September 29

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CNN World
ISIS threat: Syrian town fears massacre as Obama admits underestimating rise
By Holly Yan, CNN
updated 9:29 AM EDT, Mon September 29, 2014
CNN) -- Dozens of bombings from U.S.-led warplanes haven't stopped ISIS from advancing toward Turkey, leading one town in the
path of its bloody march to fear a massacre.
If ISIS manages to take over the Syrian Kurdish town of Kobani, it would control a complete swath of land from its self-declared
capital of Raqqa to the Turkish border more than 100 kilometers (more than 60 miles) away.
Despite airstrikes in the area, witnesses said the attacks are too few and too far back from the front lines to slow the ISIS momentum.
"We need help. We need weapons. We need more effective airstrikes," Kobani official Idriss Nassan said. "If the situation stays like
this, we will see a massacre. I can't imagine what will happen if ISIS gets inside
Kobani."
What does Kobani need and why?
Obama: We underestimated ISIS
In an interview that aired Sunday on CBS' "60 Minutes," President Barack Obama said
the U.S. government "underestimated what had been taking place in Syria" during its
civil war -- allowing the country to become "ground zero for jihadists around the world."
Define jihadist:
"Over the past couple of
years, during the chaos of the Syrian civil war, where essentially you have
huge swaths of the country that are completely ungoverned, they were able to
reconstitute themselves and take advantage of that chaos," Obama said.
Another shortcoming? Overestimating Iraq's security forces, which were quickly
overrun by ISIS when it took over Iraq's second-largest city of Mosul, Obama said.
In recent weeks, Obama has been trying to boost an international coalition to fight ISIS in both Syria and Iraq.
Despite the U.S. initially overestimating Iraq's military, "This is America leading the international community to assist a country with
whom we have a security partnership with, to make sure that they are able to take care of their business," Obama told "60 Minutes."
"If we do our job right and the Iraqis fight, then over time our role can slow down and taper off."
ISIS militant: Airstrikes don't really hurt us
In an exclusive interview with CNN, Syrian ISIS fighter Abu Talha
said the militant group had prepared for the U.S.-led airstrikes.
Using evidence from these two articles,
explain whether or not this American-led
international coalition is going to be
successful in fighting ISIS:
"We've been ready for this for some time," Abu Talha said. "We know that
our bases are known because they're tracking us with radars and satellites,
so we had backup locations."
One man who recently defected from ISIS said part of the group's strategy
was to hide its resources in civilian areas.
"They almost entirely emptied out the headquarters," the defector, Abu Omar,
told CNN's Arwa Damon after he fled to Turkey. "Some equipment they hid in
civilian neighborhoods. Some they hid underground."
Abu Omar also said ISIS relies heavily on foreign fighters, including Westerners.
"The French, they have so much control -- they're even more extreme than we are," the defector said. "They come from France, but it's
as if they have been part of the Islamic State for years."
The latest attacks
So far, the United States and allies have conducted at least 224 airstrikes in Iraq and 51 airstrikes in Syria.
Over the weekend, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates joined the United States in pummeling ISIS targets in Syria, U.S.
Central Command said.
Those attacks took out armed vehicles and also hit four ISIS-controlled modular refineries and an ISIS command-and-control node
north of the stronghold of Raqqa, the U.S. military said.
"Although we continue to assess the outcome of these attacks, initial indications are that they were successful," U.S. Central
Command said.
On the Iraq side of the border, fighter jets and drones conducted at least four airstrikes over the weekend: one near Baghdad that
destroyed an ISIS safe house and three near Falluja that destroyed two ISIS checkpoints and a transport vehicle, the U.S. military said.
What Americans think
According to a new CNN/ORC International poll, 73% percent of Americans support the U.S.-led coalition of airstrikes in Iraq and
Syria -- and most believe ISIS poses some level of threat to the United States
.
But a majority -- 60% -- also oppose sending ground troops in the fight.
Why is fighting ISIS in Syria an American
Even though Obama has said he will not put combat troops in the
region, the United States does have military advisers on the ground
training and helping the Iraqi army strategically as it battles ISIS
fight? Provide evidence from these two articles
to support your claim:
CNN World
CNN exclusive: ISIS fighter says U.S. airstrikes aren't effective
By Arwa Damon and Holly Yan, CNN
updated 10:00 AM EDT, Mon September 29, 2014
Gaziantep, Turkey (CNN) -- The United States may be touting its strikes on ISIS targets in Syria, but one of the terror group's
fighters says the hits are trivial at best.
In an exclusive interview with CNN, a Syrian ISIS fighter using the pseudonym Abu Talha said the militant group has been preparing
for such attacks.
"We've been ready for this for some time," Abu Talha said. "We know that our bases are known because they're tracking us with
radars and satellites, so we had backup locations."
He taunted the U.S.-led coalition that has been pummeling ISIS targets in Syria over the past week, including attacks on mobile oil
refineries and vehicles.
"We have revenues other than oil. We have other avenues, and our finances are not going to stop just because of oil losses," the 28year-old militant said.
“They thought they knew everything. But thank God, they don't know anything.
And God willing, we will defeat the infidels."
What is ISIS trying to accomplish
and why?
Define infidels:
Abu Talha said he was among the ISIS fighters who
took over Mosul, Iraq's second-largest city, in June.
He said even if coalition attacks impede ISIS, they're not enough to stop ISIS' mission
of fortifying an Islamic state across Sunni parts of Syria and Iraq.
"They hit us in some areas, and we advance in others," Abu Talha said. "If we are pushed
back in Iraq, we advance in northern Syria. These strikes cannot stop us, our support or our
fighters."
U.S. President Barack Obama admitted the quick rise of ISIS in Syria had been underestimated at first.
In an interview that aired Sunday on CBS' "60 Minutes," Obama said the U.S. government "underestimated what had been taking
place in Syria" during its civil war -- allowing the country to become "ground zero for jihadists around the world."
ISIS defector speaks out
One man who recently left the ranks of ISIS also said the militants took precautions before coalition strikes.
"They almost entirely emptied out the headquarters," the defector, using the name Abu Omar, told CNN's Arwa Damon in Turkey.
"Some equipment they hid in civilian neighborhoods. Some they hid underground."
Abu Omar also said ISIS relies heavily on foreign members -- including Westerners -- to carry out its mission.
Which western nation
appears to be supporters of
ISIS and their cause?
"The French, they have so much control -- they're even more extreme than we are," the
defector said. "They come from France, but it's as if they have been part of the 'Islamic
State' for years."
The 29-year-old said he believed in ISIS'
goal of creating an Islamic state and left his
wife and 3-year-old son behind to go fight.
What kind, if any, punishment or
sanctions should be imposed upon
that Western nation and why?
Abu Omar initially tried to defend the group's
atrocities -- including crucifixions, beheadings and indiscriminate killings. But
eventually, the brutally became too much for him.
"I used to hope that they would fix their mistakes," he said. "If they had, it wouldn't be
like this."
When the United States and Arab partners started pounding the ISIS stronghold of Raqqa last week, many militants scattered. And
Abu Omar found an opportunity to flee.
But he still trembles when he talks, fearful he has a target on his back.
Abu Omar said while he still dreams of a caliphate in the region, he is haunted by what he witnessed.
"I saw a 70-year-old sheikh killed in front of me," he said. "The 'Islamic State' can't continue like this. ... There are a lot of youth who
are joining -- 14, 15 years old. Maybe my voice can make them think again."

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