Foreign Fighters : The Islamic State Of Iraq

We are all individuals. As individuals, we do not all live the same lives and share the same interests. It is greatly because of this, there are many psychological and behavioral factors that can impact the radicalization of an individual. Not everyone is going to be as receptive to certain things as other people may be. We must understand what the factors are that can increase the likelihood of someone turning to a life of terror in order to have a more significant chance at countering them. It is important to know why someone joins an organization such as al Qaeda or a white supremacist group in order to know which

Islamic States of Iraq and Sham ISIS, Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, al Qaeda in Iraq, Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), Islamic State, Da’ish is an active group formed c. 2014. ISIS is a terrorist group that sole purpose is pushing their beliefs on others and if their religion isn’t accepted in the appropriate way (how they expected) they then result to violence. Da’ish is the official name of the terrorist group known as ISIS, dramatically arrived and shocked many people in the West. The horrifying and violent events that have occurred since the appearance if ISIS struck fear into the hearts of people all across the world. Even though fear is an extreme emotion, the hatred that came with it is even stronger and is more Ernest.

I will argue that there is a statistically significant difference between those who chose to be a foreign fighter and those who chose to commit extremist acts within the United States on behalf of ISIS. This is due to the difference in the cost-benefit analysis of the two phenomenon that are weighed by a radicalized individual. I believe that more individuals that are radicalized will become foreign fighters because the benefit of physical inclusion and proximity to ISIS territory outweighs the cost of joining and being a part of a designated terrorist organization. While on the other hand, although a more feasible option, the benefit of commit a terrorist act on behalf of ISIS is not outweigh the cost of being labeled a terrorist within the United States. As my data set I will solely be focusing on those that have been convicted of charges related to ISIS controlling for age, gender, and time sentenced. Since there is no data on potential recruits I will attempt to explain my findings through different social movement theories to explain both the differences in the two phenomenon and the causes. I will measure my theories based on the plea of those charged with crimes related to ISIS since that is the best way to measure the cost benefit analysis conducted by the individuals. For reasons explained

On April 15, 2013, two pressure cookers exploded near the finish line of the Boston Marathon. The fatalities were low but the symbolism was high: more than a decade after 9/11, the United States is still not safe from militant jihadist terrorist attacks. The bombers, Tamerlan and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev had planned on killing and dying in the name of global “jihad”. The two brothers were self-radicalized homegrown terrorists. Existing evidence points to the fact that, while inspired by militant jihadism and in loose contact with terrorists in Dagestan, they operated alone. This is a case study of the radicalization process that led Tamerlan Tsarnaev to adopt violent “jihad”, kill three people and injure 250 others.

Over the past year or two, newspapers, radio stations, and news broadcasts have been covering the rapid ascent of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, also known as ISIS. But they have spread far beyond those material boundaries, reaching into the minds and homes of young people across the globe. These young people are led to believe that ISIS is saving the world, not harming it and that they must partake in the fight for religious dictatorship. They are instructed over the internet to perform acts of terrorism in their own country, known as domestic terrorism. Due to the dramatic increase in terrorist activity

Ever since post 9/11 conflicts began and the United States became involved in the Syrian conflict, several homegrown radicalized terrorist have come extremely close to succeeding in highly destructive attacks. Currently, there are gaps in understanding the radicalization of homegrown Muslims in the United States. Therefore, it is imperative to understand paths towards radicalization through crime prevention strategies (Kamien, 2012). The sources listed below will aid in the psychological background of radicalization, and how radicalization happens to homegrown Muslim converts and non-converts (Schumacher, 2011).

This paper will seek to understand what really motivates terrorists to commit the acts that make them so infamous. We are assuming that the chief motivating factor behind the decisions of terrorist organizations is the political outcome of their acts balanced against the risk and collateral damage inflicted to achieve this end. We will also weigh in the appeal of terrorism on potential recruits in weak states and determine how the motivations of the group become the motivation of the individual and how this benefits the decentralized organization of terrorist organizations like al Qaeda.

