Three Isil fighters pose in Ramadi the Iraqi army 'abandoned' the city Photo: Twitter
The Guardian: Study of Iraq fighters reveals what makes people prepared to die for a cause
In research that could help to combat extremists, scientists working on the the frontline in Iraq have begun to unpick what is behind the will to fight.
When Islamic State (Isis) launched its attack on Mosul in 2014, they were outnumbered by opposition forces by almost 40 to one – yet Isis took the city. Now a group of scientists working on the frontline in Iraq have analysed what motivates such fighters in research they say could help combat extremists.
While predicting the will to fight has been described by the former US director of national intelligence James Clapper as “imponderable”, researchers say they have begun to unpick what leads members of groups including Isis to be prepared to die, let their family suffer or even commit torture, finding that the motivation lies in a very different area to traditional ideas of comradeship.
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WNU Editor: This report reminds me of studies that I read when I was in University. In my case I wanted to know how did the original Russian Communists in 1917 .... even though they were massively out-numbered .... were still able to capture the major cities of Russia, and from there continue the fight to establish the Soviet Union. The reasons that I found were the same as outline by the above report. I then followed this study on how did Pol Pot and his Khmer army of only about 80,000 guerrilla fighters be able to defeat the Cambodian army (even though they were outnumbered 10 to one) .... and take over the country in the mid 1970s. Same reasons. Their will-power comes from a belief in the cause (in this case Communism), and having this cause replace the importance of family (in the case of Communism the state is the family). In the case of the Islamic State .... religion .... or belief in this radical interpretation of Islam .... definitely gives these fighters their identity and motivation. And sadly .... as we have learned too well in the past 3 years .... these fighters have proven themselves more than once that they are willing to die for this cause.
1 comment:
Editor,
The groups you mention in your comnent were all able to adjust to behaving like normal nation states in the territories they conquered. When ISIS arose it conquered and held territory faster and more securely than pretty much any country on earth could have.
It's problem was/is it could not or would not adjust to behaving like a normal nation state. As such, it acquired to many enemies to be able to sustain itself over the long term.
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