
Baku, 13 September 2014 – Newtimes.az
The
Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, also known as ISIS, is a terrorist
organization that rose to prominence for violence in Syria and especially Iraq
in the last few months. The organization caused worldwide outcry after they
kidnapped Turkish diplomats and consulate staffers, attacked the Iraqi army and
took control of Mosul, and massacred Shia Turkmens, Christians and Yazidis. In
the last few weeks the group released videos of how they behead kidnapped American
journalists, provoking hatred of the world community [1]. Later, starting from
August 9, the U.S. army and the British Special Air Service (SAS) commandos
launched attacks on ISIS (mainly air strikes) [2]. Although ISIS claims that
its ideology is based on strict Islamic beliefs, the group`s illogical moves
and extreme acts of violence prove its being an umbrella organization that
serves geopolitical and political interests, rather than religious ones. In
this work, I will try to look into what ISIS is and briefly analyze what the
world community thinks of the group`s structure and goals.
Contrary
to what many believe, ISIS is not a new terrorist organization. Founded by
Jordanian Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, under the name Jamāat al-Tawḥīd wa-al-Jihād in 2003
after the USA`s invasion of Iraq, the group later swore loyalty to al-Qaeda and
changed its name to Tanẓīm Qāidat al-Jihād fī Bilād al-Rāfidayn, "The
Organisation of Jihad's Base in Mesopotamia", commonly known as al-Qaeda
in Iraq [3]. The organization was supported by smaller terrorist insurgent
groups, including Jaish al Fatiheen, Jaish al-Taifa al-Mansoura, Katbiyan
al-Tawhid wal Sunnah, and Jund asl-Sahaba, as well as al-Qaeda [4]. ISIS` major
aim is to build a Salafi caliphate in the northern parts of Iraq and Syria
inhabited by Sunni Arabs, Turkmens and Kurds [5]. Professor Ata Atun believes
that the group wins local people`s support because it shares the trophies with
them [6].
From
2004 to 2010 the terrorist organization was establishing itself. The year 2010
was a turning point in the group`s life when Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi came to power
after the U.S. army annihilated leader of the organization Abu Omar al-Baghdadi
and his assistant Abu Hamza al-Muhajir [7]. Al-Baghdadi`s becoming the number one of the organization boosted its
power and increased the number of members. America believes that al-Baghdadi,
who announced himself the caliph of the Islamic world, still lives in Syria and
plans out the organization`s attacks [8]. The second turning point for the
organization was the USA`s withdrawal from Iraq in 2011. This paved the way for
the organization to expand the scope of its activity and gain ground among
Sunni groups in Syria and Iraq, striking fear into people`s hearts. [9] The
third turning point for the organization was the Arab spring. Although ISIS pinned
great hopes on the Arab revolution, it appeared to have caused only trouble.
The spread of the Arab spring to Syria and the Assad regime`s losing control of
half of the country`s territory helped ISIS seize control of large areas in
Syria and start coordinating its attacks on Iraq [10]. The fact that Gulf
countries such as Saudi Arabia and Qatar and Turkey began to support the
anti-Assad movement, which also involved radical groups, speeded up the emergence
of an important stronghold of ISIS. The fourth turning point for the
organization was the Al Maliki government`s wrong attitude towards Sunni
groups, which elevated the status of ISIS among local public [11]. As a result,
it won a lot of support from Iraqis, with many cities falling under the
organization`s control.
There
are different versions on how ISIS is funded. According to Zachary Laub from
the Council on Foreign Relations, despite ISIS seems to be a political and
religious organization, it is in fact a terrorist group and the bulk of its
financing, experts say, comes from sources such as smuggling, extortion, and
other crime [12]. The organization funds its own operations through bank
heists, extortion, kidnappings, and other tactics. ISIS consists of Salafi
jihadists coming from different parts of the world (Chechnya, Africa, Pakistan,
Afghanistan, Libya and even Europe). Experts believe there are between 5,000 or
6,000 ISIS militants in Syria, and more than
Although
ISIS claims that its primary aim is to establish a caliphate — a single,
transnational Islamic state based on sharia [14], experts say the organization
uses its ideology to win local population`s sympathies. In fact, ISIS wants to
establish an anti-Western Sunni state in Iraq and Syria and get rid of different
religious groups in the region (Nusayri Shias, Christians, Shias, Yazidis).
ISIS ideology defends a strict sharia law, separate education, music ban,
obligatory covering for woman and Ramadan fasting. In fact, the difference
between Turkish and world political Islamic thinkers and parties and ISIS is
that the latter is trying to achieve its goals by means of force [15].
According to Alastair Crooke, former MI-6 agent, the real aim of ISIS is to
replace the Saud family as the new emirs of the Gulf region [16]. And who
supports the organization has remained a big mystery. In this context, the fact
that the organization has not been engaged in a serious standoff with Kurdish
groups and murdered mostly Turkmens, Christians and Yazidis draws attention to
claims that ISIS aims to build a Kurdish state in the north of Iraq. The reason
is that the regional leadership of Kurdistan, which is forced to defend itself
against ISIS, is behaving as an independent state and is arming Peshmerge army
with weapons purchased from European countries. It should be noted that Israel
too has recently expressed its readiness to recognize Kurdistan.
