WoT Main Islamic State (ISIS) thread

[Ragnarok]

no clue.. saw it posted on a few other sites a few days ago and on fb.. photoshopped or not... it is pretty much spot on with considerations to everything this admin has done and keeps doing to put itself in bed with islam..

You guys might like this one, too...

That was taken from the 2012 Muslim Day Parade that took place in New York City and was a flier that was handed out.

Here is a little teaser from my book explaining the flags:

Excerpt From Good Enemies​

​

Throughout the Islamic world today there is a call for the restoration of the Islamic Caliphate. It is important to understand that when Muslims call for the restoration of the Caliphate, it is ultimately the Mahdi (otherwise known as the twelfth Imam), the final Caliph of Islam, that they are calling for. Muslims everywhere will be obligated to follow the Mahdi because, while a small percentage of Sunnis reject him altogether, general belief in the Mahdi is universal among most Muslims. According to Sheikh Muhammad Hisham Kabbani, Chairman of the Islamic Supreme Council of America, “The coming of the Mahdi is established doctrine for both Sunni and Shi’a Muslims, and indeed for all humanity”.

The Mahdi is believed to be a future Muslim world leader who will not only rule over the Islamic world, but also the non-Muslim world as well. The Mahdi is said to lead a world revolution that will establish a new Islamic world order throughout the entire earth. The Mahdi’s means and method of accomplishing this world revolution will include multiple military campaigns or holy wars (jihad). While some Muslims believe that most of the non-Muslims of the world will convert to Islam peaceably during the reign of the Mahdi, most traditions picture the non-Muslim world coming to Islam as a result of being conquered by the Mahdi. The Mahdi’s ascendancy to power is said to be preceded by an army from the east who will be carrying black flags or banners of war.

“The final battle will be waged by faithful Muslims coming on the backs of horses...carrying black banners. They will stand on the east side of the Jordan river and will wage war that the Earth has never seen before. The true Messiah who is the Islamic Mahdi...will defeat Europe...will lead this army of Seljuks. He will preside over the world from Jerusalem because Mecca would have been destroyed.”
-Yawm Al-Ghadab, Safar Alhwaly

“Hadith indicate that black flags coming from the area of Khorasan will signify the appearance of the Mahdi is nigh. Khorasan is in todays Iran, and some scholars have said that this hadith means when the black flags appear from Central Asia, i.e. in the direction of Khorasan, then the appearance of the Mahdi is imminent.”
-Kabbani, p. 231

“The Messenger of Allah said: The black banners will come from the East and their hearts will be as firm as iron. Whoever hears of them should join them and give allegiance, even if it means crawling across snow.”
-Abu Nu’aym and As-Suyuti, related by Thawban as quoted by Izzat and Arif, p. 44

“On the authority of Thawbaan (May Allah be pleased with him), the Messenger of Allah said, "If you see the Black Banners coming from Khurasan go to them immediately, even if you must crawl over ice, because indeed amongst them is the Caliph, Al Mahdi."
-Narrated on authority of Ibn Majah, Al-Hakim, Ahmad

Is this starting to sound a little like today’s current events?

In Islam there are two flags.

Al-Liwaa, the flag of the Islamic State is white. Ar-Raya, also known as the “Flag of Jihad”, is the black flag and is carried into battle. Both have inscribed on them the phrase, “There is no God but Allah and Muhammad is his Messenger” (which is, also, inscribed on the flag of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia ).

One flag is governmental and the other is a military flag.

The Mahdi will join with the army of Muslim warriors carrying black flags and lead this army to Israel and re-conquer it for Islam. Following with the Mahdi into battle will be Jesus.

The Mahdi and Jesus will be fighting the unbelievers (kuffar) and the Jews who are led by a figure known as Masih ad-Dajjal, or Dajjal for short. Dajjal is a “false Messiah” who spreads “disbelief” across the land.

Muslims believe that upon Jesus’ return, the Dajjal (leader of the Israeli army) will gather an army of 70,000 Jews from those he has deceived and lead them in a war against Jesus (who is fighting on the side of Islam).

The Jews will be slaughtered until very few remain:

“Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: The last hour would not come unless the Muslims will fight against the Jews and the Muslims would kill them until the Jews would hide themselves behind a stone or a tree and a stone or a tree would say: Muslim, or the servant of Allah, there is a Jew behind me; come and kill him; but the tree Gharqad would not say, for it is the tree of the Jews.”
- Sahih Muslim Book 041, number 6985

At which point Jesus will kill the Dajjal.

Does this sound at all familiar?

The Muslims “Savior” is the same person the Bible describes as the Anti-Christ. Their version of Jesus is the “False Prophet”, the two horns of Revelation that rule the final Beast Empire

 

[Housecarl]

I'm not HC, but...

No. The Saudi's did help finance and supply them (and the other jihad groups) in Syria to defeat Assad, but they did not "create" them.

This thread I posted in 2013 explains who they are, etc.

http://www.timebomb2000.com/vb/show...lamic-State-of-Iraq-and-the-Levant&highlight=


ETA:
No Loyalty to the Saud's at all and yes they will (to the sea) and beyond if they are successful.

HC I was under the impression that the ISS was a creature designed and funded by the Saudi's and the GCC to fight against the Syrian Army...

Does the ISS have any loyalty to the Saud's and the GCC or will they continue their push to the Arabian Sea cleaning house.

A few questions here, will the US come to the aide of Jordan or Saudi Arabia and has Pakistan delivered the packages yet to the house of Saud?

I can see so many things going wrong here that scares the Shiite out of me.

SIRR1

The Saudis made a deal with the Wahhabi movement to cement their "claim" on control of the Peninsula during the shakeout tribal wars after the First World War. The Muslim Brotherhood came out of the Wahhabi movement. From the Brotherhood came the PLO, Al Qaeda, Hamas, "other" splinter groups and now ISIS/ISIL/IS. All the same goals, some working within the same "overall plan" with differences only in near term concerns, rivalries and egos. ISIS/ISIL/IS, being that nothing gets support more than real success, could become a point of re-amalgamation of these "independent" organizations to all of their common core/long term goals. The relationship between these "movements" and the Saudis and other "royal" regimes in the area has been that of financing them when they suited immediate goals as surrogate/deniable forces against other interests; in effect a different table at the "Great Game's" tournament.

Recall the beef that came to the surface a few months ago between the Saudis and Qatar? That was because the guys running Qatar were going over to "the dark side" with these radical groups (all things being relative) that when given an opportunity, would slip their fiscal leash and remove all the corrupt regimes in the area and supplant them to form their view of a Caliphate.

As to Pakistan delivering "packages" to the Saudis, I wouldn't be surprised if there was a contingency plan where instead of delivering weapons to Saudi control, they'd "just" send them from Pakistan directly to the targets the Saudis wanted taken out; cutting out a lot of the fuss until they were really needed, and when at such a point the "fuss" wouldn't matter. Also we've got the Chinese now in this up to their knees in Pakistan, Iran, Turkey, Saudi, and Africa at large (ETA: And let's not forget Russia either).

Recall my throw away comment about the Great Game?

As to

 

[The Mountain]

True...

I don't think he is going to like them usurping the role he had cast for himself, though.

The Turkish Islamic Union

India's going to have more than a few things to say about that map too. Interesting, though, that there's a non-islamic area of India on that map, covering most of the Eastern (but not North-Eastern) states. So Odisha, Telangana, parts of Andhra Pradesh, Jharkand, and Chhattisgarh are Hindi, but West Bengal and the far Eastern states are Islamic.

