Foreign Policy on ISIS
By: Alec McCoy
What exactly is ISIS...
ISIS, the group that has taken control of the land spanning from northern Syria to Central Iraq and strikes fear in the minds of world leaders, began in 2004 as a sub group of Al Qaeda in Iraq before reorganizing the group under the name “ISIS” or “Islamic State.” The group shared many of the same views as Al Qaeda, both were radical anti-western Islam militant groups devoted to expelling western powers and establishing an independent Islamic state in the region. But unlike Al Qaeda, who disavowed the group as of early 2014, ISIS has proven to be more ruthless and effective at maintaining control of the territory it has seized.
Thompson, Nick, Richard Allen Greene, and Sarah Grace Mankarious. "ISIS: Everything You Need to Know about the Group - CNN.com." CNN. Cable News Network, 10 Feb. 2015. Web. 16 Dec. 2015. <http://edition.cnn.com/2015/01/14/world/isis-everything-you-need-to-know/>.
Council on Foreign Relations. "What Is the Islamic State?" PBS. PBS, 16 Nov. 2015. Web. 16 Dec. 2015. <http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/what-is-islamic-state-iraq-and-syria/>.
A Power Vacuum....
ISIS flourished in the power vacuum left by the Syrian government. The power they gained from the land they seized control over transferred in the form of followers and soldiers which is what contributed to the size and scope of the group now.
"Power Vacuum Definition in the Cambridge English Dictionary." Power Vacuum Definition in the Cambridge English Dictionary. Ed. Cambridge University Press. Cambridge University Press, none. Web. 16 Dec. 2015. <http://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/power-vacuum>.
What would I do....
If I was the president of the United States i would resign immediately because I don't even begin to know how to handle this situation. But if I had to do something i would reopen Guantanamo Bay under different policies, I would not declare war on ISIS/Terrorism, and i would seek to settle the dispute in a diplomatic way while intern request for the ones responsible for any terrorist attack on the United States and either put them on trial or just go a ahead and Incarcerate them