The purpose of this paper is to examine the roots Al Qaeda from its front man Osama Bin Laden his association with the Brotherhood, the creation of Al Qaeda and how this movement developed into the terrorist organizations we know of today. I will explore the origins of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, often called ISIS or ISIL. This paper will touch on how the members of ISIS developed from different social groups not all being born of Middle Eastern heritage. It will express the target of these two groups fight and why it is hard to keep this group isolated to a specific area. Lastly, explain the unpredictability of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria and its unorthodox religious manner therefore, realizing the difficulties in containing these groups and not truly understanding the future of the Islamic state.
The Differences between Al 'Qaeda and ISIS
Al 'Qaeda one of the largest terrorist groups in American history, where did this group come from and how was it formed? This question resonates in the minds of many people from all over the world including me (Frontline, 2001). Osama bin Laden, one of the masterminds behind the operations that caused September 11 as well as other attacks prior to his demise in 2011. This religious freedom fighter wanted his way of life free from western influence and wished the United States rid its presence from Islamic culture (Bymann & Williams, 2015).
Wahhabism is no intermediary between Allah and man to include the Prophet Mohammed who was a messenger of Allah and not to be worship as Jesus is in some cultures (Nasr, 2007). America plays a role in this tragedy in ways that would baffle most Americans for they assisted in the fight with Afghanistan against the Soviet Union by providing resources as well as arms to this location only to have conflict with the same territory they assisted a few years later (Goldschmidt & Davidson, 2013.Pp.386-393).
Islamic State in Iraq and Syria known as ISIS emerged from Al Qaeda. The separation on who they are fighting against is one of the reasons ISIS and Al Qaeda no longer are a union and what methods to use while strategizing an attack. They differ as to who they are at war with, Al Qaeda with the United States primarily yet they want to own the rights to the Middle East and have it governed by a true Islamic state and ISIS although not in favor of the United States their primary target is in house within their own country. They rather concentrate on tactics to rid the Arab region from traitors based primarily in Syria and Iraq (BBC News, 2004). To say the least there are so many differences between these two groups it was a matter of time before they would become two separate terrorist organizations tormenting the world (Bymann & Williams, 2015).
The History of Al 'Qaeda
Osama bin Laden born 1957 into a Wealthy Saudi Arabian family and raised under the strictest guidance known as the Wahhabis was a Sunni Muslim in Saudi Arabia. Not much information found as a youth beside his mother remarrying and the death of his father when he was about ten years old. Bin laden school years was free from western influence and most of his guidance was from Islamist teaching that solely taught Middle Eastern studies and Islam (scheuer, 2011). His teachers were from an organization formed known as The Brotherhood and taught strict Islamic teaching. Much of the history that is formed around Bin Laden can be found beginning with his involvement in Afghanistan during the years of 1979-1989 involving Russia invading Afghanistan and him formulating his army which he lead an won against the Russian invaders (Mockaitis, 2010). Prior to 1990 Al Qaeda and the US was actually associates. It is said he had an arrangement with the CIA yet no truth can be found beside the freedom fighters comment that was made about him and his army from American sources (Chossudovsky, 2008). So what changed why he turned on his country and America? It was humiliation the Saudi government displayed to Osama by rejecting his offer to have his holy warriors (mujahedeen) help defend Saudi interest, even after it was shown that the army defeated the Russians in their attempts in Afghanistan. Osama bin laden passion for his religion and wanting his's country to focus on Islamic teaching and government based and focused. He felt betrayed by his country and after his exiled to Sudan from Saudi Arabia, for openly disagreeing with the Saudi governments views about who should protect Islamic interest. Saudi Arabia chose to have America and other western assistance, which in turn had Foreigners protecting Islamic soil. This was the fuel to set Osama Bin Laden off and his hatred for America was a direct result of these actions (Mockaitis, 2010).
Osama Bin Laden with his teacher Abdullah Azzam starts Al Qaeda, the Arabic name 'the base' In or around 1988. Roughly due to Saudis governments decline to have his army protect the countries interest and having the foreigners assist in the issues streaming in Kuwait late 80's early 90's. Now Al Qaeda based out of Sudan up until 1996 and then moved his operation to Afghanistan and creating a larger army to assist in the defeat of all infidels' for which they call anyone whose government does not follow their strict views of Islam. Bin laden waged holy war (Jihad) on America mid 90's and demanded them to leave Arab Soil for they were still in Saudi Arabia even after the ceasefire, and claimed victory in Kuwait as well as wanting the release of prisoner who were apart of Al Qaeda. The mission was rid 'non- islamic governments by violent force' (Frontline, 2001).