The ISIS map covers less ground, but does take more of India (though it leaves a tiny bit out as well). It also does not appear to impinge much if any on China or Russia.

 

[Ragnarok]

India's going to have more than a few things to say about that map too. Interesting, though, that there's a non-islamic area of India on that map, covering most of the Eastern (but not North-Eastern) states. So Odisha, Telangana, parts of Andhra Pradesh, Jharkand, and Chhattisgarh are Hindi, but West Bengal and the far Eastern states are Islamic.

The ISIS map covers less ground, but does take more of India (though it leaves a tiny bit out as well). It also does not appear to impinge much if any on China or Russia.

Did you see this article?


ISIS issues its 5-year plan on social media, map shows India as one of the targets!
Baghdad: The next target of Islamist militant group ISIS is said to be India. The plant of this jihadist group has recently come to light through social media.

The new maps of world are getting viral on social networking websites which are reportedly released by ISIS. The maps narrate the 5 year plan of ISIS.

In the picture above, the areas shown in black will be captured by ISIS in the coming 5 years.

The map shows half part of Africa, complete Middle East including Israel, Turkey, India, Bangladesh and east of Indonesia in black.

The attack by Sunni Extremists in Iraq is not only to kill the Shiite Muslims but to terrify the world. They want to spread the perspective of jihad in the world.

According to media reports, under this plan of ISIS, the militants will move towards Australia after India and Myanmar. It is notable that the terrorist group has captured nearly 10 cities of Iraq and the Army of Iraq could not stop them.

The ambition of the militants of ISIS seems unshakable as they fiercely move ahead after capturing cities in Iraq. In the year 2004, the Sunni militants of ISIS had decided to turn Iraq into a Sunni Islamic state. Not just for Iraq but ISIS can prove to be dangerous for other nations as well.
http://daily.bhaskar.com/article/NA...-india-is-one-of-the-targets-4661286-NOR.html

 

[Housecarl]

Did you see this article?


ISIS issues its 5-year plan on social media, map shows India as one of the targets!
Baghdad: The next target of Islamist militant group ISIS is said to be India. The plant of this jihadist group has recently come to light through social media.

The new maps of world are getting viral on social networking websites which are reportedly released by ISIS. The maps narrate the 5 year plan of ISIS.

In the picture above, the areas shown in black will be captured by ISIS in the coming 5 years.

The map shows half part of Africa, complete Middle East including Israel, Turkey, India, Bangladesh and east of Indonesia in black.

The attack by Sunni Extremists in Iraq is not only to kill the Shiite Muslims but to terrify the world. They want to spread the perspective of jihad in the world.

According to media reports, under this plan of ISIS, the militants will move towards Australia after India and Myanmar. It is notable that the terrorist group has captured nearly 10 cities of Iraq and the Army of Iraq could not stop them.

The ambition of the militants of ISIS seems unshakable as they fiercely move ahead after capturing cities in Iraq. In the year 2004, the Sunni militants of ISIS had decided to turn Iraq into a Sunni Islamic state. Not just for Iraq but ISIS can prove to be dangerous for other nations as well.
http://daily.bhaskar.com/article/NA...-india-is-one-of-the-targets-4661286-NOR.html

For lack of a better encompassing word, the chutzpa of these guys can't be denied.

They're only putting themselves up against 805 million Hindus in India, a billion Chinese, 200 million Shia and over 380 million Christians in Africa, of whom about 147 million are Pentecostal to start with, never mind the Russians, and the rest of "the West". That doesn't even get into the WMDs available and very likely to be brought into play if this were to go off like most religious and ethnic wars.

 

[Ragnarok]

For lack of a better encompassing word, the chutzpa of these guys can't be denied.

They're only putting themselves up against 805 million Hindus in India, a billion Chinese, 200 million Shia and over 380 million Christians in Africa, of whom about 147 million are Pentecostal to start with, never mind the Russians, and the rest of "the West". That doesn't even get into the WMDs available and very likely to be brought into play if this were to go off like most religious and ethnic wars.

Even odds, then...

3 billion Muslims

300 Million are jihadists

Billions of dollars in support money and logistical support

AND a fanatical willingness to die for the cause.

...

.......

...........Game on

 

[The Mountain]

Even odds, then...

3 billion Muslims

300 Million are jihadists

Billions of dollars in support money and logistical support

AND a fanatical willingness to die for the cause.

...

.......

...........Game on

If just one national government stood up and said "these f*&#s are already killing anyone who doesn't subscribe to their twisted ideology. Well, we're not going to stand for it anymore, from now on all islamics are targets of opportunity" (though maybe not in quite such blunt terms), and pre-emptively started fighting back against *all* islamic infiltrators, it would be enough. At that point, Islam would lose its collective mind and lash out, giving every other rational nation ample reason to exterminate them like the vermin they are.

 

[Housecarl]

If just one national government stood up and said "these f*&#s are already killing anyone who doesn't subscribe to their twisted ideology. Well, we're not going to stand for it anymore, from now on all islamics are targets of opportunity" (though maybe not in quite such blunt terms), and pre-emptively started fighting back against *all* islamic infiltrators, it would be enough. At that point, Islam would lose its collective mind and lash out, giving every other rational nation ample reason to exterminate them like the vermin they are.

That's pretty much what Algeria and Egypt have already done in deed if not word. Russia as well for that matter. They just haven't taken it "to the hilt" outside of their borders.

 

[Housecarl]

For links see article source.....
Posted for fair use.....
http://www.reuters.com/article/2014...ty-sectarianism-insight-idUSKBN0F510K20140630

Sectarian genie is out of the bottle from Syria to Iraq

By Samia Nakhoul
BEIRUT Mon Jun 30, 2014 6:49am EDT

(Reuters) - As jihadists storm through the Sunni heartlands of Iraq towards Baghdad, where a Shi’ite government they regard as heretic clings on, they have lifted the veil on deep sectarianism which has also stoked the fires of Syria’s civil war and is spilling over into vulnerable mosaic societies such as Lebanon.

The sectarian genie is now well out of the bottle, eclipsing traditional inter-state rivalries that plague the Middle East - even if these still play a part in the drama.

The 1979 Islamic Revolution brought a Shi’ite theocracy to power in non-Arab Iran, giving a sectarian edge to the long-standing, state-to-state contest for influence in the Gulf between Iran and Saudi Arabia, an absolute monarchy underpinned by the fundamentalist tenets of Sunni Wahhabi doctrine.

And the 2003 US invasion shattered Iraq into ethno-sectarian fragments, giving the majority Shi’ites the whip-hand over the Sunni minority and overturning a century-old balance of power.

Now the Syrian conflict pitting a government whose core is President Bashar al-Assad's Alawites, a minority sect descended from Shi'ism, in an all-out war against rebels made up mainly from the Sunni majority, has lured jihadi volunteers to create an almost seamless sectarian battlefield from Baghdad to Beirut.

"There is no sense of common identity and therefore wherever there is a division of power like in Lebanon, Syria, Iraq and Bahrain they end up fighting over who wins. It has become a winner take all situation," said Middle East academic and former State Department official Vali Nasr, also a Senior Fellow at Brookings Institution.

"This is being driven from both top down and bottom up."

SECTARIAN ATROCITIES

Glimpses of the savagery of this sectarianism have multiplied as the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), an al Qaeda splinter group which controls parts of war-torn Syria, captured a string of north and central Iraqi cities in June. On Sunday, it declared a state in areas under its control and its leader caliph of Muslims throughout the world.

