THE RISE OF ISIL : VALIDATION OF HUNTINGTONS STUDY

ON CLASH OF CIVILIZATION?

SUBMITTED TO PROFESSOR ASHEQUA IRSHAD

POST GRADUATE DIPLOMA IN INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS FALL 2014
DEPARTMENT OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
UNIVERSITY OF DHAKA

SUBMITTED BY EVA ALAM

ROLL NO 12
SECTION A

THE RISE OF ISIL : VALIDATION OF HUNTINGON S STUDY ON CLASH OF

CIVILIZATION ?

INTRODUCTION :
With the collapse of the Soviet Union, the world saw the dawn of a new era . The world is no
longer a bipolar but an unipolar one with USA emerging as the most powerful nation. The
strategy of containment which was the main focus of US foreign policy during the cold war has
become obsolete .A number of scholars, politicians, and intellectuals undertook to discern the
future shape of world politics. One of the most important article in this regard can be regarded
as the clash of civilization, written by Samuel p Huntington which was published in foreign
affairs in 1993. This article stirred a lot of debate around the world from scholarly world . Later
on Huntington expounded his view more elaborately in his book entitled, the clash of
civilization and the remaking of world order.

Huntingtons theory in Clash of civilization:

In order to understand this research paper, it is necessary at first to analyze Huntington theory in
detail . During the cold war, societies were divided by ideological differences such as the
struggle between democracy and communism. Huntington argued that in the post cold war, the
most important distinctions among people are not ideological, political or economic but are
cultural. 1 He regarded global politics as the politics of civilization and the rivalry between
superpowers will be replaced by this clash of civilization.
According to him civilization and culture both refer to the overall way of life of a people and
civilization is a culture writ large .2 It is identified by common objective elements such as
language , history , religion , customs , institutions as well as subjective element such as self
identification of people . He identified Western, Confucian, Japanese, Islamic, Hindu , Slavic
Orthodox, Latin America and African civilizations as major civilizations and pointed out that
future course of world politics will be dominated by conflicts between these civilizations along
the cultural fault lines .
Moreover Huntington has enumerated following factors as causes of the clash of civilizations.
First, differences among civilizations are basic because civilizations are differentiated from each
other by history, language, culture, tradition and religion. Second, the world is becoming a
1 Huntington , Samuel P , [1996],The Clash of Civilization and the Remaking of World Order, Simon and
Schuster
2 ibid

smaller place. Due to increasing interactions between people of various civilizations,

civilizations consciousness is being intensified. Third, processes of economic modernization and
social change are separating people from their local identities. Fourth, the dual role of the west
has enhanced the growth of civilization consciousness. On the one hand, the west is at a peak of
power. At the similar time, perhaps as a reaction to it, attraction towards its roots is increasing
among non-western civilizations. Fifth, cultural differences are less compromised and resolved
than political and economic ones. Lastly, growing economic regionalism has two fold impacts.
On the one hand, successful economic regionalism will enhance civilization consciousness
while on the other hand economic regionalism may succeed only when it has its foundation in
common civilization.
Huntington predicted that in future the west will be in conflict with Islam. He states that, West
next confrontation is definitely going to come from the Muslim world. It is in the sweep of the
Islamic nations from Maghreb to Pakistan that the struggle for new order will begin.3
He pointed out that Muslims were turning to Islam as a source of identity, meaning, stability ,
legitimacy , development , power and hope . This Islamic Resurgence is prevalent though out
the Muslim world and it is evident from Islamic dress and values, observance of religious
rituals , Islamic oriented governments and so on . In his book he compared the Islamic
Resurgence bearing resemblance to Marxism with scriptural texts and vision of a utopian society.
He stressed on the growing population of Muslims in Islamic nations as also the key factor to
Islamic Resurgence. He posed a theory that as Muslim population is growing , the young
Muslims will resort to Islam to find their identities .
Moreover Huntington concluded that Islamic resurgence is both a product of and an effort to
come to grips with modernization. He stressed that underlying cause are those that are
responsible for indigenization trends in non western societies : urbanization , social
mobilization , higher levels of literacy and education , intensified communication and media
consumption and expanded interaction with western and other cultures . According to him these
developments undermine traditional village and clan ties and hence create alienation and identity
crisis . He also stated that Islamist symbols , commitments and beliefs meet these psychological
needs and Muslims would return to Islam in order to fill the void . 4 He also pointed out that the
oil boom in 1970s actually strengthen the wealth and power of many Muslim nations and they
used their oil riches to finance the revival of Islam .According to him the Muslim wealth led
Muslims to swing from fascination with Western culture to deep involvement in their own and
also willingness to assert the place and importance of Islam in non Muslim societies.
3 Huntington , Samuel P , [1996],The Clash of Civilization and the Remaking of World Order, Simon and
Schuster
4 ibid

