February 1, 2019
Taking accountability sucks, but it’s no secret that the US invasions of Iraq and overthrowing of Saddam Hussein led to a power vaccum in Iraq. While we focused on finding Bin Laden and persecuting al-Qaeda, a man from Jordan named Abu Musab al-Zarqawi was slowly upping the ante on an ideological war no country would be able to fight.
The Sunni- Shi’a divide in the Middle East fueled his ideology. His hatred for the Shi’a (who make up a large portion of Iraq) began a complex plan to establish a Sunni caliphate. Considered too extreme by even Bin Laden himself, Zarqawi rallied an army to build an Islamic State before being killed in a 2006 US airstrike.
As Arab Spring uprisings took hold in 2011, those in Syria looked to overthrow their dictatorial government as well. They underestimated the power of their leader. Civil unrest and discontent grew into the government fighting against resistance and ideological groups. This allowed the Islamic State to stealthily overtake land; displacing, pillaging, and killing in every area they could maintain.
These are the refugees pouring out of the middle east and seeking refuge in Europe, their closest port cities usually being Greek islands. Even as multi-country coalitions have eradicated ISIS, the devastation is too great for anyone to return to their ‘homes’ or ‘countries’ because they no longer exist.
Taking accountability sucks, but it’s no secret that the US invasions of Iraq and overthrowing of Saddam Hussein led to a power vaccum in Iraq. While we focused on finding Bin Laden and persecuting al-Qaeda, a man from Jordan named Abu Musab al-Zarqawi was slowly upping the ante on an ideological war no country would be able to fight.
The Sunni- Shi’a divide in the Middle East fueled his ideology. His hatred for the Shi’a (who make up a large portion of Iraq) began a complex plan to establish a Sunni caliphate. Considered too extreme by even Bin Laden himself, Zarqawi rallied an army to build an Islamic State before being killed in a 2006 US airstrike.
As Arab Spring uprisings took hold in 2011, those in Syria looked to overthrow their dictatorial government as well. They underestimated the power of their leader. Civil unrest and discontent grew into the government fighting against resistance and ideological groups. This allowed the Islamic State to stealthily overtake land; displacing, pillaging, and killing in every area they could maintain.
These are the refugees pouring out of the middle east and seeking refuge in Europe, their closest port cities usually being Greek islands. Even as multi-country coalitions have eradicated ISIS, the devastation is too great for anyone to return to their ‘homes’ or ‘countries’ because they no longer exist.