One video posted by ISIL shows its fighters storming the house of an old man and accusing him and his two young sons of fighting in the Iraqi army under Nuri al-Maliki, the Shi’ite Islamist prime minister.

As the captives dig their own graves, a fighter taunts them, “You’re tired, Yes? Dig, dig more, where is Maliki to come and save you? Why did you join Maliki’s army?”

The old man implores comrades to repent and break ranks with the army, saying: “Look at me, I am digging my own grave, they came to my home and took me”. The video ends abruptly with what looks like the swish of a blade falling upon the victim and a one-word caption: “slaughtered”.

An ISIL leader reached by Reuters via Skype makes clear this brutality is a considered policy as his movement builds its cross-border Islamic State.

“We will deal with Maliki’s followers and his filthy state according to righteous Islamic law”, he says. “Whoever comes to us repentant before we have the upper hand upon him, will be one of us; but the one who insists in fighting us and on his infidelity and apostasy, he'll have to face the consequences”.

Disowned even by al-Qaeda, ISIL has taken hate speech to a new level in Iraq, denouncing Shi’ites as “dogs of Maliki”, or as “reviled and impure rejectionists (rafadah)”.

They proclaim that “death is the only language the Shi’ite Marjaiyah (clerical leaders) and their rotten gangs understand”.

BOTH SIDES

The Shi’ite side has responded in kind, posting videos of Sunnis being executed. In one, groups of men shot randomly, some in the head, lie next to each other in what appears to be a room with blood splashed on the wall and bullet holes everywhere.

Religion, many analysts say, is being deployed as a weapon to galvanize rival interests, but is taking on a virulent sectarian life of its own, sometimes escaping the control of those wielding the weapon.

"National identities in these countries are eroding and sectarian identities are becoming more prominent," Nasr said.

In Iraq, says Professor Charles Tripp at London University's School of Oriental and African Studies, the process began in the 1990s when Saddam Hussein, the dictator toppled in 2003, started a “piety campaign” to solidify support for his otherwise secular regime in the face of crippling international sanctions.

This indiscriminate encouragement of Sunni Salafism and Shi’ism encouraged “sectarian entrepreneurs who found it very profitable to mobilize people around religion or sect”.

In a process which continued under Maliki, the poison of sectarian prejudice hardened into bigotry, exploited by leaders who fell into "an awful bidding war" to claim religious legitimacy, Tripp says. Regional players also cloaked their pursuit of geopolitical advantage in religion, he adds.

“If you emphasize your Shi’ism as an Iranian it allows them to intervene in Lebanon (which has a big Shi'ite community). Equally, if you are a Saudi you can claim it is not about regional rivalry but some bigger cause”, he says.

“On a regional level people get sucked into a power game which is not actually about religion but resources and prestige."

Yezid Sayigh, a senior associate at the Carnegie Middle East Center in Beirut, argues that "there is actually no theological debate in this religious war." “It’s fundamentally, as always, a fight for political power”.

QUASI STATELETS

While enmity between Islam’s two competing sects has often been fierce and bloody, it now spreads over huge swathes of territory from the eastern Mediterranean to Iraq, the Gulf and Yemen. “It is neither solely religious nor purely political; the two mix and feed upon each other, with personal interests and geopolitical confrontations pouring petrol on the flames,” said Tarek Osman, author of the "Perilous Scenario in the Eastern Mediterranean."

Sectarian wars, Osman says, are also occurring at a time when Arab societies are undergoing a transformation from the old political order following the ousting of autocratic leaders, who have ruled for decades to a new, as yet undefined, order.

And for the first time in the last 150 years, the region is witnessing the emergence of highly assertive, well-armed, jihadist groups that are dominating the plains from eastern Syria to western Iraq, and gradually carving for themselves quasi-statelets that they aim to have as permanent entities.

“If that happens, it will not only be a peril to all sovereign states in this part of the world, not only to religious minorities, but to all of the societies," Osman said.

The future, experts argue, will be determined as much by local factors as regional forces.

“Local politics will shape this in one form or another. Sometimes local politics will mean it is horrible and really violent, you will see the kind of things you saw in Syria where one village is massacred by another. And of course localism can take the fuse out, take the bitterness out because it could actually lead to a local settlement,” Tripp said.

While it is true that Iraqi Sunnis of the north, united in their hatred of Maliki's government which they say disempowered and marginalized them, helped ISIL in its dramatic takeover, the same differences may cause a break with ISIL's intolerant and brutal methods, as happened in Syria and Iraq seven years ago.

The Jihadist coalition under ISIL, experts say, will eventually fragment because of internal disputes over sharing money, territory and power.

They believe ISIL insurgents will overreach themselves by alienating tribes, more pragmatic Sunni groups, former officers from Saddam's era and ordinary Iraqis as they did in 2005-2008 under al Qaeda leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, when Iraqis revolted against its ultra-hardline Islamist agenda.

Some argue that these splits will open quickly because the Jihadists have to provide government in the huge swathes of territory they have seized.

“One of the great strengths of al Qaeda was that it has no social constituency”, says Charles Tripp. “It could rally people round an idea but didn’t have to provide electricity, water, social justice and so on. ISIL now does.”

So far in Sunni cities captured by ISIL, the social power structures are those of existing tribal leaders and former Baathist officials, while the people with the guns and the ruthlessness and violence are the ISIL, Tripp says.

“They know they cannot rule that area without the cooperation of the tribes and when you look at the pattern of what happened before that’s how the control of al Qaeda and Zarqawi fell apart because they alienated them," Tripp said.

On the ground, it is hard to imagine Maliki regaining Sunni provinces he lost to ISIL with Iraq's army, a force which exists more on paper than on the ground. But regaining it with Iranian-trained Shi’ite militias such as Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq is also a recipe for sectarian slaughter, experts say.

Many predict the fighting will go on until all sects - from Syria to Iraq - Shi'ites, Sunnis, Kurds and Alawites carve up their own fiefdoms even if they stay within the same international borders.

The clearest emerging enclave is the northern Kurdish autonomous region, which has been more than 20 years in the making and which experts say could be permanent.

(Editing by Dominic Evans and Philippa Fletcher)

 

[Ragnarok]

If just one national government stood up and said "these f*&#s are already killing anyone who doesn't subscribe to their twisted ideology. Well, we're not going to stand for it anymore, from now on all islamics are targets of opportunity" (though maybe not in quite such blunt terms), and pre-emptively started fighting back against *all* islamic infiltrators, it would be enough. At that point, Islam would lose its collective mind and lash out, giving every other rational nation ample reason to exterminate them like the vermin they are.

That's pretty much what Algeria and Egypt have already done in deed if not word. Russia as well for that matter. They just haven't taken it "to the hilt" outside of their borders.

China has, too.

But EVERY country has taken limited actions.

It will take a realization that Islam has declared war ( Yes, this IS a religious war ) and an equal response before the advance is halted, let alone pushed back.

THAT time is a long way off, IMHO.

The world politic is too encumbered with members who are "enlightened" and can't seem to wrap their minds around the Muslim ideology.

