Stranger than life
coalitions join forces to destroy terrorist dreams for a caliphate.
Here is the 8th century caliphate that served as the model for the 21st century takeover.
Not even celebrated script writers for fiction could come up with the scenario
that saw an end to the terrorist caliphate after just a couple of years. Here is the timetable for the terrorist
efforts to create and keep a caliphate.
ISIS Timetable
June 29, 2014
- ISIS announces
the creation of a caliphate (Islamic state) that erases all state borders,
making al-Baghdadi the self-declared authority over the world's estimated 1.5
billion Muslims. The
group also announces a name change to the Islamic State (IS).
July 10, 2017 - Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi declares that Mosul
has been recaptured from ISIS.
October 17, 2017 - ISIS loses control of its self-declared capital, the
Syrian city of Raqqa. US-backed forces fighting in Raqqa say
"major military operations" have ended, though there are still
pockets of resistance in the city.
Forming the Caliphate
ISIS became the most feared terror group in the world when they
defied all odds and took control of a wide swath of land in Iraq and Syria as
the world super powers were caught sleeping at the switch. After the collapse of intelligence and inability
to react from both the USA and Russia, not to mention all the Arab nations in
the Middle East, ISIS became a household name.
Ever since that fateful day, June 29, 2014, we witnessed one of
the most brutal, morally corrupt reigns in modern history. In no time millions and millions of people
were killed or driven from their homes in Syria as a civil war and a terrorist
war merged in the midst of the carnage already underway.
Suddenly both Obama and Putin looked foolish and weak. In the midst of the chaos, the two most
unlikely partners in war, Russia and the United States, each formed their own bizarre
coalition to recapture the land from ISIS, who was rapidly spreading their brand
of terror throughout the world.
A look at the two coalitions defied belief.
The Russian Coalition
In the Russian coalition was the hated President of Syria, the
target of a civil war well underway.
Unfortunately, the many factors in Syria opposed to President Bashar Hafez al-Assad ( [baʃˈʃaːr ˈħaːfezˤ elˈʔasad], also commander-in-chief of the Syrian Armed
Forces, General Secretary of the ruling Ba'ath Party, and Regional Secretary of
the party's branch in Syria, failed to unite so there were many different rebel
groups fighting the Assad forces.
The
Russian coalition also included the nation of Iran, with the tempestuous
Mullahs and anti-American attitude ever since they overthrew the American backed
Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi in 1979.
In other words,
one side consisted of Russia, recklessly attempting to re-establish the Russian
Empire or Soviet Union and former super-power and enemy of the USA. They were joined by Syria, whose leader Assad
President Obama demanded must be removed from office. Finally, Iran, whose hatred of the USA by Ayatollah
Ruhollah Khomeini and other religious leaders has extended nearly four decades.
Russia, Syria,
and Iran.
The American Coalition
Obama pledged
the American war machine including massive airborne firepower and an endless
fleet of deadly drones while attempting to minimize American troop
involvement. The USA joined Kurdish
rebels who were fighting the Egyptians at the time, allies of the USA, the
rebels agreed to declare ISIS their enemy and join the USA coalition. There was also the Iraq military with the
lukewarm support of the Iraq leadership in the coalition. Finally, there were Syrian rebels, one of the
many groups, committed to overthrowing the President of Syria.
USA, Kurd
rebels, Iraq, Syrian rebels.
Somehow these two coalitions, filled with enemies of enemies of
enemies of friends, managed to coordinate their efforts to wipe out ISIS while
continuing their rivalries to wipe out each other. Looked at from a different perspective, you
have Trump, Putin, Assad, the Ayatollahs and Mullahs, Kurdish and Syrians rebels, joining to
wipe out ISIS.
Melchizedek declares the serpent is
dead.
Surprisingly, this was achieved October 17 and on October 18
Melchizedek said “the head of the serpent has been cut off.”
In way of explanation, he meant that without their headquarters,
their capital city, their stolen money, and their caliphate, the terror
movement cannot function as before. All
major resources of the terror group including bank accounts and cash were
captured by the Americans and Russians.
Drones, American and Russian warplanes had blasted most of the
terror framework to oblivion and sophisticated terror plans and attacks could
no longer be mounted against the west.
This does not end terror, but means attacks by single person affiliates
in foreign countries will be the pattern for some time to come.
