Combating Terrorism Center at West Point Objective • Relevant • Rigorous | February 2017 • Volume 10, Issue 2 FEATURE ARTICLE A VIEW FROM THE CT FOXHOLE The Berlin Attack and GEN John W. the Abu Walaa Network Nicholson What the connections to the Islamic State could mean for Europe Commander, Resolute Support and Georg Heil U.S. Forces-Afghanistan FEATURE ARTICLE 1 The Berlin Attack and the “Abu Walaa” Islamic State Recruitment Network Editor in Chief Georg Heil Paul Cruickshank INTERVIEW Managing Editor Kristina Hummel 12 A View from the CT Foxhole: General John W. Nicholson, Commander, Resolute Support and U.S. Forces-Afghanistan Brian Dodwell and Don Rassler EDITORIAL BOARD Colonel Suzanne Nielsen, Ph.D. ANALYSIS Department Head Dept. of Social Sciences (West Point) 16 The Formation of Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham and Wider Tensions in the Syrian Insurgency Lieutenant Colonel Bryan Price, Ph.D. Aymenn al-Tamimi Director, CTC 21 The Islamic State’s Western Teenage Plotters Robin Simcox Brian Dodwell Deputy Director, CTC 27 The Islamic State Looks East: The Growing Threat in Southeast Asia Shashi Jayakumar CONTACT 34 The Fulani Crisis: Communal Violence and Radicalization in the Sahel Andrew McGregor Combating Terrorism Center U.S. Military Academy 607 Cullum Road, Lincoln Hall In an extensive interview, General John W. Nicholson, commander of Res- olute Support and U.S. Forces-Afghanistan, stresses the importance of pre- West Point, NY 10996 venting the country from again becoming a platform for international Phone: (845) 938-8495 terrorism, noting counterterrorism operations have almost halved the fighting strength of the Islam- Email:
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