Role of Ethno-Religious Identity and Affiliation in the IS Development - Essay Example

IS IS Over the recent past, a group calling itself the Islamic has terrorized the world by beheading people that it deems to be against its rule. The Islamic State, otherwise known as IS, ISIL or Da’ish, is a multi faceted terrorist, military, and political group that abides by the radical interpretation of Islam. It seeks to be the ultimate ruler of all Muslims in the world and has imposed its radical views on people living in areas that it controls. The group is naturally based in Iraq and Syria and controls what it calls a state in large parts of the two countries. The sympathizers of the group argue that it is only applying Islam fully, an argument it uses to justify the killing of its opponents. The IS was founded by Abu Musab al-Zarqawi. In 2003, the group attacked a UN compound in Baghdad in one of its biggest attacks. The attack claimed 22 lives, among them the UN special representative Sergio Vieira de Mello. The attack was closely followed by the killing of 150 people in twin attacks in Baghdad and Shiite during the Ashura festival. The group’s leader also personally beheaded American and British hostages in the year 2004. It is in the same year that group joined Al-Qaeda to be known as Al-Qaeda in Iraq (AQI). It is said that the group was part of Al-Qaeda and was expelled from Afghanistan for being too extreme and radical. In fact, it participated in the war against American forces after the death of President Saddam Hussein. In 2013, the group was actively involved in the Syrian Civil War, where it grew its tenets. In fact, the Islamic state emphasized more on building an Islamic state rather than the regime change that was so desired. The group has been on a growth trajectory ever since as is evidenced by the establishment of an Islamic caliphate in mid 2014. The group’s caliph was declared to be Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. The group, in 2006, planned to enforce its sharia laws in Iraq but was opposed by the local community. Tribal militias, with the support of American forces, fought against the ISIS group pushing it off Iraqi. Following the Iraq government’s failure to recruit the tribal militias in the security forces, they turned and joined ISIS. Between 2013 and 2014, the group built its base in Syria, specifically in Raqqa district. The struggle to seize this area, however, was not an easy one because they faced challenges from other rebel groups. The group used the tactic of divide and rule to strengthen its allies and weaken its antagonists. This strategy effectively helped IS to consolidate its power base. This regardless, ISIS never forgot about Iraq. In 2014, they shocked the world by capturing parts of Anbar province and Mosul. The basic ideology of the ISIS is that both the religion and the state are one and the same thing. This ideology is called the Salafist-jihadism. To them, there is no distinction between the two. The sharia law is brutally enforced in all the areas that they control and all the decisions are based on a stern application of the same. The only difference between IS and other Islamist extremists is in the timing of establishing a caliphate. The former anticipates an immediate caliphate at the existing conditions while the latter see a caliphate as a long term goal. The salafist ideology is anchored on the need to return to the assumed pure form of Islam practiced by the original Muslims. The same doctrine allows the group to condemn Muslims that deviate from the strict ideals of Islam. Death is the prescribed punishment for these heretics. This ideology began in Egypt and share forefathers with the Muslim Brotherhood. The Islamic State is run under a sophisticated organizational structure with Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi the current leader. Under Baghdadi are two deputies, each running one of the 1two countries that ISIS controls – Syria and Iraq. The next level of management is the cabinet, complete with ministers running relevant dockets. The group also has an active office that manages the logistical and technical needs of the war. Each province, further down, has a governor who administers the region1. The group imitates an ideal state and runs the necessary institutions and infrastructure. In fact, the group provides services to the public including healthcare, education and maintaining order. The group also runs courts that completely enforce the sharia law in their rulings. It is no doubt that the Islamic State is growing, both in numbers and its operation. Actually, by winning over the popular support of areas it commands, it has moved from a terrorist group to a terrorist state. In so doing, the group has become a threat at the local, regional, and global scales. Particularly, the group is a larger threat to the West and its interests in other countries. To counter the terrorist group would, therefore, require a comprehensive approach touching on the many aspects and the tenets of the group. One of the best ways to deal with such a group is a political affront by applying the same divide and rule, principle that the group used in capturing its base. The fact that the group is in disharmony with other global militia groups such as Al-Qaeda is a blessing in disguise. The friction between the two groups presents an opportunity for killing off both groups gradually. By announcing itself a caliphate, it has laid claim to being the only legitimate ruler of all Muslims and that other militia groups are subordinate to its rule. While all the militia groups have an ultimate goal of setting up a caliphate, the decision by ISIS to fast track it has left most others disgruntled. The UN should play dirty and fuel conflict between the two groups, ISIS and Al-Qaeda, therefore, hitting two birds with a single stone. The political fight against the group should not be in isolation. The group should be attacked socially, economically, legally, technologically, and environmentally. Economically, the group’s funding should be identified and curtailed before things get out of hand. The UN and other strong world countries should enact a ban on selling of arms and weapons to the terrorist group. It should be made sure that no weapons are sold to the group and sale of all weapons tracked to ensure their rightful use. The proponents of human rights should also proffer an attempt to break the group’s ranks from within. Efforts should be made to dissuade disgruntled fighters to turn against the group’s leadership. This would cause divisions within the group leading to major in fighting; a blessing to the world. Technologically, the world should come up with innovative ways of stopping the terrorist group from further inflicting harm on citizens. Aerial surveillance can be used to track the group bases and monitor their activities. Innovations should be made on how to wipe off the world’s deadliest militia group. The world can also rely on technology to stop the group’s propaganda. Their twitter handles and other social sites should be blocked to stop spreading panic. The group and its leadership should also be challenged at international courts and captured leaders tried and convicted. The International Criminal Court can help in advancing this agenda. It should be noted that each of the aforementioned measures cannot be effective on their own. Each must be integrated with the others to ensure their effectiveness. Bibliography Balādhurī, Aḥmad ibn Yaḥyá, and Philip K. Hitti. 2011. The origins of the Islamic state: Aḥmad bin Yahya bin Jabir al Biladuri; being a translation from the Arabic accompanied with annotations, geographic and historic notes of the Kitâb futûḥ al-buldân. New York, N. Y.: Cosimo, Inc. Read More