Arab League I: Combatting ISIS

Dear Delegates,

My name is Kevin Zhen and I am honored to serve as your chair to this year’s Arab League committee. I am originally from Miami, FL, but currently I live on Old Campus (as all Yale freshman do) in Lawrance Hall. I am a proud member of Ezra Stiles college (Go Moose!) and a prospective Global Affairs major with a focus on international security. At Yale, I focus mainly on two activities: breakdancing and Model UN. I am extremely passionate about breakdancing, or b-boying as it is more commonly known within the community, and love seshing with my crew, Cerebral Adictz for Flow Tactics. I regularly attend jams and competitions throughout New England and am always trying to improve my craft. If you guys are curious about my breaking experience, or want to learn a move or two, come to my workshop!

Aside from breaking, I am also heavily involved in Yale’s International Relations Organization. Although this is my first year with Model UN, I have vice-chaired for SCSY and YMUN in addition to serving as Under-Secretary General of Delegations for YMUN Taiwan. I especially loved the high pace of the Cuban Missile Crisis at SCSY, and on top of that, working with the lovely Genna Abele (our lovely USG of Business and Conference) was a real treat.

As for this year’s YMUN Taiwan, I would like to stress that my main goals as your chair for the Arab League committee are to create a positive delegate experience and develop your skills both as a public speaker and critical thinker. To achieve these goals, it is paramount that we as a team operate the committee with respect, professionalism and above all, a sense of community and collaboration. At its core, Model UN is about creating solutions to difficult problems amongst countries who share different perspectives. Once again, I am excited and honored to be your chair, and if you have any questions whatsoever, model UN related or not, please feel free to reach out to me at ymunt.delegations@yira.org. Until then, take care and see you in May!

Sincerely,

Kevin Zhen

Committee History

The Arab League, officially called the “League of Arab States” is a regional organization that stretches from Western Asia to the Horn of Africa and the Indian Ocean. In total, it covers a combined area of 13 million square kilometers. The League was founded in 1945 and its creation was encouraged by the British, who needed pan-Arabian cooperation yet again after World War II. The League’s original purpose was to gain independence for Arab states and stop the creation of a Jewish state by hindering Jewish immigration to Israel. Since then, however, the Arab League has fostered numerous social, economic and cultural programs, ranging from countering drug-trafficking to promoting the welfare of children. Contrasting opinions regarding difficult political issues, especially those regarding Israel and Palestine as well as the three Gulf wars, which weakened the League immensely, practically to the point of paralysis. In recent years the League has enacted positive change and is beginning to regain the respect of the Arabian public and media. Initially, the Arab League was composed of six countries: Egypt, Iraq, Lebanon, North Yemen, Saudi Arabia, and Transjordan, but since its formation, it has expanded to include twenty-two member states as well as four observers.

What is ISIS?

ISIS (the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria), sometimes called ISIL (the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant) or Daesh (its Arabic acronym) is a highly organized terrorist organization which interprets Islamic texts in a narrow, medieval, and often violent, way. ISIS is also a Salafi jihadist state, meaning that it a part of the ultra-conservative Sunni group which believes in physical jihadism. To clarify, the word “jihad” simply means “effort” or “struggle” in Arabic, but Western academics typically use jihad to differentiate between violent and non-violent Sunni islamists. The group identifies as Sunni, and often singles out Shias for execution.

Many ISIS fighters come from the dissolved Baath Party of Saddam Hussein, the former President of Iraq. In fact, many top lieutenants affiliated with ISIS were high ranking officers and intelligence officials within the party. ISIS also has an estimated 12,000 foreigners and as many as 3,000 Western fighters. With branches of ISIS springing up in Egypt and Libya, it is believed that ISIS has between 20,000 to 30,000 fighters in its ranks.

This video provides a brief overview regarding the formation of ISIS and the major events that led it to become the phenomenon it is today. It is also briefly talks about its goal, which is to create a unified Muslim territory without borders and await the apocalypse detailed in the holy Islam scripture.

This video also talks about the history of ISIS, but explores the situation of Sunnis in the region, who are left in between oppressive Shiites and extremist terrorists (ISIS).

