The ISIS Crisis
ISIS, the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, is the latest chapter of the so-called war on terror. One should point out that you can’t have a war on a tactic. ISIS has displaced al-Qaeda. It is violently addressing unresolved issues relating to European imperialism and the creation of artificial borders and states. After WWII, the U.S. supplanted Britain, France and Italy in the region and became its self-appointed guardian. Washington’s footprint in the Middle East is enormous. It has created a network of allies consisting of emirs, sheikhs and generals. These leaders are despised by most of the people they rule. They are seen as puppets of Washington. Israel is isolated. Meanwhile, ISIS is growing. What is its appeal? How is it, as the Pentagon says, “tremendously well-funded”? How has it inspired attacks as far away as Ottawa, Sydney and Copenhagen?
Recorded at Town Hall.
Speaker
Loretta Napoleoni
Loretta Napoleoni is a leading expert on money laundering and terror financing. She has worked as London correspondent and columnist for La Stampa, La Repubblica, El País, and Le Monde. A former Fulbright scholar, she holds degrees from Johns Hopkins University and the London School of Economics. She is the author of Rogue Economics, Terror Inc. and The Islamist Phoenix.
Dana Franchitto –
I’m surprised that war fevered NPR would talk to MS Napoleoni, given its atrocious record of shilling for the State Dept. and the Pentagon since the 9/11 attacks. Did a public outcry fore them to live up to their name and claims of “Independent journalism”?
Dore Stein –
Mike states: “I would REALLY love to be able to listen to this again, but it seems crazy to have to pay for the recording of one “simple” interview.”
I think Mike misses the point. Think of the interview cost as doing your part to support a news source that you value. Alternative Radio doesn’t have ads. The listeners are the sponsors.
Mike Williamson –
Hi,
I unfortunately did not tune into the session early enough to hear all of it, but I have never heard anyone speak on the topic of the Islamic State with such knowledge, wisdom, authority, and honesty. I really wish if Ms. Napolioni were our secretary of state, if only so she could help us get out of the mess in the middle east.
I would REALLY love to be able to listen to this again, but it seems crazy to have to pay for the recording of one “simple” interview. Yes, it was a great interview, but even an amazing interview is not nearly as much work as, say, an album. Yet, the price of access to this interview is the same. 🙁
Alex Poliakoff –
I recently listened on NPR to the interview with Ms Napolioni regarding the ISIS Crisis. Up til this point I couldn’t understand how ISIS was being funded and I wanted the funders brought to the forefront. Now, I understand how it works. ISIS is virtually self-sustaining. ISIS represents the poor and poverty stricken 3rd world peoples who in general have poor communication with the rest of the world. ISIS appeals to these folks “taxpayers” if you will, for support. In turn ISIS helps them, gives them things, even medical care, and the encouragement to be faithful Muslims, and most importantly that ISIS is the way out of the miseries they suffer. And clearly, through sophisticated “spin” the full cause of their suffering is….. you guessed it. ‘the un-holy world’. Ms Napolioni provides food for thoughtful discussion… even action. The problem is, the West has chosen an approach which I find best expressed by the title I have chosen for this review. Don’t miss this.