Does Islamic State Still Pose A Threat?

Militant Islamist fighters take part in a military parade along the streets of northern Raqqa province, Syria, June 30, 2014. REUTERS/Stringer/File Photo

Reuters: Explainer: Does Islamic State still pose a threat?

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Islamic State looks about to lose its last foothold - on the banks of the Euphrates near the Iraq border - but while its era of territorial rule may be over for now, there is near universal agreement that IS remains a threat.

WHAT HAS ITS TERRITORIAL DEFEAT ACCOMPLISHED?

Islamic State’s possession of land in Iraq and Syria set it apart from other like-minded groups such as al Qaeda and became central to its mission when it declared a caliphate in 2014, claiming sovereignty over all Muslim lands and peoples.

The destruction of the quasi-state it built there has denied the group its most potent propaganda and recruiting tool as well as a logistical base from which it could train fighters and plan coordinated attacks overseas.

It also freed its former subjects from summary executions and draconian punishment for breaking its strict laws or, for some minorities, sexual slavery and slaughter.

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WNU Editor: ISIS is not the threat that it once was. Losing its territory has crippled it. But it is an ideology that has millions of supporters worldwide, and as long as its radical viewpoint is not confronted directly, it and its many offshoots will continue to run amok when the opportunity arises.