The Leader of ISIS: Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi

The group is currently headed by Iraqi-born Ibrahim Awad Ibrahim al-Badry, although he is more well known as Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. Unlike previous radical Islamic groups, Baghdadi has differentiated himself by proclaiming himself to be the caliph of the Islamic world. Baghdadi was first associated with radical Islam in Al Qaeda as a religious figure during the U.S.-led war in Iraq. In 2010, he became the leader of Al Qaeda in Iraq (AQI). Under his leadership, large-scale mastermind operations were organized such as the August 28, 2011 suicide bombing at the Umm al-Qura Mosque in Baghdad, which killed prominent Sunni lawmaker Khalid al-Fahdawi. Baghdadi has shrouded much of his life in secrecy, and overall, little is known about him. In recent years, efforts have been made to capture and kill Baghdadi, including a food poisoning attempt which occurred in October 2016. However, despite these endeavors, Baghdadi has remained alive.

Funding ISIS

ISIS is undoubtedly the richest jihadist group in the world. Using weaponry seized from the battlefields in Iraq and Syria, ISIS is able to continue to fight for territory and expand their reign. Once it has established control of an area, the terrorist group finances their ventures through a combination of tax collection and organized looting. Additionally, ISIS is able to generate income by kidnapping for ransom, fertile farms, and material support provided by foreign soldiers. Of these sources of revenue, proceeds from the occupation of territory is the most significant. In mid-2014, Iraqi intelligence discovered from an ISIS operative that the organization had assets worth $2 billion USD and according to the U.S. Department of the Treasury officials, the terrorist group also receives $500 million USD in oil money alone.

Combatting ISIS is an urgent issue, and demands the attention of the members of the Arab League. The organization must be stopped for their use of extreme violence against innocent civilians. Since their formation in 2013, they have committed a number of crimes against humanity, including but not limited to:

1. Slaughtered children publicly using machine guns

2. Murdered Shiites praying in mosques via suicide bombings

3. Kidnapped women, selling them as sex slaves or forcing them to marry ISIS fighters against their will

4. Recruited child soldiers

5. Engaged in the trade of black market organs

6. Destroyed ancient artifacts

7. Made and used chemical weapons

Summary

1. ISIS was initially formed as an indirect result of the U.S. invasion in Iraq and removal of Saddam Hussein. Angry displaced members of the Baath party, along with the chaos that followed allowed for the creation of the AQI, the precursor to ISIS.

2. The leader of ISIS, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, plays a major role in organizing crime and should be targeted when combatting ISIS.

3. ISIS receives large amounts of funding in various forms, the largest being the funds it collects from the territory it occupies.

4. Combatting ISIS is a serious, urgent issue because of the immense threat they place to human security.

Questions to consider:

How does ISIS determine whether an individual is Sunni or Shia?

What parts of ISIS’ structure make it weak, and how can these weaknesses be targeted?

Fighting an ideology

Utilizing Social Media

ISIS has proven to be skilled at using cyberspaces such as social media websites for both recruiting and propaganda purposes. Using these sites, ISIS releases high-quality videos containing hostage executions and battle training while simultaneously glorifying its brutal assassinations and attacks on the West, namely U.S. troops. The group uses outlets such as Twitter, WhatsApp, and Facebook to promise new recruits material rewards, such as free housing and a steady salary. According the the U.S. State Department in 2015, ISIS released about 90,000 tweets a day. The group appeals especially strongly to the religious fervency of young, impressionable Muslims and lures them to Syria and Iraq to become radicalized, trained killers. By taking advantage of the Internet, ISIS is also able to contribute to lone wolf attacks in Europe and the United States and establish a global presence. 

The Islamic State and Its Affiliates

In late 2014, three armed Libyan Islamic groups--the Triplo Province in the west, Barqa Province in the east, and Fezzan Province in the south--proclaimed allegiance to Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. In March 2015, the San’a Province in became the first major Islamic State affiliate in Yemen. In November of 2014, the Sinai Province in northern Egypt pledged allegiance to ISIS. In March 2015, Boko Haram aligned itself with ISIS as well, changing its name to the Islamic State West Africa Province. Other groups in Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia and even Russia have followed suit. Each of these smaller organizations aid ISIS both economically and militarily. Under ISIS leadership, fighters mimic ISIS strategies by conducting terrorist attacks, collecting taxes and even smuggling oil. The Islamic state’s large sphere of influence has allowed it to create a borderless state with numerous members in different countries, making them immensely difficult to combat.

Summary: Unlike a country operating under the Westphalian state system, ISIS has no borders and does not respond to diplomacy. Defeating ISIS radical ideology is just as important, if not more important, than fighting against its troops.

