Have you heard of Isis? How did Isis come to be?

Isis was originally a rebranded

name of the group ISI, formerly known as the jihadist group called Al-Qaeda. Abu Musab

al-Zarqawi began leading a jihadist insurgency against the United States as early as 2004.

He declared his allegiance to Osama bin Laden and formed the group name Al-Qaeda.

However, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi began steadily losing support in Iraq. This was the

effect of his attacks on Muslims. In 2006, he was killed by a U.S. airstrike. He was

succeeded by Abu Ayyub al-Masri. Shortly after the death of Musab al-Zarqawi, Sunni

Tribesman began to conspire to kill Al-Qaeda members. To regain local support, Al-

Qaeda was rebranded Islamic State in Iraq (ISI). Shortly after, Abu Ayyub al-Masri was

killed after blowing himself up after being ambushed by a U.S.-Iraqi force. Abu Bakr al-

Baghdadi was chosen to succeed him. In 2013 ISI merged with an al-Qaeda affiliate in

Syria, known as the Nusra Front. They then took the name Al-Dawla Al-Islamiya fi al-

Iraq wa al-Sham. This translates to the Islamic State in Iraq and Greater Syria (ISIS). In

2014, Isis made its first conquest. After days of fighting, Isis takes complete control of

the city of Fallujah. Fallujah is 43 miles west of Baghdad, Iraq. Fallujah was the site of

one of the biggest battles between international forces and insurgents during the Iraq war

in 2004. In January of 2014, Isis captured the Syrian city of Raqqa after clashes with

other opposition groups. The city then became Isis headquarters. On February 3, 2014

Al-Qaedas leader, Ayman al-Zawahiri cut ties with Isis. He was frustrated by the groups

expansion into Syria and their extreme methods. In June of 2014 ISIS captured the city of

Mosul after Iraqi soldiers abandoned their posts. Two days later Isis seized Tikrit, the

hometown of former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein. As a result, 50,000 people fled the

city. On June 29, 2014 Isis announced the official establishment of an Islamic caliphate.
They also declared Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi the successor to the prophet Mohammed. In

August of 2014, Obama authorizes airstrikes to prevent the capture of the Kurdish city of

Erbil. Thousands of Yazidis had already fled to Mount Sinjar after being threatened with

genocide. Shortly after, American journalist James Foley is beheaded. Isis released a

video of the horrific act. In September of 2014 British aid worker David Haines is also

beheaded. His death was also recorded. Isis goes on to behead several more human

beings who oppose them and capture and terrorize many more cities. Since that first

achievement, Isis, an extremist militant terrorist group, has irrevocably damaged Syria

and Iraq and their people over the course of several years.

One example of Isis damage is the destruction of Syria and Iraqs ancient sites

and historical ruins. Utterly blown apart, was the Temple of Baalshamin located in the

Syrian desert city of Palmyra. (Here Are the Ancient Sites ISIS Has Damaged and

Destroyed) This culturally significant building, dating back to the 3rd century was one

of Palmyras most beautiful and well-preserved buildings originally dedicated to a

Phoenician storm God. The brutal bombing of this beautiful site erases the Syrians

tangible connection to their past and their heritage, which has proven to be culturally and

psychologically traumatic. Isis completely destroyed and bulldozed Iraqs ancient

Assyrian city of Nimrud. (Tracking a trail of historical obliteration: ISIS trumpets

destruction of Nimrud). Nimrud was a 3,000-year-old city located in the former

Assyrian kingdom, which flourished between 900 and 612 B.C. To further support this

idea of horrific damage, former U.S. Secretary of State, John Kerry goes on to state,

These depraved acts are an assault on the heritage of the Iraqi and Syrian people by an

organization with a bankrupt and toxic ideology."

