ISIS: Terrorizing The Middle East
Connor Strange
Co-Editor-In-Chief
The Islamic State in Iraq and Syria are the latest terroristic overlords of countries in the Middle East, perpetuating crimes to humanity so horribly familiar in the region: suicide bombings; torture; execution.
ISIS is a third resurgence of Al-Qaeda, the most infamous terrorist organization in modern history. Under leader Abu Bakr al Baghdadi, the group gathered a large following by tapping into resentment and feelings of oppression in Sunni Muslim citizens of Iraq under an almost entirely Shia regime.
Al Baghdadi and his followers aim to unite the Middle East under a single Sunni Muslim government, starting with their current territories. These include half of Iraq and a decent chunk of Syria as its government continues to war with rebel groups. However, the Islamic State isn’t holding itself within the borders of those two nations. Crimes have been committed as far as Egypt and Saudi Arabia with the influence of ISIS.
The most prominent case of the terror campaign was in the execution of journalist James Foley. The U.S. citizen was beheaded on camera with his executioners blaming American military action in Iraq. Another journalist, Steven Sotloff, was also executed shortly afterward.
Sunni militant efforts aren’t entirely limited to Americans. In fact, the bulk of crimes are against other Iraqi and Syrian nationals. One suicide bombing killed more than ten people outside of Baghdad not long ago.
Although the influence of ISIS is becoming a serious issue and overwhelming much of the Middle East, it isn’t completely unchecked. Kurds, a sizeable ethnic group in the region, are the forefront of resistance against the Islamic State.
Because of this, Germany has provided arms to the Kurdish forces in an attempt to quell the tide of Sunni fighters. German intervention wasn’t light; 16000 assault rifles and plenty of ammunition was the count.
Along with the Iraqi army, Kurds have worked to counteract terrorists wherever possible. The combined might was enough to lift an ISIS siege on an Iraqi town, and it continues to work against the extremists.
Despite Kurdish intervention, the Islamic State is definitely still a pressing matter. They aim to ignite a war that will blaze across the entire region, not just Iraq and Syria. And as of now, it seems the Kurds are not enough.
They might not need to be, with any luck. The British government has raised its terror alert to the extent of an almost inevitable attack, and the U.S. has aided with drone strikes against ISIS.
The western world has taken notice of these terrorists, and they mean to do their best to end the issue before it truly starts.
