ISIS is not just the terror group de jour. They are a
hugely successful movement with an apocalyptic, nihilistic philosophy. When they
say “convert, join us, or die”, they not only mean it, but they follow through
with horrific effect. Literally thousands of women have been kidnapped, captured
or otherwise confiscated and ransomed, sold into bondage, used as pleasure
objects for the ISIS soldiers or summarily murdered. Babies have been
murdered...cut in half and otherwise brutalized...by the ISIS troops.But let’s look deeper. What else makes them such a real
security threat, to Iraq, to the region, to the world, and to the U.S.? Here are
11 reasons.1. ISIS is more media sophisticated than al-Qaeda and
excels in using social media as a tool of terrorism. The group’s twitter and
YouTube postings in English show that the West is often their target
audience.2. ISIS is flush with cash. ISIS’ territorial control
allows for consistent stream of funding, and they‘ve developed an extensive
extortion racket, as well as selling electricity and exporting oil and
gas.3. Because of ISIS rise to prominence, many
al-Qaeda-linked groups are now pledging allegiance to al-Baghdadi’s ISIS,
including elements of al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), Ansar al-Dine
(Tunisia) Boko Haram, and al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), giving ISIS
access to a global network of terrorists.4. ISIS controls territory the size of Maryland in the
heart of the arab world, which is important for a predominantly Arab
revolutionary terrorist group. The al-Qaeda core group along the
Afghanistan/Pakistan border controls no territory and is dependent on Afghan and
Pakistani Islamist militants who act as hosts.5. ISIS has evolved into a proto-state, with its own
army, civil administration, judiciary and a sophisticated propaganda operation.
Al-Qaeda core leaders are fugitives who are forced to live a clandestine
existence under the constant threat of drone strikes or commando
assaults.6. ISIS is the most heavily-armed Islamist extremist
group in history, having captured huge amounts of military weapons and equipment
in Iraq and Syria.7. ISIS is out-recruiting Al-Qaeda. It is estimated that
80 percent of the foreign militants that flock to Syria join ISIS, rather than
al-Qaeda’s franchise, the Al-Nusra Front. ISIS appears to have success with
recruitment of Westerners as well.8. The leader of ISIS, who goes by the nom de guerre of
Abu-Bakr al-Baghdadi, is a charismatic leader who claims descent from the
Prophet Mohammed. This will help recruit young, impressionable Muslims. He has
much more personal appeal for young Muslim militants than Al-Qaeda leader Ayman
al-Zawahiri, a dour and didactic theoretician.9. ISIS is better placed to not only attract recruits
from the Middle East, North Africa, Europe and the United States, but get them
into the fight. It is much easier to travel across the dissolving borders of
Iraq and Syria than it is to travel to Pakistan or Afghanistan.10. ISIS has declared the rebirth of the Caliphate and
the leader of ISIS has proclaimed himself to be Caliph Ibrahim.11. ISIS is the richest terrorist group in history. It
looted at least five banks in Iraq, including Mosul’s central bank, which
yielded more than $400 million dollars in gold and Iraqi currency. It controls
oil fields in Syria and Iraq that generate income and it has pocketed millions
of dollars in ransoms for hostages.In summary, ISIS is an army, not just a terror group.
ISIS is the biggest terror group ever. ISIS is actually established as a state,
a caliphate at that, and it’s richer than al-Qaeda. It holds more territory than
al-Qaeda, it’s drawing more recruits than al-Qaeda, and it’s more brutal than
al-Qaeda.This group must be forcefully addressed and stopped. The
11 points above, I pulled from an article written by 5 very well informed people
who are in a position to make their points with well studied surety. I
acknowledge the absolute truth of each point. But to carry the narrative a bit
further, I believe ISIS is already in America. Surely some of them have crossed
our borders with the ease of the mass migration currently taking place on our
southern borders. That cannot be logically refuted. But ISIS is here in
a more seductive and covert manner.When I think of the number of school age children who
have committed...or planned to commit...murder and mayhem on our school
campuses, I can believe that our children...of a like mind...are candidates for
ISIS recruitment--or already are ISIS recruits. As of this morning,
there is irrefutable evidence that two American males have been killed in Iraq
fighting for ISIS. The youth of today has become
inured to societal principles by the violence prevalent in our movies and the
myriad video games which promote killing whichever advesary stands in their way.
In their own sordid way, these movies and games justify mass murder as a viable
solution to problems which confront our youth in day to day life. These youths
provide a rich recruiting ground for ISIS!I have presented a potential problem. Do I have a
solution for the problem? I rush to remind you...this is not an "I" proposition.
Any solution must be a "WE" solution. The necessity for such a solution cannot
wait for November 2016. The necessity for such a solution beggars more than
merely voting. WE THE PEOPLE...!Jim Morris
Twilight
Imagery, Inc.
