The two articles that I looked at are What ISIS Really Wants and New ISIS Propaganda Video May Feature Latest American Recruit. These are two very different articles with ISIS being the common denominator. In the first, I found information about ISIS’ objectives and the means it uses to reach them. ISIS follows a strict interpretation of the Qur’an which includes executions, crucifixion and slavery. The group considers anybody who is not a Salafist(about 20 million people) an apostate whom they then execute. Executions are not only reserved for apostates but to heads of state who threaten ISIS’ power control. Christians are suppose to be immune from persecution as long as they admit to defeat in the holy war and pay a tax called jizya. Their young leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi is the self-proclaimed caliph and if true, would be the first in centuries. Even with this self-proclamation, he is widely supported by other legitimate groups as being the true caliph. As the true caliph, Baghdadi plans to execute the prophecy of Muhammed in the Qur’an which includes purging, and an apocalypse that is to be started by waging jihad. So far Baghdadi has been quite successful but seems to be folding under pressure with recent deaths of high profile members. He has also been successful in recruiting members.

This magnetic ideology that ISIS professes has caught the attention of many around the world. ISIS has recruited members from all walks of life and this includes college students, professionals, former military personnel from all over Europe and the Arab World, and people who just seem to be looking for purpose in the world. An example of the diversity within ISIS can be shown in the ranks alone. ISIS has field commanders that originate from Georgia of the former USSR, Tunisia, Yemen, Iraq, Egypt and many other Arab countries. An American has yet to make to the upper ranks but there have been numerous reports of American dying in battle while fighting for ISIS. In the second article, ISIS propaganda, it informed of a high ranking ISIS field officer named, Omar al-Shasani (Omar the Chechen), who is a formally trained Russo-Georgian. He was a Sargent in the military there, fought in wars and had apparently been helping Russian rebels in battle from a young age. This diversity is something that should be monitored as it could be detrimental to society as a whole. If more people continue be recruited then more people will attracted to it. In my opinion this will be especially true for the disaffected who have nothing to lose and who have a vendetta against society.