ISIS on the Ropes
So, ISIS is claiming responsibility for a number of atrocities carried out in various places in the world, most notably the Bangladesh restaurant takeover a couple of days ago, but also other acts of violence in Africa, Asia and Europe.
These attacks have been presented almost universally in the American press as a new stage in ISIS' plan to take over the world, but I suspect that this is clearly wrong. Until a couple of years ago, ISIS was engaged in a spectacularly successful effort to expand the territory it controlled, building an army, running oil refineries, and otherwise consolidating its power. That all came to an end with what really turned out to be a rather weak worldwide effort to displace them; they have now lost their former capitol and a significant part of their territory, and seem headed for eventual oblivion as a state. So they have resorted to petty shootings and bombings, mainly carried out in places where they could not be expected to show up- i.e. the softest of targets.
This is clearly not an expansion of their power, it is a virtually open admission that the jig is up for them back home, and the only thing they can do about it is throw a few violent temper tantrums before they are put down. Not fun for their victims, needless to say, but a far cry from the Worldwide Caliphate On The March.
Oh, and by the way, however abominable their behavior, they are turning out to be the JV team.
These attacks have been presented almost universally in the American press as a new stage in ISIS' plan to take over the world, but I suspect that this is clearly wrong. Until a couple of years ago, ISIS was engaged in a spectacularly successful effort to expand the territory it controlled, building an army, running oil refineries, and otherwise consolidating its power. That all came to an end with what really turned out to be a rather weak worldwide effort to displace them; they have now lost their former capitol and a significant part of their territory, and seem headed for eventual oblivion as a state. So they have resorted to petty shootings and bombings, mainly carried out in places where they could not be expected to show up- i.e. the softest of targets.
This is clearly not an expansion of their power, it is a virtually open admission that the jig is up for them back home, and the only thing they can do about it is throw a few violent temper tantrums before they are put down. Not fun for their victims, needless to say, but a far cry from the Worldwide Caliphate On The March.
Oh, and by the way, however abominable their behavior, they are turning out to be the JV team.
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