Al Qaeda would continue to grow its army against America, and is known to spearhead and acts as a cover as well as financial supplier to other groups known to create violence against non-believers as well as Islamic states that band with the westerns. These groups were Jihadist from all over the Middle East. In an article issued by the Federal Bureau of Investigation they are quoted as saying on February 22, 1998, Bin Laden issued fatwah's (which are Islamic rulings on law) stating that it is the duty of all Muslims to kill Americans including military as well as civilians (Caruso, 2001). Al Qaeda's first attempt on striking the world trade center was in 1993 and killed six Americans with the cause of injury to over a thousand. It took roughly 9 years between the first attack on US soil for the avengers to return and devastate America with the collapse of the World Trade Center and this time killing close to 3000 Americans. Al Qaeda masterminded this attack by using their foot soldiers and hijacking airplanes. President George W. Bush quoted as saying 'We will make no distinction between the terrorists who committed these acts and those who harbor them.' Given some form of comfort to let the American know we will fight back and our country is not backing down (History.com staff, 2010). Two years later, we stormed Iraq to rid the country of Saddam Hussein instead of focusing on Osama bin laden, yet almost ten years from the September 11 terrorist attacks caused by Al Qaeda we took down Al Qaeda's leader Osama bin Laden.
Islamic State of Iraq and Syria
The small group of Jihadist that used Al Qaeda as a cover as well as its support financially banning together to fight the infidels will become a part of what we know as ISIS the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria. Osama bin Laden wanting a supreme army to fight against America and those who are not a believer in Islam were the enemy. ISIS was an Iraqi organization born out of the Iraqi war in 2003 and funded by Osama bin Laden, although the views of the leader, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi did not share the same views as the Al Qaeda leader chose to ban with Al Qaeda in 2004 and assumed the name 'Al Qaeda in Iraq (AQI)' (Bymann & Williams, 2015). This new union was not triumphant as a larger army yet a relationship filled with quarrel and disarray for they did not share the same vision as Al Qaeda as well as the slow movement of their parent group. Abu Musab al-Zarqawi regime as leader lasted only two years due to his early demise. Those who took over still was at a disagreement with the views of their parent organization and viewed sectarian groups as the enemy instead of the focus of Al Qaeda's view towards America (Bymann & Williams, ISIS vs. Al Qaeda: Jihadism's global civil war, 2015). This union was short lived, bin laden gone, the AQI new leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi consistently at battle to rein supreme he and his group ousted from its parent organization Al Qaeda in early 2014 (Bymann & Williams, 2015). The year prior AQI renamed the organization the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria and after the break for Al Qaeda by June named Islamic or just IS just. Shortly after this name change Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, claims himself leader of all the Muslims and claimed the role as Caliph he has a few follower that agree with his choice yet this is not the consensus of all Muslims (Kaplan, 2014).
The divide
Al Qaeda and the Islamic State have two separate agendas as well as physical make up. The Islamic State has a younger technological group while Al Qaeda is like the parent subdued and low key to a point. Two different sets of opinion from the start ended in a not so great divide in 2014. Both groups have created havoc to the world yet the Islamic State have been unruly and having a take all approach they certainly do have the new minds of today's youth by not being able to sit and wait. Patience is not a practice of the Islamic State thus the premature announcement of the Islamic States Leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. I do not see much promise in his self-appointment yet the story shall play out.
