Publication

This brief describes the activities of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) forces in June 2014 and makes predictions regarding the armed group's intentions. Among other things, the author points out that 1) the rapid transfer of captured materiel to Syria indicates that ISIL is already planning consolidation; 2) Balad air base, with its extensive munitions and equipment may well be a priority for ISIL’s limited forces, not Baghdad; 3) ISIL may well act to incite Western military intervention and that any such intervention would be a grave mistake.