A few Bullets About ISIS

With all the Jingo crazy bullshit in the media right now hopefully this can shed a little light on a complex and difficult situation

ISIS rose out of the civil war in Syria. They were not created by the US government. Their funding (prior to looting Iraq) came predominantly from Saudi Arabia and other pro Sunni, anti Assad governments and organizations in the region.

ISIS exploited a major security flaw in Iraq in that they gambled a Shea dominated Iraqi military wouldn't fight Sunnis over the predominantly Sunni Region of Iraq, and they nailed it. Many Iraqis don't view Syrians as foreign and  have family and business ties with Syria. Much of ISIS ranks aren't Syrian but many of them are and they are viewed as the defenders of Islam by a great many people in the Muslim world.

Iraq was, and is, in essence a failed state the US spent billions of dollars propping up after the US invasion which proved to be a fiasco. Revenge,Reprisals and corruption of a brutal type most Americans have never seen have predominated Iraqi life for decades. It merely changed players after Saddam's rule. 

Establishing Sharia law under a caliphate is a widely popular idea in much of the Islamic world. They've a tragic history of brutal dictatorships as well as western and communist power meddling at the barrel of a gun. Middle eastern people have one of the longest histories in the world and it is full of foreign invaders imposing foreign ideas onto them which they have always resisted. Middle eastern people know, at least their version of their own history quite well and take a great deal of pride in it. Telling historical stories of great kings, sheiks and warriors is a hugely popular past time in the middle east. It's long been the way their history is handed down.

 

The west has gotten a skewed impression of what a caliphate is from the Taliban version our media  presented.The Taliban were far more interested in holding power through intimidation than they were sharia law. ISIS isn't likely to be any different.

The American press pushes "Jingoism"(very pro war) in the early stages of any kind of armed conflict then turns pacifist when the conflict gets ugly. "Support the troops, not the war" was a slightly bizarre (it was to us Marines fighting that f*****g war) slogan the press invented that encapsulated these two conflicting points of view. 

President Obama was politically stung by the Afghanistan troop surge which was not the success the Iraqi troop surge was and he has shown restraint with the use of military force since.

The reluctance of US middle eastern allies to participate in any actual fighting is motivated by Sunni dominated regions, such as Saudi Arabia not wanting to fight other Sunnis, Assad's massive unpopularity in much of the Muslim world,much of the Arab media favoring ISIS and a host of other complex local political rivalries. Despite the very real threat ISIS poses to the regions governments.

At present ISIS poses no real threat to US homeland security. The rhetoric coming from the far right is nothing more than conspiracy theory nonsense in an effort to  court the tin foil hat wearing crack pot vote the far right created. ISIS does pose a threat to US interests in the region by posing a threat to US middle eastern allies.

Airstrikes, while effective at disrupting supply lines, defensive positions, communication and control and stalling ground assaults aren't enough to completely eliminate a determined enemy. This is particularly true if you're trying to minimize collateral damage, which in the middle of a war isn't possible. An ugly reality many westerners find all but impossible to embrace.

"Moderate Rebels" A term the white house has been throwing around is a bit of a misnomer. Extremist ideas and ideologies bloom from extreme conditions such as war, violence, brutality and injustice. The Ideology driving ISIS is common throughout the Muslim world where these conditions exist. The idea that people experiencing the extreme violence of war, particularly the young men doing the fighting are somehow immune to an extremist ideology, is absurd. 

To most Sunni's Assad and the Alawite minority he represents in Syria aren't true Muslims and Assad's war against the Syrian people is a genocide perpetrated by a hideously evil monster. As in many civil wars throughout history the Syrian conflict will likely end in a genocidal slaughter of the losers carried out by the victors in an effort to "cleanse" the land of infidels. 

The real threat with ISIS isn't so much the privately held army presently occupying regions of Syria and Iraq. It's the ideology that drives them. It's easy to kill people, killing an ideology next to impossible. 

An assault such as the one the US launched on Afghanistan in 2001 would definitely push ISIS out of Iraq, and quickly, but such an assault would require US ground troops. 

President Obama, sensitive as he's always been to political winds knows how badly such an assault could back fire at home if US ground forces are put into the position they were forced into during the Iraqi occupation, which is likely. (What's the old cliche? Two dumb f**k moves don't make a right? Something like that.) 

ISIS and the ideology that drives them isn't going to fade from the Muslim world for decades if not centuries. It took two world wars for European nationalism to be destroyed as an ideology so we can expect the same insanity to continue in the middle east. 

The US assault on ISIS is going to be viewed very unfavorably by much of the Muslim world. Presently it's unclear if US ISIS policy will have any impact to the region's stability. If past US policy is any judge it could be yet another failed opportunity for the US to achieve any sort of real victory in a region of the world where any form of traditional victory is all but impossible. Only time will tell. 

Author's Note

Is president Obama doing the right thing taking on ISIS? In the short term, probably. Long term, probably not. The American public doesn't have the stomach for a protracted conflict and that's what this is likely going to turn into. Big WWII style victories are resigned to history and modern conflict has an unfortunate habit of dragging on indefinitely. The end isn't in site because it never was.

Reviews

[Tree]

Clear and concise, and your assessments feel accurate. This read like a report from a seasoned NSA analyst. I learned from this. And what I find most disturbing, is last I heard ISIS is about 40,000 strong and I ask myself: how is that possible? Too many disenfranchised and misled young muslims out there, all intent on crowding around any fire that gives them hope, any fire that keeps them warm.

