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CombatingtheriseofISIS
LeagueofArabStates
I.BackgroundonLeagueofArabStates
TheLeagueofArabStates(ArabLeague)isanorganizationthatconsistsofindependent
ArabStatesconformingthenorthernandnortheasternpartofAfricaandsouthwestAsia.
TheideaoftheLeagueofArabStatesstemmedfromBritainin1942,whowantedtounite
theArabstatesagainsttheAxispowers.Thefirstsixmembersstates-Egypt,Iraq,Jordan,
Lebanon,SyriaandSaudiArabia-initiatedtheleague'sformationwithasignedagreement
inCairo,March22nd,1945.(Arab)DuetothearisingconflictSyriahasbeentemporarily
suspendedfromtheleaguethusleaving21members.Theleague'smaindocumentisthe
CharteroftheArabLeague.Theorganization’smaingoalis“strengtheningoftherelations
betweenthemember-states,thecoordinationoftheirpoliciesinordertoachieve
co-operationbetweenthemandtosafeguardtheirindependenceandsovereignty;anda
generalconcernwiththeaffairsandinterestsoftheArabcountries.Theseaffairsand
interestsincludeallimportanteconomicissues,includingfinances,commerce,business,
currency,etc.Theyalsoincludesocial,culturalandhealthaffairs,communication,
transport,travel,thequestionofnationality,visasandpassports,andsimilar.”(Arab)
ThehighestbodyoftheleagueistheHighCouncil,composedofforeignministers,
delegatesorrepresentativesfromeachmemberstate.Eachmemberstatehasonevote.The
Leaguemeetstwiceayearandmayinoccasionconveneaspecialsession.(BBC)Starting
fromMay2011,thecurrentsecretary-generalisNabilel-Arabi.
TheLeague’seffectivenesshasconstantlybeenhinderedbythedivisionamongst
members,(BBC)varyingfromwayofrule,religiouspreference,andopposingfaction
affiliationinglobalconflicts.
II.BackgroundonCombatingtheriseofISIS
Timeline:
TheriseofISIScanbetraceddowntotheinvasionoftheUnitedStatesonIraqin2003,
whenUSadministratorsunderPaulBremerdecidedto“de-Baathify”theIraqiciviland
militaryservices,leavingcountlessSunnimuslimswithoutajob.(ZergNet,2015)Abu
MusabAl-Sarqawi’sTawhidwaJihadextremistgroupwasthenformedtoattacktheUS
government.ThisgroupwasindependentfromAlQaedaforseveralmonthsafterthe
interventionofUSforcesinIraq.
InOctober,2004AlQaedamergedanallegiancewithZarqawi’sterroristgroupand
thusTawhidwaJihadbecameabranchofAlQaedaandwasrenamedAQI(AlQaedainthe
landofTwoRivers).ThisgroupcontinuedtoterrorizeandinflictdamageuponIraqandthe
USgovernmentunderZarqawiuntilhisdeathonJune,2006.
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UponZarqawi’sdeathAlMasriwaselectedtoleadthisinsurgencegroupwhich
heconvertedtotheIslamicStateofIraq(ISI).
In2008theUSmilitaryandtheSunnitriballeaderssignedtheAwakening
agreementtoturnagainstISIwhichthenwentunderground.Inthegapbetween
2008-2010,ISIcontinuedtogainIraqisupportandsize.InApril2010AlMasriiskilledand
AbuBakrchosenasnewemirofISI.
In2011,theSyrianuprisingbeginsandAlQaedaestablishedAlNusra,another
terroristgroupthatwouldcontrolSyria.ISIexpandedtoSyriaaswellandwasrenamedthe
IslamicStateofIraqandSyria(ISIS)asit’sknowntoday.ISISwasamongstthefirstofthe
terroristgroupstoseizecontrolofacity.byJanuary4th,2014ISIStookcontrolofIraqcity
FallujahandbytheJanuary14ththeSyriancityofRaqqa.ISIS’quickexpansionand
“extrememeasures”causedthebreakingofISISandAlQaedawhichwasofficially
announcedinFebruary3rd,2014byitsleader,Aymanal-Zawahiri.(John,2015)
AfterseizingMosulandTikritonIraq,onJune24th,2014.ISISdeclaresitselfasa
caliphate(Islamicstate)andannouncesAbuBakrashiscaliph,thesuccessortoProphet
Mohammed.OnAugust4th,2014.PresidentObamaauthorizesairstrikesinIraqtoprevent
thefallofErbil.(John,2015)DuringthenextfewmonthsISISbeginsitspropaganda
movementtospreadfearandpubliclypostsbeheadingsandexecutionsinthenameof
Allah.BySeptember22,2014.USandUAE,Qatar,BahrainandJordanbeganlaunching
airstrikesinSyriaproducingthefirstcoalitionmilitaryactionbytheregionalpowerssince
the1991GulfWar.PublicexecutionscontinuedandonFebruary15,2015ISISreleasesa
massgenocideof21EgyptianChristians.
