UNDERSTANDING THE “CALIPHATE”: WHY PEOPLE JOIN ISIL
The world has had a keen eye pointed towards the Middle East for years, but the recent conception and rise of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, or ISIL, has garnered a new caliber of attention. Gaining notoriety for their barbaric acts and militant extremism, ISIL is edging out al-Qaeda as the most powerful jihadi organization. The threats stemming from the existence of such a group reverberate far beyond the immediate Arab nations; ISIL is attracting people from all walks of life, including Americans, to join their ranks. The fear and uncertainty of the topic bring the issue of ISIL to question nearly every day. However, the focus has generally been on "who, when, and how," not why.
The world has had a keen eye pointed towards the Middle East for years, but the recent conception and rise of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, or ISIL, has garnered a new caliber of attention. Gaining notoriety for their barbaric acts and militant extremism, ISIL is edging out al-Qaeda as the most powerful jihadi organization. The threats stemming from the existence of such a group reverberate far beyond the immediate Arab nations; ISIL is attracting people from all walks of life, including Americans, to join their ranks. The fear and uncertainty of the topic bring the issue of ISIL to question nearly every day. However, the focus has generally been on "who, when, and how," not why.