Ben Fleming

Advanced News Gathering

9/17/14
Localized News Story
In recent days the world has been struck by a terrorist organization called
ISIS. They have swept across the Middle East, killing and taking over areas of
eastern Syria and Northern Iraq.
They started off as a subgroup of al Qaeda and are led by Abu Bakr alBaghdadi. The main goal of ISIS is to create Islamic states across Sunni areas of
Syria and Iraq. In recent days they have released several videos of gruesome
beheadings of western journalists, along with unprovoked religious prosecutions
and murders. They gain power through military force, brutal tactics and robbery.
ISIS is currently considered the most dangerous threat to western culture, as well as
Middle Eastern peace.
Spring Hill College political science professor Tom Hoffman has been
watching the ISIS crisis and how the United States government plans to act against
them. The United States have already begun air strikes against ISIS held territory,
but President Obama thus far is still coming up with an official strategy to stop ISIS.
Hoffman says, It looks to me like humanitarian aid is going to ramp up, but I think
now they plan on taking it one step further and are going to degrade and ultimately
destroy ISIS. Hoffman also believes that its going to be a long, slow process to
stopping the terrorist group.

Some Republicans say that the U.S. must put troops on the ground in order to
win. The President, however, has said that he will not commit to ground troops just
yet. John Kerry, the Secretary of State, is trying to find more Middle Eastern allies
who share the same views as the United States regarding ISIS. When it comes to
John Kerry, Hoffman says Hes a very busy man right now, one of the biggest
problems he has right now is with Turkey, which is a crucial link between the East
and the West and its not looking like they are going to cooperate in the fight against
ISIS. Turkey has a large Muslim government and population, so they have to be
careful about actively fighting other Islamic states. ISIS also has taken many Turkish
people hostage and is threatening to kill them if Turkey gets involved. Saudi Arabia
and Iran both share the same views as the U.S. in regards to ISIS; however, Hoffman
does not think Iran will cooperate with the U.S. because there is too much animosity
between the two countries.
ISIS has also been known for their social media and harsh, violent tactics
towards other religions. In addition to the recent journalists being executed, ISIS
has prosecuted many other people as well. Mainly other religions that do not share
the same beliefs as them. Local Spring Hill College theology professor George
Gilmore provided an expert opinion on why this group justifies its mass killings.
Gilmore explains, They have adapted a medieval ethic from the crusades that god
wills it. They believe that people who are nonbelievers must be exterminated. ISIS
thinks they need to kill off anything deemed ritually polluted. Gilmore also states
that the ISIS group is converting many non-violent Sunnis to join them, but there are
still plenty who refuse to join their violent humanitarian crimes. Many Sunnis are

anti-ISIS even though the ISIS charter statement is to create pure Sunni states
throughout Iraq and Syria. This unprovoked violence may potentially leave the
United States with no choice but to send more ground troops to the effected areas.
Tom Hoffman, along with his colleague Robert Harding, believe there is a connection
between what is happening in the ISIS situation and what the United States did in
the Vietnam war. In Vietnam, the United States said that they would not send
ground troops and just send military advisors. Then one thing leads to another and
eventually war breaks out. They detect a similar situation going on now, except they
do not necessarily believe it is going to escalate that far.
Justin Rooks, a Spring Hill College student in the army, believes that the
proper actions are being taken by letting the fighting stay in the air and not on the
ground. Rooks says, We have troops ready to go if we need them, but I agree that
we should be taking baby steps rather then just diving into another war.
One of the most dangerous characteristics about ISIS is their ability to recruit
people. Based on the accents from execution tapes, it is believed that ISIS has begun
recruiting people from the west to join their regime. When asked if ISIS could
potentially take down a Middle Eastern government like Iraq, Harding said, It is
possible that ISIS would create a scenario that would make the current Iraq
government collapse in the parliamentary sense. I think its very possible that we
could see the end of modern Iraq as we know it.
Harding also believes that ISIS could affect the United States economically
more than anything else. If ISIS could potentially bring down Iraqs weak
government, it could raise American oil prices. Harding explains that the United

States mainly gets its oil from Canada and Mexico; however, in todays market, even
the slightest change could hurt the United States. Realistically, they are a threat to
our national interest and security; but in an economical sense, not bombs being
dropped on New York or anything like that. With ISIS growing more powerful and
terrorizing people, the United States government, along with its allies, is working
around the clock to try to put an end to these humanitarian crimes.