On Sunday, from Air Force One, President Obama confirmed that Islamic State has killed American aid worker and former soldier "Abdul-Rahman Kassig, also known to us as Peter," underscoring the fact that ISIS killed a fellow Muslim. "Abdul-Rahman was taken from us in an act of pure evil by a terrorist group that the world rightly associates with inhumanity," Obama said. "Like Jim Foley and Steven Sotloff before him, his life and deeds stand in stark contrast to everything that ISIL represents."
The gruesome video that ISIS released to confirm Kassig's murder was different than previous videos, showing the 26-year-old's severed head but not the act of decapitation. It was also grainer and generally of poorer production quality. Analysts suggest to The New York Times that ISIS either didn't have enough time outside to film their elaborately choreographed executions, since armed U.S. drones and planes are on patrol, or Kassig didn't cooperate.
ISIS "is bleeding," says Fawaz A. Gerges at CNN, "and the beheading of Kassig shows ISIS' desperation to lash out, to show that it still has options."
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
September 9 editorial cartoonsCartoons Tuesday’s political cartoons include the shadow of Jeffrey Epstein, Russia's answer to peace talks, and tougher citizenship questions
-
Murdoch's conservative son wins succession battleSpeed Read Lachlan Murdoch will get control over the media empire that includes Fox News and The Wall Street Journal following his father's death, while his siblings will receive payouts
-
House posts lewd Epstein note attributed to TrumpSpeed Read The estate of Jeffrey Epstein turned over the infamous 2003 birthday note from President Donald Trump
-
British warship repels 'largest Houthi attack to date' in the Red SeaSpeed read Western allies warn of military response to Iranian-backed Yemeni rebels if attacks on ships continue
-
Houthi rebels claim Red Sea ship attacksspeed read Iran-backed Yemeni group vows to escalate aggression towards Israel-linked vessels in revenge for Gaza war
-
Israel plans next phase of Gaza war as first hostages releasedSpeed read After four-day ceasefire 'we will not stop' until destruction of Hamas, says Israel
-
Mob storms Russian airport 'looking for Jews'Speed Read Plane from Israel surrounded by rioters chanting antisemitic slogans after landing in Russia's Dagestan region
-
Tuberville's military promotions block is upending lives, combat readiness, 3 military branch chiefs saySpeed Read
-
Ukraine's counteroffensive is making incremental gains. Does it matter in the broader war?Speed Read
-
US commissions first-ever Navy ship in a foreign portSpeed Read
-
British spy chief, Wagner video suggest Prigozhin is alive and freely 'floating around'Speed Read
