ISIS isn't

By Syed Doha
Also featured in SyedDoha.org

While the U.S. fails to garner the necessary support to recognize Taiwan as a country or state by the standards set forth by the United Nations, it has no problem dignifying a ragtag, motley crew in an unfortunate neighborhood in Syria with the title of “State”.

Islamic State, aka ISIS, is NOT a state nor will it ever be a state or a country. I do not need corroborating data to support this statement – my statement’s underpinning is logical fact.

The Syrian militant group’s main target is Syrian ruler Bashad and with all the support from the West – yes, support from the West – it can’t scratch the surface of Bashar’s safe haven, let alone have any real chance of causing major damages beyond the small ones they’ve managed to pull off thus far.

Despite the media’s portrayal, the U.S. is winning against ISIS every single day.

Many Americans would be hard pressed to answer the question as to which continent Syria belongs.

Most of you know that Syria and Egypt are not in the same continent.

Do you know that Arabic is the 5th most widely spoken language in the world, following Mandarin, Spanish, English, and Hindi?

Do the people in Saudi Arabia and Iran – two of the most widely known Islamic countries to Americans –speak Arabic? No, they don’t.

Are you ready for this? Do you know Bangla is the 7th most widely spoken language in the world (which is my mother tongue)? A vast majority of Bangla (or Bengali) speaking people is Muslim.

The largest Islamic country by population is Afghanistan and Pashto is its language.

Here is one more seemingly trivial question. Who do you think owns one of the most expensive modern work ever sold by the painter Rothko?

The answer: the ruling family of Qatar - an Islamic country. They also own Cézanne’s “Card Players.”

Coincidentally, the capital of Qatar is my last name – Doha.

Do you know that the first Central Command for the second Iraq War was in Doha, Qatar? That was where a failed attack to take out Saddam Hussain was launched just prior to the U.S. Army going into Baghdad.

Doha’s Central Command was secured by a contingent sent from Bangladesh – my birth country and a predominantly Muslim country. My own brother-in-law and my course mate in Bangladesh Military Academy, then Lt. Colonel Abdur Rouf (now a Brigadier General), served in the contingent of the Bangladesh Army which operated in Qatar.

Lacing together all of this anecdotal information, any intelligent person will come to one conclusion: with 1.6 billion people all over the planet who identify as Muslim, there is no monolithic Muslim world and there will NEVER be a borderless Islamic State. The Islamic world is diverse in language, culture, and skin color; even in the practice and nature of the religion itself. It is laughable to think ISIS has any shot at becoming a legitimized state.

I was born a Bangladeshi Muslim. I didn’t start this blog because a man of my proper name’s sake picked up a gun in San Bernardino, CA, and in cold blood killed 14 innocent civilians.

My blog, syeddoha.com, was discontinued at the advice of stake holders in our business – deemed a clear and present danger. Due to the potential threat from radicals, the decision was made to take down the blog in 2011.

However, I decided silence is no longer an option. Moderate Muslims need to do a far better job in the community.

I, Syed Doha have lived through my share of violence in the name of God.

My father, also Syed Doha, was ushered out from our dining table in Chittagong, Bangladesh on March 29, 1971 by a Major from the invading Pakistan Army. My father was a professor of law at City College of Chittagong & Commerce College of Chittagong, but his day job was being the Senior Legal Officer of the then East Pakistan Railways – the largest employer in the country. He was also working very hard as a founder of Nizampur College, traveling on his motorcycle everyday some 40 miles by dirt road near Sitakund.

Ignoring my mother’s advice he parted with the Major. Unbeknownst to the rest of the family, five-year old I sneaked out and followed them past our gate - we had a long driveway. Their stroll seemed very congenial, but that all changed at the end of the driveway. There came another soldier who immediately pointed a gun at my father – in horror I closed my eyes. When I opened my eyes they were gone with my father – though not shot, he had been taken.

What we would find out nine months later is this: MY FATHER WAS BEATEN TO DEATH BY THE PAKISTAN ARMY with a “field hockey stick.” His crime – he wanted more people to have a college education. So, my fellow Americans, I know the pain.

My father’s name is forever prefixed with “Shaheed Buddheejibee” (Intellectual Myrter). But he was simply one of the 2.9 million people killed in one of the biggest, yet unknown genocides in the world.

This leads me to put forth another argument: ISIS is not organized; my bet is they are less funded than Al Qaeda. But, I do think there are many therein who are intelligent.

The naming of the organization is brilliant. The naming makes the organization appear much bigger than it is and will ever be. Western media did its part in taking the bait and continues emphasizing the word “state” which only helps that very inchoate organization.

Part of the fuel that keeps ISIS going comes from U.S. and allied forces’ reticence to take down ISIS in full measure; because remember, they are fighting Asad.

My guess is this: Bashar’s days are numbered, leading to ISIS becoming fair game; resultantly, the U.S. will have clear objective in eliminating ISIS.

And I boldly proclaim that “ISIS isn’t and will never be.”