Islamic State and Philippe Couillard are they global threats

Islamic State and Philippe Couillard are they global threats?

The organization Islamic state, firmly established in Syria and Iraq, reverses the notion of terrorism understood before. Indeed, the organization changes the orientations of the jihadist struggle in materializing on a local territory under his influence.

Thus, the Islamic State differs from his older sister Al Qaeda, which instead favors a more focused global terrorism against the West. However, since the intervention of the international community in the crisis, the Islamic state has clearly threatened the West of reprisals, calling on its supporters to avenge the organization on Western soil. So what about the threat of the IU? Local, in Canada, Quebec or global?

A regional threat

The main priorities of the Islamic State are initially local. Indeed, the central objective of the Islamic State is obvious: the conquest of Baghdad, Sunni Abbasid Caliphate symbol (750-1258), the model on which to base the Islamic State. In fact, the emir Abu Bakr Al-Bagdhadi, head of the organization, proclaimed June 29, 2014 the restoration of the caliphate on the dominated territories.

The Islamic State therefore aims to become a pan-Islamic state that would unite all Sunnis under a same government, a territory in the heart of the Arab world, and he gives the financial, military and human. Today, the Islamic State can claim to perform several functions of a sovereign state, the implementation of the order on a controlled territory.

In addition, the Islamic State remains local to the extent that it confessionalism its armed struggle : the preferred targets are not necessarily Western but Shiites. These are actually for the Islamic state, the primary responsibility of Sunni humiliation of the post-Saddam Hussein era. Disenfranchised militarily crushed and marginalized by the central government Iraqi Shiite, Sunni fundamentalists are now looking for a total contrast, when their iconic cruelty outburst. Shortly after taking Mosul, Iraq's second largest city, hundreds of Shiite Iraqi soldiers were killed and their bodies dumped in mass graves.

Finally, the caliphate denies regional boundaries, accepted for nearly a century born secret agreements signed in 1916 by British diplomats Mark Sykes and Georges-Picot French. Upon proclamation of the caliphate, the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (EIIL) becomes an Islamic state (EI), thus getting rid of border constraints that no longer represent anything concrete in his eyes. Its territory, which straddles the Iraq-Syria border, is the very symbol of the eradication of local geography project. Thus, the Islamic State would project to expand in the region, reaching Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt and even Palestine.

An international threat

Despite the priority of the local situation, the Islamic State has strengths it giving an international reach.

The organization differs from other terrorist groups through its surprising ability of attraction. Indeed, the organization has developed a media strategy through the use of social networks able to attract many young people around the world, including in the West.

Thus, at the beginning of last June, more than 3,000 nationals Western had joined the Islamic State on the 12 000 foreign fighters, including over 700 French. The danger is more important for the West to the extent that its citizens are able to freely return to their original territories to commit possible terrorist acts. For Western authorities, these infiltrations are very difficult to detect, and can be devastating.

Also, since the creation of the international coalition, the Islamic State has explicitly demonstrated its commitment to the international jihad, thus approaching the terrorist tradition driven against the West. The organization has openly called on its supporters to threaten the West.

"If you can kill an American or European unbeliever [...] or an Australian or a Canadian, or [...] citizens of the countries that joined a coalition against Islamic state, then rely on Allah and kill him in any way, "launched Abu Mohammed al-Adnani, spokesman of the Islamic State, in a message broadcast in several languages. The organization claims thereby the recent attacks "lone wolves", perpetrated in Canada.

In Ottawa including the attack of 22 October performed by Michael Zehaf-Bibeau had a death, a Canadian military before the terror suspect is slaughtered within Parliament itself.

Finally, the Islamic State seems to have developed a network of alliances far beyond the boundaries of the Middle East. In fact, a multitude of terrorist groups throughout Asia and Africa have paid allegiance to him, and submitting to his authority. The presence of groups affiliated with the Islamic State turns menacing as it broadens the capacity for action of the organization beyond Iraq and Syria, or any Western nationals can be.

So, On 24 September, the jihadist group "soldiers of the Caliphate in Algeria" claimed the kidnapping and murder of French citizen Hervé Gourdel. A few months earlier, this group previously linked to al-Qaida had pledged allegiance to the Islamic State, appearing to answer the call to murder Westerners.

A local power threatens to spread

Islamic state therefore seems to be an organization with local priorities developing an international expansion potential.

In fact, the organization seems still far from its full development capabilities, which are increasing since the beginning of the conflict. Every day, he continues to learn, to expand and adapt without encountering real threats to its survival.

Indeed, the Islamic State knows that Western forces do not directly threaten Syria or the Iraqi soil - non-intervention policy of President Obama has been widely displayed. The Islamic State thrives on its expansion, is supplying weapons and personnel on the conquered territories.

The victories of the organization continue to attract a mass of foreign fighters (including North Africa, the Middle East and Europe) becoming larger. Today, the Islamic State control territory and the financial capacity unequaled in the history of terrorist organizations.

With revenues exceeding $ 2 billion in the summer of 2014, the Islamic State would have the capacity to do more 4000 "September 11". The threat exists, the question is whether the IU will retain long this form of quasi-state or if it will take a form more transnational threat as Al Qaeda remains.

With the government we have in Quebec, -what our Prime Minister we will it sell for a few dollars?

Dina Akram and Yvan Faure, international studies students at Brébeuf College

 

http://monde68.brebeuf.qc.ca/2014/12/19/letat-islamique-lexpansion-mondiale-dune-menace-locale/