Furthermore Huntington in his book echoed relentlessly that this revival of Islam was mainly due
to population growth. He predicted that in near future Muslim population will be
disproportionately young men at their twenties and they will be mostly from urban and will have
a secondary education. To Huntington this was a danger because they will be vulnerable towards
extremist Islamic teaching and they will have the propensity to rebel . These young people will
continue to power the Islamic Resurgence and promote Muslim militancy .
He opined that as a result of population growth in Muslim nations , they will most likely tend to
move to other nations and hence exert pressure on other less demographically dynamic people .
This would cause conflicts along the borders of the Islamic world .between Muslims and other
peoples. 5
Criticisms of Huntington view in Clash of Civilizations :
One of the most prominent critic of Huntington was late Edward Said . In his article The
Clash Of Ignorance [2001], he stated that the Huntington did not invest time in researching
about the internal dynamics and plurality of every civilization . He also criticized Huntington
on putting emphasis on Islam . He also argued that Huntington viewed culture in a narrow sense
and he forgot the diversity of Muslim cultures. 6
Said argues that Huntington's categorization of the world's fixed "civilizations" omits the
dynamic interdependency and interaction of culture. All his ideas are based not on harmony but
on the clash or conflict between worlds. According to Said the clash of civilizations thesis is an
example of the purest invidious racism, a sort of parody of Hitlerian science directed today
against Arabs and Muslims.
Moreover Noam Chomsky [2001] in his lecture Militarism , Democracy and Peoples right to
information, he argued that USA in order to justify its big military budget , it needs to reinvent
false enemy and in order to do this it funded terrorist organizations like Taliban , Al qaeda and
he argued that whatever clash one is witnessing now is not a clash between civilization but it is
a pure invention of West .7
5 Huntington , Samuel P , [1996],The Clash of Civilization and the Remaking of
World Order, Simon and Schuster
6 The Clash Of Ignorance , [2001] Eward Said , [accessed on dec 30 2014 ] available from
http://www.thenation.com/article/clash-ignorance

7 Chomsky

Noam [2001]lecture on Militarism, Democracy and Peoples Right to

Informationhttp://www.india-seminar.com/2002/509/509%20noam%20chomsky.htm

Moreover scholar Amartya Sen (1999) argues that "diversity is a feature of most cultures in the
world. Western civilization is no exception. The practice of democracy that has won out in the
modern West is largely a result of a consensus that has emerged since the Enlightenment and the
Industrial Revolution, and particularly in the last century or so. To read in this a historical
commitment of the Westover the millenniato democracy, and then to contrast it with nonWestern traditions (treating each as monolithic) would be a great mistake"8
It must be noted that Huntington did not taken into account of the close ties between the west and
the Arab nations like Saudi Arabia , Egypt and so on . These nations are pro western and does
not fit into Huntington definition of Islamic societies although majority of population comprise
of Muslims . He did not take into account of the aid that most of Muslim countries received from
USA like Egypt , Pakistan . Furthermore interaction between Muslims and other nations had
been happening ever since the birth of Islam and hence Huntington contention that interaction
between Muslim nations and west would give rise to conflict is clearly flawed .

