7 ms·

Secret Files Reveal the Structure of Islamic State

101 points by notsony 12y ago

ChuckMcM 12y ago
Interesting way to build an army. I guess when you have nothing to lose and the rule of law is tenuous at best, there are opportunities to be exploited. But that has always been true. I wonder if anyone starting a company organizes this way.
- ccvannorman 12y ago
  Can you elaborate on how someone starting a company could organize this way?
  - sdenton4 12y ago
    Sure, it's easy. Put some sleeper cells in other companies, then ride a wave of blackmail and murder to a complete corporate takeover. Rinse, repeat.
- fsloth 12y ago
  Well, I suppose one could look the fake Jihad as an application of Steve Denning's concept of storytelling as a tool for leadership. (http://www.stevedenning.com/Books/leaders-guide-to-storytelling.aspx http://www.stevedenning.com/Books/leaders-guide-to-storytell...). In this instance the story told to troops is total bogus but it gets them to implement the organizational targets in the way intended by leadership. I'm pretty sure I would not like to work in a company applying this fake-story-principle.
anigbrowl 12y ago
This is some really outstanding journalism, in terms of both information density and quality of writing. This helps to explain why Iran has involved itself so prominently in attacks on IS in Iraq; the architects of the 1979 Iranian revolution must have had a good deal of pragmatic and strategic insight in addition to their religious fervor, and were probably in a better position to assess IS than most of the surrounding countries or western observers.
- ggreer 12y ago
  Iran can be secular and pragmatic, but this dispute stems from religion. Iranians practice Shia Islam, which makes them heretics in the eyes of the (Sunni) Islamic State. The Islamic State interprets certain bits of Sura 47 to mean they should behead disbelievers and heretics. Until ISIS reads the Qu'ran less literally, the two sides simply cannot coexist in peace.
  - bostik 12y ago
    This strikes a chord with a pet peeve of mine. For nearly 20 years I've said that organised religion is just another way of asserting power over people. Quoting from you: > [...] two sides simply cannot coexist in peace. That is divide and conquer played out to near perfection. The two sides are supposedly the same, but due to their own religious dogmas, they hold an existential grudge against one another. Those who wish to maintain and exploit the situation can pick any number of small clashes and turn them into straightorward propaganda. And while the strategy is from the Roman emperors, the tactics are (as stated in the article) definitely from Stasi: surveillance, suspicion, paranoia, disappearing people and assassinated leader candidates. Even potential ones. I wouldn't be surprised if the IS forces allowed a small number of individuals to escape from each of their massacres. What better propaganda than the rumours spread by few lucky survivors? As to their units' training and composure... Again: isolation and suspicion, coupled with unwavering loyalty. There's a dirty word for that, and it starts with B. Which, incidentally, would complete the circuit and bring us back to religion.
    - takatin 12y ago
      > The two sides are supposedly the same, but due to their own religious dogmas, they hold an existential grudge against one another. Reminded me of this Emo Philips bit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D88DQIJmxRI https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D88DQIJmxRI
    - cubancigar11 12y ago
      I am not a native English speaker. What is that word?
ilaksh 12y ago
I just assume "ISS" is the new Al Qaeda" or "terrorism", i.e. branding and refinement of propaganda programs, providing a go-to enemy to justify military operations.
- CoffeeDregs 12y ago
  If you spend a few moments on LiveLeak looking for IS videos, I suspect you'll come to agree that "IS" (or "ISIS") is a thing distinct from "terrorism". As not an apparent, imminent threat to the US, I'm not sure whether they deserve more or less attention [from our population's eyeballs and thereby our military's bombs] than does "terrorism", but it's hard to agree with the cynical interpretation that "IS" is merely a rebranding of the terrorism bogeyman. ...and I would advise you against spending those few moments on LiveLeak looking for IS videos...
  - ncza 12y ago
    On the other hand you just proposed that the parent commenter gets on a terrorist list of the NSA, GCHQ, BKA, etc.
    - woah 12y ago
      Who controls the past controls the future; who controls the present controls the past.
  - nitrogen 12y ago
    The Vice documentary of ISIS is very informative without having to view said LiveLeak videos.
- seivan 12y ago
  Tell that to the 7000 yezidi women that got kidnapped by privileged muslims from the west who travelled for an adventure. Tell them they are just part of a propaganda. Tell them that muslims really do not consider them heretic. The whole 800 000 000 of muslims who justify honour killings, killing apostates and etc. http://www.pewforum.org/2013/04/30/the-worlds-muslims-religion-politics-society-overview/ http://www.pewforum.org/2013/04/30/the-worlds-muslims-religi... http://rudaw.net/english/kurdistan/140820142 http://rudaw.net/english/kurdistan/140820142 12 year sold as ISIS slave, she didn't know what rape meant only that she woke up bleeding http://www.nbcnews.com/nightly-news/video/yazidi-women-sold-by-isis-tell-chilling-tales-of-slave-auction-399059523552 http://www.nbcnews.com/nightly-news/video/yazidi-women-sold-... One ‘slave' tried to kill herself 7 times. Some of the girls isis rapes & enslaves are 8. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/02/10/isis-women-angelina-jolie_n_6653862.html http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/02/10/isis-women-angelina... Yazidi girls, aged 12 & 19, bought & sold, raped & beaten for months by their ISIS captors http://www.nbcnews.com/watch/nbc-news/yazidi-woman-isis-captors-called-us-their-property-398807107908 http://www.nbcnews.com/watch/nbc-news/yazidi-woman-isis-capt... ISIS militants prefer the young female "slaves," according to those who made it out. http://www.amnestyusa.org/research/reports/escape-from-hell-torture-sexual-slavery-in-islamic-state-captivity-in-iraq http://www.amnestyusa.org/research/reports/escape-from-hell-... Kidnapped Yazidi women are frequently victimized with non-consensual, brutalizing rape: http://www.raqqa-sl.com/en/?p=589 http://www.raqqa-sl.com/en/?p=589 Tell it to the Kurdish Peshmerga or YPG forces who've lost thousands of their brother and sisters live defending their cities from Privileged muslims from welfare state with free education and healthcare. Ugh, I can't stand these fucking privileged jihadi-apologists. You, Greenwald, Jones, Galloway, Augur, Werlemann and all other assholes who created this pity-fest for Jihadis.
darkhorn 12y ago
Looks like Saddam's state?
TazeTSchnitzel 12y ago
People forget that Islam has always been much more than a religion. The Arab peninsula was successfully conquered before Muhammad died.
- jboynyc 12y ago
  Your implication that religion properly understood is separable from political concerns is a very recent -- and very Protestant -- idea. If you look to other historical epochs and other cultures, you will find this idea rarely applies. No need to single out Islam in this way.
vijayr 12y ago
the two systems ultimately shared a conviction that control over the masses should lie in the hands of a small elite that should not be answerable to anyone Interesting to see the elite thinking along same lines across the world - whether it is democratic system or something totally opposite. Edit: the whole thing reads like a horror movie. It must've been terrifying for the ordinary people who lived/live in Raqqa.
pakled_engineer 12y ago
Some of this was already exposed by the @Wikibaghdady jihadi twitter leaker https://justpaste.it/e90q https://justpaste.it/e90q

