GEOG Geopolitics “Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant”

Political Islam Tradition forms – Caliphates (7 th -20 th century – 1924 Ottoman Empire) Contemporary forms – Intellectual circles in late 19 th century – Broader social base in early 20 th century Muslim Brotherhood (Egypt, 1920s) – Resurgence since 1970s Iran (1978), Afghanistan (1979), Algeria (1990), Chechnya (1994), Iraq (2003), Libya-Egypt-Syria (2011)

Resistance to and liberation from (western) colonialism Numerous Islamic leaders and movements resisting colonization since the 1780s (Maghreb, Middle East, South Asia, Indonesia), see ref. in notes Islamic movements were the precursors to the later nationalist uprisings – Indonesia: Masyumi (consultative council of Indonesian Muslims) played an important role in nationalist anticolonialism efforts and early state

Western colonization in MENA region Western Sahara - Spanish

Brief chronology 1769: the Russians handed the Turks their first sound defeat, pointing to a new and difficult road ahead for Islam 1798: French expedition into Egypt 1830: French seized Algeria 1839: British co-opted Aden (modern Yemen). 1881: French occupied Tunisia 1882: the English tightened their grip on Egypt. 1911: Russia captured parts of Persia & Italy annexed Tripoli (Libya) 1912: French extended their influence to Morocco. 1916: British conquer southern Iraq 1919: British control of Palestine 1919: French control of Syria 1948, West support creation of the state of Israel

Patterns of interventions Direct interventionism – UK – US Allied regimes – Iran ( ) – Saudi Arabia and Gulf States (1945-present) => Support for petro-monarchies (see “McJihad”)

Foreign military bases in Middle East

Major contemporary Islamic armed militant groups Afghanistan (Taliban) Algeria (FIS – Front Islamique du Salut) Nigeria (Boko Aram) Somalia (Al Shabab) Philippines (Moro Islamic Liberation Front, Abu Sayaf Group) Libya Syria (al Nusra, etc…) Iraq Al Qaeda and its ‘franchises’ Syria and Iraq: ISIS

Muslim States States with a history and demographic majority of people of Islamic faith (Muslims) – c. 50 countries in the world

Islamic State Theocracy: “A form of government which defers not to civil development of law, but to an interpretation of the will of a God as set out in religious scripture and authorities.” – Islamic scholars (ulama) and civil rulers – Islamic law (sharia) and courts – Islamization of society Islamic Republic of Iran (constitutional theocracy) Saudi Arabia (theo-monarchy)

Militant groups ‘aligned’ with Islamic State

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ISIL / ISIS / Daesh / IS الدولة الإسلامية في العراق والشام ad-Dawlah al-Islāmīyah fīl-ʻIraq wa ash-Shām (Da’ish)

Chronology/genealogy of ISIS 1988: Creation of Al Qaeda in context of end of Soviet invasion of Afghan ( ) 1999: Originally called Jama'at al-Tawhid wal-Jihad (The Group of Monotheism and Jihad) or JTJ, and founded by Abu Musab al-Zarqawi => regime change in Jordan 2001: 9/11 attacks 2003: US invasion of Iraq 2004: Tanzim Qaidat al-Jihad fi Bilad al-Rafidayn or "Organization of Jihad's Base in the Land of the Two Rivers” (AQ in Iraq) 2011: ‘Arab Spring’ with turn to civil war in Syria : Al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri demands that the "Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant" disband and leave the formerly allied Syrian rebel group the al-Nusra Front in charge of operations against Bashar al-Assad's government. Al-Baghdadi refuses and ISIS breaks away from AQ June 2014: ISIS seizes Mosul, 2 nd largest Iraqi city, and Tikrit 29 June 2014: ISIS => IS, Al-Baghdadi Caliph Aug 2014: al-Maliki resigns

ISIS Political ideology Armed militancy and ‘Jihad’ Theocracy and recreation of Caliphate Territorialization of (Sunni) Muslim community ‘Umma’

ISIS Billboard in Raqqa “The constitution of a secular state is incompatible with the law of God,” followed by a quotation of Qur’an 3:83

The Arabic letter "n" (inside red circle), signifying "Nasrani" (Christian), on a Christian home in Mosul.

Sectarian-based political geography

Political organization Caliph Country deputies War council and advisors Governors Specific Councils

Political violence Confessional/sectarian Shiite, Yazidi, Christian Political Iraqi and Syrian governments Kurds (Sunni) Pro-government or competing Sunni groups

The logic of sectarianism Secularism / Sectarianism The problem with ‘majority rule’ PM Al Maliki and Sunni grievances

ISIS and geopolitical imaginations Caliphates – Al Qaeda – ISIS War on Terror – ‘Afghanistan’, ‘Mogadishu’, …

Regional geopolitical perspectives Turkey: Kurdish issue (refugees, al-Assad regime) Israel: Iranian threats Iran: regional influence Arab Gulf States: interventionism, status quo and domestic stability

International geopolitical perspectives US: a costly quagmire, logic of military intervention European countries: US alliance, human rights, and domestic fears of terrorism Russia: critique of US interventionism China: non-interference

Is the Islamic State a (future) state or a militant group with little future? Concrete dimensions: 4 million, major city, oil fields Symbolic dimensions: unprecedented military success, ‘Sunni state’ IS and the performance of statehood – Name – Passports, etc … Key factors: treatment of local populations => sustained support? Ground intervention by foreign forces? Iraqi government of ‘national unity’?

Discussion Sectarian logic of exclusion and repression Violent logics of war and terrorism Regional issues: – Iraq: inclusive federalism – Syria: political transition – Palestine: state recognition – Iran: international re-integration

The Rise and Fall of the Ottoman Empire – YouTube The Rise and Fall of the Ottoman Empire – YouTube orient/video/2014/04/24/comprendre-la- situation-en-syrie-en-cinq- minutes_ _3218.html orient/video/2014/04/24/comprendre-la- situation-en-syrie-en-cinq- minutes_ _3218.html decodeurs/visuel/2014/06/25/irak-syrie-au- fait-qui-est-l-eeil_ _ html

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