The Emergence of ISIL :

The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant { ISIL }can be regarded as the most violent terrorist
organization . The majority of terrorist attacks in recent times against civilians in Iraq and
borders of Syria were carried out by the members of this group.
It began as a group called Jamaat al-Tahwid wa-i-Jihad (JTWJ), founded in 1999 by Abu Musab
al-Zarqawi. At first it focused on attempting to overthrow the regime in Jordan . He also came in
acquaintance with Osama bin laden .After the 2003 invasion of Iraq by the United States,
Zarqawi became prominent in the insurgency against American forces in Iraq . He was infamous
for his cruel tactics and hatred for shias . In 2004 JTWJ formally became part of Al-Qaeda
when Zarqawi performed bayah, the oath of fealty, to Bin Laden. The group changed its name to
Al-Qaeda in the Land of the Two Rivers [the Tigris and the Euphrates). It was more commonly
known as Al-Qaeda in Iraq, or AQI. 9
According to the Special report on the Islamic state Al-Qaeda in Iraq built up its own network of
supporters and fighters during the Iraq insurgency. Although it was technically subordinate to AlQaeda central, in practice it was autonomous and able to develop its own ultraviolent brand of
8 Sen A (1999). " Sen A (1999). "Democracy as a Universal Value". Journal of
Democracy accessed on Jan 2 2015 , available from http://muse.jhu.edu/login?
auth=0&type=summary&url=/journals/journal_of_democracy/v010/10.3sen.html
9 Special Report on the Islamic State, The Clarion Project ,[accessed on dec 31 2014]
available from . http://www.clarionproject.org/sites/default/files/islamic-state-isis-isilfactsheet-1.pdf

jihad. In 2006, Zarqawi took several smaller Iraqi jihadi factions under AQI leadership under the
banner of Majlis Shura al-Mujahedin MSM). Under the guidance of Al-Qaedas central
leadership he focused on developing the infrastructure necessary to enforce sharia law as a state.
Zarqawi was killed by a United States airstrike in 2006 and after his death AQI was led by Abu
Ayyub Al Masri .
According to this report that this group changed its name to Islamic State in Iraq (ISI) in 2006.
Its main intention is to focus on conquering Iraqi territory in order to make a sharia-based state
there. The group concentrated its efforts on gaining territory in the desert region of Anbar
province, where discontent among the Sunni population was rife. But their brutal action to force
sharia law was not supported by the people from that region . Supported by American forces,
tribal militias called Sahwat al-Anbar (AnbarAwakening), or alternatively Abna al-Iraq (Sons of
Iraq), pushed ISI out of Fallujah and the rest of Anbar in bloody fighting. Founded in 2005,
Sahwat al-Anbar supported the American troop surge of 2007 and were able to all but defeat ISI.
Following victory, they were not integrated into the Iraqi military by the Shiite Prime Minister
Nouri al- Maliki, instead being targeted as a potential threat to Shiite majority rule. Many of
them have now joined the Islamic State.
In 2010, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi took over ISI after the deaths of al-Masri and the previous alBaghdadi. He was able to rebuild some of the popular support that had been lost under the
groups two earlier leaders. He also began to develop the organizations strength and stage a
comeback with his expansion into the Syrian Civil War in 2013, renaming the organization the
Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (or the Islamic State in Iraq and Levant ISIL). Baghdadis
decision to move into Syria provoked friction with Al-Qaedas official affiliate in Syria, Jabhat
Al-Nusra. Baghdadi attempted to take over Jabhat Al-Nusra, prompting rebuke from Nusras
leader and Al-Qaeda central command. After multiple failed attempts at mediation by various
leading sheikhs in the global jihadist community, the two groups split permanently when the
leader of Al- Qaeda central formally repudiated ISIS. Throughout late 2013 and early 2014, ISIS
built its power base in Syria, establishing its stronghold in Raqqa, where it was able to seize total
control after ousting all other rebel groups. Despite a counterattack by other factions sparked by
its brutal tactics, ISIS was able to hold its positions and consolidate its power base. They
effectively imposed control over areas by empowering their allies and crushing their enemies.
Policies of divide and rule in fractious tribal areas helped them to sustain their hold on territory.10
But ISIS never forgot about Iraq. In January 2014, they took parts of Fallujah and Ramadi in
Anbar province. In early June, ISIS shocked the world, storming across northern Iraq and
capturing Mosul, Iraqs second largest city, with the help of an uneasy alliance of ex-Baathists,
tribesmen and other Sunni rebel forces. On June 29, 2014, the first day of Ramadan, ISIS
declared itself a caliphate and Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi as Caliph Ibrahim, calling for the
immediate loyalty of all Muslims throughout the world.
10 Special Report on the Islamic State, The Clarion Project ,[accessed on dec 31 2014]
available from . http://www.clarionproject.org/sites/default/files/islamic-state-isis-isilfactsheet-1.pdf

