Publication

In light of the concern caused by the June 2014 military successes of the jihadist movement, the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIS) in Iraq, this brief evaluates the strength of the group in a wider context. The author points out that ISIS' victories are not necessarily the result of its military power and talent and questions ISIS' ability to effectively administer the parts of Iraq and Syria it has conquered. However, he also maintains that the danger emanating from ISIS should not be underestimated as the organization has accumulated significant amounts of economic capital and Western military hardware.