Diego

[Baby Ricochet]

I'd take that number with a big grain of salt. You have to ask yourself where these numbers come from and wars involve as much propaganda (from all sides) as they do bullets. ISIS are spread mostly though the north of Iraq and parts of Syria along side other militia groups with their own agendas separate from ISIS. It pays to side with the biggest bad asses on the block in those sorts of situations and when ISIS starts losing ground they'll start losing "friends." Thanks for stopping by Diego. I appreciate it

[Tai Ryens]

While I was quite aware of the US and their behavior within the region (with at least half of that awareness thanks to you), I could never grasp the concept of why they'd constantly refuse outside intervention and the chance to be involved with the other countries in the area (perhaps refuse is a wrong term, but it's rather late and I'm frankly confused on my own phrasing) until I read this one from you. All that time spent studying textbooks, stories, and general literature centered around the region's history and I have failed to recognize the pattern of invasion and intervention at the hands of others. You always do a marvelous job at shedding light towards situations.

Truly an informative piece, Baby R. Keep it up!

[Baby Ricochet]

Oh yeah. Outsiders just can't seem to stay out of that place. Thanks for dropping by Tai. It's always good to hear from you

[Beccy]

It is difficult to understand and ideology that has so little care for human life, especially those who are innocents caught up in a seemingly endless conflict. My over riding sadness will always be for the children who suffer so much and will never, ever know the joy of childhood; something that is unforgivable to me.

Thank you for this. It has given me a clearer picture than I have ever had.

Beccy.

[Baby Ricochet]

Thanks for stopping by

[icelandicblue]

As Winston Churchill said, "The farther back you can look, the farther forward you are likely to see."'Thanks for such an informative piece. I'm sorry to say we all know it will end badly. You can't "fix" what you don't understand and you can't understand what you don't want to know.

[Baby Ricochet]

Thank you blue. it's good to see you back on the WC

[NoelHC]

An interesting overview of a complex situation, and probably you have succeeded in informing more people in a few paragraphs than the useless Kardashian and sport scandal obsessed media has done since troops first went in to Afghanistan in 2001. My son served twice in Afghanistan, and a close friend of mine did multiple rotations into Iraq. I thank you for your service.
Well written article.

[Baby Ricochet]

Thank you Noel and thank you for your son's service

[Michael G.]

Very well written from one who was there and saw many things through his own eyes.

Sadly, I'm afraid ISIS may have proved part of this wrong this morning in Australia. They moved and arrested 15 in Sydney and Brisbane for contemplating terrorist attacks, including random beheading in that country. Interesting, they used 800 police to serve 25 warrants in 12 addresses in Sydney. (Overkill?) One of the main leaders of IS there was taken into custody. He is 22 years old.

Is there an end? Like you said, it never was in site.

And as for me, I still support our troops on the ground, no matter where they are. I may not always agree with what they are ordered to do; but, that is a disagreement with the politics, not the soldier.

[Baby Ricochet]

I've no doubt special forces has already been on coordinated combat missions with Iraqi special forces ever since ISIS rolled across the Iraqi Boarder. The public only hears about special forces when the pentagon wants us to. Thanks for stopping by MR G. It's good to hear from you

[Michael G.]

My pleasure, BR. And I've no doubt, either. They do so much that never, and probably shouldn't ever be advertised "all" over the world. Keep your edge, BR.

[The Twin Arenas]

this was well written. you can, like, really write this sort of s**t well.

for some reason I was surprised.

[Baby Ricochet]

Well there ya go. Thanks for stopping by Waconda. I appreciate it

[The Twin Arenas]

This is such a good piece dude. I've been thinking about it all day. You were a marine, like actually DOING (being in) war, from what I've gathered, and this piece is so f*****g balanced and like, honest. It's so honest. Like, that shines through with this piece. You were careful with what you said, but careful by being honest. Hope you dig what I'm saying here, I'm kinda out of it. It's a great piece.

[Tate Morgan]

Very well thought out and well said I have to agree it is impossible to erase this ideology and we had better plan on an unending war.

[Baby Ricochet]

Thank you Tate. I appreciate it

[jacob erin-cilberto]

you give us lots of insight, and lots to ponder...the real truth of the situation...
thank you for this write, Mark.

jacob

[Baby Ricochet]

Thank you Jacob.

[TL Boehm]

Smart words. I appreciate the fact that you brought in the historical bent of this region. Some of us get shallow in our thinking that this is a "religious" issue and we can just fix it by wiping the "religion" but its cultural. Its ingrained in the society - a part of how the societal structure is formed. And you're right. We don't have the stomach or the attention span as westerners for prolonged strife. Great post. I learned a few things.

[Baby Ricochet]

Thanks TL..............

[Pól]

Unfortunately being ambushed is an occupational hazard for those who invade otther nations. If your marines came into my country, I would do the same.
Officers from the disbanded Iraqi army are fighting with Isis, and have been crucial to its success. Members of the new army created by the USA ran away from the battle in their thousands, even though they vastly outnumbered them.
I agree that Isis would subjugate practically everyone if they could, but was just making the point that the crimes perpetuated by Israel, and the USA,s pro Israeli foreign policy has created the perfect conditions for the rise of extremism in the middle east