OnMarch17th,2015BokoHaram,anotherextremistgroupbasedfromNigeria
pledgesitsallegiancetoISIS,furtherexpandingitsreachesandpower.BytheendofMay
ISISgainscontrolofhalfofSyria’sterritorybyconqueringtheancientcityofPalmyra.ISIS
continuestoterrorizecountrieslikeEgypt,Turkey,Libya,Kuwait,Tunisia,Syria.Onthe
13thofNovemberISISkills129peopleinFrance.OnMay12,2016ISISclaims
responsibilityforthekillingof100peopleinBaghdadandonJuly14,2016ISISclaims
responsibilityforthemassmurderof100peopleinNice.
Explanation:
TheriseofISISandotherextremistgroupsintheMiddleEastsparksprimarilyfrom
religiousdifferencesamongstthevaryingbranchesofIslamandalsoJewishandChristian
religion.FromthebeginningsofWorldWarI,theWesternworld’stendencytosupportthe
Jewishpeople’sintheMiddleEastandprovidingthemlandandindependencesparked
majorinstabilityintheMuslimworld.In1917,LordArthurBalfour,thenBritishForeign
Minister,issuedadeclaration(theBalfourDeclaration)thatannouncedtheBritishEmpire’s
supportfortheestablishmentofaJewishnationalhomeinPalestine.(Global) FranceandBritainagreedtodividetheOttomanEmpireandcreateindependentstatesas
wellassplittingPalestineintotwoandestablishingtheJewishcountryofIsrael.This
sparkedhatredamongsttheMuslimcountriesdirectedtowardsIsraelandthewestern
world.
Interventionfromcolonialpowersinthe19thand20thcenturysuchasGreat
Britain,FranceandlaterincountriesliketheUnitedStatesandRussiahaveinturn
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propagatedthealreadyestablishedreligiousandgeopoliticalconflictsurroundingthe
MiddleEast.Thevastquantityofoilandothernaturalenergyresourcesinthearea
makesitveryappealingforworldlypowersto“intervene”.Inthelastfewdecadesand
presentlytomaintainsuperiority,controlandinfluenceovertheregion,theWesthas
placedcorruptArableadersintopositionsofpowerandsupportedtheoverthrowofthose
thatarenotseenasfavorable.(Global)
Whatthisdoesiscreatepowervacuums.Whentheseregionalnationalleadersare
chosenbyinternationalpowersthepeoplearequicktoeliminatethemandthisempty
politicalspacewillbefilledbyextremistsunlessgovernmentsliketheUnitedStatesand
othersbuildstronglocalforcesthatcansuppressterroristgroupsandwarlordsboth.
(Ignatius)Pooreffortstorestructureandrestabilizecountriesthathavejustbeeninwar
makesthisaconstantcycleofcorruption-intervention-shorttermstabilityandsoon.
ThepromisethatISISgivesistoenactanewstronggovernmentthatfavoursthe
sunniiswhypeoplejointheircause.ByswayingtheSunnibelieversoftheIslamicfaith,
whicharethemajority(85%and90%).(News)ISISnearsitsaspirationofbecominga
state.Thatandanestimated$1millionto$3millionadayonoilsalesasrevenuebyselling
wellbelowmarketprice(Laub)giveISISthenecessaryresourcetocontinuespreadingfear
amongstnonbelieversandencouragingthoseintheSunnibranchofIslamtojointheir
cause.
Themainissueisthatgovernmentsareaccustomedtothinkingofreligiousmilitants
asnetworksofterrorists,saboteurs,assassinsandopportunistshidingamongthe
population–quintessentialnon-stateactors,fightingthestate.Theseideasareobsolete
againstISIS.ISISisnomeremilitia;initsterritory,itisthestate.Itscontrolofvastterritory
andresourcesmakeitarguablythemostpowerfulreligiousmilitantgroupinmodern
history.(Itani)Therefore,bybeingstateitmustabidetocertainobligationslikepublicand
socialservicestothepopulation.Theseservicesincludewaterservices,lawenforcement,
healthcare,disputeresolution,employment,educationandpublicoutreach.(Istani)Allof
thisrequiresmoneyandfacilities,whichISISisnotafraidtohide.Thisprovides
vulnerabilitytoISISandareasofpossibleexploitationthatcouldendwithISIS.
