By: Aaron Hulkkonen

On September 2, 2014 the terrorist group ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq and Syria), released their 2nd video of them publicly beheading an American journalist. ISIS the terrorist group has been expanding since 2004, and today they are a major threat to the U.S. On August, 19th, ISIS released a video of them beheading a journalist named James Foley, Foley was captured in 2012. In the video, the leaders of ISIS threatened to behead more U.S citizens. Then on September, 2nd, ISIS made true on their promise and executed American journalist Steve Sotloff.

ISIS began in 2004 when Abu Musab al-Zarqawi establishing an al Qaeda in Iraq, (an al Qaeda is a complex international Islamist terrorist network made up of regional affiliate organizations). In  2006 Al-Zarqawi was killed in a U.S. strike, so Abu Ayyub al-Masri, took his place as leader of al Qaeda. In 2010, there was new leader of ISIS do to the former leader getting killed by the U.S. In 2013 ISIS officially announces its name ISIS an acronym (Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant).

In May of 2014 ISIS kidnaped 140 schoolboys in Syria forcing them to take lessons of how to do the the things ISIS does. In June they took over an airport and many more towns to expand their overall expansion. In response U.S sent 300 more troops to reinforce the U.S Embassy and the airport in Baghdad that already had 500 troops guarding it. In July of 2014 all the cities between Deir Ezzor city and the Iraq border had been taken by ISIS. Then they took the countrys largest oil field. In August of 2014 Obama authorized targeted strikes if needed to protect U.S personnel from ISIS fighters.

Lately there has been a lot of talk on what to do about the threats to the U.S. in the videos of the beheadings, ISIS threatened to kill more journalists from the U.S. They also have been reported to be inside mexico and could be getting thru the Mexican border. A retired general spoke out and said that he wants Obama to send troops to go take out all members of ISIS. Obama has yet to come up with what the U.S. strategy will be to defeat ISIS.