ISIS fighter trained by the United States. Is this as big a deal as the report suggests?

2015-05-30T03:12:39-04:00

CNN's Brian Todd reports that ISIS released a new video online, and the man in the video was a special counter-terror commander who defected to ISIS.

http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/commander-trained-to-fight-terrorism-joins-isis/vi-BBkpgZR

Commander trained to fight terrorism joins ISIS

CNN's Brian Todd reports that ISIS released a new video online, and the man in the video was a special counter-terror commander who defected to ISIS.

Response by CPT Ahmed Faried made May 30 at 2015 3:17 AM

2015-05-30T03:17:06-04:00

A drone strike or a visit by some DEVGRU fellas tells me that no, this isn't a tectonic shift.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made May 30 at 2015 4:52 AM

2015-05-30T04:52:43-04:00

This is typical media scare propaganda. So he knows how to "plan counter-terrorism operations". So does every ISOF, Peshmerga and Afghan Kandak commander, and every military commander any US Force has trained within the last 15 years. Like anything else, just because you are trained in something doesn't make you an expert.

He shot a tomato at 25 yards through a scope. While that is impressive for an ISIS Sniper, it hardly makes him elite. Did you notice his barrel resting on a support while he was posing for the camera? Dead give away he doesn't know much about barrel harmonics. Nobody I know, sniper trained or not, would pose that way.

The most accurate portion of the report is at the end when they talk about him speaking Russian. Clearly this video is intended to be used as propaganda in the recruitment of radicalized Muslims across all the former "stans" that were part of the USSR.

Response by MAJ Robert (Bob) Petrarca made May 30 at 2015 8:04 AM

2015-05-30T08:04:43-04:00

The US trains every country and their sister to include the Iraqi and Afghanistan "armies". It's inevitable that some of these shmoes splinter off and join the Taliban, ISIS, the Columbian contras, the sushi gorillas, whoever. How can we be held accountable for what happens afterwards.

Response by HN Private RallyPoint Member made May 30 at 2015 12:47 PM

2015-05-30T12:47:31-04:00

Are we suppose to be afraid of one man? Are we even suppose to be afraid of a few men? The U.S. has trained Iraqi people before and they still catch on that well. Just because a man trained in counter-terrorism defects to ISIS doesn't mean they will learn from him. Besides, one man may be able to teach them spec ops tactics, but the point of our special forces is to always adapt to new threats. This guy is no real threat to us and neither is the rest of ISIS.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 3 at 2015 10:08 PM

2015-10-03T22:08:10-04:00

GySgt Wayne A. Ekblad There is something interesting in this report other than the Headline. It's that he speaks Russian and is being used to recruit Russians. I have been discussing this in another thread and it appears Russia does have a problem. Sergei Smirnov deputy chief of the KGB successor agency, now called Federal Security Service says, 2000 Russian Nationals have joined the Islamic State Group to fight in Syria and Iraq. He said this number is likely to be even higher than they currently have knowledge of. Russia's Envoy to the North Caucasus' said last month that 5 militants who came back after fighting in Syria were killed in "security sweeps". Putin said last month that, "One of the Federal Security Service's top priorities should be tracking Russian citizens who have left to fight along side ISIS." Additionally a senior Russian intelligence official warned of the potential influence of the Islamic State group inside Russia among the Muslims in the North Caucasus provinces. Russian Intelligence, Russian Federal Security Forces, and Russia's President have all issued statements about this subject, which leads me to believe they believe they have a problem with regards to this issue.
Edit

Response by CPO Andy Carrillo, MS made Nov 27 at 2015 12:54 AM

2015-11-27T00:54:08-05:00

No more a big deal than Obama bin Laden later became to the U.S. and the New York City skyline...

Response by SPC Sheila Lewis made Jun 28 at 2016 10:57 AM

2016-06-28T10:57:59-04:00

Yes, because this individual is using his training against us.