“ISISisadaptive,creativeandambitious.Bycontrast,theinternationalcommunity’s
responsehasbeenrigid,predictableandunimaginative.Ifitcontinuestoseeand
treatISISassimplyaterroristgroup,theinternationalcommunitywillforeverbe
playingdefense,whichISIScanhappilylivewith,untilitnolongerhastoandcango
ontheoffensiveabroad.”(Itani)
III.PastUNActionsonCombatingtheriseofISIS
On2014,theUnitedNationsSecurityCounciladoptedresolution2170;
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“Throughtheunanimousadoptionofresolution2170(2014),underthebinding
ChapterVIIoftheUnitedNationsCharter,theCouncilcondemnedinthe
strongesttermswhatitcalled“gross,systematicandwidespreadabuse”ofhuman
rightsbytheIslamicStateinIraqandtheLevant(ISIL,alsoknownasISIS)and
Al-NusraFront.Inanannextothetext,itnamedtheindividualssubjecttothetravel
restrictions,assetfreezesandothermeasurestargetedatAl-Qaidaaffiliates.[Abu
Bakral-Baghdadi,leaderofISIL,wasnotamongthesixbecausehehasbeenlisted
since2011].
ItcalledonMemberStatestotakenationalmeasurestopreventfightersfrom
travellingfromtheirsoiltojointhegroups,reiteratingobligationsunderprevious
counter-terrorismresolutionstopreventthemovementofterrorists,aswellas
theirsupplywitharmsorfinancialsupport.Itexpressedreadinesstoconsider
puttingonthesanctionslistthosewhofacilitatedtherecruitmentandtravelof
foreignfighters.”
AlthoughISIShadbeenofficiallydecreedaglobalissuerequiringfullinternational
cooperationpreviously,nomorethansanctionsandregionalcontrolwasimposedonthe
organization/state.However,onNovember20,2015.AfterFranceissuedanemergency
meetingoftheUnitedNationsSecurityCouncil(UNSC)duetotheParisterrorattacksthat
killed129people.Theresolution#2249oftheUNSCwasunanimouslyadopted;itstated
“TheIslamicStateinIraqandtheLevantconstitutesaglobalandunprecedentedthreatto
internationalpeaceandsecurity,”.(TheGuardian,2015);
“CallsuponMemberStatesthathavethecapacitytodosototakeallnecessary
measures,incompliancewithinternationallaw,inparticularwiththeUnitedNations
Charter,aswellasinternationalhumanrights,refugeeandhumanitarianlaw,onthe
territoryunderthecontrolofISILalsoknownasDa’esh,inSyriaandIraq,toredouble
andcoordinatetheireffortstopreventandsuppressterroristactscommitted
specificallybyISILalsoknownasDa’eshaswellasANF,andallotherindividuals,
groups,undertakings,andentitiesassociatedwithAlQaeda,andotherterrorist
groups,asdesignatedbytheUnitedNationsSecurityCouncil,andasmayfurtherbe
agreedbytheInternationalSyriaSupportGroup(ISSG)andendorsedbytheUN
SecurityCouncil,pursuanttotheStatementoftheInternationalSyriaSupportGroup
(ISSG)of14November,andtoeradicatethesafehaventheyhaveestablishedover
significantpartsofIraqandSyria;”(UnitedNationsResolution2249)
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AndstatingthattheUNSC“Decidestoremainseizedofthematter.”(UnitedNations
Resolution2249)
OnSeptember22,2016.UnitedStatesSecretaryofstateJohnKerryissuedapetitionto
establisha“noflyzone”inSyriainareaswhereISISandotherrebelgroupsarelocated.
“Ibelievethattorestorecredibilitytotheprocess,wemustmoveforwardtotryto
immediatelygroundallaircraftflyinginthosekeyareasinordertodeescalatethe
situationandgiveachanceforhumanitarianassistancetoflowunimpeded,”Kerry
toldtheSecurityCouncilmeeting.”(Auken,2016)
TheSyriangovernmentwithdrewtheceasefirewhenUSofficialsattackedaSyrianarmy
outpostkilling90andinjuring100(Auken,2016)
IV.Usefullinksforresearch
● GeneralcountryResearch
○ "ModelUNResearch."BestDelegateRSS.N.p.,n.d.Web.
http://bestdelegate.com/research/
○ "ContactCIA."CentralIntelligenceAgency.CentralIntelligenceAgency,n.d.
Web.27Sept.2016.
