Okay, so yesterday I touched on ISIS and when I say touched I mean it. I didn't even begin to scratch the surface of this 'organization' or whatever it is. I don't even understand half of what they are and what they are doing, but I do know one thing. They are dangerous.
Why? why are they dangerous? Well I'd like to point out their recruitment policies first of all. And also their massive presence on the web . . . and the way they perceive themselves.
Recruitment Policies . . . if one could call them that
First of all they are recruiting all over the place. Everyone from a 3 year old who can hardly handle the gun they place in his hands, to Americans, English, Bulgarian and so many others. It's kind of scary what they are doing. Okay, not even kind of, really scary what they are doing. The United States Government, specifically the FBI has been tracking American's that leave their country to go fight for ISIS. It's kind of scary to think that we have people in this very country who are willing to desert their country. They are willing to desert this land of so many freedoms and liberties, to go fight for a 'state' that wants to rule the Muslim world. an organization that has no qualms about beheading people or shooting them at close range. One of the scariest things is that we don't know all the people who have left to join ISIS so they could conceivably come back into this country and create a sleeper cell, or some unthinkable form of havoc because it is simply impossible to track everyone who joins them. We do know that two Americans fighting for ISIS have already been killed fighting for this terrorist group.
But honestly we here in America don't have quite the problem that those in Europe are having. Yes we've had close to a hundred leave this country for them, but Britain has had several hundred and other countries such as Jordan are seeing thousands. It's a rather frightening reality. This group has a magic that allows them to portray themselves as a good, humanitarian group who is just trying to help the people of a beleaguered Syria and Iraq who simply want stability.
The Islamic State starts young too. They are already indoctrinating children who are too young to understand what they are doing. These young kids are being taught IS ideology and how to handle weapons almost bigger than they are. One of the hardest things about an organization like this is that people who 'convert' can quickly become disillusioned, but people who grow up learning a certain way of thinking often don't lose it and it's a lot harder to convince them that the good willed, benevolent god-father they knew all their lives was actually a terrible force that threatened and killed many innocent people. In fact Brigitte Gabriel a U.S. journalist who grew up in Lebanon during the war and is a terrorism expert stated in her book Because They Hate that: "When humans become devoid of compassion, a sense of forgiveness, and open-mindedness, when they surrender their humanity to hate, they become an evil force of darkness that is irreconcilable with hope, love, and peace." Now I don't believe that every person who ever was indoctrinated into a terrorist organization or something of that nature is irreconcilable to hope and love, but I do believe that once someone thinks a certain way and has it in their head that a certain entity or type of people just is a certain way it is VERY hard to convince them that just the opposite is true.
But one of the most interesting and once again terrifying things about ISIS is that they actually can provide stability in this war torn region.
Quick history lesson, if you've lived under the ignorant-about-world-events rock (that's not a bad thing, I just can't understand it). Syria is going on 4 years of civil war that has left the country a very difficult place in which to feel safe. The Free Syrian Army has been trying to oust Assad (the Syrian President) for years. And the U.S. has been all for it. Now we have to make a decision because Assad is willing to band with the United States against I.S. but will that be counterproductive to our previous agendas? We'll see, it's an interesting decision Mr. Obama and his cohorts have to make. Which is the greater problem? That's the real question. But since I'm not a politician it's probably a whole lot more complicated than that.
Anyway, so Syria is not stable in any sense of the word. But IS has taken over about a third of Syria and some of Iraq and the problem now is that their areas are stable and they are able to control them. So that's even more scary. Because this faux government is more comfortable for the people and people are actually moving into the areas where the Islamic State is in control. Like my International Relations Professor said yesterday "Any bully can take territory, but it is magic for them to be able to keep and rule it" and the Islamic State seems to have that magic. Yet another frightening tic on their rap sheet.
ISIS uses Media
I know shocking, but it's just how they use it is what gets everyone's attention. think about Mr. Foley. How did we see that video? Media. How did we know that yesterday morning ISIS executed about 250 Syrian Soldiers? Media. How did we know that the car bombs and building bombs that killed some and injured others only a few days ago was ISIS? Media. They have a awesome command of media and getting word out about the things that they are trying to accomplish. It's terribly frightening. A lot of the terror in the areas where they are is because of the things ISIS is putting on Media. Isn't it fascinating that media has such a power over all of us? think about the things you see on Facebook or Pinterest or Instagram or Twitter. Do you believe all the 'facts' people put on there? what if they are false? do you bother to double check or do you take it for "what it is". Media has a very strong hold over all of us and we sometimes don't even realize it. so ISIS using media to increase the terror of what they are doing to some and the 'peace' they are spreading to those they want to join them. It's an awesome task and the mastery they have over media is something else. That else being something terrifying.
