POLI SCI 106 Chapter 2-3: Week Two Readings: States, Nations, and Ideologies
8 Feb 2017
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U. s. tendency is to treat the islamic state as an insurgency, instead of a state-like entity. Acknowledging the entity would lead to change in application of us airpower. Counterinsurgency strategies aim to avoid collateral damage of the friendly state (iraq) The state is kleptocracy, but a governing state nonetheless. Key difference between an insurgency and functioning government = legitimacy. The islamic state has claimed itself as a long-dormant caliphate. Declaration of a caliphate requires geographic boundaries. Islamic state = falling short of goal to act as a state. Medical care, electricity, oil, and education are all incredibly scarce and on the decline. Collapse of oil industry lead to failure of ability to utilize resources. Local arms manufacturing = critical element of economic independence. Syrian opposition= too fragmented to allow any alternative to emerge. Best case scenario= disruption of economic, transportation, and production functions so severe that the state is ungovernable. In order to establish a caliphate, jihadists must control territories.
