Terra Incognita: Are Saddam-era soldiers secretly behind the rise of Islamic State? No.
The “Saddam-era officers” story is compelling because it provides a simple understanding of the failure of the Iraqi army; Saddam Hussein bogeyman are the “hidden hand” behind the rise of IS.
ARE THEY back? An Iraqi army honor guard parades around the monument of the unknown soldier in Baghdad in January of 1998(photo credit: REUTERS)BySETH J. FRANTZMAN