From a spiritual perspective the pendulum is swinging back
toward the light after years of embracing the dark. The defeat of the rebels is a huge win after
nearly two decades of fighting in the Middle East. The nature of the coalition with so many opposing
forces joining together shows the enemies can work together. The time has come.
Syria aftermath – the Refugees
The Mercy Corp is one of the refugee support groups attempting
to help overcome the worst refugee crisis in modern history. Following is their latest report on the
aftermath of the fall of ISIS.
The Syrian conflict has created the
worst humanitarian crisis of our time. Half the country’s prewar population —
more than 11 million people — have been killed or forced to flee their homes.
Families are struggling to survive inside Syria, or make a new
home in neighboring countries. Others are risking their lives on the way to
Europe, hoping to find acceptance and opportunity. And harsh winters and hot
summers make life as a refugee even more difficult. At times, the effects of
the conflict can seem overwhelming.
But one fact is simple: millions of Syrians need our help.
According to the U.N., $4.6 billion was required to meet the urgent needs of
the most vulnerable Syrians in 2017 — but less than half (only $1.7 billion)
has been received.
Nearly eight years since it began,
the war has killed more than 480,000 people. Crowded cities have been destroyed
and horrific human rights violations are widespread. Basic necessities like
food and medical care are sparse.
The U.N. estimates that 6.3 million people are internally
displaced. When you also consider refugees, well over half of the country’s
prewar population of 22 million is in need of urgent humanitarian assistance,
whether they still remain in the country or have escaped across the borders.
QUICK FACTS:
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE SYRIA CRISIS
The Syrian conflict has created the worst humanitarian crisis of
our time. Half the country’s prewar population — more than 11 million people —
have been killed or forced to flee their homes.
Families are struggling to survive inside Syria, or make a new home
in neighboring countries. Others are risking their lives on the way to Europe,
hoping to find acceptance and opportunity. And harsh winters and hot summers
make life as a refugee even more difficult. At times, the effects of the
conflict can seem overwhelming.
But one fact is simple: millions of Syrians need our help.
According to the U.N., $4.6 billion was required to meet the urgent needs of
the most vulnerable Syrians in 2017 — but less than half (only $1.7 billion)
has been received.
When did the crisis start?
Anti-government demonstrations began in March of 2011, as part of the Arab Spring. But the peaceful protests quickly escalated after the government's violent crackdown, and armed opposition groups began fighting back.
Anti-government demonstrations began in March of 2011, as part of the Arab Spring. But the peaceful protests quickly escalated after the government's violent crackdown, and armed opposition groups began fighting back.
By July, army defectors had loosely organized the Free Syrian
Army and many civilian Syrians took up arms to join the opposition. Divisions
between secular and religious fighters, and between ethnic groups, continue to
complicate the politics of the conflict.
What is happening to Syrians caught in the war?
Nearly eight years since it began, the war has killed more than 480,000 people. Crowded cities have been destroyed and horrific human rights violations are widespread. Basic necessities like food and medical care are sparse.
Nearly eight years since it began, the war has killed more than 480,000 people. Crowded cities have been destroyed and horrific human rights violations are widespread. Basic necessities like food and medical care are sparse.
The U.N. estimates that 6.3 million people are internally
displaced. When you also consider refugees, well over half of the country’s
pre-war population of 22 million is in need of urgent humanitarian assistance,
whether they still remain in the country or have escaped across the borders.
The situation in Syria went from bad to worse when outside
parties became involved in the conflict in the fall of 2015. As conflict
intensifies, our teams on the ground have seen an increase in the number of
civilian casualties and families forced to leave their homes in search of
safety.
In December 2016, fighting in Aleppo City intensified and the
warring parties came to an agreement to evacuate East Aleppo. People, including
some of our own team members, were forced to flee their homes and the city they
had lived in all their lives, leaving their belongings behind. We met those who
made it out with critical supplies in areas of northern Syria. Now, even more
Syrians have been displaced.
What is happening in Raqqa?
Raqqa is located in northern Syria, along the northeast bank of the Euphrates River. Prior to the war, it had a population of around 220,000, making it Syria’s sixth-largest city.
Raqqa is located in northern Syria, along the northeast bank of the Euphrates River. Prior to the war, it had a population of around 220,000, making it Syria’s sixth-largest city.
ISIS captured the city in 2013 and one year later declared it as
its capital in Syria. Approximately 200,000 people fled in the battle for Raqqa
and displacement camps are overflowing.
