What the Hell Is Happening With ISIS in Iraq?

An primer on what is happening with ISIS in Iraq.

Not Available Lead
Complex Original

Image via Complex Original

Not Available Lead

Last week President Obama announced that he would be sending 300 military personnel to Iraq to help combat the now out-of-control jihadist insurgency that has swept across the country. If that sounds like a headline from 2010 or 2005, that's because the U.S. military action known as the Iraq War officially came to an end on December 2011. Since then, the country has been struggling to maintain its footing as a democracy and move forward as an independent nation. Over the last two weeks, however, the region has descended into downright chaos as ISIS (or ISIL, depending on the paper you’re reading)—a Sunni jihadist group—has occupied large portions of the country. This newly reinvigorated insurgency threatens to destabilize the elected government and has pulled the U.S. back into the conflict. Seeing as this is the Middle East, nothing is clear cut. In continuing with our series on world events, this what the hell is happening in Iraq.

So who are these ISIS or ISIL guys and what do they want?

ISIS is a group of Sunni jihadists whose acronym stands for the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria. (The different acronyms just depend on how you transliterate it. ISIL is short for The Islamic State of Iraq in the Levant.) ISIS is lead by Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, a man once held in a U.S. detention camp as an insurgent. (His last words to U.S. soldiers, after he was released from Camp Bucca in 2009 were "See you in New York.") The aim of ISIS is to create a Sunni state in the Levant region, a large, loosely-defined portion of the Middle East that includes parts of Iraq, Israel, Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Palestine, and southern Turkey.

So, is ISIS basically the same as al-Qaeda?

Not really. Though ISIS used to be known as al-Qaeda in the Islamic State of Iraq, the name change isn’t just a semantic decision. The new moniker serves to separate ISIS from other al-Qaeda-linked organizations and to show the world that it's an autonomous entity with its own goals. It also points to how quickly this group has become a major player in the region over the last few years, gaining momentum after the U.S. troop withdrawal and the escalation of violence in Syria. ISIS is a well-funded, well-armed military force with competent commanders. What's more, their religious views are just as extreme as al-Qaeda's—and they are often referred to by Western media as "more violent." The main difference between the two organizations is that ISIS is looking for territory and to establish a caliphate, whereas al-Qaeda is a trans-global group of terrorists in search of targets.

Scary. So what are these guys up to?

ISIS has been successfully taking over multiple territories in Northern Iraq, forcing over a million civilians to flee their homes. Its first major victory came after the capture of the northern Iraqi city of Mosul. Shortly after, ISIS quickly took the city of Tikrit, forcing Iraqi military forces to abandon the area, leaving weapons and vehicles behind. Occupied ISIS territory now includes Raqqa in Syria, Iraqi Kurdistan and some outskirts of Baghdad. They continue to claim more land daily.

How is the insurgency affecting the current Iraqi government?

Obama is unhappy with the way that Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has been handling the crisis. During a press conference last week, he said that America isn't in the business of choosing Iraq's leaders for them. He also called on Iraq to smooth tensions between ethnic and religious groups, which is the primary source of tension in the region. Al-Maliki came to power by consolidating the support of the Shiite majority, which has lead to escalating tensions with Sunnis and Kurds. The U.S. is pushing for a more inclusive Iraqi government that better represents its varying religious groups. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry continues to visit with the Prime Minister as well as Kurdish, Shiite, and Sunni leaders to talk about next steps.

How is Iran involved in all of this?

Iran, to put it mildly, is not a fan of ISIS. Aside from being a Shiite country whose religious views are fundamentally different, ISIS is a large part of the insurgency in Syria trying to topple the Iranian government. If the U.S. doesn't step in to combat ISIS, then Iran may choose to do so on its own. The U.S. doesn't want that to happen, because it would further increase Iran's influence in the region. Though Iran is at odds with Sunni terrorists like ISIS and al-Qaeda, they're an enemy of Israel and at constant odds with U.S. interests in the Middle East.

So, is the U.S. going to increase its military support?

It seems likely. As of now, President Obama has allocated 300 "military advisers"  to help Iraqi troops battle the insurgents. While he says that these advisers are not there to fight on the ground, there is certainly the possibility that the U.S. will step-up its aid. Iraq has asked for U.S. airstrikes, which Obama has yet to agree to, but seem likely. Military experts have deemed Iraqi forces "combat ineffective," essentially saying that they cannot possibly defend the country on their own. Kerry has been hinting that airstrikes may come soon. Whatever happens, the U.S. will attempt to ensure that ISIS's advance is stopped. America won't allow Iraq to become a safe haven for terrorists, even if it means becoming (re)involved in armed conflict. How it plays out, exactly, remains to be seen.

Send your tips, photos, and news developments to cityguidetips@complex.com.

RELATED: What the Hell Is Happening With Obamacare?
RELATED: What The Hell Is Happening in Kiev? 
RELATED: What the Hell Is Happening With the Nigeria Kidnapping? 
RELATED: What the Hell Is Happening With the Drought in California? 
RELATED: What the Hell Is Happening With the Bergdahl POW Controversy?

Latest in Pop Culture