On the night of August 11th, white nationalists held a torch-lit pride parade through the University of Virginia in Charlottesville. They were met with counter-protests, and the demonstrations descended into a melee. The next morning, these same organizers held a “Unite the Right” rally in Emancipation Park, centered on a statue of Confederate General Robert… Continue reading Charlottesville and Americans’ Increasingly Polarized Response to Terrorism, Political Violence
Tag: ISIS
Iraqi, Syrian Refugees May be ISIS’ ‘Achilles Heel’
In the aftermath of the series of attacks in Paris, attributed to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIS), French President François Hollande has declared a three-month state of emergency. This measure enables the military and law enforcement to monitor, arrest, detain and interrogate persons, with little or no due process. These powers… Continue reading Iraqi, Syrian Refugees May be ISIS’ ‘Achilles Heel’
On the Limitations of Air-Power for Counter-Insurgency/ Counter-Terror Operations
Due to the intentionally vague language of the post-9/11 Authorization for the Use of Military Force (AUMF), both the George W. Bush and Obama Administrations have been empowered to interpret their counter-terrorism mandate broadly, to include targets from the Taliban, ISIS, Boko Haram and other derivatives and affiliates of al-Qaeda—anywhere around the world and indefinitely.… Continue reading On the Limitations of Air-Power for Counter-Insurgency/ Counter-Terror Operations
Understanding ISIL’s Appeal
[su_quote cite=”Slavoj Zizek” url=”https://dvd.netflix.com/Movie/Zizek/70043440″]Thirty, forty years ago, we were still debating about what the future will be: communist, fascist, capitalist, whatever. Today, nobody even debates these issues. We all silently accept global capitalism is here to stay. On the other hand, we are obsessed with cosmic catastrophes: the whole life on earth disintegrating, because of some… Continue reading Understanding ISIL’s Appeal
If Underpants Gnomes Took Over the Pentagon, Very Little Would Change
In the Comedy Central television series South Park, the boys discover a cartel of gnomes who steal people’s underwear. Over the course of the episode it’s revealed that these seizures are part of their business plan which goes: Step 1: Collect Underpants → Step 2: ? → Step 3: Profit The punchline, of… Continue reading If Underpants Gnomes Took Over the Pentagon, Very Little Would Change
The Islamic State’s Supposed Theology is a Dangerous Distraction
It is problematic to assert that the Islamic State (ISIS or IS) is not “Islamic” in large part because the assertion presupposes there is a “true” and a “false” Islam—one by which Barack Obama or liberal Muslim intellectuals can judge whether others are “authentic” believers or not. This is the same takfir (excommunication) doctrine that… Continue reading The Islamic State’s Supposed Theology is a Dangerous Distraction
On the Strategic Logic of ISIL’s Atrocities
Following ISIL’s immolation Moaz al-Kasasbeh, many attributed the viciousness of his execution to the fact that he was a Jordanian pilot. The narrative is that the coalition airstrikes have been devastating for ISIL, and this extreme act was a desperate bid to dissuade allied forces from further strikes. By this logic, their tactic backfired: not… Continue reading On the Strategic Logic of ISIL’s Atrocities
Al-Badghadi: Jihadist Provocateur
ISIS distinguishes itself from other jihadist organizations, particularly its progenitor al-Qaeda, by positioning itself as the group that will do what other groups are unwilling or unable to do. There is a clear dialectic wherein other terror organizations will commit an a heinous act that receives widespread media coverage; ISIS will then try to divert… Continue reading Al-Badghadi: Jihadist Provocateur
Rethinking ISIL’s Immolation of Moaz al-Kasasbeh
One of the most popular narratives about ISIL’s recent immolation of Jordanian Moaz al-Kasasbeh is that the group resorted to such brutal measures against the pilot because they are desperate—pushed to the brink by coalition airstrikes. However, there are four major problems with this interpretation:
Gen. Petraeus Must Face Justice
The U.S. Justice Department and Federal Bureau of Investigation have recommended felony charges against David Petraeus for giving classified information to his biographer and mistress, Paula Broadwell. While not a crime in itself (because Petraeus was retired from the military at the time the scandal broke), the affair put Petraeus, then director of the Central Intelligence… Continue reading Gen. Petraeus Must Face Justice
Deconstructing the “Islamic State”
Sarah Olsson interviews Musa al-Gharbi about ISIS, Islam, and the media Why has ISIL become so famous? Basically, there are a few reasons ISIL generates so much interest. One reason is because they are successful. While they have importantly different methods and goals than the group they spun from (al-Qaeda), and the areas they’ve seized have been largely… Continue reading Deconstructing the “Islamic State”
Yes, ISIS is “Islamic” (But with regards to policy, it really, really doesn’t matter)