 

[mzkitty]

Just from this morning's breaking news:


16m
More than 50 people killed in the latest attack blamed on Boko Haram Islamists which targeted churches in Nigeria's northeast - @AFP


45m
Thai military aims to revive peace talks with Muslim rebels as coup continues - @Reuters


1h
China charges 4 people over a deadly railway station knife attack that killed 29 people - @AFP


2h
2nd Egyptian police officer killed when a bomb went off as security forces tried to defuse it near the presidential palace - @Reuters


2h
4 men arrested over the gang rape of a 17-year-old girl who was attacked in Slough - @SkyNews

(muzzies ^^^^^^^^^^)

 

[Lilbitsnana]

For lack of a better encompassing word, the chutzpa of these guys can't be denied.

They're only putting themselves up against 805 million Hindus in India, a billion Chinese, 200 million Shia and over 380 million Christians in Africa, of whom about 147 million are Pentecostal to start with, never mind the Russians, and the rest of "the West". That doesn't even get into the WMDs available and very likely to be brought into play if this were to go off like most religious and ethnic wars.

India has both Sunni and Shia with a larger Sunni population than Shia but Islam itself is a minority.

There are roughly 200 million Shia and the total worldwide global muslim population is just under 2 billion; Shia are only between 8-11% of the Muslim population.

Africa (the Muslim portion) is predominantly Sunni.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muslim_world

 

[Lilbitsnana]

Doug Pologe @DougPologe · 15m

Correction: The report about the AQAP commander pledging allegiance to the "Islamic State" (ISIS) was based on a false rumor.


Mohammed Albasha @Yemen411 · 10m

#AQAP #alQaeda #AAS Commanders @ #Yemen have yet to make an official statement or clarifty their position on the #ISIS #ISIL Caliphate State

 

[Housecarl]

Bring back the Knights Templar!

Heck while your at it find us a modern Charles Martel or Stanisław Jan Jabłonowski.

 

[Lilbitsnana]

Retweeted by Rami
Paradoxy @Paradoxy13 · 7m

IF, JN, Islamic factions & Sharia Councils in Syria find the Islamic Caliphate announcement invalid accding to Sharia pic.twitter.com/s5xmSWXekE

Rami @RamiAlLolah · 31m

#USA: Declaration of Caliphate by #ISIS means nothing to us.. #Iraq #Syria

 

[mzkitty]

Haha ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

 

[mzkitty]

Disgusting. Who keeps letting them in?


2m
Report: ISIL poses 'extremely high' terror threat to US targets, and has the bomb-making skills and foreign fighters needed to strike US and other Western interests, according to multiple US intelligence officials - @NBCNews

http://www.nbcnews.com/news/investigations/isis-terror-threat-us-targets-high-say-officials-n144541

 

[Lilbitsnana]

Disgusting. Who keeps letting them in?


2m
Report: ISIL poses 'extremely high' terror threat to US targets, and has the bomb-making skills and foreign fighters needed to strike US and other Western interests, according to multiple US intelligence officials - @NBCNews

http://www.nbcnews.com/news/investigations/isis-terror-threat-us-targets-high-say-officials-n144541

They were probably some of Bam's dinner guest over the last few years.

 

[Lilbitsnana]

Rami @RamiAlLolah · 10m

Reports #alQaeda of #Yemen will release a statement soon and declare Baya'a to #IS #Caliphate.. #Iraq #Syria

 

[The Mountain]

Another ISIS/ISIL map. This one was released on Twitter around the time they declared the caliphate:

 

[Housecarl]

For links see article source.....
Posted for fair use.....
http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articl...dle_east_jordan_isis_islamic_state_iraq_syria

The Real Red Line in the Middle East
If ISIS attacks Jordan, neither the United States nor Israel will be able to stay out of the fray.

BY David Rothkopf
JUNE 30, 2014

There is a Sarajevo somewhere in Jordan. It lies well outside Amman, somewhere in the hostile terrain to the east or the north. Were the armed ISIS extremists -- who now call themselves representatives of the Islamic State and soldiers of the new caliphate -- to cross this line, the current conflict that engulfs Syria and Iraq would likely explode and grow more complex and costly by quantum degrees. This is not the sort of red line that is the product of an ill-considered, halfhearted burst of presidential bravado. This is the type of red line that triggers historic change and is worth considering as we mark the epoch-making events in Sarajevo that spawned World War I 100 years ago.

For now, the wars in Syria and Iraq seem almost to be inviting the United States to remain more or less on the sidelines. Once an amorphous mess, it has seemed to take on something of a shape and symmetry. In both countries today, alliances featuring the ruling governments working in collaboration with Iran and Russia are taking on the extremists. With the announcement this weekend of Russian planes and munitions being shipped to the government in Baghdad, the orchestrated bombings last week of ISIS targets by Syrian jets in Iraq, and the active role of Iran and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in both places, it almost seems like a traditional conflict with two sides vying against one another.

Further, with Moscow and Tehran willing to take up the fight against ISIS, it might be tempting for Washington to effectively sit this one out. After all, if the United States wants promises of political reform and the Iranians and Russians clearly don't require it to intervene, the Iraqis will be even harder for America to deal with. Intransigent Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki may simply opt for the support of Tehran and Moscow, as well as a tacit alliance with Syria's Bashar al-Assad, avoiding the hard work of creating a truly representative Iraqi government -- which also happens to be the most self-serving possible choice. Unfortunately, for the world, the route of "letting others fight our battles for us" might be "easier" -- but it's exceptionally dangerous.

The two wars that have spilled into one another do not represent a simple two-sided conflict. In Syria, not only is the opposition still fragmented, containing extremist groups like Jabhat al-Nusra that are themselves bitter enemies (usually) of ISIS, but it also involves more moderate groups, like the Free Syrian Army. You remember them? That's the collection of rebels the United States has effectively resisted supporting thus far because it was uncertain of their allegiances or trustworthiness. Three years later, of course, now that ISIS has gone from terrorizing northern Syria to marauding across Iraq, the United States has somehow discovered that it is possible to "vet" suitable partners among them and start offering training and aid. The $500 million that Barack Obama has pledged to this effort is a good thing, though it's diminished by its lateness. Meanwhile, in Iraq, it is not just Sunni extremists versus an out-of-touch Shiite regime in Baghdad. There are more moderate Sunnis who don't relish the prospect of living in ISIS's 13th-century self-declared caliphate. And there are the Kurds who seek and deserve independence -- a fact not appreciably advanced by the declaration of support they received over the weekend from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is not exactly the ally of first resort you want in that neck of the woods.

Perhaps even more disturbing is the fact that in its current configuration -- and absent a constructive move toward effective political resolutions in Iraq or Syria -- the conflict offers a panoply of unappetizing potential conclusions.

It is fine to pit Assad and Maliki plus Iran and Russia against ISIS, except under the following circumstances: Either side wins or, alternatively, there is a draw.

It is fine to pit Assad and Maliki plus Iran and Russia against ISIS, except under the following circumstances: Either side wins or, alternatively, there is a draw.

ISIS winning and establishing control over Iraq, Syria, or a large zone encompassing parts of Iraq and Syria would be a catastrophe that could haunt the region and the world for decades to come. Were Assad and Maliki to triumph with big debts owed to the Iranians, it would not exactly be a formula for regional stability, and it promises further insurrections and abuses to come. The most likely outcome, a draw, doesn't look much better. Northwestern Syria will be a region of nominal governmental control, with the help of sponsors; some portions of Syria and Iraq will get an ISIS caliphate, a hot zone of extremist mayhem that will likely infect much of the region and from which more global terrorist efforts will emanate. Partition-by-default is a formula for unending conflict.

