The Islamic State in Iraq: Year One
ISIS has come to power in a whirlwind fashion. It was in 2013 when ISIS claimed Raqa in Syria, and for the first time, a terrorist organization was managing the civil services of a city in Syria. As if that wasn't enough, on June 10th, 2014 the Islamic State invaded Iraq, taking Mosul in just a day. A few weeks later, on June 29th 2014, Baghdadi, the leader of ISIS, declared its caliphate called the Islamic State, covering nearly one-third of Syria and Iraq.
The brutality of this regime is unprecedented, and its threat to Western culture is very real. So how did the Islamic State gain such power, and how is it changing the face of terrorism?
Money - The Islamic State is well funded. Terrorist organizations have always received funding from sympathetic countries or wealthy businessmen sympathizing with their ideologies or ethnicity. However today, the Islamic State isn't running on handouts. They not only steal but also are running on an oil economy and taxation.
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The Islamic State strategically captured oil fields throughout Syria and sells millions of barrels of oil every month on the black market. The Syrian government has elected to purchase oil directly from the Islamic State, effectively helping to keep the Islamic State's cash flowing behind the scenes, while neglecting to fight them on the battlefield. If the Syrian government was kept from purchasing ISIS oil and black market supply lines were cut off, the majority of ISIS funding would be shut like a water tap.
The Islamic State showed intelligence in capturing Mosul, the second largest city in Iraq, with a population of around 2 million people. Throughout the Islamic State there are heavy taxes levied on businesses, on minorities, and on trade routes. Controlling highly populated areas provides increased tax revenue. If ISIS can be routed from Mosul, their second largest revenue stream can be disrupted.
Weapons - When the Islamic State invaded Iraq; the Iraqi government effectively ceded the land of Mosul and the Nineveh territory to the Islamic State in a single day. They literally laid down weapons, 1,500 tanks and armored Humvees, and fled Mosul. This was the same Iraqi army the US has equipped and trained, and our weaponry that was left behind. Many felt that behind the scenes Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki had simply ceded the land voluntarily to the Islamic State. Many Iraqi generals said that the orders came down from Baghdad to simply lay down arms and leave.
Terrorism has changed, simply because ISIS now controls a de facto country, rather than being in the shadows running cell groups and hidden training camps. Today they have become self-sustaining through economic and civil channels, which allow them to exist and strengthen their position in broad daylight. The Islamic State offers a tangible "place" for young recruits to go and start a new life, and not just militants, but doctors, teachers, engineers and civil leaders.
What impact has the Islamic State had on the world?
Mobilizing a young generation - The Islamic State has been incredibly effective in reaching young people throughout Europe with a new message of religious values. Their mastery of social media has created online interaction and relationship building in the format young people today receive it. They have been incredibly effective in recruiting thousands of young Jihad's from around the world. They present new conservative values for living. They also present opportunity to be a part of creating something better than Western culture. It has positioned itself as a viable alternative to life in western culture, through the medium of social media that connects with a young and passionate generation.
Ruled Through Fear. Because the Islamic State is spread too thin to keep law and order, they must use incredibly brutal tactics to keep communities suppressed. They have reinstituted slavery of women, hold weekly beheadings, crucifixions, and stoning's of those accused of sin, or of those professing Christianity. These tactics have shocked communities into submission.
The Worst Is Yet To Come - A terribly unfortunate situation with effects that cannot yet be measured is the thousands of children attending Islamic State schools in Raqqa and Mosul. They are taught to hate people of other religions and even practice beheadings. Children as young as eight are given blond-haired and blue-eyed dolls to behead as practice for adulthood. There are camps for youths who participate or witness heinous killings and torture to desensitize them to these methods. Through brainwashing, they are raising up a generation that may follow these belief systems, even if we can dismantle the Islamic State today.
The effect on Kurdistan. The federal region of Kurdistan is a bright spot within the Middle East. With a democratically run regional government bolstering the fastest growing economy in the Middle East and arguably one of the safest places to live, things could unravel in a hurry. The Kurdish Regional Government is struggling to cope with the influx of over 1 million Syrian refugees and Iraqi internally displaced people (IDPs). They do not have the infrastructure or finances to support people on a long-term basis.
Furthermore, the Peshmerga is ill equipped to fight against American weaponry in the hands of the Islamic State as they attempt to protect a 650-mile long border between Nineveh and Kurdistan. Every day that Kurdistan remains stable is simply a miracle. Islamic State fighters attempt to penetrate Erbil and destabilize the capital through car bombings as happened in April of this year.
What America needs in the Middle East is an ally with aligned values and interests. The US has that with Kurdistan but is reluctant to fully commit to the relationship. While we languish in our decision making, the Islamic State hammers away in its attempts to reach Erbil and undermine Kurdistan.
What Must Change?
Millions of ethnic Muslims in Syria and Iraq are now living under Islamic extremism. They see the true face of hate and brutality and are repulsed by it. In refugee camps in Iraq, people ask questions and look for an alternative to hate.
This represents an unprecedented opportunity for the church to rise up and be the hands and feet of Jesus. As we flood the refugee camps with aid including transformational services like education and healthcare, it provides a perfect opportunity to demonstrate and share the love of Jesus Christ.
The church in countries like the UK, Canada, Germany, France and the USA must reach their Muslim communities locally as well. They must provide alternative outlets for young people to get involved in something productive and present a different value structure than that of secular society.
There must be military intervention to destroy the ability of ISIS to generate revenue, train militants, and control lives and territory inside of Syria and Iraq. The head of the snake must be removed.
There must be a combative force online removing and counteracting their propaganda. The church could have a strong role to play in this.
Children must be freed and put through a reclamation program, helping them understand that violence and hatred are not the answer.
Syrian President Assad and his regime must be replaced by leadership that will take a stance against ISIS while providing civil liberties for all Syrians.
The church has a major role to play in influencing political decisions, reaching out to local Muslim communities, and reaching out internationally to provide humanitarian relief while the struggle continues. One such organization, World Compassion, works with churches in the West and connects them with churches on the ground in Iraq, providing humanitarian relief and the gospel every month to thousands of refugees. These types of programs provide opportunities to build relationships and reshape mindsets while helping people in their most desperate hour of need.