Why join ISIS?

1. Redemption: Some join ISIS because they believe it vindicates them, or cleans away previous sinfulness.

2. Responsibility: Many join or support ISIS because it provides some material or financial support for their family. Others are faced with the choice between joining or death, and are ultimately forced to fight against their will.

3. Ideology: Some ISIS members wish to impose their view of radical Islam on others.

4. Identity: Prone to feeling isolated or alienated, ISIS fighters often feel like outsiders in their initial unfamiliar/unintelligible environment and seek to identify with another group. Fighters within ISIS describe the community as a brotherhood and joining, for them, has allowed them to be closer to Allah.

5. Revenge: Many ISIS followers are vengeful towards the West, especially the United States, and join with the intent of enacting revenge. Victims from U.S. bombing attacks are especially susceptible to radical Islamist ideology. Still others become part of ISIS with the intent of defending Sunnis, who they believe have been oppressed in recent years.

Summary: ISIS has thousands of soldiers from over 80 countries, with motivations for joining ISIS varying depending on person to person. Regardless, ISIS demands its fighters to risk their lives and it is clear that followers do not choose to do so without reason.

ISIS and the Syrian Civil War

The Islamic State’s power grows exponentially in times of chaos. In January to March of 2014, during the intense fighting amongst rebel groups and President Bashar al-Assad, ISIS was able to complete a takeover of the eastern Syrian city of Raqqa and conquer Iraq’s Mosul. Eventually, it gained control of an area the size of Britain between the two countries (Iraq and Syria), absorbing weapons, wealth and personnel along the way. Because the Syrian government was occupied fighting opponents in its more densely populated regions closer to the Mediterranean coast, ISIS’s conquest went largely unchecked. Tensions between Syrian rebel forces and ISIS have also existed since ISIS captured several Syrian towns in 2013. Since then, there have been numerous skirmishes between the two groups with significant losses to both sides.

Strong evidence linking President Assad and ISIS exists as well. In the early days of Assad’s regime, it purchased fuel from ISIS-controlled oil facilities and has maintained this economic relationship throughout the conflict. While Assad, who is a Sunni businessman in addition to President of Syria, has defended the exchange as one “out of necessity,” he has a direct incentive to aid ISIS, given the fact that they are fighting Syrian rebel groups, which are his primary enemy. Critics have also argued that ISIS’s presence is beneficial to Assad for it contributes to an increasing polarization of the civil war. This division places pressure on rebel factions such as the moderate Free Syrian Army, one of the largest rebel groups in opposition of Assad. Furthermore, ISIS has no interest in toppling Assad either. Its goal is to build the caliphate, attract followers, and incite the West into the apocalyptic war which was dictated in the Qu’ran.

Summary: ISIS and President Assad are engaged in a symbiotic relationship, and the resulting disorder from the Syrian Civil War has aided the Islamic State’s growth.

Question to consider: Is it possible to defeat ISIS while President Assad remains in power?

ISIS on the Decline

Even as it launches waves of terrorist attacks around the globe, the Islamic State is quietly preparing its followers for the eventual collapse of the caliphate it proclaimed with great fanfare two years ago. Following the territory reversals in Iraq and Syria in June of 2016, ISIS offered a gloomy assessment of the caliphate’s prospects in its weekly Arabic newsletter al-Naba, acknowledging the possibility that all its territorial holdings could ultimately be lost. In August 31, 2016, ISIS suffered another immense loss: the death of its second-in-command Mohammad al-Adnani. Al-Adnani was the highest profile killing of an ISIS member to date, and he was believed to have helped organize large-scale terrorist attacks against countries who were allied with the United States such as France, in addition to overseeing international and lone wolf attacks.

At the same time, these losses can serve as motivation for revenge for ISIS members. In response to the reclaiming of territory in June and July of this year, ISIS launched a wave of attacks in Bangladesh where twenty hostages were killed in a restaurant in Dhaka, and in Baghdad, where a truck packed with explosives detonated in a crowded shopping center in Baghdad, killing 137 and wounding many more.

Summary: As an organization, ISIS is on the decline. It has lost territory and important personnel; unfortunately, while its power has decreased, its use of violence and terror has not.