This frames the problem of staying out or disengaged. The United States might mitigate risk by leaving the messy business of a distant war to others with more skin in the game. And, it has to be admitted, this might work. All parties might deplete themselves, wear each other down, stay focused on fighting each other, and leave U.S. interests more or less intact. But this also raises the chances that the United States may get outcomes over which it has little or no influence -- that may someday (possibly very soon) require of the country much riskier, more dangerous action, whether it wants to be involved or not.

This brings us to that red line in Jordan. Go find a map. Now you determine where this red line might be. You might say it is right at the Jordanian border because any breach of the sovereignty of such a valued ally and bastion of moderation in the Middle East would be intolerable. Jordan has been so dependably helpful to the United States and its interests, so constructive in the peace process with Israel, and such a pillar of the moderate and reforming path in the region that even the U.S. Congress, champions of inertness and the black hole of democracy that they have become, would likely demand American intervention.

None of this is to minimize the Jordanian military's will or ability to defend Jordan. Rest assured the Jordanian military would step up in a way that the Iraqi military has not. But imagine a time in the not-too-distant future when the Islamic State that ISIS seeks to establish or its failed-state doppelgänger has had some time to take root, acquire further assets, and start picking at the Jordanian border, perhaps from Iraq and Syria simultaneously. Without saying such an incursion is even likely, simply consider its consequences.

Go back to the map. At least, go back to the map such as it is today. It is clearly changing -- as the Atlantic's Jeffrey Goldberg has been predicting would be the case for the better part of the past decade. Amman is 466 miles from ISIS-controlled Fallujah, but only about half that from the border with Iraq. Amman is just over 40 miles from the border with Syria, roughly the same distance it is from Jerusalem.

Now consider ISIS's assertion that it wishes to incorporate Jordan into its caliphate. How far into Jordan would an ISIS incursion have to go before alarms went off in Washington? How far before Israel felt it must take more aggressive action to defend itself?

How would such a response be met in the region? What would be the reaction in the Palestinian territories, where at the moment a Third Intifada is the buzzed-about concern of many and where tensions are today especially high due to the discovery of the bodies of the three kidnapped Israeli teens for whom Israel had been frantically searching since June 12? How complicated would this conflict be? Would the United States and Israel actually fight to ensure gains for Iran and Assad? How would their involvement inflame other extremists? How hard would Iran, Syria, or Iraq fight to protect Israel from the threat of ISIS -- especially if having active jihadists near Jerusalem actually solidified the global tolerance for defective regimes like those in Damascus and Baghdad? It is a situation in which duplicity among tacit allies might be more damaging than the onslaught of avowed enemies.

Perhaps Jordan would be a red line too far for the would-be Islamic State. Perhaps with the combined firepower of Jordan, the United States, Persian Gulf allies, and, possibly, Israel, they would be stopped dead in their tracks or destroyed. Certainly, we must hope that would be the case. But what would we be left with in a world in which when one terrorist group is destroyed, multiple others pop up in its place? What would the new map look like? What would the cost be of the battles that took place?

It is far too late to be playing the blame game; there is plenty to go around. These problems are the combination of multiple failures of judgment, of bad faith, of dark ambitions, and of faltering will -- both regionally and internationally.

Cascading failures, missteps, and the consequences of conflicting ambitions among leaders, extremists, and frustrated peoples are in fact what made Sarajevo the beginning of one of the most ghastly chapters in world history. In this instance, if we are to avoid a regional analogue of such an escalation into depravity, all those who are the heirs to the calamity of World War I -- the United States, Europe, the Turks, and those from across the roiling region itself -- must remember the lesson of its origins: that passivity and inattentiveness to crises allows them to fester and grow more dangerous. This is not someone else's problem if an easily imagined potential turn could draw in the United States and its allies. This is not someone else's problem if it reignites or exacerbates the global terrorism threat.

Yes, let Iran, Russia, Assad, and Maliki try to defeat ISIS. If there are ways Washington can conscionably assist with intelligence, drones, air power, or military advisors, it should do it. Yes, the United States should work with partners internationally to squeeze ISIS economically wherever possible. And by all means, the White House must send a clear message that Jordan's border or any sign of hostility toward Amman is a real red line.

But recognize that of all the possible endgames in this newly urgent war, there is really only one that works for the United States, its allies, and U.S. long-term interests: an effective political solution that gives a real voice to all segments of society and ensures at least peaceful coexistence among sectarian groups and a level playing field for all of them.

Therefore, it is essential in both Iraq and Syria to support a much more actively moderate opposition -- and work with allies in the region on cultivating and institutionalizing that support. This means more tireless diplomacy such as that effectively led by Secretary of State John Kerry and a willingness to take tough stances. For example, while the Iran nuclear talks have been for very good reasons on a separate track, Washington should make clear that threat of regional instability is one it takes as seriously as the threat of weapons of mass destructions. (As we have seen, getting rid of chemical weapons in Syria, while a good thing, has left the real weapon of mass destruction, Assad, in place and has left raging a conflict that has already killed at least 100 times more people than had the chemical weapons attacks that occurred within it.) Therefore, the administration must make clear that it will not embrace lifting sanctions if the Iranians are not playing a constructive role to find a sustainable political settlement in this spreading and dangerous conflict.

It won't be easy. The risk of failure is high. The political gains at home are likely to be small. It will require a kind of activist multilateralism and hardball realpolitik that makes for good speeches but is really hard to realize in practice. It will require the active engagement of the president of the United States and his cabinet working with allies in the region, in Europe, and around the world as the country has done on few issues in recent years. But sometimes tough options even with long odds are worth pursuing because the costs of doing nothing or too little are so high. That was the lesson of Sarajevo in 1914.

 

[Be Well]

They were probably some of Bam's dinner guest over the last few years.

And/or hirees.

 

[Lilbitsnana]

Reuters Top News ‏@Reuters 27m

#BREAKING: ISIL leader calls on Muslims worldwide to immigrate to "Islamic State", says move to "House of Islam" is a duty

 

[Be Well]

Reuters Top News ‏@Reuters 27m

#BREAKING: ISIL leader calls on Muslims worldwide to immigrate to "Islamic State", says move to "House of Islam" is a duty

Now this sounds like a good idea. They'll all be in once place...

 

[Lilbitsnana]

Now this sounds like a good idea. They'll all be in once place...

lol, I saw someone tweet that same thing last night when I saw the announcement in Arabic (I was tired and didn't feel like translating the whole thing)

 

[Lilbitsnana]

I guess time will tell; it seems even IS (ISIS/ISIL) might have to deal with FF.

--------------------------------------
Divya Kumar Soti ‏@DivyaSoti 2h
@EjmAlrai is this news true that they r threatening to destroy Kaaba?

Elijah J Magnier ‏@EjmAlrai 2h
#IS did not threaten to destroy Ka'ba. It is the "House of God". It was a fake account in #IS name. I have checked it days ago @DivyaSoti

TheFourteenMasumeen ‏@The14Masumeen 15m
@EjmAlrai @truthsMaster @DivyaSoti really??? Then what's your answer to this? You takfiris have no shame. http://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/5547635?utm_hp_ref=tw …

ISIS Member Says They Will Destroy The Kaaba In Mecca, 'Kill Those Who Worship Stones'


The Huffington Post | By Yasmine Hafiz

Posted: 07/01/2014 10:43 am EDT Updated: 4 hours ago
Print Article
KAABA

A member of the militant group Islamic State in Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), which recently dubbed itself simply, The Islamic State, has declared that they will destroy the Kaaba in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, which is Islam's most holy site.

