Read this TL;DR (actually did read) artcile yesterday (link at bottom); it is the best piece I have read on ISIS and really explained a lot and also talks about how the US has fucked up in the past year or so in figuring out what ISIS is all about.
TL;DR cliffnote version of article:
-ISIS IS Islamic. Basically they want to go back to medieval Islamic times and are living as such.
-Their leader has only really talked one time in public, when he declared himself the Caliphate last summer. Basically, every Muslim is supposed to follow him and he is the commander of all Muslims (Or should be according to Islamic law). THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS of Muslims have left their lives behind to go live under his rule and territory.
-ISIS NEEDS territory, if they don't have territory it will crumble because the Caliphate will become illegitimate.
-ISIS and their followers, in accordance with Islamic laws and such can not be involved in political processes as their is only one true God. So don't bother trying to get them to negotiate.
-Basically peace is impossible for them because if they aren't trying to expand their territory the Caliphate is illegitimate in their eyes.
-Genocide is required. Basically they want everyone that isn't them to be murdered or to be enslaved. Christians would become slaves as long as they pay a tax to them; if they deny the tax they will be beheaded or crucified.
-They are surrounded by Muslims, but ISIS considers most of those Muslims to be living in sin and wants them dead.
-The big one is that they truly believe they are the ones who will play a part in the upcoming Apocalypse. They are bringing those events into motion with everything they do.
-When they beheaded the American Aid worker last year they did so at the grounds (Dabiq an area in Syria) they believe will be the important war between them and "Rome". The reason they always mention Rome is because that is who the Koran says will be the enemy (although Rome can now just be the West).
-ISIS hates Al-Qaeda because they haven't pledged to the Caliphate.
-Beheading, slavery, crucifixion, amputation (for stealing and what not) are all very acceptable to these people; and in fact they are required.
You should read the article, some pretty crazy shit in there. I hope our leaders read it, because clearly they don't understand what ISIS is all about.
theatlantic.com/features/archive/2015/02/what-isis-really-wants/384980/
Comments
And I don't see our existing leadership seeing it as such.
What will it take? A beheading on American soil?
Big bad America having to take out the trash that other countries don't want to do.
Thank you very much for poasting. I found the articulation of the differences between ISIS and Al Qaeda very interesting. I also have a much better concept of what a caliphate is, and why this is a much bigger deal than I realized.
It's going to get ugly.
Case and point
Yet, just over a year ago, Obama told The New Yorker that he considered ISIS to be al-Qaeda’s weaker partner. “If a jayvee team puts on Lakers uniforms that doesn’t make them Kobe Bryant,” the president said.
This is the fucking president of the United states, arguably the spokesman for the western world, using an NBA metaphor.