"They came out of nowhere." That's the phrase used to describe the Islamic State in Frontline: The Secret History of ISIS, a new documentary on PBS.
The special airs at 9 p.m. today on AETN and details how the organization "suddenly captured the world's attention by seizing large swaths of Iraq, declaring an Islamic caliphate, and initiating a series of deadly terrorist attacks around the globe, including in Paris and Brussels."
Frontline claims what may surprise most viewers is the film "reveals in grim detail, how the emergence of the brutal terrorist group should not have been a surprise -- especially to the U.S. government."
In a PBS interview, filmmaker Michael Kirk says, "Time and time again, American officials over two administrations missed their chance to stop the rise of ISIS. We've found that it's a story of unintended consequences, compounding over time in catastrophic and tragic ways."
Kirk's film documents how Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, "a one-time thug turned jihadi leader," was able to build an organization that would destabilize the Middle East and inflict violence around the world.
The film investigates Zarqawi's strategy, which was to foment sectarian violence among Muslims, allowing ISIS to take advantage of power vacuums and broadcast beheadings on the internet.
Zarqawi was killed in an airstrike in 2006, but his successor, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, followed his playbook and ISIS grew even stronger.
Former FBI agent Ali Soufan tells Frontline, "Now, they have countries. They have armies. They have tanks. They have missiles. They have stuff that Osama bin Laden did not dream to have in his wildest dreams."
Former White House counterterrorism adviser Richard Clarke adds, "There were many steps along the way where the United States government made decisions that seemed to make sense at the time. But without those series of decisions, there would be no ISIS."
Using archival footage, documents and more than 20 interviews with policymakers, the film tells a tale that spans more than a decade.
Highlights include a missed opportunity to kill Zarqawi in 2002, a speech by then-Secretary of State Colin Powell that inadvertently turned Zarqawi into "an international rock star in the jihadist community," multiple missteps in the occupation of Iraq, and the Obama administration's failure to counter the threat posed by ISIS in Syria.
Powell is among those interviewed, as are former Secretary of Defense Chuck Hegel; former U.S. Ambassador to Syria Robert Ford; CIA insiders Nada Bakos and Sam Faddis; and a number of journalists and counterterrorism experts.
• Coupled. If all that is too heavy to handle, there's always the premiere of Mark Burnett's latest escapist silliness, Coupled, at 8 p.m. today on Fox.
Burnett is the reality show guru behind Survivor, The Apprentice, Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?, Shark Tank, The Voice and a dozen others. Now comes what Burnett boasts is "a fresh, modern dating series" with Terrence "J" Jenkins (E! News, The Perfect Match) as host.
Terrence J refers to himself as "a young handsome black cupid."
Burnett explains, "Our show follows 12 single, young professional women who are strong, smart, successful and empowered. Their lives are just fine, but one thing is missing -- love."
The dozen giddily eager ladies are plopped down on sunny Anguilla in the Caribbean to meet a string of hunks to find out "if there is instant chemistry and will they take the next step?"
One by one, the men arrive by helicopter. Based on a brief initial meeting, the ladies must decide whether each guy is worth getting to know.
If not, the women walk to the left and back to the bungalows. If yes, they proceed to the right and the tiki bar, where mixing and mingling ensues.
Oh, the drama as each man wonders "if he has piqued the women's interest enough to want to go to the next step?"
What, exactly, is this "next step" to which Burnett keeps referring?
Well, after spending more time with the women at the bar, the man gets to invite two (yes, two) of them to a luxury villa "to explore that initial chemistry."
Afterward, one lucky gal gets invited to the couples villa, the reject heads back to the dating pool.
But don't forget, Burnett says these ladies are "empowered." If, at any time, they feel they've made a mistake, they can send the dude packing and return to the dating pool for girl talk, cat fights and to wait for the next helicopter to arrive.
"On this island, the women are in control," Burnett teases, "and all have one goal in mind: to find love and get coupled."
The TV Column appears Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday. Email:
mstorey@arkansasonline.com
Style on 05/17/2016