The life and Death of ISIS

• Where did they begin?

ISIS, also known as Islamic state in Iraq and the Levant and Islamic State (IS), was a splinter group derivative from Al Qaeda. The groups goal was to establish a religious Caliphate under Sharia Law in place of secular governance across Iraq, Syria and further afield. The Group promoted and branded a very specific form of 8th century Islam attempting to recreate what they considered Islam in its purest earlier form. ISIS utilised several war strategy's of that time including public and imaginatively gruesome executions, Crucifixions, dismemberment and dis-figuration.

• How were they funded?

Qatar and Saudi Arabia it was discovered remained large benefactors of ISIS and various other extremist Sunni Muslim groups. Both states supplied financial, logistical and analytical support to the terror group. Both Qatar and Saudi Arabia are Allied to the US. Its important to consider that without these state sponsors, ISIS would never have been anything more that a rabble of disruptions hiding in the mountains.

ISIS seized many wealth creating assets to further support their movement including but not limited to the following: Several seized oil refineries netting the group between ￡1,000,000 and ￡2,000,000 per day, In excess of ￡100,000,000 over the span of 6 years through ransoms and kidnappings. Estimated millions through the theft and sale of Syrian artefacts, Extortion in the form of Tax on citizens of ISIS illegally occupied areas. Several banks were stormed by the terror group and over ￡500,000,000 was stolen. A less verified but worrying organ harvesting trade may have been in effect, numbers of bodies were found with organs removed. ISIS also seized the cotton and wheat crop to such an extent that it spurred the US to target ISIS held grain silo on bombing runs. Before the Islamic state began to lose its grip there were plans for ISIS to mine and produce its own currency separate from and superior to other economies.

• Where and how were they armed?

The sad fact is it was the west that armed these militants. Through a tirade of irresponsible trade deals involving the UK, USA, France, Germany, China and Russia. It has long been known that the Iraqi stockpiles were poorly maintained, poorly guarded and rife with corruption. Militarised weapons of war have flowed freely from the west into Iraq and from the Iraqi government into the hands of whomever bids highest. The west, blinded by dollar signs traded regardless. While some blame lies with the countries i mentioned its important to consider at least 31 other countries supplied Iraq with weapons, knowing of the pandemic levels of corruption.

• Recruitment and strategy of attack.

ISIS through excessive use of social media, playing on reactionary politics and religious fundamentalism, managed to in total to recruit in excess of 70,000 fighters. In 2014 and down to 35,000, ISIS occupied just over 17,000 square miles. Just under 8 million people lived briefly under ISIS rule most of whom are now liberated. A Coalition of opposing nations including the US, UK and Russia through a medley of airstrikes and tactical assaults reduced these numbers to around 3,000 extremists occupying less than 2,000 square miles before dwindling their ranks to an estimated 300 - 1000 virtually leaderless men in militias spanning Africa, Yemen, Philippines and several other states.

Through the use of for mentioned social media ISIS effectively recruited extremists both to support the occupation of Syria and to carry out lone gorilla attacks on enemy state soil. Isis instigated over 90 attacks spanning 21 countries resulting in the deaths of over 1400 people. The UN noted the count of up to 3500 "slaves" under Islamic persecution, mostly Yazidi women and children.

ISIS operated in, and in many cases orchestrated heavily populated civilian areas from which to launch and coordinate attacks. This made it very costly for the US lead coalition to effectively airstrike and also resulted in the deaths of countless civilians. Its tough to put a number on it but the count of civilian deaths when taking Mosul alone numbered around 11,000.

• Publications and governance.

The Dabiq was an online magazine-esk publication comprised of ISIS internal developments, Religious doctrine, IS achievements, victories, plans and recruitment material. Originally published on the deep web the publication found its way into the mainstream through various sources. The word Dabiq, derived from a town in Syria where a prophesied and final battle will take place between believers and un-believers, loosely translating to Armageddon. The magazine offered religious justification for slavery, murder and even rape.

With regards to day to day governance ISIS contrary to popular predictions performed rather well considering they were a terrorist organisation over night assuming the role of a government. Early orders when securing a town or city was to round up city officials under threats of violence and command them to continue their jobs. It did not take long for ISIS to resume various payrolls, continue with rubbish collections and street works, maintain water and power. They effectively enforced dress codes, mandatory prayer processes. They oversaw land transfers between neighbours, Sales of crops and other goods, run medical practices and marriage centres. This terrorist group even issued birth certificates and drivers licences. By many measures ISIS did indeed have its time as a religious caliphate run state.

• Where did ISIS go wrong?

Strategically, they did not falter much bar some over arching and mobility issues. They performed as a state and operated with strong leadership and clear objectives in mind. They were lead by pragmatic tacticians with advanced connections regarding trade coupled with a shrewd overview of geo-economics. ISIS, however prolific of strategists stumbled before they started. Infused with the sincere belief that an almighty creator was firmly on side they stabbed and hissed at the world. Antagonising what they would dispute is the largest, strongest and most technically capable group of nations on our planet. Although newly shrouded in western politeness and humanitarianism the West has played the roles of brain and bicep for centuries and have become profoundly good at it. It would seem that ISIS forgot the true power of the West and its recurring tendency to turn opposition to ash. Constant fear of drone and airborne attacks made both recruitment and mobility a nightmare for the terror group. That and threats of death and violence tend to send people in the opposite direction as opposed to rushing to the feet of any threat maker. They in essence strangled their ideology using their ideology.

ISIS also alienated many "would be" fighters through the desecration of monuments and heritage sites with deeply held meaning. They ordered the destruction of artefacts and burial places than many believed sacred or at very least an inconceivably important part of both Syrian and human history. 8th century Islam would have performed wonderfully, in the 8th century. Today we have a global lens, we know what human rights are, we know whats available in other countries and as such ISIS merely caused a damaging surge of emigration, the surest way to destroy a state.

• Casualties on both sides

A report from the head of US Special Operations Command, estimates that the US lead coalition against ISIS has resulted in the death of between 60,000 and 70,000 extremist fighters. That "accomplishment" is marred by parallel NYT reports estimating civilian collateral kills are up to 31 times higher than the pentagon is reporting. Now over Syria and parts of Iraq lay in ruin, normality is a distant hope and any sense of routine has shattered. ISIS will be back, under a new name and "charismatic" leader and the real question is how to kill state funding to this groups. For its the Funding that changes something deplorable into something truly diabolical.