Most people are unaware that the driving motto of ISIS (Islamic State) is ‘baqiya wa tatamaddad,’ which stands for ‘remaining and expanding.’ Both these elements must be understood to really understand not only ISIS but also Islam generally. The ‘remaining’ component is the establishment of a presence and strengthening this base. This includes centering a population, constructing a mosque, educational facilities and official institutes. This requires effort, financing and resources to turn it into solid Launchpad from which to expand to other locations, which must be controlled and fortified before spreading out to the next stage of the expansion. This can be done militarily or peacefully, depending on the political environment into which Islam intends to expand. This then is the kinetic energy, indeed the driving force of Islam in all its forms. It is far from being limited to ISIS. The point that Western policymakers fail to grasp is...(Read Full Post)