Their Idea of themselves
ISIS is the name that the world at large tends to use for this group. It means the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, and ISIL tends to be the name the United States uses to refer to them the Islamic State of Iraq and Levant (see President Obama's speech on not have a strategy yet, but working on it because this is a real threat). But this group actually refers to themselves as the Islamic State, which is actually rather profound. it reveals some of their goals. They don't just want to have territory in Iraq an Syria, what they really want is to rule the Muslim World. it's a threat to mostly stable Iran and all surrounding countries. they have already established themselves as a caliphate, with a caliph (a religious and political leader). They are very serious about being a world power. they see themselves as a nation all ready and have no respect for current international boundaries, because to them those boundaries are nonexistent. The fact is that the Muslim extremist world has always posed a threat. at to say that it's just Muslim extremists that pose threats isn't exactly correct. because extremists of every type and kind pose threats every day. You have to be careful, because all Muslims are not extremist and they don't want american's to die, that's a very few, but even a few is significant. Anyway. This new Islamic state could pose a significant threat to the world at large, because they are literally executing any one who is not living the Shari'a law the way that they think it needs to be followed. So it's a tough world and tough situation.
The Horrors
IS is really ruling through a lot of terror, and there is some serious persuasion as well, but terror seems to be one of their primary tools. I mean they make 13-year-old boys watch executions by beheading and others by crucifixion. They execute people to make points. ex. James Foley and a recent Kurdish soldier who was killed simply to make a point. They leave others on display just to hammer their point home. It's a tough world they live in and you do NOT want to get on the wrong side of them. Which seemingly America has. in fact the Kurdish man was used as a point to 'encourage' the Kurdish Government not to involve themselves with the United States in trying to fight them. ISIS uses video to its fullest extent in trying to dissuade some and simply to spread the fear.
ISIS, ISIL, IS. Whatever you call it it is not something you can simply brush off. We must begin to take note of what is going on in this world. Because IS is NOT going to simply disappear because we pretend it doesn't exist. It does exist, it is a real threat. And somehow the world will have to find a solution, and that solution may not lay with the United States, it may lay with a unified Iraq and a unified Syria. And maybe this is the threat that finally brings unity to those two torn countries. Time will only tell.
Sources:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2736355/Islamic-State-ISIS-ISIL-Why-doesnt-matter-call-brutal-al-Qaeda-offshoot-boasts-80-000-jihadists.html
http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Security-Watch/terrorism-security/2014/0829/Islamic-State-steps-up-propaganda-videos-beheading-another-captive
http://edition.cnn.com/2014/08/28/world/meast/syria-isis-atrocities-boy/index.html?iref=allsearch
http://edition.cnn.com/video/?/video/world/2014/08/28/pkg-paton-walsh-isis-children.cnn&video_referrer=
http://edition.cnn.com/2014/08/28/us/syria-americans-killed/index.html?hpt=hp_c1
******Disclaimer*******
This is an opinion piece, the facts are true to the best of my knowledge. but what is not strictly fact is my opinion, so take it as such.
Friday, August 29, 2014
Thursday, August 28, 2014
ISIS: sometimes the world astonishes me
So ISIS that Islamic terrorist group that is choking up my news feed and causing me to have worries for the world. They are now referring to themselves as IS (Islamic State) according to Vice News. they are a terrorist group based out chiefly out of Syria. They have gone to immense costs to inflict harm and pain on others. A lot of this has been in an attempt to curtail the United States involvement in the Middle Eastern countries such as Syria, at also because they want to reestablish the caliphates, which is their primary goal.
You may be aware of what happened to reporter Jim Foley last week. If not let me catch you up. Reporter Jim Foley was captured awhile back. In 2012. ISIS didn't exist back then so we know that he must have changed hands at some point and become ISIS's prisoner instead of that of whoever capture him in the first place. I know crazy how this world of terrorism/international politics works. Anyway. So last week a video was published, pictured in the video is a orange clad Jim Foley kneeling on the ground while next to him stands a ISIS member dressed all in black with a knife in hand. The ISIS member goes into a diatribe about American Forces and such the like, and then it cuts for a brief moment and then the insurgent wields the knife and Foley's head is gone. That's the kind of atrocities ISIS handles. Can you even imagine? I can't bring myself to even look for the actual video of Mr. Foley's murder. I can only handle the news stories, but I cannot even imagine what this man went through. Much controversy has arisen over this video because the insurgent that goes into the diatribe does so in English and in an accent that many are identifying as from London and the England area. So they have tried to identify him. but also they have found that the insurgent who does the actual killing is not the same as who does the talking. it's fascinating stuff, go read the news articles, because that's not what I wanted to talk about. (CNN has some good ones, especially if you designate you want the International version).
What I really wanted to talk about is the similarities I'm seeing from ISIS to other "World terrors" I guess is how you could put it.
