22 December 2015

Defeating Islamic State Will Not End Jihadist Threat In Syria – West Risks Strategic Failure By Focusing Only On ISIS — New Report Warns

December 21, 2015
www.fortunascorner.com

Richard Spencer, Middle East Editor for London’s The Telegraph, writes in the publication’s December 20, 2015 edition that a new study by The Center On Religion and Politics, and backed by the Tony Blair Faith Foundation, is warning that 65,000 fighters in Syria, who do not support the Islamic State — still have jihadist leanings.

“The study said fighters with extremist views were to be found across Syria. Up to 60 percent of all rebels belonged to groups with an Islamist agenda, with more than half of those adhering to Salafi-jihadism, the hard-line ideology underpinning the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL),” also known as ISIL. “Some 15 [rebel] groups besides ISIL have jihadist views — even if they are currently dedicated to the local fight against the Assad regime,” the report said. “They include al-Qaeda’s local branch, Jabhat al-Nusra, the Saudi-backed Jaish al-Islam, and one of the most powerful fighting forces, Ahrar al-Sham.”

Mr. Spencer writes that “The Center on Religion and Politics is an arm of the Tony Blair Faith Foundation. Its senior adviser Ed Husain, a London-born former Islamist, who later set up a think tank, Quilliam, to promote counter-radicalization.” “ISIS represents a continuation of a way of thinking that started before it existed; and, will carry on if it is defeated,” the study concluded. “The West risks making a strategic failure by focusing only on ISIS. Defeating it militarily will not end global jihadism. We cannot bomb an ideology; but, our war is ideological.”

“If only ISIS is defeated, there is a high risk that dispersed ISIS fighters and other Salafi-jihadisti groups will expand their horizons and launch attacks outside Syria,” the report warned. “The West destroyed the caliphate,’ will be the new rallying cry in a dangerous escalation, these groups could aim to compete for the spotlight–to ensure allegiance from the global fighters, and financing that ISIS currently attracts.” As I have written on this blog repeatedly, killing a person is ‘easy,’ — killing an idea or philosophy is much more difficult. That’s why I have suggested that the U.S, the West, and others who want to join in — charge al Baghdadi and his key henchmen with Crimes Against Humanity. The first of the Nuremberg War Crimes trials of the key Nazi’s who oversaw Hitler’s Final Solution, and the extermination of Jews — occurred seventy years ago last month. We need a 21st century version of those trials, as the instrument to undermine and condemn this odious and evil movement. It is time — for a Judgment At Raqqa

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