Prime Minister Nuri Kemal Al- Maliki

The Current I.S.I.S-Iraq Crisis

What is the “Caliphate” and Who is a “Caliph”? “Caliphate”: – Term in Arabic means “succession”. The Caliphate is an Islamic State. A geographic community of believers in Islam whose society is governed by faith. “Caliph”: – Term for the supreme religious and political leader of the Caliphate. * The Caliph is the “successor of Mohammed”. What does a “Caliph” do? – 2 responsibilities: political leader over the united Islamic State & bears responsibility for the community of all Muslims *REALITY*: THERE HAS BEEN NO CALIPHATE FOR NEARLY 100 YEARS!

Who is ISIS? ISIS: – A militant, Sunni Islamist terrorist group, founded in – Islamic State of Iraq & Syria (ISIS) Goal of ISIS: – Establish a militant Sunni Islamic Caliphate in Syria & Iraq to eventually spread throughout the entire Middle East region.

Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi 42 years old Delivered a recent sermon inside a Mosque in Mosul, Iraq declaring himself the new “Caliph”.

So as American’s we should fear a “caliphate”? *NO! Not really… Why? Islam, like the other two primary world religions (Judaism & Christianity) is peaceful. * Terrorist groups like ISIS use religion as a means to give their barbaric, violent, and hateful actions a twisted justification.

Violence in a “Holy Book”? “And he that curseth his father, or his mother, shall surely be put to death.” – Exodus 21:17 Exodus 21:17 “They shall also bring up a company against thee, and they shall stone thee with stones, and thrust thee through with their swords.” – Ezekiel 16:40 Ezekiel 16:40 “And he sent, and beheaded John in the prison.” – Matthew 14:10 Matthew 14:10

For Today, After You Come In: Partner/ Triple up, get 1 laptop, log on. Google: “who are the Yezidis” CLICK ON: “CONVERT or DIE” link DON’T GET CONFUSED IF YOU HEAR: – I.S. (Islamic State) ISIL (Islamic State Iraq & Levant)= ISIS

“The Levant”

NEI

So how bad are these ISIS guys? PRETTY BAD: – Islamist extremists. Membership: possibly 30,000… – Responsible for murder, torture, kidnap, and rape of anyone who does not subscribe to their radical, violent, “brand” of Sunni Islam. – *In Iraq: ethnic murders, torture, and assaults of Yezidi’s (ethnic minority in Iraq), Christians, Shiite Muslims, Arab Secular Nationalists, “westerners”.

Who are the Iraqi Kurds? “The Kurds”: – Ethnic minority in Iraq (“Kurdish”) Most people in Iraq are ethnically Arab – Most Kurds in Iraq live in Northeastern Iraq (Kurdistan) – Most Iraqi Kurds are Sunni Muslim Fighting Against ISIS: – The Kurds are one of Iraq & America’s largest allies in the fight against ISIS. – Kurds (“Peshmerga” soldiers) are fighting against ISIS invaders & beginning to take back some of Iraq’s northern cities. other-iraq/

Steven Sotloff t/isis-sotloff-mother-plea/

U.S. Action: What is the Threat? Wjs - Evacuation of American Embassy. - President Obama authorizes targeted airstrikes against ISIS in Iraq. - U.S. troops sent to help evacuate & protect displaced Iraq minority groups from ISIS genocide. U.S. Action So Far: -Fight a “War on Terror” -American Embassy & Consulates in Iraq = American lives at risk -“Invested” in future Iraqi Democracy -Stop ISIS led genocide -Economic ties to region = OIL Reasons for Concern:

Scary Ambitions?

Threat to EVERYONE in the MIDDLE EAST… Middle East countries and leaders fear that if ISIS conquers Iraq, they will create a terrorist state in the Middle East with control over the 5 th wealthiest OIL region in the world. – * Safe haven, recruitment, and home base for Jihadist terrorists.* – Direct threat to all lives in the region. – Ability to exploit the oil wealth of Iraq.

The Faces of New Leadership in Iraq: Haider al-Abadi (Iraqi Prime Minister) Fouad Massoum (Iraqi President)

Sources: explained/74607CBE C02-A289- ABA34FEAB516.html#!2977C1CD-B8E5-439E-BC48-8AF0809C explained/74607CBE C02-A289- ABA34FEAB516.html#!2977C1CD-B8E5-439E-BC48-8AF0809C caliphate-you-were-too-embarrassed-to-ask caliphate-you-were-too-embarrassed-to-ask know/isis-goal-theocracy know/isis-goal-theocracy iraqi-kurds/ iraqi-kurds/