ISIS Fanatics Are Whining ... About The Lack of Starbucks Coffee in Mosul

[bemildred]

Read on, it's better than it sounds.

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Over time, ISIS developed a unique way of seamlessly merging the role of physical and virtual fighter: Centring its image around extreme violence, and conceptions of adventure linked to it, rather than any ideological message. ISIS terrorists commit brutal crimes on the battle field and then upload photos to their social media. They have a gruesome physical impact on the battlefield while simultaneously propagandising, corrupting the minds of people across the world with the images of that (as well as intimidating local enemies).

ISIS ruthlessly seeks to maximise the physiological, global impact of its terrorism; Carrying out headline-grabbing, symbolism-ladden, sensationally inhuman atrocities, knowing that it can use these to steer and control the Western media coverage it gets. One peer-reviewed academic study, published in the prestigious journal Studies in Conflict & Terrorism (Vol. 38.), comments "Terrorist-controlled social media now drive the "slow media" coverage". The study even notes that battle-themed messages (40.3%) outweigh religious themed messages (38.5%) emanating from sampled ISIS-member twitter accounts.

This gives ISIS media power that terrorist groups 20 years ago could only dream of. The other side of that, intended and unintended is that brutality comes a key, defining part of the group's recruitment programme in the societies it thus propagandises.

Individuals who are fascinated, perversely attracted by the limitless brutality on show will be drawn ever more towards ISIS. Others will be repelled, even if they might otherwise have sympathised with some of the ultra-theocratic, anti-western agenda ISIS claims to adhere to (even some Al-Qaeda terrorists think ISIS is too brutal).

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/colin-cortbus/isis_b_7296916.html

[DetlefK]

1. So, the foreign-fighters are joining ISIS for the adventure?

This makes sense. There is this trend, including here on DU:
Viewing the world in black and white and you are Luke Skywalker fighting the Galactic Empire.
You have been lied to but now you see the truth and nothing can convince you that this new thing ISN'T the truth. It must be the truth, because the other guys are defined as evil and you are now part of something defined as good.
Anything that supports your stance is undoubtable truth, anything that puts your stance in question is propaganda by your enemies.
Wake up, sheeple!

The undirected passion of youth combined with the fanaticism of the recently-converted.

Why live this hollow life of oppression when you can have fame and adventure in a fantasy-world?

[bemildred]

2. Well, there are so many different ways to go with it, but yeah, it's crazy.

All those video games can give you an unrealistic view of the world.

[Jefferson23]

3. A worthwhile read. This is another piece to what I feel, is an intricate puzzle, trying to

grasp what it is they want. When in modern history have we seen similar variables
involved that culminated in a movement of such force..clearly some of the gains
were made due to the already weak states in the region. But that does not explain
their motives etc..this OP is disturbing. When you read some of the accounts
from the women who have lived the consequences of ISIS, they talk about the
sheer corruption..you can buy your way out of a rape, if your family has enough
money. If anyone is still naive enough to pass this movement off to be inspired by
their religion, they're not paying attention.

The resulting consequences of our war on terror..more terror.

[bemildred]

4. It explains some things that need explaining.

It's a complicated puzzle, the ex-Baathist leaders, the GCC money boys, the disaffected youth both there and in the West, the various foreign meddlers and wannabe bigshots, the failure of any central government to assert itself.

Do we live in a decadent culture or what?