Recently on Vice news I read a story in which it described the executions ISIS holds in the areas it controls every Friday. they inform the inhabitants of the areas that there will be executions and encourage them to attend. Sometimes they force people on the street to come and witness these executions. Children have been front row as these executions took place. At they weren't pretty by any means. Executions are either beheadings (not pretty, see the French Revolution and Madame Guillotine), or close range shootings in the head (also not pretty). Children and innocents are being forced to watch this go down. I cannot even imagine, or recreate this horrifying experience in my head. Besides public executions they will hang the bodies, sometimes on crucifixes for up to three days at a time, just to make a point.
But it sort of reminds me of things like the French Revolution. and The Romans who hated the Christians. IS is not necessarily soemthing we want in our world, but they are following the same pattern. Following a pattern of fear that will hopefully turn into obeisance. I mean come on, ISIS has a PR guy. for real, they do. Also a lot of what we hear from them, how they take credit for mass killings like the one this morning, or how we saw the video of Jim Foley. it's all from the website or other social media sites.
I see so many different ties in what they are doing to what regimes and people have done in the past it's kind of crazy. but I only see glimmers since my knowledge of in depth history is sketchy. But I'm still learning. And after all, I'm just a College kid.
Sources:
https://news.vice.com/article/details-of-american-woman-being-held-by-the-islamic-state-emerge
http://edition.cnn.com/2014/08/25/world/meast/james-foley-killer-five-clues/index.html?iref=allsearch
http://edition.cnn.com/2014/08/19/world/meast/isis-james-foley/index.html?iref=allsearch
Disclaimer: I am a college student starting out in the political and international world. I know how to research and I don't like twisting the facts, so if there are facts, I will back them up with sources. But my personal opinions are just that. Opinions. And therefore you probably shouldn't take those as true or relevant. They are just my OPINIONS.
You may be aware of what happened to reporter Jim Foley last week. If not let me catch you up. Reporter Jim Foley was captured awhile back. In 2012. ISIS didn't exist back then so we know that he must have changed hands at some point and become ISIS's prisoner instead of that of whoever capture him in the first place. I know crazy how this world of terrorism/international politics works. Anyway. So last week a video was published, pictured in the video is a orange clad Jim Foley kneeling on the ground while next to him stands a ISIS member dressed all in black with a knife in hand. The ISIS member goes into a diatribe about American Forces and such the like, and then it cuts for a brief moment and then the insurgent wields the knife and Foley's head is gone. That's the kind of atrocities ISIS handles. Can you even imagine? I can't bring myself to even look for the actual video of Mr. Foley's murder. I can only handle the news stories, but I cannot even imagine what this man went through. Much controversy has arisen over this video because the insurgent that goes into the diatribe does so in English and in an accent that many are identifying as from London and the England area. So they have tried to identify him. but also they have found that the insurgent who does the actual killing is not the same as who does the talking. it's fascinating stuff, go read the news articles, because that's not what I wanted to talk about. (CNN has some good ones, especially if you designate you want the International version).
What I really wanted to talk about is the similarities I'm seeing from ISIS to other "World terrors" I guess is how you could put it.
Recently on Vice news I read a story in which it described the executions ISIS holds in the areas it controls every Friday. they inform the inhabitants of the areas that there will be executions and encourage them to attend. Sometimes they force people on the street to come and witness these executions. Children have been front row as these executions took place. At they weren't pretty by any means. Executions are either beheadings (not pretty, see the French Revolution and Madame Guillotine), or close range shootings in the head (also not pretty). Children and innocents are being forced to watch this go down. I cannot even imagine, or recreate this horrifying experience in my head. Besides public executions they will hang the bodies, sometimes on crucifixes for up to three days at a time, just to make a point.
But it sort of reminds me of things like the French Revolution. and The Romans who hated the Christians. IS is not necessarily soemthing we want in our world, but they are following the same pattern. Following a pattern of fear that will hopefully turn into obeisance. I mean come on, ISIS has a PR guy. for real, they do. Also a lot of what we hear from them, how they take credit for mass killings like the one this morning, or how we saw the video of Jim Foley. it's all from the website or other social media sites.
I see so many different ties in what they are doing to what regimes and people have done in the past it's kind of crazy. but I only see glimmers since my knowledge of in depth history is sketchy. But I'm still learning. And after all, I'm just a College kid.
Sources:
https://news.vice.com/article/details-of-american-woman-being-held-by-the-islamic-state-emerge
http://edition.cnn.com/2014/08/25/world/meast/james-foley-killer-five-clues/index.html?iref=allsearch
http://edition.cnn.com/2014/08/19/world/meast/isis-james-foley/index.html?iref=allsearch
Disclaimer: I am a college student starting out in the political and international world. I know how to research and I don't like twisting the facts, so if there are facts, I will back them up with sources. But my personal opinions are just that. Opinions. And therefore you probably shouldn't take those as true or relevant. They are just my OPINIONS.
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