The Islamic State is winning

The threats posed by the Islamic State are palpable and growing.
While the Obama Nation and much of the West think short term and lead from behind, our enemies think long term and lead from the front.

The Long War Journal is run by Paul Hanusz and Bill Roggio. Thomas Joscelyn is the senior editor. The following video was posted at You Tube on August 18th and is of a recent lecture by Mr. Joscelyn presented at the Endowment for Middle East Truth.

Mr. Joscelyn compares the rise of initially unexceptional ideologues such as Hitler, Mao and Stalin to the rise of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi and his Islamic State (IS). Will Baghadadi enjoy successes similar to those of Hitler, Mao and Stalin, will they be shorter-lived and less deadly or will they be longer lasting and even more deadly?

Islam has been the “I word” that shall not be mentioned negatively. However, the IS is beginning to give Islam a negative media connotation, and that is much resented by many Islamists — not because what Islam’s creature, the IS, has done is seen as evil, but due to the negative public relations impact it might have on the religion of peace death.

As Mr. Joscelyn argues, the IS is growing and presents substantial long term dangers to the United States and other nations around the world. Obama’s America — along with much of the rest of a decreasingly free world — is focused, to the extent focused at all, on short term objectives such as winning the next election. Baghadadi’s IS is intensely focused on long term objectives. The IS is indoctrinating young children, as well as those now capable of fighting their enemies, so that the movement can survive its current leaders. Unless and until our prevailing short term focus and media depictions of Islam change, we will continue to face serious threats, some in the near future and some involving greater danger later.

This video illustrates how the IS is trying to realize its long term objectives by indoctrinating youthful followers.

Unfortunately, it’s not only Iraq.