These two organizations were doomed from the start. They did not have the common interest from the beginning as well as their dissimilarities within what they are looking for set up for a poor marriage. The Islamic state is a semi-structured organization that is more army like then Al Qaeda. I would perceive Al Qaeda to be more like a dictatorship. This type of union connection could not work if you have ambitions amongst the troops and they are not able or willing to protest worried of accusation of being a traitor (wong, 2014). The Islamic State is more Ruthless then Al Qaeda. They rely on the wow factor and come up with some harsh punishments for those they find to oppose their operation, including those they have conflict. Beheadings publicly due to social media is a sure way to get the message out their alongside having many viewers from the globe. As mentioned earlier this union could not thrive due to the youth and old mix. The younger generations do not see the patience in many structural plans and are in the 'I need it now era' (wong, 2014). A big point that is made in many research articles is that the Islamic State have made threats to attacked the United States yet have not, their fights have been in country. There have been attacks on Americans in their area of the world or in areas where they were at conflict yet the Islamic State have not come to the United States and attack us on our land. Al Qaeda on the other hand has attacked the United States on U.S. soil on a few occasions and their fight is defeating us while the Islamic State concerns more on creating a caliphate such as Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi claiming role as caliph, while Al Qaeda does not share those beliefs or claim Baghdadi caliph (wong, 2014). Finally the source of income have been a bit on the extreme for the Islamic State for they are willing to steal to fund their cause, yet in resent news due to high supports of the Islamic State they are recorded as receiving millions of dollars in supporters contributions. They have a following of not only Arab origins yet globally. Their fight in some views have a meaning and their goal to create a government that is run under one rule sounds like communism yet I understand it to be a country that do not want outside influence yet the influence of their own kind (wong, 2014).
The future of the Islamic state
It is hard to determine the state of the Middle East in the future due to the unpredictability of the Islamic State and AL Qaeda. As the Islamic State becomes more brutal and forward with its outrageous practices it can only get worse. ISIS use of social media and You Tube has been a vessel to deliver its propaganda to the world. Encouraging outsiders to join in on their therefore expanding their numbers, my new outside recruits. Al Qaeda's strategies are changing as if they too have a new younger population assisting Al Qaeda. This assumption is due to their updated creative ways of orchestrating attacks also it seems as if Al Qaeda is bit intimidated and or disgusted with ISIS and the way they are going about developing a government and the competition between the two groups continue to escalate Naylor, 2015).
When ISIS leader declared himself caliph I believe she has unapologetically expressed he believes he is the superior leader and are welcoming smaller groups to come and join his group as they have did in the past with Al Qaeda(Kaplan, 2014). This action in my opinion can either, make him a marked man due to others having the confidence in believing they should be caliph or he may actually get larger groups joining the Islamic state and over power Al Qaeda and push them into extinction. The Islamic State and Al Qaeda are both Sunni Muslim and the groups that are connected to them are Sunni. The current group that has control over Iraq is Shite. I see a problem with the shite populations accepting a Caliphate with the Islamic States leader as the Caliph. The groups that the Islamic State could cultivate into accepting this union would be Sunni Muslims groups and societies amongst the Muslim Community and I can see a government that would be over thrown if this does come into fruition.
In order for the Muslim communities to ban together, they would first need to come to an agreement and end the separation between the Sunni and Shite sectors. The practices amongst the groups would need to be congruent and unorthodox practices and or primitive behaviors and pratices each sect has would have to be established upon and or cease if it is not what is teached in the Quran and Sunnahs. If this can happen ( perfect world) a caliphate could then be established safely with no bloodshed. Unfortunalty the actions the different groups display are a my way or the no way belief thus creating war between the sects and the victor would then become the caliph due to the internal war. This way would consumme the most lives and in the end one group becoming the conqueror.
Conclusion
My research of on this subject left me at times speechless and my concentration disintegrating, I felt myself heartbroken, angry and at a loss for words. I thought this could have been avoided, the days leading up to September 11 filled with clues as well as warnings yet it still happens. First time in a long, time there was a catastrophic attack on US soil and the rest of our existence is forever changed. Osama bin laden created a crusade, which waged a war on western systems and banned to unite Muslims that were like-minded. His anger fueled by being exiled from his country or maybe having US powers being suggested instead of an Islamic army to protect the riches resources in the Middle East (Saudi Arabia). After Osama bin laden death his chiefs tried to keep some sort of order in Al Qaeda yet it would take a young minded youthful army wanting more. The Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) split from the base (Al Qaeda) which displays an even more concern for their views on what they believe an Islamic state should resemble is far more aggressive then Al 'Qaeda ever was. I believe extremist groups have hindered a connection between the American people as well as the world for they will always remember September 11 and the attacks that followed. I can see a future war amongst the sects within the Middle East, fighting to establish who would be the absolute ruler of the Muslim people instead of someone staking claim. Lastly, the world for the most part in my opinion has little trust in Muslim people due to the extremist groups therefore a non-lethal Muslim having to prove them in order to be trusted by non-Muslims with the perception that all Muslims are terrorist.