Before I begin, I'd like to add a disclaimer: ISIS does not represent all of Islam. The terrorist group represents a very strict and literal interpretation of Islam, and, as such, the majority of Muslims across the world are completely and utterly opposed to the self-proclaimed caliphate and its brutal tactics.
ISIS is a radical Islamist group notorious for its sadistic executions, brash attacks on Western countries, and relentless expansionist tactics in the Middle East. The self-proclaimed 'caliphate' (another word for an Islamic state with absolute power) has conquered several stretches of land in Iraq and Syria, and is unchallenged and even supported in many of those areas. ISIS blatantly condones rape in order to keep its fighters happy, and calls for the eradication of non-believers (including Muslims not pledged to the 'state'). Women are viewed as objects, non-believers are viewed as enemies, and anything other than strict observance of classic Sharia law is seen as an issue.
The world has been shocked by the brutality of this group, and many attempt to downplay the role of religion in ISIS's activities. What those people do not realize, however, is that ISIS is not merely a group of aimless psychopaths using religion as an excuse for violence; members are indoctrinated as far as they can possibly be into a hard-line, militant version of Islam. Every message the terrorist group conveys, every attack it commits, and every foreigner it executes is directly in pursuit of its radical religious beliefs. But what are those beliefs, and why do they matter?
ISIS bases many of its military strategies on prophecies of the coming apocalypse. In essence, the militants believe that the "armies of Rome" will come to Dabiq, Syria to face the caliphate and will promptly be defeated. The rightful caliphate's army of Islam will (according to their prophecies) be bled down to 5,000 men, but will triumph in the end when Jesus—Islam's second most-revered prophet—returns and leads the rightful Islamic state to victory.
After the victory, the countdown to the apocalypse will begin. Seeing as how Rome no longer has a standing army, ISIS interprets the prophecy to be referring to any prominent infidel army—and, in their eyes, the U.S. fits the bill perfectly. The fixation on this prophecy is easily exemplified when one considers ISIS's attack on Dabiq—the city and its surrounding areas are of little strategic importance, yet ISIS still took the city at a great loss. ISIS even named its propaganda magazine after Dabiq.
As far as ISIS is concerned, everything is falling into place. The U.S. already has troops in Iraq and Syria, and is considering sending even more. If more troops are deployed, the brutal organization will be one step closer to achieving its prophesied victory at Dabiq. Can ISIS really defeat the United States, though? The U.S. spends more money on its military than any country on the face of the planet, and, according to globalsecurity.org, ISIS only has approximately 30,000 fighters under its command. If it came down to a toe-to-toe battle, the full force of United States would win hands down. Yet, despite the overwhelming odds of defeating ISIS militarily, it is important to acknowledge one important fact: ending ISIS is a war of ideology as much as it is a war of attrition. Foreign fighters are traveling in droves to fight for ISIS because of the group's emphasis on propaganda and social media presence. Young men and women across the world are being radicalized by propaganda boasting of the legitimacy and authority of the new Caliphate.
All things considered, it is vital for the world to realize that ISIS is a plague that must be eradicated by the spreading (and quashing) of ideas as much as the use of direct military force. By knowing and acknowledging the religious basis for the group's actions, it is hard to downplay the extremists as mere brutes and outcasts of society, which is a dangerous assumption. ISIS is much more sinister—it is a concerted effort to impose an oppressive, caustic way of life on the rest of the world. Members of the Islamic State are callous and indoctrinated individuals with very specific goals in mind, and they will stop at nothing to achieve those goals.
