The Origin Of ISIS And How The United States Played A Role In Its Creation

The United States And Its Allies Created ISIS

ISIS is without question the most violent terrorist group in modern history. ISIS is not a long time established terror organization they[ISIS] are a newcomer on the terrorism scene. ISIS is newly formed, armed, and funded. Where did ISIS come from how are they sustained and after the recent terror attack in France where are they headed next? 

The origin of ISIS began in 2003 when the United States and the Bush Administration invaded Iraq to overthrow Saddam Hussian. The "Shock and Aw" war. Not only was America successful in removing Saddam from power we also were successful in destroying much of Iraq infrastructure. America dismantled and tried to rebuild the Iraqi army. 

Furthermore, we installed a puppet government that proved to be unresponsive to the Iraq citizens. We imprisoned Iraqi citizens who we[America] deemed as radicals. Most importantly we left Iraq a destabilized and weak country. So, how does ISIS come into play from these facts? ISIS formed itself in 2006. It was at the time a small group of radicals. ISIS tried to create problems for the U.S. military right away but had no money or real ability to recruit. 

 Syrian President Bashir Al-Assad

In 2009, ISIS changed its focus from Iraq and turned their attention to Syria. By 2011, the Syrian Civil War was expanding rapidly. This escalation gave ISIS its opportunity. In 2013, a northern general for the "Free Syrian Army" proclaimed if international forces did not send weapons the rebel forces fighting Syrian President Bashir Al-Assad they[Free Syrian Army] would lose the war in a month.[See Source] 

Shortly after this proclamation the United States, Saudis, Jordan, Qatar, Turkey, and Israel started providing weapons, training, and money to these rebel groups. Even though these arms were not American made they were funded and organized by the CIA. Here is where the whole plan no matter how well intended fell apart. The facts clearly show that these arms ended up in the hands of Jihadist groups like ISIS. 

In fact, there was a mass exodus of fighters from this so-called " Free Syrian Army" to the terrorist group we now know as ISIS.[See Source] It was at this time that the terrorist group ISIS began to make headlines. However, President Obama and then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton declared that ISIS was nothing to be worried about. By 2014, it became apparent that the United States had underestimated the power and influence of ISIS. In a period of just one year, ISIS catapulted from a no-name group in Syria to one who crossed back into the Iraq. The main reason for ISIS rapid emergence was the simplicity of getting their hands on American military gear and the stunning amount of wealth they have been able to accumulate. 

Most of this wealth has been obtained by seizing oil fields in both Syria and Iraq. 

In response, the Unites States military have conducted air strikes to destroy these oil fields. In this writers view this policy does not make sense. Because we will defeat ISIS and who do you think will pick up the tab for rebuilding these destroyed oil fields the American tax payer, and you can put that in your peace pipe and smoke it. 

No matter how much we bomb or put sanctions on buying this oil in the hands of ISIS, they have been able to sell and expand their operations because countries like Syria and others need the oil and could care less about the wishes of the United States and its allies.[See Source] Just like other products there is a huge demand for oil on the " Black Market." The purchasing of petroleum on the " Black Market" is nothing new it has been going on for decades. This reality makes it almost impossible to control. The bottom line here is there's no way to effectively sanction countries who buy oil from ISIS. 

Iraqi Oil Field On Fire

The result and facts are that ISIS is the most well funded terrorist group the United States has ever had to confront. Oil is one of the most difficult commodities to track. Some of our sources here in the House of Public Discourse estimate ISIS is making as much as one million dollars a day smuggling oil on the " Black Market." ISIS now controls a vast amount of territory in both Iraq and Syria. There is a robust demand for oil in the Middle East region. There are some six million people who live in the area controlled by ISIS. These citizens require oil for their cars, generators, homes, and businesses. Much of the oil sold by ISIS is purchased by these individuals living in the ISIS occupied territory. 

ISIS sales on the oil are cash deals that make it extremely hard to track. Some sources say that the oil is being smuggled into neighboring countries like Syria, Turkey, Iran, and Jordan.  All of this begs the question what can America and its Allies do to stop this smuggling and purchasing of ISIS-controlled oil? 

There is one reality that rings true concerning the rise of ISIS. The destabilization of Middle-East governments like Iraq, Libya, and Syria have made it easy for terrorist groups like ISIS to get a foothold and to grow both in arms and people who sympathize with their extremist dogma.  The unrest in these countries has provided the perfect storm for recruiting individuals with extremist viewpoints and joining terrorist groups like ISIS gives that person a sense of solidarity with other like-minded individuals who share their views. 

