Posted on 06/12/2014 12:36:27 PM PDT by Mount Athos
The Islamic State in Iraq and Syria has thrived and mutated in the security vacuum that followed the departure of the last U.S. forces from Iraq and the civil war in Syria.
The aim of ISIS is to create an Islamic state across Sunni areas of Iraq and in Syria.
With the seizure of Mosul, Iraq's second-largest city, and advances on others, that aim appears within reach.
ISIS controls hundreds of square miles where state authority has evaporated. It ignores international borders and has a presence all the way from Syria's Mediterranean coast to south of Baghdad.
How to respond to the ISIS threat
What are its origins?
In 2006, al Qaeda in Iraq -- under the ruthless leadership of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi -- terrorized Sunni parts of Iraq as it tried to ignite a sectarian war against the majority Shia community.
It came close to succeeding, especially after the bombing of the Al-Askariya Mosque, an important Shia shrine in Samarra, which sparked retaliatory attacks.
But the killing of al-Zarqawi by American forces, the vicious treatment of civilians by AQI, and the emergence of the Sahwa (Awakening) Fronts under Sunni tribal leaders nearly destroyed the group.
Nearly, but not quite.
When U.S. forces left Iraq, they took much of their intelligence-gathering expertise with them.
Iraqi officials began to speak of a "third generation" of al Qaeda in Iraq.
Two years ago, a former spokesman for the U.S. military in Iraq, Maj. Gen. Jeffrey Buchanan, warned that "if the Iraqi security forces are not able to put pressure on them, they could regenerate."
(Excerpt) Read more at cnn.com ...
I have read differing accounts from this about where they get some of their money from, some other sources claim they have some wealthy benefactors
Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi shows why he’s the world’s most dangerous man (ISIS leader in Iraq)
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3166656/posts
Look around you lame-steam ... Want your family killed?
It’s starting to look that way, isn’t it?
Kudos to 0bama-Clinton-Kerry
they just need 10 to START their global caliphate
(it wont end there)
May I touch the words with sorrow? I remember skies.
One of the “great accomplishments” of Hillary Clinton “great” term as a “great” Secretary of State according to Rick Perry.
Obama’s legacy...The first terror group to build an Islamic state.
What’s the worry? They’re not core al Qaeda! No worries according to the Obama Administration! Joe Biden was saying just a year or two ago that Iraq would go down as one of the hallmark achievements of the Obama Administration! Way to call it, Joe!
Iran doesn’t count?
What the Heck? So Who is the Artist? I’m just sing ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_J-hmyAS6c
Re: “wealthy benefactors”
That’s the first question in my mind when I see an organization this large, and this well armed.
CNN says the first small groups depended on extortion and bank robbery.
But now, no way.
Before they looted the banks in Mosul, someone, or some country, had to buy food and write paychecks for thousands of these guys.
One thing I know for certain.
It’s all oil money.
And most of it originally came from Europe and the USA.
and it gives once upon a time ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kmmPFrkuPq0 ... yes, America had Dreams ...
This is just a partial completion of his objectives....
It just occurred to me how Obama will recover politically from this debacle.
Drone strike on the ISIS leader.
Obama - Have Drone, Will Travel!
He took down bin Laden and Abu Bakr!
Once Upon A Time
Once Upon A Time?
What Story? ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BgOtLKttDU4
Watch: this State Department will recognize ISIS as a sovereign nation before this president leaves office.
We are not to blame ... no matter how much them want to blame U.S. Hang tough!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.