APA quoted ISIS member Abu Turab Al Mugaddasi based on reports from Turkish media, who said:

If Allah wills, we will kill those who worship stones in Mecca and destroy the Kaaba. People go to Mecca to touch the stones, not for Allah.

ISIS reportedly is planning to take over the city of Arar in Saudi Arabia, which is very close to the Iraq border. It is a fifteen-hour drive away from Mecca, the site of the Hajj pilgrimage which all observant Muslims are expected to do at least once.

The statement is a shocking one even for ISIS, considering that they have been attempting to increase recruitment from Muslims worldwide by declaring the restoration of an Islamic Caliphate.

According to John L. Esposito, Professor of Religion and International Affairs and of Islamic Studies at Georgetown University, "In terms of legitimacy- unless you're someone who's ready to join a terrorist group at this point, for the vast majority of Muslims there is no legitimacy with this group." This most recent threat reinforces Esposito's point, particularly as it comes during the holy month of Ramadan.

Elijah J Magnier ‏@EjmAlrai 10m
Haha. Thank you. I just needed 2be called "Takfiri" once to add it to my collection of attributes. @The14Masumeen @truthsMaster @DivyaSoti

Shabber Abbas ‏@YaAbalFazl 6m
@EjmAlrai @The14Masumeen @truthsMaster @DivyaSoti btw can you confirm statement from #IS #ISIS that they will destroy kaaba in mecca ?


Elijah J Magnier ‏@EjmAlrai
Yes I confirm it is a false statement and articles build on a false account @YaAbalFazl @The14Masumeen @truthsMaster @DivyaSoti

 

[Lilbitsnana]

Rami @RamiAlLolah · 19m

Sunni major fatwa committee Association of Muslim Scholars in #Iraq declines #ISIS Khilafah calls them to withdraw it pic.twitter.com/RUB1XCqD9d
https://twitter.com/RamiAlLolah/status/484059143515291650/photo/1


Rami @RamiAlLolah · 27m

Tribes rejected the call and posted a statement on a major pro revolution page where it was removed few minutes after that. #Iraq #ISIS
View conversation



Rami @RamiAlLolah · 28m

I have been told by an extremely informed source this morning that #ISIS has asked tribes forces to pledge Baya'a to #IS #Caliphate



Rami @RamiAlLolah · 40m

Tribes of #Iraq decline declaration of Khilafah by #ISIS & says until #Maliki is gone they reject the #Caliphate

 

[Doomer Doug]

Doomer Doug is thinking this is a defining event in our lifetimes. When you combine the creation of Israel in 1948, with the creation of a restored Islamic Caliphate, you get WAR. The Islamic State is a direct descendant from the one created in 600 AD. It is a direct descendant of the one that spread from Saudi Arabia, all through North Africa and into Spain. This is what the former ISIS is all about: the creation of a global Militant Islamic State. If you are a Muslim, and do not agree with their Sunni views on Jihad, the Koran YOU WILL BE KILLED. If you are not a Muslim, you either be KILLED, or forced to live as a slave and pay a tax. I am not exactly sure why the West doesn't get what Sharia Law is REALLY ABOUT. Sharia law is the tool used to suppress any Muslim or non Muslim who doesn't fit into their value system.

Remember the events of June, 2014. 100 years ago World War One began. This summer World War Three has begun. The Caliphate will play out as it plays out. It will play out in blood, war and terror. Count on it. Militant Islam suffers no dissent, tolerates no diversity, and will kill all opposition.

 

[Lilbitsnana]

I posted this earlier this afternoon on the Mosul thread, forgot to post it here too.

Dr Shahid ‏@DR_SHAHID 28m
@JeffWhite25 @EjmAlrai @996al And It Will Be A Long War, Will Last For More Than A Decade. More Fronts Soon Open. Jordan Next!

Jose A Martinez ‏@Jose_A_Martine 26m
@EjmAlrai @JeffWhite25 @996al @DR_SHAHID I'm sure that "conveniently motivated volunteers" won't lack...

Dr Shahid ‏@DR_SHAHID 25m
@JeffWhite25 @EjmAlrai @996al Its No More Sunni/Shia, Arab/Kurd, KSA/Iran or US/Russia, Its Now #IS vs All Others Look At #IS 5-Year Plan!!

 

[Housecarl]

For links see article source.....
Posted for fair use.....
http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/MID-03-020714.html

Middle East
Jul 2, '14
THE ROVING EYE
Arab Spring, Jihad Summer
By Pepe Escobar

Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi was an average Sunni Iraqi cleric with a degree in pedagogy before he metamorphosed into a de facto serial killer, blowing up Shi'ite kids at ice-cream shops. Now declared the Caliph of Islamic State, a catchier militant moniker than formerly used by the Men in Black, al-Baghdadi is the new Osama bin Laden, leading a group with sights set on conquering lands that include large swathes of Asia.

Welcome to IS. No typo; the final goal may be (indiscriminate) regime change, but for the moment name change will do. With PR flair, at the start of Ramadan, the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS, or ISIL - the Islamic State of the Levant - to some) solemnly declared, from now on, it will be known as Islamic State (IS).

"To be or not to be" is so … metaphysically outdated. IS is - and here it is - in full audio glory. And we're talking about the full package - Caliph included: "the slave of Allah, Ibrahim Ibn 'Awwad Ibn Ibrahim Ibn 'Ali Ibn Muhammad al-Badrial-Hashimi al-Husayni al-Qurashi by lineage, as-Samurra'i by birth and upbringing, al-Baghdadi by residence and scholarship". Or, to put it more simply, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.

IS has virtually ordered "historic" al-Qaeda - yes, that 9/11-related (or not) plaything of one Osama bin Laden - as well as every other jihadi outfit on the planet, to pledge allegiance to the new imam, in theological theory the new lord over every Muslim. There's no evidence Osama's former sidekick, Ayman "the doctor" al-Zawahiri will obey, not to mention 1.5 billion Muslims across the world. Most probably al-Qaeda will say "we are the real deal" and a major theological catfight will be on.

After all, in Syria, ISIL as well as Jabhat al-Nusra were initially fighting under the banner of al-Qaeda, until the brand - in spectacular fashion - decided to dump al-Baghdadi. He and ISIL went too far - with all those videos of decapitations and crucifixions and serial profanation of Shi'ite, Sufi and Christian sanctuaries.

Al-Baghdadi, born Ibrahim al-Badri in Samarra, is an average Sunni Iraqi cleric with a degree in pedagogy from the University of Baghdad. His alter ago was born after Shock and Awe in 2003, and soon metamorphosed into a de facto serial killer - blowing up Shi'ite kids at ice-cream shops or scores of women at Shi'ite weddings.

ISIL's track record in Syria includes banning every flag apart from its own; the destruction of any "polytheist" temple or sanctuary (except if it is Sunni); and strict imposition of Islamically correct women wear. Most of all, it is a track record of terror. This is not an army, rather a well-trained militia of professional mujahid, European passport holders included, with battlefield experience in Iraq, Afghanistan and, to a lesser degree, Chechnya. Heavy weaponizing is petrodollar-financed - the usual, wealthy "Gulf donors", which does not exclude official connections.

Sources of income diversified mightily when ISIL captured the oilfields surrounding Deir Ezzor in Syria; and after the recent offensive across Niniveh province in Iraq, they were able to lay their hands on vast arsenals of heavy artillery, lots of cash and gold bullion and, why not, US Humvees left behind. Their trademark, of course, are those columns of brand new white Toyota Land cruisers - free off road advertising Toyota HQ in Japan may not find particularly welcome.

