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ISIS: The
Latest Phase of the Jihad
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ISIS
propaganda trumpets Muslim strength, not grievances.
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The best way to understand the Islamic State (ISIS) is to see it as the
next phase of al-Qaeda. All Sunni Islamic jihadi groups—Boko Haram, ISIS,
Taliban, al-Shabaab, al-Qaeda, even Hamas—share the same motivations based
on a literal and orthodox reading of Islamic history and doctrine:
resurrecting a caliphate (which existed in various forms from 632 to 1924)
that implements and spreads the totality of sharia, or Islamic law.
Accordingly, ISIS's notorious atrocities—beheading, crucifixion, sexual
enslavement, and destruction of non-Sunni places of worship—are being
committed by other jihadi groups (e.g., Boko Haram and al-Shabaab, both of
which pledged allegiance to ISIS) and even by some Muslim governments
(e.g., Saudi Arabia) and individual Muslims around the world.
Conversely, although al-Qaeda (AQ) adheres to the same sharia
that ISIS implements, it has long waged a propaganda war against the West.
AQ portrays all terrorist attacks on the West, including 9/11, as mere
payback for the West's unjust polices against Muslims, including support
for Israel and Arab dictators.[1]
ISIS' strategy inspires Muslims,
while losing Western public opinion.
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To maintain this "grievance" narrative, AQ knows that the
innately supremacist and violent aspects of sharia—for example ISIS'
destruction of churches and subjugation of "infidel" Christian
minorities—need to be curtailed or hidden from the Western world. Otherwise
AQ's efforts of portraying jihadis as "freedom fighters"
resisting an oppressive West risk being undermined.[2]
Regardless, AQ's strategy of turning Western opinion appears to have
borne fruit in one pivotal area: canceling longtime Western support for
secular Arab dictators. In the context of the "Arab Spring," the
Obama administration turned its back on America's Egyptian ally of 30
years, Hosni Mubarak; helped ISIS-affiliated jihadis overthrow Libya's
Gaddafi (even though he was complying with Washington); and continues
supporting ISIS-affiliated "moderates"[3] to overthrow Syria's Assad.
Idealists in both government and media forgot a primary reason the U.S. had
formerly supported secular Arab dictators: they single-mindedly opposed the
jihadis.
The result has been a new and emboldened phase of the jihad, a.k.a.,
ISIS. Born and entrenched in precisely those nations that U.S. leadership
brought "freedom and democracy" to—Iraq, Syria, and Libya—ISIS
(or al-Qaeda 2.0) is now indifferent to Western opinion. By widely
broadcasting its savage triumphalism in the name of Islam, ISIS forfeits
the "grievance card" but plays the "strength" card,
thus inspiring millions of Muslims. According to the Pew Research Center,
in 11 countries alone, at least 63 million and as many as 287 million
Muslims support ISIS.[4]
Yet even ISIS works in stages. When criticized by Muslims for killing
fellow Muslims and not attacking Israel—the supreme enemy—ISIS responded by
saying it was following the pattern of the historic caliphate founded in
632.[5] Then, Caliph Abu Bakr beheaded
and crucified tens of thousands of Muslims for apostatizing. Only after the
rebel tribes were brought back into the fold of Islam were they set loose
to conquer European/Christian territories during history's early Muslim
conquests (634–750). Indeed, it is believed that ISIS' caliph Abu Bakr
al-Baghdadi took this name to signify his focus, that is, terrorizing all
"hypocrites" and "apostates" until they unify under the
caliphate's banner.
It still remains to be seen whether ISIS' strategy—inspiring Muslims but
losing Western opinion—will succeed. According to polls,
"Islamophobia" is on the rise in the West, especially after the
rise of ISIS, prompting several politicians to speak more candidly about
the catalysts for terrorist violence.
The Obama administration's weak responses feed into AQ's narrative that
Islamic terrorism at least in part reflects Islamic grievance; and it
refuses to connect the actions of any jihadi organization—whether ISIS,
al-Qaeda, Boko Haram, et al—to Islamic teaching.
Time will tell whether the next administration will remain willfully
ignorant of the nature of its jihadi enemy—which is fatal in war according
to Sun Tzu's ancient dictum, "know your enemy"—or whether reality
will trump political correctness.
Raymond Ibrahim is a Judith
Friedman Rosen fellow at the Middle East Forum and a Shillman fellow at the
David Horowitz Freedom Center.
[1] See "An
Analysis of Al-Qa'ida's Worldview: Reciprocal Treatment or Religious
Obligation?" Also, The
Al Qaeda Reader, which separates the organization's communiqués
into two groups: "Propaganda" messages to the West portraying
jihadi terrorists as mere freedom fighters, and "Theology"
messages to fellow Muslims, preaching the same Islam of ISIS.
[2] See "Al-Qaeda:
Defender of Christians?" for a more elaborate explanation of this
theme.
[3] For the Syrian Free Army's role: "Largest
Massacre of Christians in Syria Ignored."
[4] "Pew
poll: Between 63 million and 287 million ISIS supporters in just 11
countries."
[5] "New
Islamic Caliphate Declares Jihad on ... Muslims."
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