'The Secret History of ISIS': A Tale of Two Presidents' Failures to Stop Terrorists

Perhaps the scariest thing about Frontline’s excellent new documentary, The Secret History of ISIS, is that the history of the terrorist group isn’t all that secret. The informational pieces gathered in this hour have been scattered in plain sight for more than a decade; it’s only when the pieces are put together with this sort of clear, easy-to-follow timeline that the documentary reveals the sorry truths of two American administrations that perpetually underestimated ISIS.

Secret History focuses on Abu Musab Zarqawi, who is repeatedly referred to by various interviewees here as a “thug” who rose with alarmingly easy quickness to overtake Osama bin Laden as the world’s most prominent mastermind of global terrorism. Frontline traces the way Zarqawi’s quick, lethal, down-and-dirty methods — untethered from much of the religious posturing and personal myth-making that bin Laden indulged in — enabled him to grow the Islamic State into a frightening force that soon overtook al-Qaida in the minds of millions and in the media.

The most agonizing moments of this show overseen by director-producer-writer Michael Kirk are interviews with CIA operatives and insiders in the early years of the 21st century, who had Zarqawi in their sights and urged the Bush administration to permit U.S. forces to eliminate the homicidal “thug.” But, building a case for the invasion of Iraq and the removal of Saddam Hussein, Bush advisers led by Vice President Dick Cheney nixed the effort — as one former CIA operate puts it, the message the intelligence agency received was (as former Secretary of State Colin Powell tells Frontline), “Let’s not start the war before we’re ready.”

Once Zarqawi and his successor, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, were permitted to thrive, their evil influence extended into the election of Barack Obama, who similarly declined to focus on the destruction of ISIS as a priority. That, at least, is the testimony of numerous CIA officials and operatives — most of them now former CIA — interviewed in the documentary. Even allowing for a certain amount of professional ax-grinding, the similarities and patterns of threats perceived, reported, and either ignored or botched lead to a highly engaging, depressing, and sometimes infuriating viewing experience. Placed in the context of the current political season, The Secret History of ISIS is not only useful on its own, but also an instructive warning about the kinds of leaders we need to continue the fight against terrorism.

Frontline: The Secret History of ISIS airs Tuesday night on PBS. Check your local listings.