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posted by CoolHand on Thursday April 30 2015, @05:02AM   Printer-friendly
from the someone-make-up-my-mind dept.
calmond writes:

Related to the earlier discussion about where ISIS gets its weapons, I wanted to share this great in-depth article from The Atlantic about the motivations of ISIS. Then In order to provide a more nuanced view of ISIS, here is criticism of that Atlantic article from thinkprogress.org.

From the Atlantic:

The Islamic State is no mere collection of psychopaths. It is a religious group with carefully considered beliefs, among them that it is a key agent of the coming apocalypse.

We can gather that their state rejects peace as a matter of principle; that it hungers for genocide; that its religious views make it constitutionally incapable of certain types of change, even if that change might ensure its survival; and that it considers itself a harbinger of—and headline player in—the imminent end of the world.

The thinkprogress.org criticism by one of the primary sources cited in the Atlantic article:

One of the oft-mentioned criticisms of The Atlantic piece is that it echoed the inaccurate belief that since ISIS’s theology draws upon Islamic texts to justify its horrendous practices, it is an inevitable product of Islam. Haykel didn’t say whether or not he thought Wood’s article says as much, but when ThinkProgress asked him directly whether Islamic texts and theology necessitate the creation of groups like ISIS, he was unequivocal.

“No,” he said. “I think that ISIS is a product of very contingent, contextual, historical factors. There is nothing predetermined in Islam that would lead to ISIS.”

He was similarly unambiguous when responding to the related critique that Muslims who disavow ISIS are somehow deluded or not “real” Muslims.

“I consider people … who have criticized ISIS to be fully within the Islamic tradition, and in no way ‘less Muslim’ than ISIS,” he said. “I mean, that’s absurd.”

 
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  • (Score: 2) by GreatAuntAnesthesia on Thursday April 30 2015, @10:45AM

    by GreatAuntAnesthesia (3275) on Thursday April 30 2015, @10:45AM (#177027) Journal

    Someone has modded you troll. I'm sure if you provided a citation or two you'd be modded informative or insightful instead.

    Starting Score:    1  point
    Karma-Bonus Modifier   +1  

    Total Score:   2  
  • (Score: 2) by mtrycz on Thursday April 30 2015, @02:12PM

    by mtrycz (60) on Thursday April 30 2015, @02:12PM (#177083)

    I'd be much interested in such sources.

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    • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday April 30 2015, @03:33PM

      by Anonymous Coward on Thursday April 30 2015, @03:33PM (#177115)

      Are you really dumb enough to think the CIA isn't selling them weapons? The CIA has a long history of selling weapons to extremist groups.

      • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday April 30 2015, @04:31PM

        by Anonymous Coward on Thursday April 30 2015, @04:31PM (#177150)

        > Are you really dumb enough to think the CIA isn't selling them weapons?
        > The CIA has a long history of selling weapons to extremist groups.

        That logic is obviously specious for the very simple fact that the CIA has an even longer history of not selling weapons to extremist groups.
        It's not like becoming an extremist automatically gets you a membership card for the CIA Costco Weapons Club.

      • (Score: 2) by mtrycz on Thursday April 30 2015, @08:59PM

        by mtrycz (60) on Thursday April 30 2015, @08:59PM (#177253)

        Conspiracy theories are generally not conspiracy theories when they ar ebased on facts, and I'm always willing to listen to facts.

        And I haven't heard any yet.

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