Andrzej Guzowski
ISIS – a Unifying Enemy? [View PDF]
ABSTRACT
The establishment of the `Islamic State`, a self-proclaimed caliphate, in June 2014 drastically changed the political landscape of the Middle East. The jihadist organization which grew under al-Qaeda`s wing is now being considered a threat to all the parties involved, including both states in the region (like Iran and Saudi Arabia) and the external powers (like the United States and Russia). The best solution to such a problem would be the creation of a great coalition aiming to end `the Islamic State`s` activities. It seems, however, that having a common enemy is not enough for the states to put their differences aside and start to cooperate. This is mainly due to their conflicting interests in Syria and Iraq and the possibility that a military intervention against the jihadists could serve as an excuse to end Bashar al-Assad`s rule.
Keywords: ISIS, Islamic State, Syria, Iraq, jihadists, Middle East, threat, United States