Just What is ISIS?

Eric Margolis writes:

There is nothing Islamic about the Islamic State, or ISIS.  It is not a state. What we are seeing is the recrudescence of the fanatical Wahabi movement from Saudi Arabia combined with a bizarre  modern form of violent Arab nihilism embraced by bitter, marginalized young men from the Mideast and Europe who have too much testosterone, too little sense, and deep anger from being discriminated against in Europe. They are Europe’s forgotten underclass among whom unemployment is over 60% and drug dealing endemic.

ISIS is also pure blowback from western imperial bungling in the Mideast. The fanatical group was formed and armed in Jordan by CIA, British, French, and Turkish intelligence, and funded by Saudi Arabia.

ISIS, in Washington’s thinking,  was supposed to be composed of “moderates,” a short-lived, easily controlled force used to overthrow Syria’s government, which had been marked for death  by the western powers for refusing to turn against ally Iran.

As often in the past, the Saudis sought to use militants, in this latest case ISIS, as a tool to vent revolution  away from their borders.  The Saudis contribution to ISIS was arms, cash, and Wahabi fanaticism. Ironically, while the world recoiled in horror at ISIS beheadings, its Saudi patrons cut off the heads of 27 prisoners at the same time – with hardly any notice from the western media.

But the ISIS Frankenstein quickly  ran out of control and turned on its creators.

Read the full story here.