On Tuesday, ISIS released a video entitled "A Second Message to America" in which they behead the second American reporter shown in a previous video, Steven Sotloff. Sotloff, like James Foley, was kidnapped in Syria
In a similar move to the James Foley video, Mr. Sotloff was dressed in an orange jumpsuit and was filmed in a desert area, presumably in Syria. The same executioner was seemingly employed by ISIS to commit the heinous act he also committed on James Foley. In this video, in his British accent, said: "I'm back, Obama, and I'm back because of your arrogant foreign policy towards the Islamic State... despite our serious warnings...We take this opportunity to warn those governments that enter this evil alliance of America against the Islamic State to back off and leave our people alone."
As the militant said the latter half, he held up yet another Western hostage, a Brit David Cawthorne Haines, and warns he will meet the same fate if Britain (which was implied when the militant said "those governments that enter this evil alliance of America) does not stop supporting the United States against ISIS.
By including Mr. Haines, ISIS is showing that they will not and do not distinguish between US or UK targets, as well as other Western citizens. It will be interesting to see if ISIS also begins to take hostages and/or execute already held hostages of the same nationalities as those countries currently assisting the US in Iraq. For instance, Germany is now sending weapons to Kurdish forces fighting ISIS. If ISIS is threatening to execute a British citizen, even though the UK is also shipping weapons to Kurds, will they not do the same for the countries also shipping weapons to the Kurds?
Continuing Airstrikes?
Much like last time, it is more than likely that the United States will continue to strike ISIS targets inside Iraq, either for a humanitarian purpose or to assist Iraqi/Kurdish forces in their fight against the terrorist militants. In a very interesting move, the United States has also assisted an Iranian-backed Shia terror group in their fight in Amerli.
As of right now, a total of 120 airstrikes have been launched against ISIS targets inside Iraq. It is still unclear if the US will also expand these strikes into Syria, where ISIS has their main power and support bases.
We here at The Line of Steel would like to send our deepest condolences to the family of Steven Sotloff. Like his counterpart James Foley, Mr. Sotloff was an incredibly talented reporter and extremely courageous.
-- Caleb
In a similar move to the James Foley video, Mr. Sotloff was dressed in an orange jumpsuit and was filmed in a desert area, presumably in Syria. The same executioner was seemingly employed by ISIS to commit the heinous act he also committed on James Foley. In this video, in his British accent, said: "I'm back, Obama, and I'm back because of your arrogant foreign policy towards the Islamic State... despite our serious warnings...We take this opportunity to warn those governments that enter this evil alliance of America against the Islamic State to back off and leave our people alone."
As the militant said the latter half, he held up yet another Western hostage, a Brit David Cawthorne Haines, and warns he will meet the same fate if Britain (which was implied when the militant said "those governments that enter this evil alliance of America) does not stop supporting the United States against ISIS.
By including Mr. Haines, ISIS is showing that they will not and do not distinguish between US or UK targets, as well as other Western citizens. It will be interesting to see if ISIS also begins to take hostages and/or execute already held hostages of the same nationalities as those countries currently assisting the US in Iraq. For instance, Germany is now sending weapons to Kurdish forces fighting ISIS. If ISIS is threatening to execute a British citizen, even though the UK is also shipping weapons to Kurds, will they not do the same for the countries also shipping weapons to the Kurds?
Continuing Airstrikes?
Much like last time, it is more than likely that the United States will continue to strike ISIS targets inside Iraq, either for a humanitarian purpose or to assist Iraqi/Kurdish forces in their fight against the terrorist militants. In a very interesting move, the United States has also assisted an Iranian-backed Shia terror group in their fight in Amerli.
As of right now, a total of 120 airstrikes have been launched against ISIS targets inside Iraq. It is still unclear if the US will also expand these strikes into Syria, where ISIS has their main power and support bases.
We here at The Line of Steel would like to send our deepest condolences to the family of Steven Sotloff. Like his counterpart James Foley, Mr. Sotloff was an incredibly talented reporter and extremely courageous.
-- Caleb