Since proclaiming the caliphate, ISIS released 16 notes labeled "Contract of the City", a set of
rules aimed at civilians in Nineveh. These rules stipulated on how to wear clothes and full-face
veils, and women should stay at home and not go outside un- less necessary. Another rule said
that stealing would be punished by amputation. ISIS's violence is mainly targeted towards shia
muslims and non muslims but they have killed and likely to kill anyone who disagree with their
ideology. Christians living in areas under ISIS control who wanted to remain in the "caliphate"
faced three options, converting to Islam, paying a religious levy jizyaor death. " Isis offered
them three choices: Islam; the dhimma (non-Moslem contract involving payment of jizya and
if they refused this they would have nothing but the sword . ISIS had already set similar rules for
Christians in Ar-Raqqah, Syria, once one of the nation's most liberal cities.11
Isil doesnot adhere to the true nature of Islam . Its funding is quite mysterious. Moreover the
massive destruction of Mosul and historical places and shrine belonging to Islam , Christianity
only indicate the destructive nature of this group of thugs . Apart from enemies in battle, first
and foremost they target those they deem takfir (heretics) which includes all Shiites, Alawites
and other deviant sects of Islam and Sunnis that they have decided are not following Islam
correctly.
Soon after Mosul fell and the Islamic States army stormed south towards Baghdad, videos were
released by the Islamic States media department boasting of massacres they had perpetrated.
Human Rights Watch said that at least 560-770 people were massacred in Tikrit over a three day
period, but the Islamic State boasts of 1,700. The soldiers they executed were Shiites who had
been freshly recruited into the Iraqi army and who had barely finished training. The New York
Times interviewed the only known survivor, Ali Hussein Kadhim. Soon afterwards, other
minority groups were targeted. All the Christians, descendants of the indigenous Assyrian
population that has inhabited Iraq for at least 3,000 years, were driven from Mosul. Their homes
were marked with the Arabic letter nun, an abbreviation for Nazarene, referring to Christians.
Cars driving through the streets of Mosul announced over loudspeakers three choices for
Christians. Either pay the jizya, a special tax for Christians that most could not afford ($470),
convert to Islam, or die. It is believed that the entire community fled. In August 2014, the
Yazidis, an ancient minority indigenous to northern Iraq, were slaughtered by the advancing
fighters of the Islamic state. Tens of thousands were driven from their homes and were trapped
on Mount Sinjar with no food or water. All sides of the mountain were sealed off by the jihadist
militants leaving no escape Eventually Kurdish forces backed by US airstrikes were able to
rescue most of those trapped, but not before hundreds had died of exposure, thirst and the bullets
of the Islamic State.12

11 Khan , A [2014],ISIS, [ISIL]And World Wide Caliphate agenda[origin and brief history of Caliphate ,
Moslem terrorism and Islam ,Smashwords edition
12 Special Report on the Islamic State, The Clarion Project ,[accessed on dec 31 2014]
available from . http://www.clarionproject.org/sites/default/files/islamic-state-isis-isilfactsheet-1.pdf

Is Islam really the root of conflict?

