ISIS: Is the Terror Organization Really Defeated

When the U.S. President Donald Trump declared ISIS was defeated in the countries of Iraq and Syria, the world cheered. Upon hearing this news, I was happy for the people of that region. The nightmare, which has long plagued the globe, was no more. People who lived in fear and terror no longer had to be.

However, a newly emerged video shows the leader of ISIS – Al-Baghdadi – calling for the war to continue on the world. He did admit defeat on the ground but announced he would be using the guerrilla system.

So, the question now stands, even after all that cheering about the U.S.-led coalition and Trump’s announcement on the terrorist organization being defeated, is there a reason to feel fear, anxiety and sadness again?

It was heartbreaking to hear about the 300+ innocent lives lost in Sri Lanka at churches on Easter Day. ISIS has adopted this mentality for that type of destruction, and it’s a sign that the organization is truly not dead. While it may be defeated on the battlefield, it’s not existence is not entirely gone. Extremists who share similar radical ideals continue to expand the organization, and it’s those ideals that ensure the organization survives, thrives and grows throughout the world.

How ISIS Was Organized

It’s important to look at how the extremist organization rose to power, which means going back to 2011 and 2012. When the Syrian revolution broke out, the Syrian regime and President Bashar Al-Assad had accused the Syrian people of being terrorists because they rebelled against injustice and oppression. They wanted freedom from the regime.
Due to the numerous changes in Iraq and widespread protests in Mosul and the eastern parts of the country, various armed groups began to form including the Islamic State of Iraq and Levan. According to an array of media reports, ISIS has killed over 3,000 people around the world since this time.
ISIS emerged to seize control over a cache of weapons in Syria and Iraq, controlling the Syrian-Iraqi border in cooperation with the Syrian government and under accusations from former Iraqi prime minister Nuri al-Maliki to provide them with facilities.

ISIS announced it was separating from its parent terrorist organization Al-Qaida, which was long-established in Iraq. The new organization announced its establishment of the state along the Syria and Iraq border, taking land and villages over. In areas it controlled, recruitment began. They called for a global polarization of extremists from around the world to take part in the organization.

It was these declarations by and moves within the organization that led to the most extreme forms that continue to grow with no thanks to sympathetic extremists in the Middle East, Europe, Africa, Eastern Asian countries and the U.S! In 2014, the world joined the U.S.-led coalition (73 member states) to fight the organization, defeat it and take back the territory it has control over.

What Does A Defeated ISIS Mean?

Of course, the question remains: what does it mean to defeat on the ground, but radical ideas still exist? Is there a solution? I think the solution is the result of several things:

· Allow countries in the Middle East – Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Iraq and others – to use their technical and military forces to confront these extremists and their followers living in the region.

· Global openness and awareness of all religions to end extremism and Islamophobia, and the violence that tends to accompany them.

· Punish countries that support terrorist groups both morally and financially (Iran, Turkey, Qatar and Syria, for example) by imposing stricter laws and regulations on them.

· Come up with educational programs that confront extremism in all religions.

The current level of extremism and violence is the result of failed policies from yesterday and today. Violence will lead to more violence, with war creating bloodbaths and tears. None of these are in the world’s best interest; nor is it useful. In fact, most people would rather live a world filled with peace and harmony – a world without war, destruction or death.

ISIS is a primary example that we must unite together against a common enemy to defeat it. If not, then dozens of terrorist organizations could form around the world, killing thousands of innocent people.