Running head: IMPLICATIONS OF TECHNOLOGY

Rachel Huard
Implications of Technology on the War on Terror:
What Will End Our Conflicts In the Middle East?
Rachel Huard
Madonna University

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Abstract

This paper is multi-faceted consideration of what makes new terrorist groups dangerous and
difficult to stop, while using the most recent headline group ISIL as an example (including their
origins and the poor state of affairs in the Middle East in general). The advantages of the internet
and money can go a long way for groups like these, especially when their materials can be
viewed and donated to from anywhere in the world. In comparison the United States and its
allies, ISIL has access to wealth and human capital that we dont because they have the so-called
home field advantage. They can also use social media and press junkets to easily spread fear to
whoever they want, a strategy perpetuated by the focused nature of the media itself. With the
public reactions ISIL is receiving, both home-grown and foreign terror in its name are growing
industries. What it takes to stop this from continuing is going to depend on money, weaponry,
and sheer manpower. In other words: how far we get in accomplishing our priorities overseas
depends on what we want to expend. How much we expend relies on how quickly we can
dispose of the old method of warfare and devise a new system that applies to the specific issues
of new-age terrorism.
Keywords: ISIL, terrorism, technology, counter-terrorism

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The Middle East has been a source of conflict and violence in the world for thousands of
years. From the Crusades to the Iraq War, the region is constantly embroiled in conflict and
dispute. Because of the instability and lawlessness, some individuals have come together in an
effort to end the fighting and become the political majority. To some in their country, they are
revolutionaries who fight for the freedom of all. They rebel against their oppressive leaders and
overcome their opposition with a zeal that has become violent in the past. The supposed Robin
Hood archetype these groups have to select people in their country does not always extend to
the rest of the world. The Western world tends to call these groups terrorists, which can be
loosely defined as anyone using excessive violence against others, inspiring fear in order to gain
political ground. Whether one calls them revolutionaries or extremists, it is imperative that the
brutality of said groups is recognized. Freedom at the price of human life is an unfortunate side
effect of war, but even war has rules of conduct (as laid out by the Geneva Convention in 1949).
When those rules are ignored, it raises shock and panic in its wake.
In the last twenty years, there have been over fifty new terrorist groups identified in the
Middle East alone (as defined by the INA or Foreign Relations Authorization Act) (Foreign n.d.).
Names like HAMAS, Hizballah, and al-Qaida are well-known and feared by the Western world
at large, especially after the September 11th attacks. Until that point, the war on terror was an
overseas engagement in the public eye. The United States sent soldiers there to fight, and they
fought. But after the attacks, terror on the home front became a recognized entity in and of itself.
The war wasnt in a desert far away anymore; it was now on our soil. This group had the
technology and the know-how to carry out a massive, terrible attack that changed the entire face
of war in the Middle East. With the exponential growth in the technological field since the
creation of the internet, young terrorist cells have the inherent potential to replicate the attack

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to even more catastrophic results. In essence: the younger the cells are going to have a better
relationship with new technology and the internet than decades-old cells will. This is because
web-based organizations already existed at the onset of these new groups, so the foundation of
online criminal networking was pre-established. The genesis of the internet gave the world a way
to instantly communicate, spreading ideas and data wherever and whenever they wanted. This is
why new terror cells are so dangerous, perhaps even more dangerous than their famous
predecessors.
For an example of such a group, one need only look back as far as 2004. In 2004, the
branch of al-Qaida that operated out of Iraq (AQI) broke from the organization and became
known as the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) or more recently, the Islamic State of Iraq
and the Levant (ISIL) (Fuller 2015) (see Appendix A). ISIL has become one of the newest and
most notorious terrorist cells in the Middle East, gaining much media attention in the past few
years because of their brutality against westerners and their own people. The western world is
prepared to treat this cell as it has multiple other groups that have sprung from the area in the
past: with aerial bombings and the possibility of ground troops being deployed. However, no
group has the exact motivations and advantages that others have had before. Newer groups have
monetary and technological advantages that other groups did not have when we engaged them
before. Aspects of weapons and manpower are overshadowed by the power of news and social
media over the internet, making their creed easy to spread and difficult to stop. Our foreign
policy for terrorism becomes outdated when we are engaging a group that is technologically
literate and globally aware. The notion that groups like ISIL are just the same problems with
different names is an ideology both ill-informed and overused in western treatment of the Middle

