Featured Films
54m
54m
1h 39m
54m
53m
54m
54m
54m
1h 54m
54m
Related
Who's Next To Borrow from America's Drone Strike "Playbook"?
Fifteen years ago, the United States was the only country to have ever carried out a drone strike. Today, that’s no longer the case, and 19 countries either have armed drones or are trying to acquire them.
August 11, 2016
How Europe's Refugee Crisis Was Years in the Making
For weeks, the world's eyes have been fixed upon the tens of thousands of migrants and refugees arriving on Europe's doorstep. But the crisis was years in the making, with a brutal civil war in Syria adding millions of refugees to those fleeing conflicts in Afghanistan, Iraq and Nigeria.
September 23, 2015
The U.S. is Training Just 60 Rebels in Syria, Says Defense Secretary
The U.S. hopes to train 15,000 moderate rebels to fight ISIS inside Syria, but the number currently in training is "not impressive," Defense Secretary Ashton Carter told lawmakers Tuesday.
July 7, 2015
Syria Got Rid of Its Chemical Weapons -- But Reports of Attacks Continue
Since mid-March, rescue workers and doctors have documented 35 barrel bomb attacks inside Syria that allegedly involved the use of weaponized chlorine.
May 26, 2015
WATCH: Pentagon Had No Plan for When ISIS Took Mosul, Dempsey Says
The Pentagon had no contingency plan in place when ISIS seized control of Iraq's second largest city in 2014, says Chairman of the Joints Chiefs of Staff Gen. Martin Dempsey, in an interview for the new FRONTLINE documentary "Obama at War."
May 26, 2015
"The President Blinked": Why Obama Changed Course on the "Red Line" in Syria
When a chemical weapons attack struck near Damascus in 2013, "our finger was on the trigger" to start airstrikes, Gen. Martin Dempsey, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, tells FRONTLINE. But then, the president had second thoughts.
May 25, 2015
In Syria, Darkness Takes On New Meaning After Four Years of War
As the Syrian war enters its fifth year, 11 million people have fled their homes, plunging much of the country into darkness. Those who remain face daily bombardments, food shortages and a crumbling medical infrastructure.
March 11, 2015
What Happens When Arming the Rebels Goes Wrong?
Despite growing calls for deeper U.S. involvement in the arming and training of Syrian rebel forces fighting ISIS, an internal CIA analysis suggests such efforts do not always go as advertised.
October 30, 2014
How to Train a Rebel Army (Secretly) In Seven Steps
Obama said he wants to step up training for rebel groups in Syria. Here's more on the covert rebel training program that's already in effect.
May 28, 2014
Syrian Rebels Describe U.S.-Backed Training in Qatar
Interviews featured in a new FRONTLINE film are the latest evidence that after more than three years of warfare, the U.S. has stepped up the provision of lethal aid to the rebels.
May 26, 2014
In order to foster a civil and literate discussion that respects all participants, FRONTLINE has the following guidelines for commentary. By submitting comments here, you are consenting to these rules:
Readers' comments that include profanity, obscenity, personal attacks, harassment, or are defamatory, sexist, racist, violate a third party's right to privacy, or are otherwise inappropriate, will be removed. Entries that are unsigned or are "signed" by someone other than the actual author will be removed. We reserve the right to not post comments that are more than 400 words. We will take steps to block users who repeatedly violate our commenting rules, terms of use, or privacy policies. You are fully responsible for your comments.
Next on Frontline
China's COVID Secrets
Home Video DVDs of Obama at War are available from ShopPBS.
Educational DVDs of Obama at War are available from PBS Educational Media.
Get Our Newsletter
Follow Frontline