It is perhaps disingenuous to claim that ISIS is not “Islamic,” as many Muslim apologists have attempted. This is in part because there is no “true” and “false” Islam objectively accessible to human beings. And it’s in part because ISIS, it’s leaders and its supporters all explicitly tie themselves to Islam. Would-be Caliph Abu Bakr… Continue reading Yes, ISIS is “Islamic” (But with regards to policy, it really, really doesn’t matter)
Mexico’s Cartels Are More Depraved, Dangerous than ISIL
The horrific rampage of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) has captured the world’s attention. Many Western commentators have insisted that ISIL’s crimes are unique, no longer practiced anywhere else in the civilized world. Worse still, they argue that the group’s barbaric practices are intrinsically Islamic, a product of the aggressive and… Continue reading Mexico’s Cartels Are More Depraved, Dangerous than ISIL
Reclaiming Jihad
In the wake of the excesses by ISIS, and the public outcry against them which often takes on an Islamophobic hue, many Muslims have tried to defend their religion by minimizing jihad (struggle) as something peripheral to the faith, or else as antiquated: necessary in the time of Mohammed, but rarely of relevance in contemporary… Continue reading Reclaiming Jihad
Forget the Islamic State, Focus on the United States
America’s War on Sexual Violence, Mass Atrocities & Religious Persecution Should Begin at Home Without question, the so-called “Islamic State” is an abomination that should be wiped from the face of the earth. However, it is unclear whether America is the right agent to see this through. Part of the trouble relates to the Obama Administration’s strategy, which… Continue reading Forget the Islamic State, Focus on the United States
Comparing the Scale of Mexican Drug Cartels to ISIL
While ISIL is trying to achieve a state, the cartels already have one. They have infiltrated every level of the Mexican government: from law enforcement and the military, to the judiciary, political parties, and even private-sector enterprises such as the banks and media organizations. They act with virtual impunity, checked only by competition from other… Continue reading Comparing the Scale of Mexican Drug Cartels to ISIL
Obama is Falling into Al-Baghdadi’s Trap
Just prior to the U.S.-led anti-Daish (ISIS) campaign into Syria, the group released a highly-polished 55-minute documentary, “Flames of War,” in which they challenged the United States to heavily mobilize in Iraq and Syria. They have made similar taunts when they executed Western hostages, seized American weapons, or co-opted the rebels trained to fight against… Continue reading Obama is Falling into Al-Baghdadi’s Trap
Critical Context on the U.S. Airstrikes in Syria
The Obama Administration has just announced that they and their coalition allies have begun a fierce campaign of airstrikes in Syria, bombing primarily “hard-targets” in the IS stronghold of Raqqa (about 20 of them). Here’s what is known—and perhaps more importantly—what is not known so far: “Sunni Arab” Partners The U.S. was the only non-Arab actor to participate in the… Continue reading Critical Context on the U.S. Airstrikes in Syria
On the Philosophical Underpinnings of Al-Qaeda & the Islamic State
The public discourse about transnational jihadist organizations indiscriminately lumps together al-Qaeda, its forerunners (such as the Taliban), affiliates (such as Jahbat al-Nusra), its derivatives (such as Ansar al-Sharia or the Islamic State), and even groups which have no strong connection to al-Qaeda or such as Hamas, Hezbollah, or local tribal militants. It is not just… Continue reading On the Philosophical Underpinnings of Al-Qaeda & the Islamic State
Understanding Sectarianism in Iraq and Beyond
On Aug. 14, embattled Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki stepped down and accepted the candidacy of his successor, Haider al-Abadi, who was nominated last week by the Iraqi president in an effort to end months of political stalemate in Baghdad. Maliki’s ouster has been a key demand of the Sunni opposition and United States. His… Continue reading Understanding Sectarianism in Iraq and Beyond
Arming the Syrian Rebels is Counterproductive: Here’s Why…
A critique circulating by many foreign policy hawks is that the Obama Administration was far too concerned about delineating the “moderates” from the “extremists” of Syria’s rebellion, and only providing support to the former. They speculate that if the United States had provided more aid early on, extremists like the Islamic State would have never… Continue reading Arming the Syrian Rebels is Counterproductive: Here’s Why…
Al-Malaki Has Been Deposed, To What Avail?
Contrary to the popular narrative, Iraqi PM Nouri al-Malaki was not a sectarian leader. His fault was that he was an overly-ambitious autocrat who had the further misfortune of presiding over a fundamentally sectarian political system–and during the particularly polarized period in the Mideast which followed the Arab Uprisings. And while deposing al-Malaki had been a key demand of the Sunni opposition… Continue reading Al-Malaki Has Been Deposed, To What Avail?