To
summarize, whoever stands behind ISIS it is a fact that what the organization
has done so far considerably undermined Islam and Muslims all over the world,
legitimizing the West`s military intervention in the region. In this sense, a
claim that under the cover of the enemy of the West ISIS may probably be
supported by certain West-headquartered organizations seems to be more than a
conspiracy theory. Thanks to ISIS the crisis-hit defence industry of the West
has enjoyed revival and the entire world – including Muslims – has provided
support to the operations against the region. The fact that most of the Muslim
countries do not have an established secular state building and, moreover, that
there are efforts to destroy the only successful model (Turkey and Kamalism)
justifies the West`s military intervention. So Muslim countries` backwardness
in terms of a secular and democratic state building, unfortunately, impedes
their growth into independent and strong political powers.
Note: I hail the efforts of Newtimes.az analytical Internet portal, which is published in brotherly Azerbaijan and which is a brotherly website of the International Political Academy (UPA), towards promoting real Islamic values amid ISIS terrorist organization`s violence and atrocities that disappointed the entire Islamic world. I hope that the Turkish press and broadcasting agencies will follow this example.
Dr. Ozan Örmeci
[1] ''What ISIS, an al-Qaeda affiliate in
Syria, really wants'', The Economist, Erişim Tarihi: 09.09.2014, Erişim Adresi:
http://www.economist.com/blogs/economist-explains/2014/01/economist-explains-12#sthash.NXeBJmBk.dpuf.
[2] Bu konuda bir değerlendirme için; Tansi,
Deniz (2014), ''ABD’nin İŞİD Operasyonu'', Uluslararası Politika Akademisi,
Erişim Tarihi: 09.09.2014, Erişim Adresi:
http://politikaakademisi.org/abdnin-isid-operasyonu/.
[3] Göktürk, Tüysüzoğlu (2014), ''İŞİD Ne
Yapmaya Çalışıyor?'', Uluslararası Politika Akademisi, Erişim Tarihi:
09.09.2014, Erişim Adresi:
http://politikaakademisi.org/isid-ne-yapmaya-calisiyor/.
[4] Atun, Ata (2014), ''İŞİD Kim ve Ne Yapmak
İstiyor (1)'', Avrupa Gazete, Erişim Tarihi: 09.09.2014, Erişim Adresi:
https://www.avrupagazete.com/ata-atun/84108-isid-kim-ve-ne-yapmak-istiyor-1.html.
[5] Göktürk, Tüysüzoğlu (2014), ''İŞİD Ne
Yapmaya Çalışıyor?'', Uluslararası Politika Akademisi, Erişim Tarihi:
09.09.2014, Erişim Adresi: http://politikaakademisi.org/isid-ne-yapmaya-calisiyor/.
[6] Atun, Ata (2014), ''İŞİD Kim ve Ne Yapmak
İstiyor (1)'', Avrupa Gazete, Erişim Tarihi: 09.09.2014, Erişim Adresi:
https://www.avrupagazete.com/ata-atun/84108-isid-kim-ve-ne-yapmak-istiyor-1.html.
[7] Göktürk, Tüysüzoğlu (2014), ''İŞİD Ne
Yapmaya Çalışıyor?'', Uluslararası Politika Akademisi, Erişim Tarihi:
09.09.2014, Erişim Adresi:
http://politikaakademisi.org/isid-ne-yapmaya-calisiyor/.
[8] Laub, Zachary (2014), ''Islamic State in
Iraq and Syria'', Council on Foreign Relations, Erişim Tarihi: 09.09.2014,
Erişim Adresi: http://www.cfr.org/iraq/islamic-state-iraq-syria/p14811.
[9] Laub, Zachary (2014), ''Islamic State in
Iraq and Syria'', Council on Foreign Relations, Erişim Tarihi: 09.09.2014, Erişim
Adresi: http://www.cfr.org/iraq/islamic-state-iraq-syria/p14811.
[10] ''What ISIS, an al-Qaeda affiliate in
Syria, really wants'', The Economist, Erişim Tarihi: 09.09.2014, Erişim Adresi:
http://www.economist.com/blogs/economist-explains/2014/01/economist-explains-12#sthash.NXeBJmBk.dpuf.
[11] Laub, Zachary (2014), ''Islamic State in
Iraq and Syria'', Council on Foreign Relations, Erişim Tarihi: 09.09.2014,
Erişim Adresi: http://www.cfr.org/iraq/islamic-state-iraq-syria/p14811.
[12] Laub, Zachary (2014), ''Islamic State in
Iraq and Syria'', Council on Foreign Relations, Erişim Tarihi: 09.09.2014,
Erişim Adresi: http://www.cfr.org/iraq/islamic-state-iraq-syria/p14811.
[13] Göktürk, Tüysüzoğlu (2014), ''İŞİD Ne
Yapmaya Çalışıyor?'', Uluslararası Politika Akademisi, Erişim Tarihi:
09.09.2014, Erişim Adresi:
http://politikaakademisi.org/isid-ne-yapmaya-calisiyor/.
[14] ''Viewpoint: ISIS goals and possible
future gains'', BBC, Erişim Tarihi: 09.09.2014, Erişim
Adresi:http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-27801680.
[15] ''ISIS: The first terror group to build
an Islamic state?'', CNN, Erişim Tarihi: 09.09.2014, Erişim
Adresi:http://edition.cnn.com/2014/06/12/world/meast/who-is-the-isis/.
[16] Crooke, Alastair (2014), ''Middle East Time Bomb: The Real Aim of ISIS Is to Replace the Saud Family as the New Emirs of Arabia'', Erişim Tarihi: 09.09.2014, Erişim Adresi: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/alastair-crooke/isis-aim-saudi-arabia_b_5748744.html.
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