Bloc Positions

ISIS has reportedly received funding from wealthy individuals in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Turkey and Qatar, which it then uses to buy arms on the black markets. Some citizens of these nations support ISIS because they consider Iran and Syria a threat which harbors anti-Shiite sentiment, and want to protect fellow Sunnis from violence sanctioned by Assad and Maliki. While the governments of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Qatar have passed legislation banning such aid to the terrorist organization, there is little regulation done to enforce these laws.

Israel, the UK, France and the United States have also contributed to the growth of ISIS. In the past, Israel has supplied arms and medical treatment to all Islamist fighters in Syria, including Nusra and ISIS. The UK, France and the USA have attempted to contain ISIS by arming ‘rebel’ Islamists. In many of these cases, the tactic has backfired, and instead of fighting against ISIS, these ‘rebels’ actually deliver arms to them, or are simply overpowered and forced to hand their over supplies.

Suggestions for Further Research

The history and current situation sections of this topic guide has offered only a synopsis. Before arriving at the conference, it is highly recommended that delegates are able to answer the following questions.

Begin with this special report from Time Magazine (very informative), titled Inside ISIS:

http://time.com/inside-isis-a-time-special-report/

Next, slowly work your way through these key questions.

Why was ISIS created?

- On the Origin of ISIS: http://www.weeklystandard.com/on-the-origin-of-isis/article/804002

- The Secret History of ISIS (documentary): http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/film/the-secret-history-of-isis/

- ISIS Timeline: http://www.infoplease.com/world/events/isis-timeline.html#2015

What makes ISIS unique from other terrorist or jihadist organizations? What makes it similar to these organizations?

- The Rise and Demise of the IS Caliphate: http://www.mepc.org/journal/middle-east-policy-archives/rise-and-demise-caliphate

- ISIS is Not a Terrorist Group: https://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/middle-east/isis-not-terrorist-group

What are some the factors which contribute to ISIS’s power?

- Joining ISIS: It’s Not Always For Reasons You Might Assume: http://www.npr.org/sections/parallels/2016/04/30/475128200/joining-isis-its-not-always-for-reasons-you-might-assume

Who Funds ISIS? 

- Qatar and State Sponsoring Allegations: http://securityobserver.org/who-funds-isis-qatar-and-state-sponsoring-allegations/

What is ISIS’s goal?

- What ISIS Really Wants: http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2015/03/what-isis-really-wants/384980/

What are some of the technical challenges to combatting ISIS?

- The War on ISIS: 6 Issues to Ponder Before Escalating the Fight: http://nationalinterest.org/blog/the-buzz/the-war-isis-6-issues-ponder-before-escalating-the-fight-14445?page=2

- How to Fight ISIS: http://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/18/opinion/how-to-fight-isis.html

What are successful methods in which countries have combatted ISIS in the past? What are some unsuccessful methods? Why is ISIS on the decline?

- In Fight Against ISIS, a Lose-Lose Scenario Poses Challenge for West: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/article/in-fight-against-isis-a-lose-lose-scenario-poses-challenge-for-west/

- Airstrikes ‘Successful’ Against ISIS Targets in Syria, US Military Says: http://abcnews.go.com/International/airstrikes-successful-isis-targets-syria-us-military/story?id=25686031

- Why Air Strikes Alone Can’t Destroy ISIS: http://www.newsweek.com/how-effective-are-air-strikes-400683

- Kurds Now Our Best Ally Against ISIS in Syria: http://www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analysis/view/kurds-now-our-best-ally-against-isis-in-syria

- America’s Kurdish Problem: Today’s Allies Against ISIS are Tomorrow’s Headache: http://www.vox.com/2016/4/8/11377314/america-kurds-problem

What is ISIS’s connection to the Syrian Civil War and President Assad?

- Why Bashar Assad Won’t Fight ISIS: http://time.com/3719129/assad-isis-asset/

- Inside Putin’s and Assad’s War Against ISIS: http://www.newsweek.com/putin-isis-assad-syria-palmyra-russia-war-islamic-state-441497

- Ex-ISIS Detainees Tell Horror Stories of Captivity: http://www.sastvnews.com/in-the-arab-media/1893-ex-isis-detainees-tell-horror-stories-of-captivity

What is your country’s history with ISIS? Does your country believe combatting ISIS to be a priority? Why or why not?

- The Hell After ISIS: http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2016/05/the-hell-after-isis/476391/

What is the difference between Sunni and Shia Muslims?

- How do Sunni and Shia Islam Differ? : http://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/04/world/middleeast/q-and-a-how-do-sunni-and-shia-islam-differ.html