IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT ISIS
It’s been impossible to turn on the news the last few months without seeing a report of the terror being wrecked by ISIS, an acronym for Islamic State in Iraq and Syria or Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham. From the destruction of ancient artifacts in an Iraq museum to the loss of human life in filmed beheadings and the public immolation of a caged prisoner, ISIS is becoming more brutal and even more difficult to understand.
What is ISIS?
Even the U.S. government is having a hard time answering this question. ISIS is considered “an extremist Islamist rebel group” that controls significant territory in Iraq and Syria. Their main objective is to restore life to the way it was during the seventh century, with an establishment of a caliphate - a spiritual successor to Muhammad - and all. The group also endorses a revival of slavery and crucifixions as part of their doctrine.
The urge is to compare ISIS to a terrorist group we’ve become all too familiar with in the years since 9/11: al-Qaeda. But unlike al-Qaeda, ISIS’ main target is Muslims they feel are betraying the Qur’an, as shown by their symbolic execution of Muslim Jordanian pilot First Lt. Moaz al-Kasasbeh and countless other killings in the territory they control. For the most part, ISIS leaves Christians under their jurisdiction alone as long as they pay a Qur’an-mandated tax, called a jizya, and pledge submission to the organization. But, as seen with the recent beheadings of 20 Egyptian Coptic Christians, virtually no one is safe from ISIS’ wrath.
Why does it feel like they have three different names?
Because they (technically) do. The federal government has been referring to the group as ISIL, or the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, since early last year. Journalists and the public, however, have consistently referred to the terrorist organization as ISIS. The confusion stems from the translation of the original Arabic term, which literally translates to “the Levant.” But many journalists have argued for the continued use of “ISIS” since the replacement of “Levant” with “Syria” reflects a more modernized Middle East.
ISIS made it even more complicated when they began referring to themselves as the Islamic State after establishing a caliphate last June. It wasn’t surprising that Muslims who consider members of ISIS “on the fringe of Islam” were not pleased with their declaration of supremacy over the Muslim world. Still, with all of those choices, it’s a wonder President Obama was able to come up with another term for ISIS last fall. Hint: it wasn’t flattering.
How are they still recruiting fighters?
As of right now, the CIA estimates that ISIS has a fighting force of between 20,000 and 31,000 soldiers, with an estimated 15,000 of those fighters coming from nearly 70 countries. According to a recent Atlantic report, most of these men come to Iraq and Syria with the intent of becoming martyrs for Islam. The answer as to why men and increasingly women are intent on becoming part of the Islamic State is, as always, a complicated one. One large factor is ISIS’ extensive and remarkably effective use of propaganda and social media to attract young people to their cause. For example, Slate writer Joshua Keating remarked that the video depicting American journalist James Foley’s execution was “shot in crystal-clear high definition,” showing that “great care went into its production.” Technologically savvy and tuned into the issues that matter to young Muslims, ISIS has taken advantage of the political frustration that came with the failures of the Arab Spring as well as the general isolation many Muslims feel in European society. The economic downturn of the past six years certainly hasn’t helped, either.
What has been the international response to ISIS’ rise to power?
After the murderous attack on the French satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo in January, the stakes surrounding terrorism and its role outside of the Middle East have been raised. The U.S. has led an international coalition against ISIS since last fall, but many are questioning how large of a role the U.S. can play in a largely regional conflict. The phrase “boots on the ground” has become a dirty word for many Americans disillusioned with wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and the president has made it clear he does not support another ground war in the Middle East.
Meanwhile, Middle Eastern troops have begun to chip away at some of ISIS’ territorial holdings. Kurdish soldiers, backed by the U.S.-coalition air strikes, have cemented their role as the most effective fighting force against Islamic State by winning back two key cities in northern Syria and along the Turkish border. Jordan, hungry for revenge after the murder of their countryman, has promised an “earth-shattering retaliation” effort in coordination with Iraqi forces and is preaching a “long-term approach” to the conflict.
The rise of ISIS has also triggered an increasingly contentious debate surrounding the nature of ISIS’ brand of terrorism and its roots in Islamic teachings. At an anti-terrorism summit in February, President Obama stated that, “No religion is responsible for terrorism - people are responsible for violence and terrorism.” When met with criticism from both the left and the right for refusing to call ISIS jihadists “Islamic terrorists,” Obama defended his position, stating “we are not at war with Islam. We are at war with those who have perverted Islam.” King Abdullah II of Jordan agrees, calling ISIS fighters “outlaws of Islam” who are “on the fringe” of the religion.
What does the future hold?
Islamic State’s apocalyptic goals are clear, but the manner in which they attempt to achieve these goals - kidnappings, mass murders, publicized executions - cannot be predicted. What is certain is that America must decipher its role in this conflict. One major question faces the United States: Is this our war to fight? The Jordanian king sure doesn’t think so. In an interview with CNN’s Fareed Zakaria, the king’s first since the announcement of the execution of a Jordanian pilot, King Abdullah II asserted that the fight against ISIS “is our war - it has been for a long time.” Only time will tell how this rhetoric will evolve into action - or inaction - from major players in the Middle East and those watching the events closely, including the U.S.