Overview Of ISIS And Actions The United States Should Take

ISIS is a Sunni Islamic terrorist group that has expanded its control and destruction in Syria and Iraq since 2013, threatening lives and peace in both countries, leading the U. S. to have a closer eye on Iraq and Syria. Its goal is to establish an Islamic caliphate in the Middle East through armed conflict with apostate governments.

Background

ISIS was created as a branch off the terrorist group, Al Qaeda in Iraq, because of US led invasion of that overthrew dictator Saddam Hussein of Iraq. American troops finally withdrew in 2011. The Sunnis and Shiites have clashed many times over the course of history, but specifically in 2014, ISIS forces, Hussein loyalists and Sunnis conquered Sunni areas in Iraq and Syria due to their feels of oppression by a Shiite dominated Iraqi government. Their enemy is not western countries, but Shiites in the Middle East. The conflict involving Syria and the United states started 11 years ago when Washington, which was part of a coalition, backed up and armed opposition groups fighting the Assad regime, such as the Free Syrian Army (Syria Crisis). Since armaments were restrictive, it gave way for radical groups into Syria, including members of ISIS. After ISIS began capturing areas of Syria and Iraq in 2014, US began airstrikes, shifting its Syria policy to fighting militants. It backed local allies to capture land as ISIS was being defeated. In 2015, US was getting more and more involved with “regional players” as Russia and Turkey launched its air campaign.

ISIS is known for its atrocious tortures and murders, such as mass executions and crucifixions. It also has no respect for women, selling women and girls into slavery and forced them to wed ISIS fighters (Islamic State ISIS).

Supporters

We should take strict action against ISIS as it is claiming innocent lives and is a growing threat to the world. They have shown their capability in the tragedies of 9/11 and the Manchester attack and this will only continue if nothing is done. U. S. could be a major aid to Iraq in gaining back peace through military force on ground in Middle East, air strikes, drones and cell phone intercepts. Supporters also believe military force is the answer to the conflict, especially during the era of Trump and his strong opinions towards plan of action, “In one night, President Trump turned the tables. He showed the world that when the United States issues a warning, it will back up its words with action. " Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad launched a chemical attack in his own country, on his own people, and trump felt it as appropriate to bomb to airfield as means of prevention. The Trump administration’s strategy is to extricate Assad’s air force and have a definite military presence and continue proxy warfare.

Supporters argue US troops on ground in Syria, Syrian rebel groups aren’t enough. Military presence will limit civil casualties and will limit Russia’s intervention and influence in Syria as well.

Opponents

Because the Western world has had such an alarming and terrified response, it fuels ISIS and its recruits through hatred. After their terrorist attacks in Paris, the Western world (America, Australia, England) have displayed animosity and contempt with Muslims. In the eyes of ISIS this is exactly what they want, so Muslims all over the world have nowhere to go but join ISIS. In the Islamic world, prophecies have predicted that Western invasion into Muslim land will lead to Islam being triumphant, they purposefully want troops on their ground. Military action isn’t a strong standing solution for the future, we know from history that the occupying power has to leave one day.

In reality, the U. S. does not have a plan, their only option is bombing. ISIS resides in cities filled with civilians, bombing them would be devastating to the city killing innocents, defying the purpose of taking action in order to save lives. You cannot pick and choose which lives to save, if you want to protect innocents in America or England, you have to do the same for innocents in Iraq and Syria.

Policy Recommendation

We as being a democratic country, need to contain ISIS, but still not overreact. After the 9/11 attack, the US invaded Iraq in 2003. Not only spending billions of dollars and killing innocent people, but also leaving the country worse than before. Although ISIS does make make off of oil through Turkey and Iraq which is how it makes money. We must realize nor the United States or any country can make peace or stability in the Middle East any time soon. It is a war between the Sunnis and Shiites and you cannot favor one side. Both religious sects have equally done acts of terrorism and torture.

The real threat to the US poses when conflict affects foreign countries in the form of terrorist acts. Our priority should be to save as many people as we can, therefore our policy should be only of containment, not to resolve centuries of religious conflict that shows no signs of hope. Because the US has had such a strong presence in Afghanistan and Iraq, it has taken away Iraq’s sense of responsibility to create a stronger national security force and state. We need to take step back and give the Middle East an opportunity to deal with their own problems, “there will always be a day when the occupying power leaves — and everyone knows it, including the insurgents", who will then build up a force to gain back control and the country will not know how to defeat them since they never had to and therefore need the aid for a foreign country again. The US has used counterterrorism to spend $2. 8 trillion, involving wars in Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan. This is an outrageous amount spend, being 15% of government’s spending and leading to no resolved conflict.