Huntington stated in his book that the growing violence between Muslims is contributed to the
factor that Islam has from its birth had been a religion of the sword and that it glorifies military
values and the Islam originated among warring Bedouin nomadic tribes and this violent origin is
stamped in the foundation of Islam . He also stated that the Prophet of Islam was a hard fighter
and a skilful military commander .13 Well its clear that Huntington envision of Islam is
undoubtedly flawed . His knowledge of Islam is superficial just like Western media portrayed
Islam after 9/11 a religion of terror and violence . So what are the problems in their
understanding of Islam ? Their problem stemmed from taking the verses of Quran out of their
historical context . They are very much prone to literally interpreting it without understanding its
meaning and the historical context when the verses were revealed. In order to understand this
certain verses of Quran must be analyzed
The Arabic word Islam means submission, and is derived from a word meaning peace. As
such, the religion of Islam teaches that in order to achieve true peace of mind and surety of heart,
one must submit to God and live according to His Divinely revealed Law. Islam clearly prohibits
all kinds and forms of aggression and violence against anyone, except in self-defense. Islam is a
practical religion, meant to be implemented in every aspect of our life.
Islam also places very high importance on justice, and allows for aggressors and unjust people be
punished accordingly, unless they repent before they are brought to justice. At the same time,
Islam encourages people to forgive those who have wronged them whenever possible.
Evidence of these ideals can be found in the Holy Qur'an, which is the word of God revealed to
the messenger of God, Mohammad peace be upon him. It can also be found in the Hadeeth, the
sayings of Mohammad peace be upon him, and in his teachings to Muslims. Some verses are
given below :

"Fight in the cause of Allah those who fight you, and do not transgress; for Allah loveth
not transgressors." (Surah 2, Verse 190).

"But if they cease (fighting you), Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful." (Surah 2, Verse
192).

13 Huntington , Samuel P , [1996],The Clash of Civilization and the Remaking of World Order, Simon
and Schuster

"But if the enemy incline towards peace, do thou (also) incline towards peace, and trust in
Allah: for He is the One that Heareth and Knoweth (all things)." (Surah 8, Verse 61).

"The prohibited month, for the prohibited month, and so for all things prohibited, there is
the law of equality. If then any one transgresses the prohibition against you, transgress ye
likewise against him. But fear Allah, and know that Allah is with those who restrain
themselves." (Surah 2, Verse 194).

" ... and let not the hatred of some people in (once) shutting you out of the Sacred
Mosque lead you to transgression (and hostility on your part). Help ye one another in
righteousness and piety, but help ye not one another in sin and rancour: fear Allah: for
Allah is strict in punishment." (Surah 5, Verse 2).

"Nor can Goodness and Evil be equal. Repel (Evil) with what is better: then will he
between whom and thee was hatred become as it were thy friend and intimate!" (Surah
41, Verse 34).

"O ye who believe! stand out firmly for justice, as witnesses to Allah, even as against
yourselves, or your parents, or your kin, and whether it be (against) rich or poor: for
Allah can best protect both. Follow not the lusts (of your hearts), lest ye swerve, and if ye
distort (justice) or decline to do justice, verily Allah is well-acquainted with all that ye
do." (Surah 4, Verse 135).

"God advocates justice, charity, and regarding the relatives. And He forbids evil, vice,
and transgression. He enlightens you, that you may take heed." (Surah 16, Verse 90).

"And if ye do punish them, punish them no worse than they punished you: but if ye show
patience, that is indeed the best (course) for those who are patient." (Surah 16, Verse
126).

The first three verses above instruct Muslims to fight those who fight them, and not to commit
aggression first, as God does not like transgressors. They also instruct Muslims to stop fighting
those who wish to cease fighting them, and to accept peace with the enemy who becomes
inclined towards peace.

