The Islamic State/ISIS/ISIL has released its initial 'rebuff' propaganda response to President Obama's declaration of war against the 'non-islamic' terrorist organization. The brief video entitled "Flames of War" is shot like a blockbuster-movie-style trailer and threatens US troops and the White House. As Politico reports [7], the militant terror group vows that the “fighting has just begun” in the minute-long video, which features clips of American military forces under fire and a wounded U.S. soldier being taken from the battlefield. The video concludes as the words "Flames of War" flash on the screen, followed by "Fighting has just begun" and ends ominously: "Coming Soon." Even more concerning perhaps is al-Qaeda branches calling for all jihadists to unite against the common threat from a US-led coalition.
Brief Michael-Bay-esque video below (warning: disturbing and graphic images)
Al Hayat Media, the English-language media arm of ISIS, posted the new video to the Internet archiving site Archive.org on Sept. 16.
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In addition to this, AFP reports, [8]
Powerful Al-Qaeda branches in Yemen and North Africa issued an unprecedented joint statement Tuesday calling for jihadists in Iraq and Syria to unite against the common threat from a US-led coalition.
Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula and Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb urged their "brothers" in Iraq and Syria to "stop killing each other and unite against the American campaign and its evil coalition that threatens us all."
But the joint statement, released on two jihadist Twitter accounts, called for differences to be set aside in the face of the growing coalition.
"Make the unity of the infidel nations against you a reason for your unity against them," it said, accusing Washington of "leading a Crusader campaign against Islam and all Muslims".
"Stop the infighting between you and stand as one against America's campaign," it added.
It also urged Syrian rebels to keep up their fight against President Bashar al-Assad, warning them to "beware of being tricked by America... and thus being diverted from your path" and becoming its "pawns".
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So that's at least one broad coalition that President Obama has managed to create.
