One of ISIS' top commanders was a 'star pupil' of US-special forces training in the country of Georg

[villager]

Aside from ISIS' 'caliph' Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the Georgian ex-commando Omar al-Shishani might be the most recognizable and popular of the powerful militant group's leaders.

Sporting a recognizable red beard and happy to pose for photos, Shishani has acted as a very public face for some of ISIS' most notorious successes.

It was Shishani who posed with the stolen US Humvees that ISIS had seized from Mosul and brought back into Syria.

And it was Shishani who had led successful ISIS military campaigns throughout Syria as well as a blitz through western Iraq that put the group within 100 miles of Baghdad.

These military successes are not simply the result of any innate military capabilities. Instead, Shishani spent years conducting military campaigns against the Russians, first as a Chechen rebel and then as a soldier in the Georgian military. During Shishani's four years in the military, from 2006 to 2010, his unit received some degree of training from American special forces units.

“He was a perfect soldier from his first days, and everyone knew he was a star,” an unnamed former comrade who is still active in the Georgian military told McClatchy DC. “We were well trained by American special forces units, and he was the star pupil.”

“We trained him well, and we had lots of help from America,” another anonymous Georgian defense official told McClatchy about Shishani. “In fact, the only reason he didn’t go to Iraq to fight alongside America was that we needed his skills here in Georgia.”

In 2008, when Russia and Georgia briefly went to war over the Georgian breakaway province of South Ossetia, Shishani reportedly was a star soldier. Although Russia quickly won the war, Shishani and his special forces unit caused asymmetrical damage to the invading Russian forces, including the wounding of the Russian commander of the 58th Army.

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http://www.businessinsider.com/omar-al-shishani-isis-commander-and-us-2015-9

[Demeter]

1. And now you know why Putin isn't taking any from Obama

Putin is nobody's fool. I hope he gets his terrorist.

[Blue_Tires]

4. Why Putin isn't taking any what from Obama?

[LiberalArkie]

2. Damn, I am glad our schools are good at something at least.

[villager]

5. At least we know what kind of schools they will unequivocally keep funding!

America, fuck yeah!

[malaise]

3. See this your enemy's enemy is my friend doesn't work

Bushco fucked up this planet big time - he kept no one safe ---anyfuckingwhere!!!

[Blue_Tires]

6. Well there's also this, but it goes against DU narrative:

Sorry to spoil it for you:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1016&pid=136984

[villager]

7. Yes, there is *also* the fact that Bush-supported Saddam was *also* involved

No spoiler alert needed -- it's all part and parcel of a narrative some of us can see quite clearly, indeed.