101 points by notsony 12y ago

Interesting way to build an army. I guess when you have nothing to lose and the rule of law is tenuous at best, there are opportunities to be exploited. But that has always been true. I wonder if anyone starting a company organizes this way.

ccvannorman 12y ago
Can you elaborate on how someone starting a company could organize this way?
- sdenton4 12y ago
  Sure, it's easy. Put some sleeper cells in other companies, then ride a wave of blackmail and murder to a complete corporate takeover. Rinse, repeat.
fsloth 12y ago
Well, I suppose one could look the fake Jihad as an application of Steve Denning's concept of storytelling as a tool for leadership. (http://www.stevedenning.com/Books/leaders-guide-to-storytelling.aspx http://www.stevedenning.com/Books/leaders-guide-to-storytell...). In this instance the story told to troops is total bogus but it gets them to implement the organizational targets in the way intended by leadership. I'm pretty sure I would not like to work in a company applying this fake-story-principle.

anigbrowl 12y ago

This is some really outstanding journalism, in terms of both information density and quality of writing. This helps to explain why Iran has involved itself so prominently in attacks on IS in Iraq; the architects of the 1979 Iranian revolution must have had a good deal of pragmatic and strategic insight in addition to their religious fervor, and were probably in a better position to assess IS than most of the surrounding countries or western observers.

ggreer 12y ago
Iran can be secular and pragmatic, but this dispute stems from religion. Iranians practice Shia Islam, which makes them heretics in the eyes of the (Sunni) Islamic State. The Islamic State interprets certain bits of Sura 47 to mean they should behead disbelievers and heretics. Until ISIS reads the Qu'ran less literally, the two sides simply cannot coexist in peace.
- bostik 12y ago
  This strikes a chord with a pet peeve of mine. For nearly 20 years I've said that organised religion is just another way of asserting power over people. Quoting from you: > [...] two sides simply cannot coexist in peace. That is divide and conquer played out to near perfection. The two sides are supposedly the same, but due to their own religious dogmas, they hold an existential grudge against one another. Those who wish to maintain and exploit the situation can pick any number of small clashes and turn them into straightorward propaganda. And while the strategy is from the Roman emperors, the tactics are (as stated in the article) definitely from Stasi: surveillance, suspicion, paranoia, disappearing people and assassinated leader candidates. Even potential ones. I wouldn't be surprised if the IS forces allowed a small number of individuals to escape from each of their massacres. What better propaganda than the rumours spread by few lucky survivors? As to their units' training and composure... Again: isolation and suspicion, coupled with unwavering loyalty. There's a dirty word for that, and it starts with B. Which, incidentally, would complete the circuit and bring us back to religion.
  - takatin 12y ago
    > The two sides are supposedly the same, but due to their own religious dogmas, they hold an existential grudge against one another. Reminded me of this Emo Philips bit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D88DQIJmxRI https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D88DQIJmxRI
  - cubancigar11 12y ago
    I am not a native English speaker. What is that word?

