Post by Anthony Coppola
Al-Qaeda pulled off the single worst terrorist attack on 9/11, killing nearly 3,000 innocent people on that fateful day. So, what does the “jv team,” as President Barack Obama once called ISIS, have on the historically nasty, merciless, notorious al-Qaeda?
For one, ISIS is a loose cannon, a disorganized “group.” At least al-Qaeda was more like a state, an organized group. Now, some may wonder how exactly ISIS’ disorganization is an advantage. Well, for one, we cannot contain them; we cannot identify them as a sole entity. This lowers our security levels substantially with the various and often “lone wolf” attacks, as opposed to one major splash such as what occurred on 9/11.
Take, as a reference, the countless number of “small” attacks within the United States and the world as a whole executed by the so-called members of ISIS. Kurth Cronin writes about this in “ISIS is more than a Terrorist Group”: “In fact, many of the so-called ISIS attacks have no direct logistical links to the group and are mainly inspired by propaganda and online sources.” So, ISIS, while the group may or may not have any direct links to these minor attacks, has an undeniable influence capable of inspiring small terror cells around the world. Cronin adds that “Al Qaeda kept tighter control of those it allowed to claim its brand.” ISIS has claimed responsibility, with pride, for the countless number of heinous acts committed by deranged individuals--and it is important to note that many of these people who commit these acts of terror often pledge allegiance to ISIS. Yet, why is it that most of these people are entirely unaffiliated with the terror group? With ISIS, we fight influence and an ideology instead of an organized group such as a 2001 al-Qaeda.
Now, if ISIS is so disorganized, and al-Qaeda of the past was organized, how can the latter not be stronger? They did kill nearly 3,000 on 9/11. It seems fair to say that al-Qaeda posed more of a threat to the United States than ISIS has. After all, al-Qaeda, in addition to 9/11, managed to bomb the WTC in 1993, and succeeded in a series of attacks around the globe where United States troops were involved and killed. ISIS has not attacked the United States yet, directly. It can be argued that they are less preoccupied with the United States and more concerned with establishing an Islamic caliphate in the Middle East.
Sure, ISIS may be “lighter” on the United States than al-Qaeda ever was--but what about global security? The United States among dozens of powerful nations have interests in the Middle East, therefore making ISIS a serious issue for not only the United States, but the whole world. It would seem that the Middle East is sort of a “catalyst” for a global war, where ISIS wants to allure superpowers into fighting them. And all it takes for that war, like with al-Qaeda, is another 9/11, and we repeat the cycle again. So, what we have here with ISIS is a terror group with influence and the capabilities of major terror attacks in addition to the small ones that take place regularly.
But, of course, it could be said that ISIS is instead organized, given that they have 30,000 fighters collectively capable of claiming territory and fighting armies. Cronin writes that al-Qaeda “never attracted 1,000 foreign fighters a month, including women and children, or forced hundreds of thousands of civilians to flee its occupied territory.”
Graeme Wood in “What ISIS Really Wants” for The Guardian even writes that ISIS “rules an area larger than the United Kingdom.”
ISIS is both organized and disorganized, a lethal combination--they have a number fit for an army in addition to an influence capable of sparking spontaneous home-grown attacks. ISIS is a threat that has yet to reach its potential if serious action is not made against the group. Because it seems, for some people, that ISIS must commit a second 9/11 in order for them to be “worse” than their “Varsity” counterpart, al-Qaeda.
I really liked your prespective on ISIS and how contrasted the group from al-Queda. Your take on ISIS shows a different standpoint on how it is viewed in the media.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your comment.
DeleteIt is important that if the media is biased about anything then it should be the common idea that ISIS is a threat we cannot ignore.
Hopefully the media will never have to cover another 9/11, instilling more fear in the minds of Americans and the world. So we need to continue stopping ISIS as we have before they get bigger.
Anthony Coppola
I like how you talked about how ISIS is both organized and disorganized. However, I think you could have mentioned the caliphate and how ISIS has to have land to govern. But I also really like how you talked about how people think ISIS has to commit a second 9/11 in order to be worse than al Qaeda.
ReplyDeleteBrianna Arnold
Thank you for your comment, Brianna.
DeleteYou make a solid point about the Caliphate. I wish I included this into my argument that ISIS is potentially greater than al-Qaeda because they have long-term dominance goals in mind.
And as for land, I wish I included a counter-argument that ISIS has lost significant frontier positions in 2014, making them weaker.
Though I argued that ISIS of the present is greater than al-Qaeda of the past, I wish this were not the case. But to prevent another 9/11 then we need to call them a serious threat in order to stop them, as opposed to calling them a serious threat after the fact.
Anthony Coppola
Hi,
DeleteI feel that you make a solid argument on why Al-Qaeda places a larger threat. But, I feel that ISIS poses a similar threat. Yes, Al Qaeda managed to bomb the WTC, but ISIS was able to bomb Paris. They were able to abduct American civilians and behead them. They may not pose a stronger or weaker threat, but they do pose a almost equal threat to not only the U.S., but also the global community as a whole.
-Dom D.
Hi,
DeleteI feel that you make a solid argument on why Al-Qaeda places a larger threat. But, I feel that ISIS poses a similar threat. Yes, Al Qaeda managed to bomb the WTC, but ISIS was able to bomb Paris. They were able to abduct American civilians and behead them. They may not pose a stronger or weaker threat, but they do pose a almost equal threat to not only the U.S., but also the global community as a whole.
-Dom D.
I like how you discussed ISIS as being organized and disorganized and that you compared it with al Qaeda. I think both these groups place a threat to the U.S. and whether one is stronger or weaker than the other I think the U.S. should still act to keep us safe. Regardless of the size of the threat I think a threat is a threat and therefore action should be taken. I like how you discussed that not all of the attacks have been affiliated with these groups, but rather that some have been inspired through propaganda and online. I think that is a key component in the spread of these terrorist groups as the cyber world is so vast and accessible by many. I'd say it is now easier than ever to have access to these extreme ideals, which makes tackling the threat that much harder.
ReplyDelete-Hedvig Blanco