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East; if we want to keep foreign terror off our soil, then the world needs to revise the assumption
that we know exactly how to neutralize the threat.
To understand the extent of the issue, one must first understand the origins and mentality
of the men and women behind the name ISIL. ISIL is a group of relatively young (Engel 2014)
Sunni Muslims (see Appendix B) that are radical Islamists, meaning that their ultimate goal is to
unite all of the Middle East (and north Africa) under the banner of the Islamic state (see
Appendix C). Multiple countries in the Middle East do function on partial or complete
enforcement of sharia law, which is a code of legal and ethical practice outlined in the Quran
(Denny 2012). Even if sharia isnt enforced, the story of Islam is the foundation of these nations
in much the same way capitalism is the core and pillar of the United States. A true Islamist
ideology is no more radical than some American Tea Party members seem to be. The members
are a combination of spill-over from the Syrian war for independence, an already existing branch
of al-Qaida, and foreign fighters from all over the world. Many of these fighters are already
from areas of turmoil, such as Jordan, Tunisia, Turkmenistan, Kosovo, Bosnia, and Herzegovina
(with additions from-but not limited to-Western countries like Belgium, Sweden, and Denmark)
(Foreign Fighters 2015).
ISIL is, as discussed, a Middle Eastern group. In other words, the activity is centralized
between Europe and Asia, including Saudi Arabia and the Sinai Peninsula. This area is very arid
and desolate; the main settlements are around religious sites or places where oil wealth can
support the population. More than eighty percent of the Middle East is desert, receiving less than
ten inches of rain a year and having limited natural resources (Countries 2015). As a result, the
Middle East has a wide wealth gap. Because ISIL used to be AQI, most of their activity is still
based out of Iraq (which would be a very wealthy oil country if economic sanctions in recent

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years had not prevented this). Despite being centrally run from Iraq, ISIL control is growing
increasingly in the Middle East (see Appendix D).
The group now called ISIL has been active since 1999 and has been independently
working since the early 2000s (Bryen 2014). ISIL has gone beyond radical Tea-Party-style
protests and have used their law (not necessarily the law of the land) to justify ethnic cleansing
of their own people and westerners. They use the so-called sword verses in the Quran to
launch a Muslim Inquisition of sorts, persecuting those who disagree or who are not as
dedicated to the cause as they are. It is their belief that by removing the competition and scaring
any would-be invaders from the outside world, they can be free to unite the Muslim world and
regain peace. While peace is the eventual goal of all parties involved, the continued war with
ISIL is an open opportunity for another disaster like 9/11.
What can be done to prevent this from happening boils down to capital and resources.
Money, machines, and man-power are the materials one needs to win a war. The United States
and its allies are fighting a war with ISIL on the premise of containment. In other words, cutting
of trade and arms deals in an effort to starve the area of income. The main problem with that
theory is that it ignores civil sustainment and internet-based donations. Operations in northern
Iraq and northern Syria have amassed several oil refineries that have funded ISIL exploits, and
they have oil-rich supporters in Qatar and Kuwait (Bronstein 2014). The United States has
attempted a series of air raids on these refineries attempting to cut off oil smuggling into Turkey
and elsewhere, but oil isnt the only source of income ISIL has. There are internal criminal
contributions from bank robberies or town pillage that also keeps ISIL afloat. In fact, one such
robbery of the Mosul central bank could give an estimated 60,000 ISIL fighters $600 a month for
a whole year (Bryen 2014). Another way they gain revenue is practicing government policy.

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Because the entire region is so unstable and has been for so many years, groups like ISIL have
deep roots and a complex hierarchy. Once an area is taken over, the IS stops being a rebel force
and becomes a theocracy. They gain money from civilians from taxes and tolls just like any
government does. With the onset of internet communications, ISIL can also set up international
donation pages and communicate with sympathizers the world-over. Therefore, although the
region itself depends on international trade and suffers from economic sanctions, ISIL could
easily be self-sufficient and be unaffected. Containment and isolationism theories from the Cold
War era are only effective on a government that relies on outside resources as a main means of
financial support.
Whats more: the United States and its allies cant afford this war, either. The Western
powers have been a near-constant presence in the Middle East since the Gulf War. With the wars
in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Pakistan alone cost an estimated $4.4 trillion (Economic 2014), plus the
$41.2 billion used per year by the Department of Homeland Security (Fact Sheet 2015), and $18
trillion plus in national debt (US National 2015), the United States cant afford to keep this
outdated version of warfare alive. ISIL clearly has the advantage in terms of money; bringing the
fight overseas is always costly, and the United States isnt fighting in its own territory.
As far as machines go, ISIL does have friends on the outside that help. Their arsenal is a
combination of Soviet-era tanks, American operating systems, and black market arms (Harress
2014). Much of the American equipment was taken during the Syrian war and the capture of
Mosul, some of which was sophisticated weaponry. The problem with acquiring and using
those kinds of arms is that replacement or working parts are not commonly found on the black
market. For what they could not use, ISIL adopted the scorched earth policy and destroyed it
so no other faction could use it. But other supplies such as American Humvees and portable