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/
● CommitteeLinks
○ "PresentationoftheArabLeague-ArabLeague-BesteSinglebörsen."Arab
LeagueBesteSinglebrsenImVergleich.N.p.,n.d.Web.26Sept.2016.
http://www.arableagueonline.org/
○ News,BBC."Profile:ArabLeague."BBCNews.N.p.,n.d.Web.27Sept.2016.
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-15747941
● TopicLinks/LinksusedforResearch
○ "PresentationoftheArabLeague-ArabLeague-BesteSinglebörsen."Arab
LeagueBesteSinglebrsenImVergleich.N.p.,n.d.Web.26Sept.2016.
http://www.arableagueonline.org/
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1khm30uD4kFXZVu6MRroa4yD2JF2IKK2x_sL-5pOqQ9M/edit
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○ News,BBC."Profile:ArabLeague."BBCNews.N.p.,n.d.Web.26Sept.
2016.
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-15747941
○ Nationsonline.org,KlausKästle-."___ArabLeague(
‫ا ولا‬
League.N.p.,n.d.Web.27Sept.2016.
http://www.nationsonline.org/oneworld/arab_league.htm
)."Arab
○ ZergNet,By."ABriefHistoryofISIS."ABriefHistoryofISIS.N.p.,2015.Web.26
Sept.2016.
http://theweek.com/articles/589924/brief-history-isis
○ John,Tara."ThisTimelineShowstheRiseofISIS."Time.Time,9Oct.2015.
Web.27Sept.2016.
http://time.com/4030714/isis-timeline-islamic-state/
○ Silverman,Robert."MissouriStateQuarterbackAllegedlyBrokeADog’sJaw."
VocativRaquo.N.p.,2016.Web.26Sept.2016.
http://www.vocativ.com/362338/breck-ruddick-dog-abuse/
○ Glenn,ByCameron."Timeline:RiseandSpreadoftheIslamicState."Wilson
Center.N.p.,5July2016.Web.27Sept.2016.
https://www.wilsoncenter.org/article/timeline-rise-and-spread-the-islamicstate
○ Ignatius,David."HowISISSpreadintheMiddleEastAndHowtoStopIt."The
Atlantic.AtlanticMediaCompany,n.d.Web.27Sept.2016.
http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2015/10/how-isis-start
ed-syria-iraq/412042/
○ Foster,Alice."TerrorAttacksTimeline:FromParisandBrusselsTerrortoMost
RecentAttacksinEurope."DailyExpressWorldRSS.N.p.,2016.Web.27Sept.
2016.
http://www.express.co.uk/news/world/693421/Terror-attacks-timeline-Fr
ance-Brussels-Europe-ISIS-killings-Germany-dates-terrorism
○ "TheMiddleEastConflict-aBriefBackground."-GlobalIssues.N.p.,n.d.Web.
26Sept.2016
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1khm30uD4kFXZVu6MRroa4yD2JF2IKK2x_sL-5pOqQ9M/edit
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http://www.globalissues.org/article/119/the-middle-east-conflict-a-brief-b
ackground
○ News,BBC."SunnisandShiaintheMiddleEast."BBCNews.N.p.,19Dec.2013.
Web.27Sept.2016.
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-25434060
○ Fantz,Ashley."HowISISMakes(andTakes)Money."CNN.CableNews
Network,20Feb.2015.Web.27Sept.2016.
http://edition.cnn.com/2015/02/19/world/how-isis-makes-money/
○ Laub,Zachary."TheIslamicState."CouncilonForeignRelations.Councilon
ForeignRelations,10Aug.2016.Web.27Sept.2016.
http://www.cfr.org/iraq/islamic-state/p14811
○ Itani,Faysal."ToDefeatISIS,WeMustTreatItLikeaState."Time.Time,4Aug.
2014.Web.27Sept.2016.
http://www.citationmachine.net/bibliographies/124811876?new=true
○ "SecurityCouncilUnanimouslyCallsonUNMemberstoFightIsis."The
Guardian.GuardianNewsandMedia,21Nov.2015.Web.27Sept.2016.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/nov/21/un-calls-for-all-able-me
mber-states-to-join-fight-against-isis
○ "Resolution2249(2015)."UnitedNationsSecurityCouncil.N.p.,20Nov.2015.
Web.27Sept.2016.
http://www.un.org/en/sc/ctc/docs/2015/N1538413_EN.pdf
○ Auken,BillVan."WorldSocialistWebSite."USPushesfor"noFly"ZoneasSyrian
ConflictEscalates-.N.p.,22Sept.2016.Web.27Sept.2016.
https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2016/09/22/syri-s22.html
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1khm30uD4kFXZVu6MRroa4yD2JF2IKK2x_sL-5pOqQ9M/edit
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