FOREIGN POLICY
BY: SAVANNAH STRAUSS
ISIS: WHO ARE THEY?
The group began in 2004 as al Qaeda in Iraq, before rebranding as ISIS two years later. It was an ally of Osama bin Laden's al Qaeda: both were radical anti-Western militant groups devoted to establishing an independent Islamic state in the region. But ISIS has proven to be more brutal and more effective at controlling territory it has seized.
POWER VACUUM – WHERE?
WHAT IS A POWER VACUUM: A power vacuum is an analogy between a physical vacuum, to the political condition "when someone has lost control of something and no one has replaced them."
HOW WAS ISIS ABLE TO GROW TO THE SIZE AND SCOPE THEY ARE NOW?: As the Islamic militant group ISIS absorbs U.S. airstrikes in northern Iraq, scrutiny is increasing around the weaponry, including heavy armor, the jihadist militia has been able to amass during its 16-month offensive in Syria and Iraq.
WHAT ARE THE FACTORS THAT LEAD TO THIS FORMATION?: The group began more than two decades ago as a fervid fantasy in the mind of a Jordanian named Abu Musab al-Zarqawi. A one time street thug, he arrived in Afghanistan as a mujahideen wannabe in 1989, too late to fight the Soviet Union.
OPINIONS
MAKE SURE AND HAVE YOUR OWN OPINIONS ON THE ISSUE: I believe we as Americans need to stand up against ISIS and show that we are not afraid of them. They are threatening so we do need to be aware of our surroundings since they are threatening us. I also believe it is wrong to discriminate against all Muslims.
IF YOU WERE THE PRESIDENT WHAT WOULD YOUR FOREIGN POLICY BE REGARDING ISIS/TERRORISM? WHY?: It is hard to control something like this but we need to have intense safety check and do everything in our power to keep ISIS members. It is tricky because we do not want to discriminate against all Muslims but we need to do our best to check everyone.
WOULD YOU CLOSE THE BORDERS? ARE YOU AFRAID OF A DOMESTIC ATTACK?: I am afraid of domestic attack because they seem to be closer than we think but closing all borders is not the answer. There are more efficient ways. Immigrants will find a way to sneak in if the borders are closed.
WOULD YOU SEND TROOPS TO THE MIDDLE EAST?: If there was a need for it then yes. If they were threatening us and hurting the United States then yes I would.
INTERVIEWS
Adult one: “What do you think of ISIS?”
Gretchen Strauss: “I think they are terrifying and extremely dangerous. I am frightened of them. I am afraid of their far reaching hands into the United States. I am afraid it is just a matter of time before we see more frequent attacks here at home and as a result have it change the way our society operates. I think they are extremely lethal. On the other hand I don't not believe every muslim is a friend of ISIS. That is a huge issue because many are afraid of all Muslims for that issue. You can’t discriminate against an entire religion when only a small segment is fanatical. We as Americans need to encourage the Muslim community to speak up when they see one of their own becoming radicalized.”
Adult two: "What do you think we should do about this issue?"
Caylee Webb: "Because this is such a big issue I feel like there is vety little we can do about it. I am very scred that they will harm us. Maybe we could close the borders or make the background checks more intense. I really hope we can stop this but is out of our hands."
RESOURCES ON ISIS BACKGROUND
"How Did ISIS Form? When and Where Did ISIS Begin?" - Quora. Web. 15 Dec. 2015. <https://www.quora.com/How-did-ISIS-form-When-and-where-did-ISIS-begin>.
"ISIS Weapons Growing In Number, Sophistication: A Soviet, Balkan And American Mix, But The Group Can't Use All Of Them." International Business Times. 15 Aug. 2014. Web. 15 Dec. 2015. <http://www.ibtimes.com/isis-weapons-growing-number-sophistication-soviet-balkan-american-mix-group-cant-use-all-1659176>.
"ISIS: Everything You Need to Know about the Group - CNN.com." CNN. Cable News Network. Web. 15 Dec. 2015. <http://www.cnn.com/2015/01/14/world/isis-everything-you-need-to-know/>.