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surface-to-air missiles have been observed in official ISIL videos. There are also black market
arms shipments that are smuggled into Iraq via Turkey and Saudi Arabia, but appear to come
from private dealers in eastern Europe (most notably, Croatia) (Harress 2014). ISIL tends to stay
with smaller weapons, which make their operation more portable and better honed for guerrillastyle warfare.
When considering how ISIL has gained such a following, one must realize that money is
also one of the main recruitment tools for ISIL fighters (besides just religious or political zeal).
As previously stated, many countries in the Middle East are quite poor. There is also a very high
unemployment rate; nearly thirty percent of the regions under-25-years-old population is out of
work (Ellyatt 2014). Economic sanctions from other countries in this region are putting an
immense financial burden on the shoulders of the already-poor Middle Easts younger
generation. With the money that ISIL has and the support it gets from civil and foreign
communities, its a huge incentive to join their ranks. Health care, clean water, and food are
expenses that are all rapidly rising in cost and falling in quality. If these young people have a
family to support, then thats what they will do regardless of whether or not they think its the
right thing. If anything, the sanctions being enforced now make civilians unable to afford to
decline membership.
However, the money, ground advantage, and pilfered weapons that set ISIL apart are
juxtaposed by the sheer numbers and aero-naval power of the United States and its allies. As the
battle against ISIL was mostly landlocked, the United States relied heavily on air support
(bombers, helicopters, and air-drop supplies). During the war in Syria, more naval forces were
used in addition the aircraft carriers already sustaining the air bombings over Iraq. Because of the
recent expansions into Syria and the Levant, the middle estimate for active ISIL member

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(including both military and civilian positions) is close to 100,000 members (Gartenstein-Ross
2015). The United States has over a million active service members, and over 850,000 reserve
troops (Text 2013). In just man-power and machines, the west does have an advantage. However,
from what is already known about the wealth of ISIL, it should not be assumed that this
advantage can be kept.
If money, machines, and man-power run the war machine off-shore, then the media runs
the war at home. These days, not a single day will go by without hearing of some horrific deed
done in the Middle East that somehow connects back to ISIL. Names like the Taliban and alQaida have nearly fallen by the wayside to make room for this new media monster. That is not
to suggest ISIL is not responsible for appalling crimes against humanity. However, one must also
understand that it is not the only active terrorist group; it is simply the one that draws the most
attention from news viewers. The reason ISIL is such a household name in the war on terror is
because it is the subject of plenty media attention. The issue with having all this attention
spotlighted on ISIL is that it feeds terror at home, and it exacerbates the actions of so-called
jihadists abroad.
To illustrate, the first time many people heard of ISIL was because of the highlypublicized beheading of James Foley in 2014. He was killed by a masked man, who ordered the
United States to cease their campaign against his people, or the killings would continue. Until
then, ISIL was just another terror group, indistinguishable in the public eye from any other. The
publication of the video of the death of Foley hit social media pages all over the world, and
instantly the news stations were in an uproar. Stories and connection to the group that had been
side-stories before were then front page news. The brutality of Foleys death, while terrible to
see and a tragedy, was not a nuance in the Middle East. It could be argued that the un-Christian

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style of deaths caused the main uproar in the United States; however, previous groups in the
Middle East did use this method of execution, as well as suicide bombings and mass murders by
firing squad. Even for the local police, beheading is still a common and legal form of execution
(Clark n.d.), much as it was during the French Revolution and the infamous guillotine (most of
the victims and executors were very Catholic indeed). The fact that it was recorded and available
for the masses to view via social media made ISILs much more personal. One could compare it
to the effect of the invention of television on the Vietnam War. Before television, one only heard
death counts and progress in the war in the newspaper or on the radio. After television, people
everywhere could see the desolation, destruction, and death that came with war (such as the
butchering at My Lai). It had such shock value that it changed home front support of the war in
Vietnam overnight. Just like the ISIL video, it made war suddenly very close to home.
Now, the entire western world was paying attention. The United States began seeking
support from its allies to degrade and destroy ISIL (Obama 2014). After the world focused in
on them, the group sent messages to the United States best allies: Great Britain and France. Both
countries lost a citizen in the same way Sotloff was (David Haines and Herv Gourdel,
respectively). The actions of ISIL were condemned across nations and religions; security alerts
were raised. The news media continued to print stories of the deaths of captives, and ISIL
continued to dominate the news. While a new awareness of the problems in the Middle East was
something the American populace needed, the media unwittingly did most of ISILs job for
them.
The point in spreading the videos over the internet was to scare as many people as they
could and promote themselves as much as possible. To most of the American population, seeing
the message of ISIL on the news every day was frightening. People were (and still are) afraid of

