Outlandish as that question seems, I discuss some potential scenarios over at FrontPage Magazine:
The following is an envisioning of what might eventually unfold if the Islamic State is left to flourish. Although it is only one of several possible scenarios, due to its ostensibly implausible nature, it requires some delineation.
The Islamic State (IS) continues expanding its territory and influence through jihad. Religious minorities that fall under its sway—at least the fortunate ones—continue to flee in droves, helping make the Islamic State what it strives to be: purely Islamic.
Left unfettered, with only cosmetic airstrikes by an indecisive Obama administration to deal with, IS continues growing in strength and confidence, as Western powers again stand idly by.
More and more Muslims around the world, impressed and inspired by what they see, become convinced that the Islamic State is in fact the new caliphate deserving of their allegiance. Such Muslims—the most “radical” kind, who delight in the slaughter and subjugation of “infidels”—continue leaving Western nations and migrating to the Islamic State to wage jihad and live under Sharia.
In other words, a sizable chunk of the world’s most radicalized/pious Muslims all become localized in one region. There they openly and proudly display their anti-infidel supremacism.
Throughout, Western media have no choice but to report objectively—so thoroughly exposed for its barbarity has IS become that it is an insurmountable task to whitewash its atrocities. The world has seen enough about IS to know that this is a savage, hostile, and supremacist state without excuse. Even Obama, after originally citing “grievances” as propelling the Islamic State’s successes, recently made an about face, saying “No grievance justifies these actions.”
Put differently, the “Palestinian card” will not work here. Western media, apologists, and talking heads cannot portray IS terror—including crucifying, beheading, and raping humans simply because they are “infidels”—as a product of “grievances” or “land disputes”… Keep reading
mortimer says
The tragic benefit is that the willfully blind are becoming aware that Islam is actually very intolerant and brutal. “Peaceful Islam” is merely Islam in the minority and without a weapon in its hand.
yohanan says
A sharp analysis by Raymond Ibrahim. Whether or not the Sunni Islamic State may confront the Shiite Islamic Republic of Iran before it may confront Israel, ISIS has bluntly showed the jihadi hand of Political Islam. Nothing new to this jihad except that it is on the internet.
Along the way of things getting worse before they get better, Shakespeare has Edgar observe in King Lear, Act 4, Scene 1:
>O gods! Who is’t can say ‘I am at the worst’?
I am worse than e’er I was.
And worse I may be yet: the worst is not
So long as we can say ‘This is the worst.'<
Alarmed Pig Farmer says
Obama, after originally citing “grievances” as propelling the Islamic State’s successes, recently made an about face, saying “No grievance justifies these actions.”
Put differently, the “Palestinian card” will not work here.
I too have been thinking that over the long haul the emergence of the New Caliphate by end up doing net good. Sure, they have a big territory that is cash flowing a flood, that can and will be used to stage in-place mass murder operations in America, Europe and Down Under, but its very existence might wake the Infidel masses up. And not having the reverse racist Palestinian Card to play is the key to coming out from the slumber.
The doings of the New Caliphate put Moslems into sharp relief, they’re saying look at us, this is Islam as it really is. The tiny-minority-of-extremist-highjacker line is wearing thin. This only weeks after the Western world went through self-assuring paroxysms of antisemitism, pretending to ourselves that hey it’s those Jews that are at fault. Well, it’s becoming apparent to all that it’s the Moslems’ fault. The New Caliphate is the size of Indiana now, and at the gates of Baghdad. Its got three big avenues of potential expansion, Kurdistan across the Iraq-Turkey-Iran zone, the remainder of Syria, and Jordan. That’s getting pretty big, and covers a lot of oil wells. If they gain control of coastal Syria, the Caliphs will have the ports they need to shoot their cash flow through the roof. It would then be necessary for the Infidels to embargo oil outflow there.
Waking up may be the key moment of inflection. But, me, I doubt that it will happen, the opinion programming power of the news entertainment industries in the West is formidable. The populations they “serve” will probably be lulled into accepting rapprochement with yet another openly Jihadist national power, along with Iran.
Dave J says
I think its fair to say that ISIS has opened many eyes to the true nature and goals of Islam. Many are still in denial or practicing wishful thinking but overall it is an educational experience.
What to do about it is the bigger question.
Davegreybeard says
@Dave J
“What to do about it is the bigger question.”
No, the hard part is fully understanding the enemy.
And getting that crucial knowledge through the incredibly thick skulls of our willfully ignorant PC/MC fellow Infidels.
Once Islam is understood for what it is, by a significant population of the West, the solutions will become apparent.
Jay Boo says
More ‘moderates’ are being enticed by the Islamic State vanity tease.
The wish to convince the world that their Allah is real with a caliphate killing field.
They forget that their caliphate dream is built on Muhammad’s life of shame
and that their vanity lease must soon be paid with groveling disgrace in Allah’s name.
AJ says
ISIS is a wonderful educational tool for people across the Western world to finally realise what Islam is all about, too many people are still unbelievably ignorant of it and its goals. ISIS is a great wake up call, a fantastic alarm clock, be be blunt we here reading these forums should be very grateful indeed and hope it goes on to commit ever more outrageous acts so that people across the globe will wake up to the threat it poses. We’re involved in the early stages of a war, what’s a few beheadings, there are always casualties in a war. I don’t think ISIS are clever enough to realise that when they carry out a beheading and publicise it, they are doing themselves a great disservice and falling into our hands.
Guest says
I agree. My friends who think I’ve been exaggerating all these years now see this. I have mainly leftish friends, and they are seeing that IS is fascism. But I certainly just feel sad, not smug…
Walter Sieruk says
For a person to call an Islamic State a “good thing” only fits with what the Bible would denounce as shameful and wrong. An example if this is Isaiah 5:20. Which reads “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil..” [N.I.V.]
Guest says
“Good” can have various meanings. In this context, it means ‘useful to show islam’s true face to the world’. In the way it’s relatively ‘good’ if a criminal shows his true intentions rather than deceives us. In the way it’s ‘good’ if criminals are all kept together in prison and held away from decent citizens.
Nobody can believe Ibrahim means that what IS is up to is truly good!
paddy says
It’s scarey but true…there is no objective observation of what is happening within IS territory. Reminds me of north korea
Kepha says
Who is friend?
Who is foe?
I’ve no clue,
Nor has the O.
Intelligent and insightful as he is, Raymond Ibrahim got it wrong. Never forget that the Left’s original and ultimate enemy is the Christian West that nurtured it. Ultimately, the Left will find someway to legitimate and ennoble the IS. It is, after all, a power fighting against “the fascist insect” (a term coined by people who constantly complained how their opponents “dehumanized” everyone else). When it finally gets to fight Israel, the old “Settler” vs. “Indigenous” and other “anticolonialist” memes will be trotted out. If you have a farm, bet it that such will be the case.
Further, Ibrahim neglects the important thing about why the “Palestinians” are beloved by the Left: they were clients of the former Soviet Union. Hence, as “Palestinian” leadership slips from a nationalist-socialist old guard to an Islamicist new vanguard, the position of having formerly been poster children for “peace and justice” protects the “Palestinians” from Leftist censure.