Time for war

| NOVEMBER 23, 2015, 12:00 AM IST

Terror has a terrifying name. Some called it ISIS, but it’s better known as IS, or Islamic State. Others call it Da’esh. But, the name doesn’t really matter. It’s the fact that, for the first time, the United Nations has called on the world to unite against them.

For a long time it was Terror versus the West (Read: America). Japan, England and other countries have been attacked but with America being the self-righteous liberators of repressive regimes that they are, there has constantly been a backlash that really started in earnest with the September 11 attacks.

Fifteen years later, Al Qaeda and Saddam Hussain may be effectively destroyed but Islamic State has just taken terror to another level. On November 13, when they attacked another member of the UN Security Council, France, things changed. They had now expanded overseas, like Al Qaeda. What also changed was that now countries united against IS in a very different way to what America and England did in Syria and Libya.

This may be playing into IS’ hands though. An all-out war may result in creating a larger refugee crisis than what exists already. As it is, there is an anti-refugee sentiment in parts of Europe and America. Alienating more refugees is precisely what IS could use to bring in more recruits.

But, a war is inevitable. How they go about it is another thing altogether. IS is like a Hydra. You can’t just cut off one head and expect it to die. This war is something new.

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