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another 9/11. Not only do we see their message on social media such as Twitter and Facebook,
but the name ISIL has been so canonized on television that it is now associated with any and all
terror plots in the Middle East. This is a huge promotional tool for them. First, the videos prove
to potential supporters that they are serious about what they are claiming to do. Second, this is a
very young branch of militants in several meanings of the phrase (see above). They now have the
notoriety of groups that have been around for decades (such as the Taliban) due to the
responsiveness of the media. Third, the message they give in the videos are ones of violence
under the guise of peace. The jihadists claimed that they would cease the violent murders of
western captives if the bombings on their people would end. It would seem that all they want is
peace, and victory over their oppressors. Unfortunately, this is a creed that some people feel
called to defend. This leads to the possibility of home-grown terrorists. The media has given
ISIL a weapon of fear and a way to spread their words (and gain potential recruits in the United
States and around the world). Fourth, the specific attention given to horrific acts simply
encourages them.
The shock and fear at the publication of the first video instigated the publication of the
next, and the next after that. The videos are meant to get a reaction, which is why they increased
in number and intensity. The murder of two Japanese nationals very close together, and then the
mass murder of twenty-one Coptic Egyptians by beheading. When both failed to bring about the
changes ISIL was looking for, members released an atrocious video of Jordanian pilot Muadh al
Kasasbeh being burned alive (Harris 2015). To put in more innocent terms, its the same kind of
progression of behavior one would see from a misbehaving child who wants something from
their negligent parents. The child has a tantrum breaks and something important, the parent has a
reaction to (but doesnt correct) the mischief, and the child does it again. To keep the parents

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attention, the child has to keep advancing the things that get ruined. Maybe the first time, the
child broke a vase. The next time, itll be a window. The time after that, itll be the car. The time
after that, the house wont even be standing anymore.
The media attention is also intensifying religious animosity on the home front. One of the
tenants required by ISIL to end the war is to stop attacking their people. Their people
doesnt just refer to their local nationality; it includes the world community of Muslims. So when
their videos initiate further misunderstanding between religious groups in the United States, its
the same to them as an assault on the battlefield. These misunderstandings are sometimes caused
by the media itself, independent of the videos they have to play. A strong understanding of
terrible events taking place but a weak comprehension of the background involved leads to an
incomplete and skewed portrait of reality. For example, the word jihadist is a term coined by
the media that stands for a Muslim who uses violence and warfare, and usually terror, to spread
their faith. It is similar to the term crusader in Christian terms. This would seem to follow, as
most people would define jihad as a holy war. But this is not what jihad actually translates
to. Jihad is a religious term that means to struggle, and is intended for personal use on the
battle of good and evil within each person (Denny 2012). Its concoctions like this that cause
unnecessary confusion and fear between people of different faiths, which is exactly what ISIL
and other groups like it want.
Despite the western worlds refusal to acknowledge it, ISIL is a different kind of group
than we are used to. We cannot medievally starve them out as we had in the Cold War; they are a
self-sufficient entity. The only people feeling the economic stress are the citizens, who were
potential recruits before the sanctions made it a necessity. We cannot wipe their sources of
wealth off the face of the earth; they are many and internationally supported. We cannot

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completely halt the acquiring of weapons; they have many friends and private black market
dealings that are nearly impossible to cut off totally, and their gains in Syria have given them
American-grade weapons. We cannot stop the spread of terror materials over social media; the
internet and lightning-fast communications has made that impossible. We cannot order the media
to stop publishing stories on ISIL to stanch fear at home; that would be a breach of free press and
everything America stands for. We cannot continue to allow the horrific murders of innocent
civilians (western and otherwise); it comes down to whether or not we are willing to ignore the
rise of the new genocidal empire ISIL has become. So what can we do?

