“ISIS despises the Russian government for its support of the Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad, and so it's no surprise that ISIS began targeting Russia in 2015, around the same time that Russia first intervened in the Syrian civil war.”

American journalist, documentary producer, professor, and author

Peter Lampert Bergen is an American journalist, documentary producer, think tank executive, professor, and author. He is best known for his reporting and commentary on foreign policy, national security, and counterterrorism. His work centers on issues of international security and U.S. policy, and he has built a career across journalism, documentary production, academic work, and think tank leadership. His writing and public analysis focus on how governments respond to threats and conflict.