ilaksh 12y ago

I just assume "ISS" is the new Al Qaeda" or "terrorism", i.e. branding and refinement of propaganda programs, providing a go-to enemy to justify military operations.

CoffeeDregs 12y ago
If you spend a few moments on LiveLeak looking for IS videos, I suspect you'll come to agree that "IS" (or "ISIS") is a thing distinct from "terrorism". As not an apparent, imminent threat to the US, I'm not sure whether they deserve more or less attention [from our population's eyeballs and thereby our military's bombs] than does "terrorism", but it's hard to agree with the cynical interpretation that "IS" is merely a rebranding of the terrorism bogeyman. ...and I would advise you against spending those few moments on LiveLeak looking for IS videos...
- ncza 12y ago
  On the other hand you just proposed that the parent commenter gets on a terrorist list of the NSA, GCHQ, BKA, etc.
  - woah 12y ago
    Who controls the past controls the future; who controls the present controls the past.
- nitrogen 12y ago
  The Vice documentary of ISIS is very informative without having to view said LiveLeak videos.
seivan 12y ago
Tell that to the 7000 yezidi women that got kidnapped by privileged muslims from the west who travelled for an adventure. Tell them they are just part of a propaganda. Tell them that muslims really do not consider them heretic. The whole 800 000 000 of muslims who justify honour killings, killing apostates and etc. http://www.pewforum.org/2013/04/30/the-worlds-muslims-religion-politics-society-overview/ http://www.pewforum.org/2013/04/30/the-worlds-muslims-religi... http://rudaw.net/english/kurdistan/140820142 http://rudaw.net/english/kurdistan/140820142 12 year sold as ISIS slave, she didn't know what rape meant only that she woke up bleeding http://www.nbcnews.com/nightly-news/video/yazidi-women-sold-by-isis-tell-chilling-tales-of-slave-auction-399059523552 http://www.nbcnews.com/nightly-news/video/yazidi-women-sold-... One ‘slave' tried to kill herself 7 times. Some of the girls isis rapes & enslaves are 8. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/02/10/isis-women-angelina-jolie_n_6653862.html http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/02/10/isis-women-angelina... Yazidi girls, aged 12 & 19, bought & sold, raped & beaten for months by their ISIS captors http://www.nbcnews.com/watch/nbc-news/yazidi-woman-isis-captors-called-us-their-property-398807107908 http://www.nbcnews.com/watch/nbc-news/yazidi-woman-isis-capt... ISIS militants prefer the young female "slaves," according to those who made it out. http://www.amnestyusa.org/research/reports/escape-from-hell-torture-sexual-slavery-in-islamic-state-captivity-in-iraq http://www.amnestyusa.org/research/reports/escape-from-hell-... Kidnapped Yazidi women are frequently victimized with non-consensual, brutalizing rape: http://www.raqqa-sl.com/en/?p=589 http://www.raqqa-sl.com/en/?p=589 Tell it to the Kurdish Peshmerga or YPG forces who've lost thousands of their brother and sisters live defending their cities from Privileged muslims from welfare state with free education and healthcare. Ugh, I can't stand these fucking privileged jihadi-apologists. You, Greenwald, Jones, Galloway, Augur, Werlemann and all other assholes who created this pity-fest for Jihadis.

darkhorn 12y ago

Looks like Saddam's state?

TazeTSchnitzel 12y ago

People forget that Islam has always been much more than a religion. The Arab peninsula was successfully conquered before Muhammad died.

jboynyc 12y ago
Your implication that religion properly understood is separable from political concerns is a very recent -- and very Protestant -- idea. If you look to other historical epochs and other cultures, you will find this idea rarely applies. No need to single out Islam in this way.

vijayr 12y ago

the two systems ultimately shared a conviction that control over the masses should lie in the hands of a small elite that should not be answerable to anyone Interesting to see the elite thinking along same lines across the world - whether it is democratic system or something totally opposite. Edit: the whole thing reads like a horror movie. It must've been terrifying for the ordinary people who lived/live in Raqqa.

pakled_engineer 12y ago

Some of this was already exposed by the @Wikibaghdady jihadi twitter leaker https://justpaste.it/e90q https://justpaste.it/e90q