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References

Al-Qaeda. (n.d.). Retrieved March 24, 2015, from

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/al-qaeda
This resource gives a brief definition of al-Qaida, including where they come from and what the
name means in Arabic, according to Dictionary.com.
Bronstein, S., & Griffin, D. (2014, October 7). Self-funded and deep-rooted: How ISIS makes its
millions - CNN.com. Retrieved March 22, 2015, from
http://www.cnn.com/2014/10/06/world/meast/isis-funding/
This article explains how ISIL gets its money: from oil rigs to banks to rich friends outside of
Iraq. There are many facts and statistics on how much ISIL can make and where they can get it
from both government organizations and independent corporations. This is important because
they each give slightly different estimates, which helps a researcher corroborate evidence and
make a decision on which estimate is most accurate. The US Department of State figures ISIL
take about a million dollars to run per day, but takes in a lot more than that in taxes and tolls.
Bryen, S., & Johnson, M. (2014, August 20). What is ISIS, where did it come from, and when
did the US know it was there? Retrieved March 22, 2015, from
http://www.jewishpolicycenter.org/5376/background-what-is-isis-where-did-it-comefrom-and-when-did-the-us-know-it-was-there
The article gives lengthy important background on the origins of ISIL and the policy the U. S.
has been adopting towards it. This helped determine how long ISIL has been an acknowledged
entity and where they are based out of. It is worth mentioning that, however detailed the site, it is
written by the Jewish Policy Center. Therefore, the opinions expressed in this article were
disregarded as possible author bias and only facts were utilized.

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Clark, J. (n.d.). A history of head loss. Retrieved March 24, 2015, from
http://science.howstuffworks.com/science-vs-myth/extrasensory-perceptions/luciddecapitation1.htm
This multi-page article gives a cultural background on the history of beheading, including the
European and Middle Eastern uses of the execution method. Using examples such as the French
Revolution, it explains that beheading has been a criminal punishment for thousands of years and
is still legal in the Middle East today.
Countries and their cultures. (2015, January 1). Retrieved March 22, 2015, from
http://www.everyculture.com/Africa-Middle-East/Introduction-to-the-Middle-EastPhysical-and-Human-Geography.html
In order to explain the situation of the people who live in the Middle East currently, it was
necessary to gather information on the physical and economic conditions. This article gave
rainfall and wealth conditions of the Middle East, which helps explain why ISIL has gained such
a following: out of desperation to stay alive.
Denny, F. (2012). Jews, Christians, Muslims: A comparative introduction to monotheistic
religions (2nd ed.). Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Prentice Hall.
This text is a scholastic textbook comparing the three Abrahamic traditions: Judaism,
Christianity, and Islam. It compares many topics, such as Worship and Ritual, Scripture and
Tradition, and Political Orders, all of which are important in explaining sharia law and the
Islamist view on operating government. It also provides a well-researched background into the
Muslim belief system and way of life.
Economic cost summary | Costs of war. (2014, June 1). Retrieved March 22, 2015, from
http://costsofwar.org/article/economic-cost-summary

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This article gives an itemized list of costs for the wars in Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan, both
separately and as a whole (statistic used in the paper). The categories include (but are not limited
to) overseas expenses (fuel, weapons, food, armor) at-home care for returning soldiers
(medication, physical and psychological therapy), and overall expenditures.
Engel, P. (2014, December 12). ISIS is too insane for some of its loyal members. Retrieved
March 17, 2015, from http://www.businessinsider.com/isis-is-too-insane-for-some-of-itsmost-loyal-members-2014-12
In attempting to understand the motivations and origins of the majority of ISIL fighters, most
voluntary fighters are spill-over from the Syrian war. Despite, their original enthusiasm and
veracity for the ISIL cause, this article has individual testimony from those members believing it
was a mistake after the fact. This is important because it emphasizes the fact that ISIL gains its
fighters rapidly, but cant keep them unless they can give a valid reason (like money).
Ellyatt, H. (2014, October 4). Youth unemployment in rich middle east a 'liability': wef.
Retrieved March 22, 2015, from http://www.cnbc.com/id/102088327
This article provides additional statistics of unemployment and GDP for the Middle East and
each country, as well as references to wealth gap. It also enhances the theory that money and the
need for a steady job is a real problem for many people in the Middle East, which is why its
such a great recruitment tool.
Fact sheet: Department of homeland security fiscal year 2016 budget. (2015, February 2).
Retrieved March 22, 2015, from http://www.dhs.gov/news/2015/02/02/fact-sheet-dhs-fy2016-budget
This article gave the statistic for the proposed budget of the Department of Homeland Security
for the 2016 fiscal year.

