In less than three years, the Islamic State extended its so-called Caliphate in Syria and Iraq to cover some eight million people. Now, Kurdish and Arab militias, advised by US Special Forces, are wrapping up the remains of Raqqa. The city is now in ruins, no longer the capital of the Islamic State that drew thousands of militants to the Middle East. But students of ISIS say almost 40 so-called "provinces" still exist in other parts of the world, including Southeast Asia -- and Africa. That may explain the ambush deaths of four American soldiers in Niger, and the Trump Administration wants to weaponize drones to kill ISIS recruiters. In the meantime, almost 6000 fighters have returned to their home countries. Will they help a deadly ideology to survive?
Can a defeated ISIS keep its brand alive?
More
- Dilanian on the US moving toward armed drones, lethal force in Niger
- Dilanian on US soldiers in Niger were pursuing ISIS recruiter when ambushed
- Wright on the ignominious end of the ISIS caliphate
- Soufan Center on foreign fighters and the threat of returnees
- Dearden on report that more than 400 British Isis jihadis have already returned to UK
Credits
Guests:
- Ken Dilanian - NBC News - @KenDilanianNBC
- Robin Wright - contributing writer at The New Yorker magazine, and a joint fellow at U.S. Institute of Peace and the Woodrow Wilson Center - @wrightr
- Ali Soufan - Soufan Group, producer - @Ali_H_Soufan
- Lizzie Dearden - Independent - @lizziedearden