Yet another crisis in the Middle East

            Even if you are not a follower of international news, it’s hard to not have heard of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (commonly referred to as ISIS or ISIL, for the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant) and the problems it is causing.  Starting several months ago, these violent militants began to sweep through parts of Iraq and Syria and as of now, hold large amounts of territory in these two countries.  The methods and policies of these terrorists have resulted in the deaths of thousands of people, and with beliefs so radical that even Al Qaeda, the most prominent terrorist organization over the last decade and a half, has denounced them.  It’s a scary thought when the terrorist organization responsible for the September 11^th, 2001 attacks condemns another for being too radical. 

         If that wasn’t bad enough, then comes the fact between 2,620 and 2,870 western citizens have abandoned their lives and gone to Syria to join ISIS, per a new article published by CNN.  It remains a mystery why this is happening, but it is nonetheless in startling numbers and on a global scale.  People have uprooted their lives and gone to the Middle East from the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Belgium, Australia, the Netherlands, Canada and the United States among others.

         One of the goals of ISIS is to establish a far-reaching Islamic state in the Middle East governed by very strict Islamic law.  So far, the consequences of its rule in certain areas have resulted in brutal violence.  Three foreign workers kidnapped by ISIS have been beheaded, two of which were Americans, and one of which was British.  Clearly, ISIS means harm to western countries and the way of life associated with western society.  This is why Obama currently gave a speech to the nation vowing to stop ISIS, along with help from several other allied nations.  People have accused Obama of being soft for not going after this violent group of militants sooner, and it has caused an image problem.  Clearly, ISIS is not afraid of western powers, and as a result, many have claimed that it is indeed a threat to western countries, including the United States, unless the problem is dealt with immediately.  Regrettably, it seems as if this problem is not close to any sort of resolution, and a long and drawn out conflict may be in the near future.   

An article published by CNN, which can be found here, supports certain facts of this story: 

http://www.cnn.com/2014/09/14/opinion/bergen-british-connection-isis-beheadings/index.html?hpt=hp_t1