What we have learned from 20/20 hindsight is that the Army we left in control in Iraq was powerless to stop ISIS when they reentered that country. When America left, they allocated thousands of military vehicles and other equipment to the Iraqi army. Sadly, most of this equipment has been taken over by ISIS.[See Source] 

For many Americans and other citizens around the world, this reality came as an enormous shock. How could an army trained by the United States just fold up to a terrorist group like ISIS? America spent 25 billion dollars of taxpayer money on training and arming the Iraqi Army. The answer is not a simple one, in fact, it's a complicated one. Considering that the entire Iraqi Army under Saddam Hussein was disbanded in 2003 and with this army gone there was no longer any real organization. There were no experienced leaders or soldiers to fall back on. The integrated security of Iraq had to be started from scratch. 

Nouri al-Maliki

Also, no sooner than the American overseers left Iraq there came allegations of corruption in the Nouri al-Maliki administration the puppet leader set up by the Bush administration. The Maliki government wasted no time alienating the Sunnis. This led to low morale in the Iraqi security forces that created a rotten edifice from the start. Once these Iraqi security forces started to turn tail and run, ISIS began recording one strategic victory after the other. ISIS forces took control of a major dam in that country and threaten to flood major Iraqi cities. Next, ISIS robbed an important Iraqi bank and stole 425 million dollars. And, lastly they confiscated large amount of U.S. armaments left behind by the weak Iraqi security forces. 

ISIS Must Be Stopped They Must Be Opposed But Are They A Direct Threat To The United States?

What should the role of the United States be in taking on ISIS? There are no questions that containing ISIS now will be a difficult one. In this writers view it would be wrong for America to withdraw its hand and proclaim it's no longer our problem. Especially since our foreign policy has helped to create ISIS. There is no denying the fact that America is the blame more than any other country in creating the current mess in Iraq and the Middle East in general. 

America's nation-building foreign policy led by the Republicans has left huge power vacuums in Iraq, Eygpt, and Libya. What has transpired in the present and brought to light by last week's terrorist attack in Paris is now an almost necessity for Ameican military involvement. By leaving these countries destabilized, there is no solid foundation for these countries to defend themselves. 

America is paying dearly for the war crimes of Bush and Cheney. America was in Iraq for ten years and its the view of the House of Public Discourse no matter how long we occupy these countries as soon as we pull out these extremist militant groups are going to move right back in just like we see right now in Iraq. Nobody in their right mind would say Saddam was not a monster. Maybe the Reagan administrations should have realized that before enabling Saddam to gain power in Iraq. [See Source] 

 American patriotism may not want to admit it but no matter the evil that was Saddam Hussein Iraq was a functioning society. That claim is no longer valid in present day Iraq. 

To look at the current situation in the Middle East one must ask themselves the question how did the evil dictators become evil dictators? The answer is these evil dictators were able to fend off other potential evil dictators in a region of the world that has been in turmoil since the recording of secular world history. The idea that you can implement a foreign policy of regime change and somehow put a responsible government in its place is not only irrational its dangerous for world peace in general. The history of the region tells us this type thinking just won't work there. To think that it could have ever worked is the biggest failure and blunder in the history of foreign policy in the United States. Current presidential candidate Bernie Sanders has been spot on in calling it like it is. 

The American involvement in the Middle East has been a massive failure from start to finish and a lack of understanding of how the Middle East is structured. The reality is today wars are fought much different than in the past. Imperialism no longer works. 

When you have factions in the United States and politicians like John McCain(R-AZ) and current presidential candidates like Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, who advocate war, bombs, arming rebel groups, and regime change as the answer to every problem there will never be a war that should not be fought. 

The failures in Iraq, Eygpt, and Libya should have been an education for the Warhawks in America. But, obviously not because any quick glance of the current newsreels and rhetoric coming from Washington is to attack ISIS and bomb the living hell out of them. Has this worked in the past? No! Will it work in the present? No! Will it work in the future? Absolutely not! 

With the recent terror attack in Paris fresh in our minds, we are seeing the same old debates emerging from Washington. Should we just bomb, bomb away or should we send ground troops in? The truism here whether one wants to face it or not America has had a severely flawed foreign policy in the Middle East since the end of World War II, and the current situation in the Middle East is a train wreck.[See Source] 

It's time for America to take care of our issues at home and stop trying to export our democracy to other countries. Yes, we must work with other countries especially those Muslim countries in the region to find a sustainable solution that will result in a lasting peace. But, just as Bernie Sanders has suggested its high time they[Middle-Eastern Countries] take the lead in the matter. Trying to spread American democracy to the Middle East has been a complete failure. 

America needs to tell Israel we will no longer support any preemptive strikes against Muslim nations like Palestine. The foreign policy of preemption has done nothing but cause countless death and destruction to not only military personal but to innocent civilians including women, children, and elderly. This behavior is not what America is supposed to be and nor do most Americans want it to be.

Written By: Johnny Hill