The public relations department of the Islamic State failed to inform the terrorist media gurus that burning captives alive incites increased opposition rather than fear and cowering.
The age-old mantra “history repeats itself” must have been hidden in a footnote on one of the social media memos sent out to the Sunni Muslim terrorist organization
In 1555, Queen Mary I of England attempted burning “heretics” alive to incite fear, cowering and conversion to Catholicism among her largely Protestant populace. The gruesome, public burnings incited anger and opposition toward the Queen, essentially killing any chance of Catholicism’s return to England. Mary eventually lost her religious crusade, and Protestants laid Catholicism to rest with the Queen’s tombstone.
In response to the IS’s disgustingly Hollywood-like burning of Jordanian Lt. Muath al-Kaseasbeh, Jordan’s military laid hundreds of IS terrorists and several commanders to rest under tombstones of rubble. The Jordan air force claims that the 56 airstrikes unleashed on IS territory are only the beginning of their vengeful military campaign.
Fox News was the only major American news outlet to air the gruesome execution. The video showed Americans the evil capabilities of the IS and inflamed an already blistering hatred for the terrorist group.
However, Fox News’ decision to air the video played into the IS’s hands. The terrorists wanted the world to see their professionally made propaganda, and the news channel obliged.
Whether Fox News’ decision was ethical does not change the fact that millions of Americans saw the video, and as a result, the American war drums are sounding louder and louder. The political rhetoric resembles that of former President George W. Bush in the lead up to the invasion of Iraq — the enemy is evil.
And I agree. The IS is undoubtedly evil. Those who stand for good in this world must fight and vanquish this evil, but is America the primary force of good intentions to stop them?
I am hesitant to advocate for boots on the ground after our previous war in Iraq. The IS does not pose an immediate and realistic threat to the U.S. I don’t buy an argument for sending troops on those terms.
The IS is committing genocide, though. And if I can condemn American politicians for not sending troops to stop the Rwandan genocide in 1994, then I would be a hypocrite to argue against increased military involvement against the IS.
The Sunni terrorists are murdering thousands of Shiites and Christians. Religious identity in IS-controlled territories in Iraq and Syria can be the difference between life and death.
The world needs to eradicate the IS, and America should have a hand in ending its genocide. But if we can defeat the IS with unmanned aircrafts and covert operations, we should keep American invasion forces on domestic soil.
If drones and special forces are not enough, then the next step of increased military involvement should be finding allies in the Middle East willing to aid the U.S. in defeating the IS. Jordan is willing to commit military forces to defeating the IS, and we need to find other countries like them.
A military invasion by western forces without help from neighboring Arab countries will only leave a void for new extremist groups to swoop in immediately after we pull our troops out.
An alliance with Arab countries will increase the chances of a successful nation state post-IS.
America can’t stand by and watch religious genocide, but we can’t successfully defeat the IS without the help of other Arab countries. Our actions today can prevent future genocides in the Middle East. Every decision we make is truly monumental.
Justin DiCharia is a 20-year-old mass communication junior from Slidell, Louisiana. You can reach him on Twitter @JDiCharia.