According to American intelligence officials, 20,000 foreigners and at least 3,400 Westerners have joined the Islamic State’s cause and are now fighting on the frontline in Iraq and Syria. Unlike the British in WW1, ISIS doesn’t use propaganda posters to recruit new fighters, they use social medias like Twitter, Facebook, and Whatsapp to reach their target audience in a language it understands. According to U.S. States Department spokeswoman,

From the time when the United States invaded Iraq eleven years ago, a noxious insurgence aeriated at numerous customs of conflict which has attested irrepressible, malleable, and tenacious strive to convey on hostility. A nation of Saddam and al-Zarqawi, Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) reins a third of conjointly Syria and Iraq in its charisma avowed bravura of war. Around the beginning of 2010, U.S. and Iraqi forces destroyed two topmost al-Qaeda and Iraq frontrunners; which then sanctioned Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi to become the spearhead of an assemblage destabilized by a strenuous operation directed at culminating a Sunni uprising in the country (CNN, 2015). By virtually all provision, Iraq is entangled in civil war. In addition, ISIS has engrossed nearly twelve thousand supporters from overseas already and at least three thousand devotees are from the West (Feroli & Dulin, 2013).

The Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, popularly known as ISIS and Daesh, is the 21st centuries rising global threat to humanity. The world has united to reduce and ultimately prevent genocide. In the paper ISIS will be referenced as Daesh. The initial part of the essay will cover Daesh origins, ideology, goals, and objectives. It is essential to know the similarities of the present Daesh brutalities and historic barbarisms of Wahhabism. The rest of the essay will focus on leadership, funding, and capabilities, such as physical bases support locations. The conclusion will attempt to raise concern of the internal threat within the United States. This essay will be limited to sources not having access to restricted or classified information. The closing goal of this essay is to embolden the serious threat to the United States and other countries seeking pursuit of life, liberty and happiness.

Nearly all of the extremists have relied on an “intermediary”- like an extremist cleric or a terrorist recruiter- to facilitate and catalyze their radicalization. For instance, Al-awlaki mentored Hasan (Nov 5, 2009); Al-shabaab (Nov 23, 2009) agents appear to have recruited Minnesota Somalis; and one of the five northern Virginia men (Dec 9, 2009) exchanged emails with an alleged Taliban recruiter.

Over the last 13 years, since the attacks against the Pentagon and the World Trade Center on September 11th, 2001 the world has been exposed to the global threat of extremist ideologies. Service men and women have had a firsthand view of the breeding grounds and environments such ideologies are harbored and developed. With the drawdown of the war in Afghanistan, the global war on terrorism will not end. Instead the focus will shift to other dangerous parts of the world where extremists have already become established; places like Somalia in the Horn of Africa. The weak government in Somalia has fostered an environment conducive to the development of extremist ideologies. This is evident

During the last decade, the Middle East has attracted the attention of the world’s eye for many reasons. Particularly, for the socials, political, and economic changes that have happened in these countries through the years. Consequently, the Middle East has lived a massive wave of military interventions, civil wars, violence, and death. Specifically, in the region of Iraq and Syria, where the people suffer the consequences of all the conflicts and affect the social development of this community. Under these circumstances, many military and terrorist affiliate groups have emerged, such as Al Qaeda, Hamas, Islamic Jihad, and the most notorious and bloody one ISIS. Particularly, these groups have some religion's background, and their values are

That call to action can come in many forms of media and to a global audience. “Terrorist recruitment videos, often released online, have been tailored to appeal to various audiences. A propaganda video, which can still be watched on YouTube of captured U.S. soldier, Bowe R. Bergdahl, compares what seems to be his good treatment under al-Qaeda, to those of U.S.-run prisoner of war camps” (Philipp).

Ever since September 11, 2001 Americans along with the majority of the world’s population have been skeptical of Muslims. It’s a sad reality but it’s hard for people to think of a Muslim without linking them directly to terrorism. But these assumptions aren’t totally out of the blue—the Muslim’s religion, Islam, teaches a low tolerance for other religions and the Islamic government has no separation of church and state, so it’s only normal to assume that their government shall have a low tolerance as well—some however, immediately translate this into terrorism. Through the Islamic government and religion, relations with foreign countries, and separation amongst themselves it can be concluded that Islamic Fundamentalism is clearly a threat