Loaded with oil and profiting from tax revenue, IS is now firmly on its way to provide (minimal) services and support a (mighty) Jihadi Army - much like the Taliban from 1996 to 2001. One may be sure IS will continue its massive "social engagement" strategy; talk about a chatty Caliphate which loves YouTube, Facebook and Twitter. No wonder they are a hit among Google generation recruits - as well as becoming fund-raising aces via gruesome videos. In thesis, indoctrination progresses hand in hand with "charity work"; residents of Aleppo, for instance, can dwell on how ISIL (gruesomely) looks and feels on the ground.

Mission forever unaccomplished
It's unclear how the new IS reality will play on the ground. The new Caliph has in fact declared a jihad on all that basket of corrupt and/or incompetent Middle East "leaders" - so some fierce "battle for survival" reaction from the Houses of Saud and Thani, for instance, is expected. It's not far-fetched to picture al-Baghdadi dreaming of lording over Saudi oilfields - after decapitating all Shi'ite workers, of course.

And that's just a start; in one of their Tweeter accounts IS has published a map of all the domains they intend to conquer within the span of five years; Spain, Northern Africa, the Balkans, the whole Middle East and large swathes of Asia. Well, they are certainly more ambitious than NATO.

Being such a courageous bunch, the House of Saud is now tempted to accept that imposing regime change on Nouri al-Maliki in Iraq is a bad idea. That puts them in direct conflict with the Obama administration, whose plan A, B and C is regime change.

Turkey - the former seat of the Caliphate, by the way - remains mute. No wonder; Ankara - crucially - is the top logistical base of IS. Caliph Erdogan's got to be musing about his own future, now that he's facing competition. In theory, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Jordan are all saying they're ready to fight what would be a "larger-scale war" than that gift that keeps on giving, the original, Cheney junta-coined GWOT (global war on terror).

And then there's the future of the new $500 million Obama fund to "appropriately vetted" rebels in Syria, which in fact means the expansion of covert CIA "training facilities" in Jordan and Turkey heavily infiltrated/profited from by IS. Think of hordes of new IS recruits posing as "moderate rebels" getting ready for a piece of the action.

It's easier for Brazil to win the World Cup with a team of crybabies with no tactical nous than having US Secretary of State John Kerry and his State Department ciphers understand that the Syrian "opposition" is controlled by jihadis. But then again, they do know - and that perfectly fits into the Empire of Chaos's not so hidden Global War on Terror (GWOT) agenda of an ever-expanding proxy war in both Syria and Iraq fueled by terror financing.

So 13 years ago Washington crushed both al-Qaeda and the Taliban in Afghanistan. Then the Taliban were reborn. Then came Shock and Awe. Then came "Mission Accomplished". Then al-Qaeda was introduced in Iraq. Then al-Qaeda was dead because Osama bin Laden was dead. Then came ISIL. And now there's IS. And we start all over again, not in the Hindu Kush, but in the Levant. With a new Osama.

What's not to like? If anyone thinks this whole racket is part of a new live Monty Python sketch ahead of their reunion gig this month in London, that's because it is.

Pepe Escobar is the author of Globalistan: How the Globalized World is Dissolving into Liquid War (Nimble Books, 2007), Red Zone Blues: a snapshot of Baghdad during the surge (Nimble Books, 2007), and Obama does Globalistan (Nimble Books, 2009).

He may be reached at pepeasia@yahoo.com.

Copyright 2014 Asia Times Online (Holdings) Ltd. All rights reserved.

 

[Housecarl]

For links see article source.....
Posted for fair use.....
http://nationalinterest.org/blog/the-buzz/isis-has-choice-make-build-state-or-super-terrorist-10793

ISIS has a Choice to Make: Build a State or Super Terrorist Organization
Bilal Y. Saab
July 1, 2014
Comments 1

Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the leader of the Sunni extremist group known as the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), has a tough decision to make.

He can aim high and marshal all his human and material resources to consolidate his de-facto state in the borderlands of Syria, Iraq, and soon possibly Jordan and Lebanon. That’s a high-risk, high-reward strategy. Or he can drop the idea of statehood altogether and focus on excelling at something smaller: the creation of the most lethal clandestine terrorist organization in the world that could supplant Al-Qaeda. That’s a limited objectives, low-risk strategy. The choice is clear: it’s between setting up a state and setting up shop, it can't be both, and what al-Baghdadi picks will have serious implications for the future of his group, the Middle East, and that of transnational jihadist terrorism.

There are unique benefits to the first option. If al-Baghdadi succeeds in establishing a physical state, he would be the first jihadist leader to rule over a real Islamic Caliphate built on jihadist laws and principles. The jihadists’ dream would finally come true. Al-Qaeda has been calling for the creation of such a state since its inception in the early 1980’s, and its various franchises in Northern Africa, the Levant and the Arabian Peninsula have tried over the years to seize territory and force sharia law on its inhabitants. But the land they have sought to control is small and barren, making it strategically insignificant and practically ungovernable. In contrast, the areas that al-Baghdadi has taken over are vast, sufficiently populated, and rich with resources including oil, making them ideal for governance.

But for the vision of statehood to survive, al-Baghdadi would have to commit to sustaining an overt and powerful insurgency that would be capable of defending his new state from all enemies. This won’t be easy. World governments, and especially Washington, will not tolerate such a major terrorist safe haven. The Middle East’s Shi’ites will also be on the offensive, doing everything they possibly can to destroy al-Baghdadi’s state.

Aside from trying to secure what may be an indefensible state, al-Baghdadi would also have to govern over a sizable constituency, and that includes paying salaries, policing, administering, and delivering social goods and services. The historical record shows that extremist Islamic groups are only good at killing people who don’t agree with them, and nothing else. Sure, al-Baghdadi might not care much about doing a good job at governing, but indifference would most likely cause defections and desertions among the ranks, and possibly rebellions, which would ultimately lead to his state's collapse. It’s one thing to set up a state, but maintaining it is another thing altogether.

The second option, which US intelligence agencies are already analyzing and worrying about, is purely a terrorist model, with no plans for societal and territorial control. With more than a billion dollars and thousands of supporters, al-Baghdadi can turn ISIS into the most powerful terrorist organization the world has ever known. He could inherit the world of jihadist terrorism and dethrone Ayman al-Zawahri, the al-Qaeda chief. With this amount of money and this large a following, he can build the most sophisticated network of terrorist cells across and beyond the region. He can recruit, train, and plan for the next 9/11 and even more. But there is only one condition: al-Baghdadi would have to give up statehood and go underground. To be effective, he would have to do this covertly. He would have to forget about political power and public leadership and operate away from public eyes.

So which goal does he value more? Ruling a kingdom temporarily or attacking Western interests for the long term? For now, all signs on the ground indicate that he is at least going to try pursuing the first option. It is not every day that a strategic opportunity like this presents itself. The Iraqi army is relatively weak and the international community's and specifically the United States' reaction has been lethargic.