The fourth verse mentioned above instructs Muslims that if someone transgresses against them,
they should respond to them likewise, and it reminds Muslims to fear God and to restrain
themselves to this limit.
The fifth verse reminds Muslims not to let hatred of some people for past reasons to lead them to
transgress against those people or be hostile towards them. It also instructs us to help each other
in good and righteous actions, and not to cooperate in aggression and sin, and it reminds them
finally of the strict punishment of God to encourage them to abide by these principles.
The sixth verse reminds us that goodness and evil are never equal, and that we should repel evil
with good actions. This means that when someone is unjust to us or commits evil against us, we
are encouraged to respond with kind and good actions, so that the hatred between us and that
person will evaporate and will become an intimate friendship!
The seventh verse mentioned reminds us to stand up for justice, even if it is against ourselves or
our family, and even if it is against those who are rich or powerful, because justice applies to
everyone. It also reminds us that God knows everything we do, and so if we act unjustly even in
our hearts, God knows what we did and we will be accountable for that.
The eighth verse informs us that God enjoins us to follow justice, and that God forbids us from
committing evil, vice and transgression.
The ninth and final verse reminds Muslims that if they are punished, that they may only respond
with the same punishment and not to go over this limit. However, they are reminded that
forgiveness and patience is the best course of action.
Hence the wonderful ideals of Islam can be summarized as :

To pursue peace with everyone including past enemies, except when they fight the
Muslims and refuse peace, then Muslims are allowed to fight in self-defense.

To ensure that we always apply justice and never transgress against others even if they
are our enemies.

To repel evil actions with good actions, in order to replace hatred with an intimate
friendship.

To respond to punishment with the same punishment, but that forgiveness and patience is
even better than retaliation.

In Islam there is no compulsion .The verse from the Qur'an which states this principle of no
compulsion in religion is stated below :

"Let there be no compulsion in religion: Truth stands out clear from Error: whoever
rejects Evil and believes in Allah hath grasped the most trustworthy hand-hold, that never
breaks. And Allah heareth and knoweth all things." (Surah 2, Verse 256).

The holy Qur'an reminds us that there must not be compulsion in religion. It states that the truth
stands out clear from error, and that those who reject error and believe in God are the saved ones.
This means that Muslims are not allowed to force people to convert to Islam. Muslims should
only seek to make the truth clear to others, and talk to them about Islam, then let them decide for
themselves. In fact, most people who study Islam without having made a decision to hate it first
come to love its message and convert to Islam after learning about it's values and principles.
Another verse that also states this principle is the following:

"If one amongst the Pagans ask thee for asylum, grant it to him, so that he may hear the
word of Allah; and then escort him to where he can be secure. That is because they are
men without knowledge." (Surah 9, Verse 6).

This wonderful verse instructs Muslims to grant asylum to non-believers, and make them safe,
and allow them to hear the word of Allah. Then they are to be escorted to whatever place they
will be safe and secure in. This is because these non-believers simply have no knowledge of
Islam, and no knowledge of the word of Allah.
Islam prohibits the targeting and killing of all civilians, especially women, children, the elderly,
and religious clergy. Enemies, even at time of war, must be treated justly. Prisoners of war have
basic human rights, as stated in the Shariah (Islamic Law), and must be provided and cared for
and not humiliated in any way.
The following verses touch on some of these issues:

"O Prophet! say to those who are captives in your hands: If Allah findeth any good in
your hearts, He will give you something better than what has been taken from you, and
He will forgive you: for Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful." (Surah 8, Verse 70).

And they feed, for the love of Allah, the indigent, the orphan, and the captive, (Saying),
We feed you for the sake of Allah alone: no reward do we desire from you, nor thanks."
(Surah 76, Verses 8-9).

In addition, the following were the instructions of Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) to Muslims who
are forced to fight a war:

"Do not kill women or children or non-combatants and do not kill old people or religious
people,'' and he mentioned priests, nuns and rabbis. And he said, "Do not cut down fruitbearing trees and do not poison the wells of your enemies."