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Foreign fighters in iraq and syria -- Where do they come from? (2015, January 29).
Retrieved March 22, 2015, from
http://www.rferl.org/contentinfographics/infographics/26584940.html
Even more additional information on where the fighters in ISIL come from. Mostly used as
background knowledge, not specific statistics. The article is an interactive graphic that shows
where the greater majority of foreign fighters come from. With the black arms deals from Croatia
and fighters from Bosnia, the Middle Easts relationship with eastern Europe is most concerning.
Foreign terrorist organizations. (n.d.). Retrieved March 17, 2015, from
http://www.state.gov/j/ct/rls/other/des/123085.htm
This is the official list of foreign terrorist organizations from the Department of State, active and
delisted. It includes the official dates they were added to the list as well as the qualifications it
must have to end up on the list.
Fuller, J. (2015, January 20). 'ISIS' vs. 'ISIL' vs. 'islamic state': The political importance of a
much-debated acronym. Retrieved March 17, 2015, from
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/wp/2015/01/20/isis-vs-isil-vs-islamicstate-the-political-importance-of-a-much-debated-acronym-2/
This is a summary of a very important debate in the news currently. It explains the transition for
ISIS to ISIL and why the Obama administration is using ISIL. This article gave the information
that helped ascertain the terminology to be used in the paper.
Gartenstein-Ross, D. (2015, January 1). How many fighters does the islamic state really
have?
Retrieved March 22, 2015, from http://warontherocks.com/2015/02/how-many-fightersdoes-the-islamic-state-really-have/2

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This article gives a recent estimation of how many fighters there are in ISIL approximately. It is
a combination of individual research and government statistics that gauges a middle ground for
the probable number of fighters after the war in Syria. It also explains why the government
statistics may be a little too low.
Geneva Conventions. (n.d.). Retrieved March 24, 2015, from
https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/geneva_conventions
This entry by Cornell Law School gives a definition of the Geneva Convention as written in its
four chapters. The main references are about prisoner treatment from the 1949 final chapter.
Harress, C. (2014, August 15). ISIS weapons growing in number, sophistication: a soviet,
balkan and american mix, but the group can't use all of them. Retrieved March 24, 2015,
from http://www.ibtimes.com/isis-weapons-growing-number-sophistication-sovietbalkan-american-mix-group-cant-use-all-1659176
This article explains where ISIL is getting its weaponry: captured American weapons, Croatian
arms deals, and leftover Soviet tanks from their alliances in the Cold War. It also details the
scorched earth policy and the fact that more advanced American weapons cannot be used due
to unavailable replacement parts on the black market.
Harris, C. (2015, February 2). Barbarians burn pilot alive: ISIS will never release a living
prisoner. Retrieved March 22, 2015, from
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2015/02/03/isis-burns-jordanian-pilot-alive.html
Although broadly mentioned in the paper, this article gives the name and circumstances of the
pilots death. The photograph at the head of the article shows him praying while the fire is lit.
Hezbollah. (n.d.). Retrieved March 24, 2015, from
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/hezbollah

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This is the Dictionary.com entry for Hezbollah, including political party, background, and Arabic
translation of the name.
Laub, Z. (2014, August 1). Hamas. Retrieved March 24, 2015, from
http://www.cfr.org/israel/hamas/p8968
This article gives the background to the rise of HAMAS, including pictures, political party, and
past criminal activities that they are most famous been.
Obama says beheading videos won't intimidate US - The Times of India. (2014, September 3).
Retrieved March 22, 2015, from http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/World/US/Obamasays-beheading-videos-wont-intimidate-US/articleshow/41606325.cms
This is the article where Obama was quoted as saying that we would degrade and destroy ISIS.
This happened after the first beheading video was released. This showed the solidarity of the US,
while at the same time telling ISIL their plan had absolutely worked.
Ohlheiser, A. (2013, April 3). The associated press's new definition of "islamist." Retrieved
March 24, 2015, from
http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_slatest/2013/04/05/_islamist_definition_changed_in_the_
ap_stylebook_two_days_after_illegal.html
This was an article about how a journalism company had to change their definition of jihadist
because it wasnt quite accurate. This gave both the pre- and post-definitions that showed how
loosely the media used the word and how broadly it was previously applied. Although the
narrowing of the definition is a step in the right direction of preventing miscommunication, it
was a very recent change and hasnt completely caught on yet.

