The Rise of ISIS

Great Decisions 2016 | Topic 2

Born out of an umbrella organization of al-Qaeda in Iraq, the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS), the group has seized control of a number of critical strongholds in both countries and declared itself a caliphate.

Born out of an umbrella organization of al-Qaeda in Iraq, the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) burst onto the international stage after it conquered Fallujah in December 2013. Since then, the group has seized control of a number of critical strongholds in both countries and declared itself a caliphate. Still, the question remains: what is ISIS, and what danger does it pose to U.S. interests?

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  • From Paper State to Caliphate: The Ideology of the Islamic State

    Bunzel gives a good, comprehensive overview of the intellectual history of the Islamic State’s rise to power. 

     

  • ISIS enshrines a Theology of Rape

    Callimachi presents a disturbing look into the world that ISIS rules, and how it has institutionalized rape as a method of control.

     

  • ISIS: A Primer

    A good quick introduction to the basic facts about ISIS: who they are and where they came from.

     

  • The ISIS Apocalypse: The History, Strategy and Doomsday Vision of the Islamic State

    McCants provides a brisk read outlining the roots and formation of the Islamic State. Of special interest is McCants’ translations of several of the key texts ISIS uses to form its ideological foundations

     

  • The Believer

    McCants provides the best biography of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi the current head of ISIS.

     

  • Five Hostages

    In a compelling and heartbreaking piece of narrative reporting, Wright looks at the families who negotiated with ISIS in an effort to get their children back, while also shining a light on U.S. policy toward hostages abroad.

     

  • What ISIS Really Wants

    Wood probes whether ISIS is really as “Islamic” as it claims, how does the group think and what texts guide its decision-making. 

     

  • ISIS: Inside the Army of Terror

    Journalist Michael Weiss and analyst Hassan Hassan outline the trajectory of ISIS from its origins to its form at the time of publication. 

     

  • The Rise of the Islamic State: ISIS and the New Sunni Revolution

    An account of the rise of ISIS, with a view to how the West contributed to circumstances which fostered the organization’s growth. 

     

  • The Islamic State

    The Council on Foreign Relations' interactive guide to the Islamic State explains the origins of the group, its distinction from other militant groups and the U.S. strategy vis-à-vis ISIS. 

     

Great Decisions 2024 cover image.