PKKistan: Brought to you by American Close Air Support

Aviation Boatswain’s Mate (Handling) 2nd Class Ted Casal directs an F/A-18C Hornet from the Stingers of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 113 on the flight deck of the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) as the ship conducts flight operations in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations supporting Operation Inherent Resolve. The Carl Vinson Carrier Strike Group is currently deployed to the area supporting maritime security operations, strike operations in Iraq and Syria as directed, and theater security cooperation efforts in the 5th Fleet AOR. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class John Philip Wagner, Jr./Released)

Last week, Kurdish forces fighting for the Syria-based Democratic Union Party (PYD) wrested control of the border town of Tel Abyad from the Islamic State. The seizure of the town cut off a key supply line to the Islamic State’s de-facto capital in Raqqa and allowed for the unification of two Kurdish controlled cantons, Kobane … Continue reading PKKistan: Brought to you by American Close Air Support