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Rourke, J. (2014). Taking sides (16th ed.). New York, New York: Mcgraw-Hill.
Taking Sides is a scholastic textbook that takes recent issues, gives a detailed background, and
then argues both sides of the issue using speeches and other official forms of documentation.
Every new edition is a new years of issues to discuss. The section on the Israeli-Arab conflict
centers mostly on nuclear involvement, but also on border disputes for religious and ethnic
groups.
Text of the national defense authorization act for fiscal year 2013. (2013, January 1).
Retrieved March 22, 2015, from https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/112/hr4310/text
The National Defense Authorization Act gives the number of active service members and reserve
service members as signed into law in 2013.
U.S. National Debt Clock : Real Time. (n.d.). Retrieved March 22, 2015, from
http://www.usdebtclock.org/
The US national debt is always rising, and quickly. This real-time calculator takes all kinds of
things into account, from interest to social security to oil sales in order to calculate national debt.
Since the number is always going up, the statistic in the paper is as of March 22, 2015 and is
subject to alteration.

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Glossary of Terms
Cold War era: cold war referring to a state of hostility between two or more countries
characterized by threats and propaganda, but no actual fighting. The Cold War usually refers to
the post-World War II period when the United States and Russia were at war because of the
communism/capitalism debate. Because of the so-called Red Scare in the United State
President Reagan put laws regarding the expansion of communism into place, backed by nuclear
power. The situation culminated in the famed Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962 that could have
caused World War III, but was miraculously avoided by President Kennedy and his counterparts
containment: a mid- to late 20th century American policy meant to limit the expansion of
communism during the Cold War and even until today. The United States did this by creating
alliances and treaties with other governments and offered their full support to those governments,
as long as they were anti-communist and pro-United States. Because of these policies, the United
States allied with groups they otherwise wouldnt (such as dictators), which caused a lot of antiU.S. sentiments that still stand today. Although the main war was between the United States
and Russia, it was often fought through satellite states and contemporaries on both sides (Cuba
and Vietnam) (Rourke 2014).
James Foley: first public video of the beheading of an American citizen. He was abducted in
2012 while working as a freelance journalist and war correspondent in Syria. He was executed
after two years of torture and an unsuccessful rescue mission.
Foreign Relations Authorization Act: In order to be designated a Foreign Terrorist Group
(FTO), a group must meet the following criteria:
1.

It must be a foreign organization.

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2.

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The organization must engage in terrorist activity, as defined in section 212 (a)(3)(B) of

the INA (8 U.S.C. 1182(a)(3)(B)), or terrorism, as defined in section 140(d)(2) of the Foreign
Relations Authorization Act, Fiscal Years 1988 and 1989 (22 U.S.C. 2656f(d)(2)), or retain the
capability and intent to engage in terrorist activity or terrorism.
3.

The organizations terrorist activity or terrorism must threaten the security of U.S.

nationals or the national security (national defense, foreign relations, or the economic interests)
of the United States (Foreign 2015).
Geneva Convention: This term refers to a four-part treaty that allowed for a neutral party to
provide humanitarian aid to all in a war zone (the Red Cross). Used by itself, it typically refers to
the last part of the treaty ratified post-World War II that dealt with the treatment of prisoners in
the Nazi Regime. The 1949 chapter outlined what is acceptable treatment for prisoners of war
and what constitutes a war crime or a crime against humanity (Geneva n.d.).
guerrilla: military strategy that involves stealth and tactical know-how, often using natural
fortifications as defense and camouflage. Used by early American settlers against the British in
the American Revolution. The fashion of military excellence at the time was to line up and
march at the enemy in a frontal attack; the British considered hiding in trees and taking out
military leaders cowardly and dishonorable fighting.
Gulf War: a United States-led coalition against the forces of Saddam Hussein in Kuwait in the
early nineties. The troops expulse Hussein and his troops, but failed to capture him (leading to
the need to re-invade the area later on). The landing in Saudi Arabia is another reason for antiAmerican sentiments in the Middle East - the non-believers occupied and trampled all over the
Holy Land. The profaning of sacred ground wasnt, and still isnt, something to be taken lightly
(Rourke 2014).

