Islamic State makes large gains. US government seems to be somewhere between complicit or incompetent. Links 1 on May 18 – 2015

1. ISIS fighters shaving beards to sneak into the EU as migrants: Group also said to be making £60,000 a boat by taxing people smugglers

Islamic State is smuggling fighters into Europe by telling them to shave their beards and disguise themselves as refugees, an investigation has found.

The militants are using gangs trafficking migrants over the Mediterranean to get IS members to the West.

Such jihadists are considered ‘prize operatives’ because they can travel undetected around Europe – and to Britain.

(Video at source)

2. Nigel farage has a few things to say about immigration on that same note

3. Ramadi after the Islamic State blew through

4. Rand Paul has a few words to say to Ms. Clinton over Banghazi and other issues

5. Prepare for the Battle of Baghdad: ISIS hold victory parade after taking key city of Ramadi just 60 miles from capital in an orgy of violence and beheadings

ISIS militants have held a twisted victory parade after taking the key city of Ramadi in an orgy of violence and beheadings – and the extremists could march on the Iraqi capital Baghdad within the next month.

Mutilated bodies scatter the streets of the ‘Gateway of Baghdad’, where Islamic State slaughtered around 500 and forced over 8,000 to flee their homes over the last few days.

Now ISIS has released images of militants celebrating, children wielding automatic weapons and a fleet of pick-up trucks carrying its jubilant fighters through the blood-stained streets of Ramadi.

Shi’ite fighters have already launched a counter-offensive to recapture the city, but these kinds of tactics play straight into Islamic State’s grand plan to spark all-out war in the region, according to the Middle East director of counter-terrorism think-tank RUSI.

Islamic State militants are already marching east towards the Habbaniya army base – around 20 miles east of Ramadi – where a column of 3,000 Shi’ite paramilitaries are amassing, witnesses and a military officer has said.

Thank you Maria J., M., Richard, Wrath of Khan, and all who sent in materials. More to come. There are a few troubling things being stated by the US executive branch recently that deserve some scrutiny.