Politics for Beginners: ISIS

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The Islamic State has been in the main headlines of many international news stories over the past months due to their extremist actions and violent nature. The organization is most well known for the series of aggressive and morbid videos it has posted all across social media sites. These videos include various members of the militant group lining up Iraqi soldiers and shooting them in unison as a message to the international community. There have also been several videos that involve beheadings of hostages. Most recently, the hostage featured was a British aid worker. The organization also uses social media and videos as a type of recruitment tool for new members of their breakaway Al Qaeda group. 

One of the most troubling factors about the IS group is that they have a very wide spread support group. Citizens of more developed countries located in Western Europe have been going to learn military tactics from IS and return to their home countries. It is such a troubling problem that the Prime Minister of Britain, David Cameron, has made specific laws allowing tighter restrictions on those thought to have gained IS training. However, the spread of IS ideals isn＊t limited only to Europe. Some American citizens have also been shown to support the organizations ideology.

The Islamic State differs from other extremist groups with the large amount of financial backing the organization seems to have. Wealthy states from the Persian Gulf area are being accused of funding the organization, which is equipped with high-level military grade equipment that many extremist organizations would never be able to come close to attaining. However, all of those who have been accused have stated that there are no direct funds moving from state money into the hands of the terrorist group. 

The organization is referred to by many names: IS, ISIS, and ISL; however, these are all synonymous for the same irrational, extreme Islamic group. The main goal of the organization is to reinstate a caliphate, otherwise known as an Islamic state. This would involve getting surrounding countries that IS is currently militaristically, and in greater terms, all member of Islam, in a type of kingdom of sorts. The original caliphate came after the death of Mohammed, the prophet in the Islamic religion. This led to an incredible empire filled with military expansion around the Middle East.

The time of the original caliphate was also around the time where the two main sects of Islam, Sunni and Shia, began their great divide. Shiites believe that the true caliph, or leader of the caliphate and the Muslim population, must be a descendent of Mohammed. On the opposing side, the Sunnis believe that the caliph should only be chosen under a vote of all of those from the Muslim faith. The Islamic state under Mohammed greatly differentiated from the goals of IS today. Although it was a military regime, it focused on spreading a collective culture amongst the Islamic people, while also spreading the Arabic language, further uniting the region.

The organization IS consider themselves Sunni Muslims, while the area that they are currently waging a siege against, Iraq, is predominately filled with Shiites, causing a greater and more violent segregation between the two sides. The violence IS uses is preached against in the Koran and goes against the very values Mohammed himself had preached during his lifetime. Often times, the media portrays Islam as a very violent religion, however, just as in the holy books of Christianity and Judaism, peace is preached. Just as in other religions, there are always people who have held their own interpretations of the texts, often taking their beliefs to the extremes. 

The idea of an actual Islamic State in the areas that the organization has taken root in doesn't seem that far off.  There is a small resemblance to a traditional state system, minus the extreme violence and uncivilized nature. There are courts and ministries put into place, even a taxation system in certain areas. They then rally up the natural resources making those who are in the area dependent on giving their allegiance to the organization in order to survive. 

The United States has officially taken a stance, partnering with nations who might otherwise be considered controversial if not for the current situation. Iran, Iraq, Syria, and the United States are joining forces in order to put a stop to the extremist group that even Al Qaeda, in charge of the September 11 travesty, deemed too extreme. The United States will currently be aiding these Arabic countries in their attacks through air strikes, without the deportation of ground troops. However, it has also been stated that if this offensive doesn't work, there may indeed be more soldiers sent back to Iraq to fight this organization on the ground.