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HAMAS: An acronym for Harakat al-Muqawama al-Islamiya ("Islamic Resistance Movement"),

a Palestinian political group opposite the Israeli political group Fatah. It was named a foreign
terrorist group by the United States in 1997 and continues to be part of the uprisings in the West
Bank and Gaza Strip. Hamas is also Arabic for enthusiasm (Laub 2014).
Hizballah: (pronunciation: khes-bal-lah) Shiite organization in Lebanon that is anti-Israeli, and
therefore anti-United States. Literally, Party of God in Arabic. Westernized spelling:
Hezbollah (Hezbollah n.d.).
Levant: refers to a number of countries in the Mediterranean coast, generally including Syria,
Lebanon, Israel, Jordan, Cyprus, and Hatay, sometimes Turkey, Egypt, Iraq and Sinai. The
terrorist group under question is not affiliated with Israel; however, ISIS has expanded past the
boundaries of its name. In an effort to retain accuracy, one must therefore refer to al-Qaida of
Iraq as ISIL with the understanding that Israel is generally excepted from the title. See Appendix
A for area map.
Islamic state: a government based on the strict enforcement of Islamic religious law. It does
already exist in some countries in the Middle East and functions of their own free will; its not
intended to be oppressive. However, pro-Islamic state terrorist factions use it as a political
flagship to build their empire and have imposed it on states that had partial or non-existent
religious law. See Appendix C for a Romanized version of the Islamic state map in terms of
ISILs empire (see Appendix C).
Islamists: an advocate of a political order based on the religious laws prescribed by Islam. Not a
synonym for jihadist or militant, it is an ideological stance on how society should function
(Ohlheiser 2013).

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scorched earth policy: a military strategy where food, shelter, weapons, and supplies are burned
or deliberately destroyed to prevent them from benefitting the enemy. Used by multiple
militaries from the American March to the Seas to the Nazi winter invasion of Russia.
sharia: (pronunciation: shar-ee-yah) a code of legal and ethical conduct as laid out by the
prophet Muhammad (both Hadith and Sunna) in the Quran. Prescribes religious, civic, and filial
duties of the individual and community in order to reach Paradise after death. This is the
religious law radical Islamicists use to format their government (Denny 2012).
Sunni Muslims: There are two divergent groups of Muslim people who are fairly evenly spread
out in Iraq. The main difference is that of ascendency. According to the Quran, the prophet
Muhammad declared that whoever the people vote upon should succeed him in leadership.
However, upon his deathbed, he named a relative of his as the next leader of Islam. The two
philosophies werent in competition with one another until a leader who was not of direct
bloodline to the prophet was chosen. Animosity built between the sects until the leader was
assassinated. Although the majority of Muslims in the world today are Sunni (believing a leader
should be elected), there is still violence on both sides (Denny 2012).
sword verses: sections of writing within a text, usually scripture, that advocates violence and the
making of war to defend an ideological stance. These occur in the Christian Bible and the Jewish
Torah, as well as the Quran. Most specifically, Sura 9:5 tells Muslims to take up the sword
against infidels, pagans, and non-believers should they not repent their ways. Some of the Quran
tells the story of Muhammad as he uses the Word of God as his shield against his enemies
(similar to the story of Joan of Arc). It is worth noting, however, that before Muhammad waged
war on the evils of the world, he won the battle between good and evil in himself (Denny 2012).

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al-Qaida: (pronunciation: all-kai-dah) Founded in 1988 by Osama bin-Laden, a radical Sunni

group opposed to any and all western interaction in the Middle East. Literally, the base in
Arabic. Westernized spelling: Al-Qaeda (Al-Qaeda n.d.)
Quran: (pronunciation: kor-ahn) Muslim holy text, believed to be miraculously written in by the
illiterate prophet Muhammad as dictated by the angel Gabriel. It is comprised of 114 sura (or
chapters) of various lengths and themes, and was originally written in Arabic without vowels.
Much of the Quran is fire-and-brimstone text, its main purpose to warn the masses about
divine punishment in the afterlife. Translated versions of the text are not considered valid or holy
because they are not the original Word of God. Westernized spelling: Koran (Denny 2012).
wealth gap: the difference between the poorest and the wealthiest people in a nation. Also called
wealth inequality.
.

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Appendix A

Levant. (2012, August 27). Retrieved March 21, 2015, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Levant

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Appendix B

Thread: Mosul, Iraq's second city, falls to jihadists! 287 days old. (2014, August 8). Retrieved
March 21, 2015, from http://www.forumbiodiversity.com/showthread.php/42214-Mosul-Iraq-ssecond-city-falls-to-jihadists!/page11

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Appendix C

Endley, B. (2014, July 5). ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi breaks cover and tells followers 'we
like killing our enemies' Retrieved March 24, 2015, from http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/worldnews/isis-leader-abu-bakr-al-baghdadi-3817935

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Appendix D

Ries, B. (2014, June 13). Iraq Implodes: What You Need to Know. Retrieved March 21, 2015,
from http://mashable.com/2014/06/13/iraq-implodes-isis-isil/

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