Iraq Warned Of Attacks Before Paris Assault

CNN’s Christiane Amanpour eviscerated President Obama Monday over his claims to have the Islamic State contained and that his strategy overall to combat the organization is working, saying both were false.

As Cordesman sees it, years of tragic terrorist attacks like Paris are nearly inevitable, and there are no near-term solutions.

In January, the extremist group made a direct threat to the people of America: “Soon we will be in direct confrontation, and the sons of Islam have prepared for such a day”. “But this doesn’t mean that we will be able all the time to disrupt such attacks”. That has happened only once in NATO’s 66-year history: in the aftermath of the 9-11 attacks against the U.S. Rather, experts said, it has managed to more effectively share information among national security and law enforcement agencies, something that their European counterparts are not yet doing effectively. “I think people are terrified”, Dogan said.

As many as three of the seven suicide bombers were French citizens, as was at least one of the men arrested in the Molenbeek neighbourhood of Brussells, which authorities consider to be a focal point for extremists and fighters going to Syria from Belgium. The attackers used guns and bombs in multiple attacks across Paris, including random shootings at cafes, bombings at the Stade de France, and a mass shooting at the Bataclan theatre which left 100 people dead.

On top of those confirmed killed, more than 300 were injured, around 100 of them seriously. In response to failures, Mr. Obama has tended to escalate US action in small increments unlikely to make a decisive difference like his recent decision to dispatch fewer than 50 Special Operations troops to Syria. “And there is nothing you can do to limit that”.

Stephen Biddle, a George Washington University professor of global affairs, said the Paris attack may create a political imperative to do more militarily against IS, but he thinks it would be a mistake to launch a US ground war.

There is also a growing campaign to renew the Patriot Act’s Section 215 which allows for sweeping new surveillance powers for the NSA.

Democratic presidential candidate Sen. The group’s affiliates have carried out attacks across the Middle East and north Africa and there have been attacks beyond the region that were blamed on IS loyalists.

There have have been a number of these “lone wolf” style attacks against targets in the U.S.in the last six months. “Remember, I was the one who said attack the oil (ISIS source of wealth) a long time ago”. Obama said those behind the attack are “killers with fantasies of glory” who are savvy with social media.