The US-led coalition striking ISIS from the sky has built momentum and a better understanding of local militia’s targeting the terrorist group, and that has led to increased airstrikes in smaller battles across Iraq and Syria. On Feb. 1, coalition airstrikes helped tribal fighters in Ninawa province, Iraq, retake two villages during a large-scale attack against ISIS, according to US Central Command. This battle is emblematic of smaller fights that can help push ISIS out of villages it once held, CENTCOM spokesman Air Force Col. Patrick Ryder said during a Feb. 5 briefing. Although this support isn’t new, the coalition has been able to build on the experience to better support smaller tribes in their fights. “While there is a lot of attention paid to large-scale operations, there are multiple [smaller] operations in Iraq that are smaller in scale but no less important,” Ryder said. In late January and early February, tribal fighters, Iraqi security forces, and Kurdish forces, along with coalition help, have been able to retake villages in Kirkuk, Hit, Hadithah, and Karmah in Iraq, said Ryder.
US Space Command Should Always Be Led by a Guardian
Sept. 12, 2026
General Stephen Whiting took command of U.S. Space Command in January 2024, and if customary three-year tenures hold, his tour would end in January 2027. The question now before the President and Senate is who should follow him? Whoever they choose, it has to be a Guardian—and so should every successor…