Hence the atrocities caused by Isil did not stem out of their Islamic beliefs . Their actions are
undoubtedly against the religion Islam . The way they persecuted Non Muslims in open market
and the way they treated women clearly showed that they had no understanding of religion of
Islam . They trained up children to fight war and also to carry out suicide bombs attack . Suicide
is strictly forbidden in Islam and if they were true Muslims they would not have transgressed the
words of the Lord . Moreover Saudi Arabia's Grand Mufti Sheik Abdulaziz Al al-Sheik, the
highest religious authority in the country, said on Tuesday the militant groups Islamic State and
al Qaeda were "enemy number one of Islam" and not in any way part of the faith.
It is clear that Huntingtons knowledge of Islam is biased and superficial. Without analyzing
Islam he labeled Islam as a religion of war . Whatever the reason that made isis to sprout out is
clearly not Islamic but rather political and economic.

Conclusion
Huntington in his book tried to draw the future of global conflict on basis of cultural differences
between the West and the Islam.
After 9/11 the tragic incident of the twin towers has paved the way for the justification of
Huntingtons thesis. A new wave of Islam phobia swept across the globe and the West media
echoed with jealous of our freedom, Muslim barbarian and Islam as a religion of sword. After
math of 9/11 resulted in the attack of Iraq , Libya and Afghanistan and much of these countries
infrastructure were destroyed . Nearly half a million people died in Iraq due to war-related
causes since the US-led invasion in 2003 . Iraq invasion was undoubtedly about oil as Gen.
John Abizaid, former head of U.S. Central Command and Military Operations in Iraq, [2007]said
, Of course it's about oil; we can't really deny that,"
Western oil companies such as Chevron are exploring for and producing oil in Iraq from some of
the world's largest oil fields and reaping enormous profit. Usa has also maintained a fairly
consistent level of Iraq oil imports since the invasion and the benefits are not finding their way
through Iraq's economy or society. Iraq is still under poverty line despite of its vast oil fields .
Since the rise of Isil and the circulation of beheading videos , the USA had sent 1,500 troops to
Iraq to combat Isis . However this will do the opposite: prolong the war, guarantee more human
suffering, and serve the interests of the Islamic State . Moreover Isil also sold oil in black market
from their captured oil fields . It seem that to some extent USA and ISIL interest overlap . .
Michel Chossudovsky [2005] in his book entitled Americas War on terrorism clearly illustrated
Usas hypocrite stance on this fake war on terrorism and it was nothing but to conquer the oil
fields of Iraq and Libya. He pointed that Usa was the one who funded Al qaeda in Afghanistan
against USSR during cold war . According to him , Usa was responsible for 9/11 and also
funded such terrorist organizations.14
14 Chossudovsky,Michel[2005],Americas War on Terrorism,Global research

In conclusion Huntington thesis that West will collide with Islam due to cultural and religion
differences is utterly flawed . In reality West does not possess altruistic policies but does
everything for its interest . West and ISIL have one thing in common is their interest in oil.

BIBILIOGRAPHY:
Huntington , Samuel P , [1996],The Clash of Civilization and the Remaking of World Order,
Simon and Schuster
Khan , A [2014],ISIS, [ISIL]And World Wide Caliphate agenda[origin and brief history of
Caliphate , Moslem terrorism and Islam ,Smashwords edition
Chossudovsky,Michel[2005],Americas War on Terrorism,Global research
Special Report on the Islamic State, The Clarion Project ,[accessed on dec 31 2014] available
from . http://www.clarionproject.org/sites/default/files/islamic-state-isis-isil-factsheet-1.pdf
The Clash Of Ignorance , [2001] Eward Said , [accessed on dec 30 2014 ] available from
http://www.thenation.com/article/clash-ignorance
Chomsky
Noam [2001]lecture on Militarism, Democracy and Peoples Right to
Informationhttp://www.india-seminar.com/2002/509/509%20noam%20chomsky.htm

Sen A (1999). " Sen A (1999). "Democracy as a Universal Value". Journal of Democracy
accessed on Jan 2 2015 , available from http://muse.jhu.edu/login?
auth=0&type=summary&url=/journals/journal_of_democracy/v010/10.3sen.html