Summary
Roman said he expects the Islamic State (aka ISIS), which may have lost its leader if Russian reports are true, to draw closer to rival al-Qaeda as its fortunes in Syria and Iraq decline. “What you’ll see is ISIS becoming more of an al-Qaeda-like organization, decentralizing its command and leadership, no longer holding territory,” he explained.
As what’s left of its caliphate in Iraq and Syria crumbles, ISIS “will carry out more attacks overseas in the West, like we’ve seen in the escalation over the past few weeks in Belgium, France, and the United Kingdom.”
Asked about Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Secretary of Defense James Mattis recently asking China to play a larger role in Iraq, Roman called the request “a bad move.”
The Chinese are mainly interested in “picking up the pieces” after the smoke clears, he explained. “For Tillerson and for Mattis to ask the Chinese for help is almost inviting them to take some of this sphere of influence away from the United States in rebuilding Iraq and Syria.”
