ISIS and what this terrorist group means to the world
By Tamas Bodrog
Comment Staff
Recently, the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (also called ISIS, and mostly composed of Sunni fundamentalists) has executed two American civilians. This was all done in the manner of “serving justice to the people who have evidenced American occupation”.
To understand the conflict, In June 2014, most of the Sunni hardliners, who lost all power and support a decade ago, launched an insurgency against the Iraqi government and gained territory of 50% of Iraq’s land. They managed to radicalize the youth and enforce Sharia law in the area they control. Eventually, they set food in Kurdish territory and executed Yezidi (a religious minority) civilians.
The Iraqi army called for US troops, and since US personal interests were violated, Obama authorized airstrikes in the recent weeks.
My personal opinion is that the conflict is a wider rift between Sunni and Shia in the Middle East, and the US puts a high stake in getting involved in a religious strife. Also, ISIS serves
as an insurgency group that has grown to control oil fields, and the faster groups like these control oil fields, the faster that wealth disappears.
So, slowly but surely, the US will recognize that oil dependence from states such as Iraq or Saudi Arabia does not benefit us in the long term, but our personal interests are also violated when the lives of American citizens are put on the table. This conflict is a double edged sword for us.
Tamas Bodrog is a staff writer for The Comment. Email him at tbodrog@student.bridgew.edu.
