Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi Photo: AFP / Al-Furqan Media
Sami Moubayed is a Syrian historian, political analyst, and journalist based in Damascus. He's been analysing Syria and the region for 20 years. His book 'Under the Black Flag' is the first inside account of ISIS, with unrivaled access to the movement and Isis officials. He concludes US air stikes are not working, so we need to accept that ISIS is not going to disappear soon, and Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi 's power base should be taken more seriously.
During his career Sami Moubayed has interviewed leading regional and international figures including Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Iraqi Prime Minister Iyad Allawi, French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner, Hamas chief Khaled Meshaal, Lebanese presidents Amin Gemayel and Elias Hrawi, and the current Lebanese Prime Minister Tammam Salam. In December 2008, he was the first Syrian to interview a US president, Jimmy Carter, during his visit to Damascus.
Kathryn Ryan spoke with Sami Moubayed.