But by choosing the first option, he risks losing everything. If he continues to expand and opts for statehood but fails, there is a big chance that he won’t be even capable of exercising the second option. That’s because the potential breakdown of his state will be demoralizing and it will deal a huge blow to his group. As a result, his support-base will most likely shrink, and fighters from the Syria-based and al-Qaeda-affiliated Jabhat al-Nusra and other radical Syrian entities will immediately walk away. Most likely, they will prefer not to partner with a defeated group and a leader on the run. Surely al-Baghdadi will still try to create a clandestine presence if his state falls, like Fatah al Islam leaders did after they were defeated in the battle of Nahr al Bared against the Lebanese Army, but he won’t be nearly as dangerous because he won’t have as much money or as many followers. He will be just like any other local al-Qaeda commander in the region, trying to survive and avoid getting killed by rivals or a US drone. The time to make a decision is now.

Let’s hope that al-Baghdadi sticks to the choice of statehood and further expansion, because ironically, it is the one path that will most likely lead to his group’s demise. But if he doesn’t allow his ideology to cloud his rational thinking and he somehow manages to escape what is essentially the trap of statehood, he will pose a formidable, global terrorism threat that will make al-Qaeda look like a walk in the park.

Bilal Y. Saab is resident senior fellow for Middle East security at the Brent Scowcroft Center on International Security at the Atlantic Council, specializing in the politics, security, and defense-industrial affairs of the Middle East, with a particular focus on the Gulf and the Levant.

 

[alchemike]

This whole thing is like a weird simpsonesque dream...
Baghdadi??? Come on...
Sounds like the guy you get your weed from...
Here's my new twitter hashtag...
#bagdaddy

o)<

mike

 

[Ragnarok]

Check out the Horsemen thread today...

It was a jaw dropping day in the news.

 

[Housecarl]

Check out the Horsemen thread today...

It was a jaw dropping day in the news.

Yeah I did and I'm getting a bad feeling that this is only the beginning of the beginning.

 

[Lilbitsnana]

Dr Shahid Masood @Shahidmasooddr · 4h

Islamic State Re-issues 5 years expansion Map with Proposed States:Pak/India/Afgan/Iran/Central Asia as"Khurasan"!

Dr Shahid @DR_SHAHID · 4h

#IS Caliph Calls For The Jihad To The Muslims Worlwide http://Aljazeera.com

 

[Lilbitsnana]

What about Jordan, Israel? I thought they were on the "next" target list? Also, Saudi Arabia and even the US and UK are on the hit list.

I guess "next" doesn't have the same meaning to them. Maybe they mean all of us at the same time?


Lion heart2013 ‏@jediknight1964 6m
Rome will be conquered next, says leader of 'Islamic State' - via @Telegraph http://fw.to/K9yuvTD #Islam #Caliphate #Jihad #deluded #Evil

posted for fair use

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/wor...quered-next-says-leader-of-Islamic-State.html


Rome will be conquered next, says leader of 'Islamic State'

Muslims have been called to flock to the 'Islamic State' to gather for a battle against non-believers throughout the world

Isis leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, left, and an Isis flag
Isis demands all Muslims pledge obedience to its leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, left
Damien McElroy

By Damien McElroy, Foreign Affairs Correspondent

7:01PM BST 01 Jul 2014

Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the self-proclaimed leader of the 'Islamic State' stretching across Iraq and Syria, has vowed to lead the conquest of Rome as he called on Muslims to immigrate to his new land to fight under its banner around the globe.

Baghdadi, who holds a PhD in Islamic studies, said Muslims were being targetted and killed from China to Indonesia. Speaking as the first Caliph, or commander of the Islamic faithful since the dissolution of the Ottoman empire, he called on Muslims to rally to his pan-Islamic state.

"Those who can immigrate to the Islamic State should immigrate, as immigration to the house of Islam is a duty," he said in an audio recording released on a website used by the group formerly known as the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham.

"Rush O Muslims to your state. It is your state. Syria is not for Syrians and Iraq is not for Iraqis. The land is for the Muslims, all Muslims.
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"This is my advice to you. If you hold to it you will conquer Rome and own the world, if Allah wills."

Having claimed the title of "caliph", Baghdadi appealed to "judges and those who have military and managerial and service skills, and doctors and engineers in all fields."

He also called on jihadi fighters to escalate fighting in the holy month of Ramadan, which began on Sunday. "In this virtuous month or in any other month, there is no deed better than jihad in the path of Allah, so take advantage of this opportunity and walk the path of you righteous predecessors," he said. "So to arms, to arms, soldiers of the Islamic s, fight, fight."

In a reflection of the havoc wreaked the past month by the Sunni insurgency led by the group, the United Nations said more than 2,400 people were killed in Iraq in June, making it the deadliest month in the country in years.

Baghdadi's claims to control vast territority have yet to be tested by an Iraqi government counter attack. Many Muslim groups dispute his putative caliphate. However some experts fear his rise could transform the appeal of extremist Islam, partly by harassing social media to build a global following.

Hassan Hassan, an analyst at Abu Dhabi's Delma Institute, wrote that Baghdadi provided the most radical challenge since the emergence of Osama bin Laden and al-Qaeda. "The whispers of support to a caliph in Afghanistan are now replaced by clear words and acts, amplified by social media," he said. "Jihadism has evolved significantly. It is no longer limited to narrow “elitists” who travel to distant countries to wage jihad. Today’s jihad is more sophisticated and individualised and can be waged everywhere."

The Sunni insurgents' advance, which has plunged Iraq into its worst crisis since US troops left in 2011 puts it up against avowed enemies in Shia areas.

 

[jenzie]

SOOOOOOOOOOOO full of CRAP these morons!!!

they'll be lucky if the reach baghdad in fifty YEARS!!!

sooner someone puts a bullet in this nutcase the better

 

[Lilbitsnana]

SOOOOOOOOOOOO full of CRAP these morons!!!

they'll be lucky if the reach baghdad in fifty YEARS!!!

sooner someone puts a bullet in this nutcase the better

They're attacking the Baghdad airport right now. maybe...

Jerry Liet ‏@jerryliet 58s ALERT: Reports that #Baghdad International Airport is under attack by the IS - Still Unconfirmed.

 

[Ragnarok]

SOOOOOOOOOOOO full of CRAP these morons!!!

they'll be lucky if the reach baghdad in fifty YEARS!!!

sooner someone puts a bullet in this nutcase the better

I wouldn't underestimate these jihadi's...

 

[Lilbitsnana]

Doug Pologe @DougPologe · 3m

This says that a senior leader of AQAP has called on all Muslims to support the "Islamic State". http://nationalyemen.com/2014/07/05/senior-al-qaeda-leader-calls-for-followers-to-support-isis/ …


Local News,
Date July 5th, 2014

Senior al-Qaeda leader calls for followers to support Isis


The leader of an al-Qaeda faction in Yemen has urged Muslims to back rival Islamist faction Isis – evidence of a deep split in the ranks of the extremists.

As its name suggests, al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsular has long been a part of the wider al-Qaeda organisation, which supplies the Yemeni-based group with money and arms.

But in an online audio track, entitled Contemplations on the Fruits of Victory in the Land of the Tigris and Euphrates, a senior AQAP leader calls on all Muslims to support rival Islamist group Isis and its call for an Islamic state.

In the recording, dated 17 June – days before Isis declared it had established a caliphate in Iraq and Syria – Sheikh Mamoun bin Abd al-Hamid Hatem praises Isis leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, and says that any act against Isis is the work of the devil.

His pronouncement is evidence of a major split within al-Qaeda triggered by the rapid advance of Isis, which it spawned. The recent successes of Isis, which also now goes by the name of Islamic State, have inspired and attracted many AQAP members.

http://nationalyemen.com/2014/07/05/senior-al-qaeda-leader-calls-for-followers-to-support-isis/