Born from an especially brutal al-Qaeda faction, the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) has grown from relative obscurity in recent years to overshadow other extremist groups. It now terrorizes huge portions of land in the Middle East, has become the target of the largest U.S. military operation in Iraq in years and, dominates newspaper headlines throughout the world with jarring photographs and stories showcasing public, cold-blooded execution of minority groups and Westerners.
Where Did ISIS Come From?
ISIS can trace its history directly back to the Sunni terrorist organization al-Qaeda, specifically the Iraq faction. ISIS was born from the aftermath of U.S. intervention in Iraq. Following the fall of Iraqi authoritarian leader Saddam Hussein, the U.S. put in an interim government that failed, creating a power vacuum that left room for ISIS to expand. When the U.S. withdrew troops from Iraq in 2011, ISIS easily gained a foothold and was able to expand to Syria, changing the group’s name to ISIS/ISIL: Islamic State in Iraq and Al-Sham or Islamic State in Iraq and The Levant (Al-Sham/the Levant refers to present day Syria, Lebanon, Palestine, Israel, and Jordan).
What are ISIS’ objectives and beliefs?
ISIS is striving for the creation of an Islamic state under their interpretation of Islam, which calls for a strict adherence to the Sharia law, an elaborate set of Islamic laws, which govern individuals’ public and private lives. ISIS ideology is rooted in Wahhabism, a purist Sunni Islamic movement that promotes the use of military jihad to fulfill persona and political agendas.
How big is ISIS and from where are they getting their fighters?
Isis is composed of former followers of Saddam Hussein, Iraqi authoritarian leader, and former members of Al-Qaeda. According to a recent statement by the CIA, the group was believed to be up to 30,000 fighters strong including local supporters, and growing. It is believed that the group is made up of a huge portion of foreign fighters who left their homes and at times traveled halfway around the world to join the terror group.
How does ISIS Continue to Expand?
ISIS continues to expand though propaganda, force, and appeal. However, ISIS’ command of technology is unique. Most of their propaganda appears online, especially on popular social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Indubitably, their social media presence is meant to appeal and mobilize young people, as they put forward a revolutionary narrative that draws minorities who are looking to leave their homes to escape discrimination and oppression and to feel like they have a mission in life. ISIS also continues to expand through extremely violent measures. It disrupts communities from within and infiltrates local groups, often using intimidation to influence community leaders to step down. They also use sleeper cells (a group of people who inconspicuously remain dormant in a community, until activated by a signal, to perform acts of espionage, sabotage, and/or terrorism). Once in power, the group imposes Sharia law and actively governs, providing services like water, roads, and a judicial system.
Is ISIS a threat to the U.S.?
It’s unclear. ISIS primarily focuses its attention on its regional ambitions in oil-rich states like Syria, Libya, and Egypt. But as the U.S. and other western nations continue to bombard ISIS targets, the group has called on its followers in Western nations to conduct deadly attacks at home.