ISIS causes chaos and delusional fears
The Islamic State group also known as ISIS has become part of the 2016 presidential election campaign of fear in the United States.
While U.S.-backed forces are fighting ISIS thousands of miles away, Americans recently have been more likely to discuss a delusional fear of ISIS on our soil instead of more crucial issues.
That especially includes responsible gun control after the attack that left 49 dead in Orlando, Fla.
Was that massacre about ISIS? The gunman, an American born in New York City, had pledged allegiance to the terrorist group. However, two weeks later, that appalling event still does not appear to have been any kind of operation directed by ISIS.
Not everyone understands the group’s background or what it’s doing in the Middle East.
ISIS is not a terrorist organization founded by a group of refugees. It exists because of the lack of stable governments in the Middle East and because the West (led by the United States) has tried to impose its will by waging wars in some of the countries there.
ISIS, which mixes extremism and microfascism, is one of the worst consequences of the Iraq War that began in 2003. It was born and raised in the gap years between the war and the Arab Spring, which began in 2011.
The group’s fighters took control in 2014 of cities in Syria and Iraq, such as Raqqa, Fallujah and Mosul. The terrorists turned those places into a so-called Sharia regime.
ISIS terrorists mostly have killed Muslims in the region in the name of God. But they are also targeting civilians in European countries, such as the bombing of a Brussels airport in March.
Today coalition forces are struggling against ISIS to retake control in Fallujah, Mosul and Raqqa.
U.S.-backed Kurdish-Arab-Turkmen forces are fighting in the battle zones, while Germany, France, Turkey and Russia also provide support.
But there are conflicts within this coalition. Russia backs the Bashar Assad government in Syria while Turkey and U.S. want to replace the regime there. European countries are vague about it.
France and Germany have two short-term expectations: Stop the refugee influx that ISIS triggered and prevent possible terrorist attacks in Europe.
In recent days, anti-ISIS forces have had some successes as they try to free Fallujah and attack the ISIS capital of Raqqa. Meanwhile, ISIS has withdrawn from a few Iraqi cities.
It seems for the first time in recent years that ISIS is losing its position in the Middle East.
ISIS and its “volunteers” want to destroy as much of the modern world as possible.
Because of that, Americans and Westerners will continue to have a hard time dealing with the demands and expectations of ISIS.
This story was originally published June 26, 2016 at 12:11 PM with the headline "ISIS causes chaos and delusional fears."