5. Prime Minister Nuri Kemal Al- Maliki

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

7. 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!

8. Who is ISIS? ISIS: – A militant, Sunni Islamist terrorist group, founded in 2004. – 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.

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

10. 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.

11. 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

13. 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

14. “The Levant”

15. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lbJs3aeW NEI

16. 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”.

17. 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. http://www.cbsnews.com/news/kurdistan-the- other-iraq/

19. Steven Sotloff http://www.cnn.com/2014/08/27/world/meas t/isis-sotloff-mother-plea/

20. U.S. Action: What is the Threat? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ax4a6cH1 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:

21. Scary Ambitions?

22. 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.

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

25. Sources: http://live.wsj.com/video/iraq-isis-sparks-a-middle-east-crisis- explained/74607CBE-0725-4C02-A289- ABA34FEAB516.html#!2977C1CD-B8E5-439E-BC48-8AF0809C9434 http://live.wsj.com/video/iraq-isis-sparks-a-middle-east-crisis- explained/74607CBE-0725-4C02-A289- ABA34FEAB516.html#!2977C1CD-B8E5-439E-BC48-8AF0809C9434 http://www.vox.com/a/maps-explain-crisis-iraq http://www.vox.com/2014/7/10/5884593/9-questions-about-the- caliphate-you-were-too-embarrassed-to-ask http://www.vox.com/2014/7/10/5884593/9-questions-about-the- caliphate-you-were-too-embarrassed-to-ask http://www.vox.com/cards/things-about-isis-you-need-to- know/isis-goal-theocracy http://www.vox.com/cards/things-about-isis-you-need-to- know/isis-goal-theocracy https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AQPlREDW-Ro http://www.religionnews.com/2014/06/13/sunni-vs-shiite-primer/ http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2014/08/20/who-are-the- iraqi-kurds/ http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2014/08/20/who-are-the- iraqi-kurds/ http://www.cbsnews.com/news/kurdistan-the-other-iraq/