With all the antics in the election the situation of terrorism has fallen off the headlines…..(I shall pause here for reflection)…….

The title would lead my readers to think that this article is about that barbaric group known as ISIS/ISIL/IS (your preference)……right?

Well guess what?  You, my friends, would be sadly mistaken……..

The situation in Syria goes far beyond understandable…..there are a multitude of groups fighting each other….from local militias to army’s from several nations….and since I enjoy studying the different conflicts around the world I would like to know just who is the most dangerous group fighting in Syria…..

The Institute for the Study of War has issued a paper on this subject and you might well be interested to know that they have found that ISIS is NOT the most dangerous…..that label falls on another group fighting in the country…..

Source: Why the Most Dangerous Group in Syria Isn’t ISIS | World Affairs Journal

Fascinating at the conclusion this group has drawn…..

These types of groups seem to be invincible, at least according to some of the reporting that is happening…….but is that truly the case?

Next the question to be asked is……Can the group, AQ affiliate, be stopped?

The reach of “jihadists” (a term Crisis Group uses reluctantly but that groups this report covers self-identify with; a fuller explanation for its use is on page 2) has expanded dramatically over the past few years. Some movements are now powerful insurgent forces, controlling territory, supplanting the state and ruling with a calibrated mix of coercion and co-option. Little suggests they can be defeated by military means alone. Yet, they espouse, to varying degrees, goals incompatible with the nation-state system, rejected by most people in areas affected and hard to accommodate in negotiated settlements. Most appear resilient, able to adapt to shifting dynamics. The geography of crisis today means similar groups will blight many of tomorrow’s wars.

Source: Exploiting Disorder: al-Qaeda and the Islamic State | World Affairs Journal

Questions always arise when nay group appears to be successful in their push for war…..they can be defeated……but it takes rational thought and logical reactions to be successful.

The World Affairs Journal is an excellent source for international relations…..it is not the typical regurgitation of war hawk propaganda it is full of thoughtful analysis, at least in my opinion….for what that is worth.