In October 2017, the city was retaken from ISIS, but the human
crisis is far from over. The UN estimates that 80% of the city is now
uninhabitable, water sources have been damaged by the conflict and there are no
health services available in the city. Families are eager to get home or to
find more permanent shelter. No one wants to spend this winter under a tent.
Where are they fleeing to?
More than 6.3 million people have fled their homes and remain displaced within Syria. They live in informal settlements, crowded in with extended family or sheltering in damaged or abandoned buildings. Some people survived the horrors of multiple displacements, besiegement, hunger and disease and fled to areas where they thought they would be safe, only to find themselves caught up in the crossfire once again. Across northern Syria, we are seeing that 20-60% of the population is made up of people who have had to flee their homes — many of them more than once.
More than 6.3 million people have fled their homes and remain displaced within Syria. They live in informal settlements, crowded in with extended family or sheltering in damaged or abandoned buildings. Some people survived the horrors of multiple displacements, besiegement, hunger and disease and fled to areas where they thought they would be safe, only to find themselves caught up in the crossfire once again. Across northern Syria, we are seeing that 20-60% of the population is made up of people who have had to flee their homes — many of them more than once.
Millions of Syrian refugees are living in Jordan and Lebanon,
where Mercy Corps has been addressing their needs since 2012. In the region’s
two smallest countries, weak infrastructure and limited resources are nearing a
breaking point under the strain.
In August 2013, more Syrians escaped into northern Iraq at a
newly-opened border crossing. Now they are trapped by that country's own
internal conflict, and Iraq is struggling to meet the needs of Syrian refugees
on top of more than 3 million internally displaced Iraqis — efforts that we are
working to support.
More than 3 million
Syrian refugees have fled across the border into Turkey, overwhelming urban
host communities and creating new cultural tensions.
Many Syrians are also deciding they are better off starting over
in Europe, attempting the dangerous trip across the Mediterranean Sea from
Turkey to Greece. Not all of them make it across alive. Those who do make it
still face steep challenges — resources are strained, services are minimal and
much of the route into western Europe has been closed.
How are people escaping?
Thousands of Syrians flee their country every day. They often decide to finally escape after seeing their neighborhoods attacked or family members killed.
Thousands of Syrians flee their country every day. They often decide to finally escape after seeing their neighborhoods attacked or family members killed.
The risks on the journey to the border can be as high as
staying: Families walk for miles through the night to avoid being shot at by
snipers or being caught by warring parties who will kidnap young men to fight
for their cause.
How many refugees are there?
According to the U.N., more than 11 million Syrians have been displaced from their homes — enough people to fill roughly 200 Yankee Stadiums. This includes about 5.2 million refugees who have been forced to seek safety in neighboring countries.
According to the U.N., more than 11 million Syrians have been displaced from their homes — enough people to fill roughly 200 Yankee Stadiums. This includes about 5.2 million refugees who have been forced to seek safety in neighboring countries.
Every year of the conflict has seen an exponential growth in
refugees. In July 2012, there were 100,000 refugees. One year later, there were
1.5 million. That tripled by the end of 2015.
There are now 5.2 million Syrians scattered throughout the
region, making them the world's largest refugee population under the United
Nations' mandate. It's the worst exodus since the Rwandan genocide 23 years
ago.
Do all refugees live in camps?
The short answer: no. Only 1 in 11 Syrian refugees live in camps. The rest are struggling to settle in unfamiliar urban communities or have been forced into informal rural environments.
The short answer: no. Only 1 in 11 Syrian refugees live in camps. The rest are struggling to settle in unfamiliar urban communities or have been forced into informal rural environments.
Jordan’s Zaatari, the first official refugee camp that
opened in July 2012, gets the most news coverage because it is the destination
for newly-arrived refugees. It is also the most concentrated settlement of
refugees: Approximately 80,000 Syrians live in Zaatari, making
it one of the country’s largest cities.
The formerly barren desert is crowded with acres of white tents,
makeshift shops line a “main street” and sports fields and schools are
available for children.
Azraq, a camp opened in April 2014, is carefully designed to
provide a sense of community and security, with steel caravans instead of
tents, a camp supermarket, and organized "streets" and
"villages."
Because Jordan’s camps are run by the government and the U.N. —
with many partner organizations like Mercy Corps coordinating services — they
offer more structure and support. But many families feel trapped, crowded, and
even farther from any sense of home, so they seek shelter in nearby towns.
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