.
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Lt Col John (Jack) Christensen great question, it keeps changing year after year it seems. You get less medals for more work now! You used to get the GWOT medals! It's all the same IMHO!
LTC Stephen F. LTC Stephen C.
LTC Stephen F. LTC Stephen C.
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What's in a name? Apparently for some, a lot. It seems that references to "Levant" legitimize the claim of Islamists to all of the territories where Muslims have ever held claim. Our President seems to put great stock in this. "ISIS" has given rise to the disrespectful use of "WasWas". I suspect this annoys Islamists. Ultimately, our confusion over naming our enemy is symbolic of the confusion of our leaders in confronting them. Thus, it appears that S.I. Hayakawa was wrong in his assertion that "...there is no magic in words."
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