 Isis supporters claim that their actions are purely religiously motivated, opponents

argue that their motivation is politically and power driven. ISIS emphasizes that its

primary motivation is a religious conviction to hate, fight, and subjugate those who

oppose them: ...That fact is, even if you were to stop bombing us, imprisoning us,

torturing us, vilifying us, and usurping our lands, we would continue to hate you because

our primary reason for hating you will not cease to exist until you embrace Islam. (Why

We Hate You and Why We Fight You). (The Debate is Over: ISIS States Its Primary

Motivation is Religion, not Western Foreign Policy). Isis main reason for targeting the

U.S. and Europe is their perceived idea that we refuse to embrace Islam. Isis goal of

destroying everything not relating to Islam could be a never-ending infinite project.

Secular politics, far more than religion or religious ideology, is the key to understanding

the existence and appeal of jihadist violence. (Whats the Right Way to Think About

Religion and ISIS?). Isis is mainly motivated by secular politics. It has nothing to do

with religion when you are destroying your own culture, people, and heritage. Isis is

using religious motivation as a smokescreen to rationalize the atrocities they have

committed to disguise their desire for political and personal power.

Another example of Isis destruction is the physical and psychological damage

they have unleashed on the women of Syria and Iraq. Several of the Yezidis, abducted

by ISIS in mid-2014, had spent more than a year in captivity. They described being

forcibly converted to Islam, kept in sexual slavery, bought and sold in slave markets, and

passed among as many as four ISIS members. (Iraq: Women Suffer Under ISIS).

These women were deeply humiliated and tortured for no reason. Some women said they

felt so depressed they had wanted to kill themselves. Isis is not only hurting their
enemies, but their own native citizens as well. They are causing psychological damage in

their own country. Early marriage for girls has emerged, sadly as a coping mechanism

under the militants. (The Iraqi women who escaped ISIS but lost everything). Young

girls have been married off as a form of protection ISIS. Tales of rape and other horrific

abuses of women have spread throughout Syria and Iraq. Parents are worried for their

daughters and feel they have no other choices of protection. However because these

young women are married off so young they miss out on further education and normal

teenage social activities.

It is clear that some of the fighting from Isis has greatly compounded problems of

economy in Iraq and Syria, despite knowing that the constant warfare in those countries

has been ongoing since 1980. Isis fighting has affected the issues Iraqi Kurds and Arabs

will have in agreeing to the size, financing, and nature of a future Kurdish zone. The

issues in sharing territory, political power, and petroleum income between Sunni and

Shiite have also been highlighted due to Iraqs 70% urbanized population. (War and the

Iraqi Economy: A Case Study). It is impossible to have a stable economy and

environment with violence and internal tensions constantly influencing various militias

and ethnic forces actions. The violence and war fighting further increase division and

tension in Iraqs economy. It is a never-ending cycle of distrust and fear. The dire

economic situation, the closure of businesses, and the lack of employment are pushing

some people to join ISIS out of desperation, local people report. (The ISIS Economy:

Crushing Taxes and High Unemployment). Because of Isis forcing people to close their

businesses and preventing those who refuse to join them from finding jobs Syrias

economy is suffering immensely. They have imposed heavy taxes on civilians and they
now control every detail of the economy. Isis is using every means to discourage people

on the economic level in order to push them to join. People cannot find jobs and the only

solution for most is to join ISIS or risk their lives to flee.

Syria and Iraqs population has been significantly decimated and abused by Isis

throughout the past couple of years. At least 18,802 civilians have been killed in Iraq

through violence associated with Isis in less than two years. Not including the millions of

others forced from their homes and thousands more held as slaves. (ISIS Death Toll:

18,800 Killed in Iraq in 2 Years, U.N. Says). The violence suffered by civilians in Iraq is

immense and against international human rights law and humanitarian law. These are

simply crimes against humanity and possibly genocide. As a whole, these crimes are

creating a long lasting traumatic affect on the citizens of Iraq. This is causing the country

of Iraq to deplete their most valuable resource: human life. The Islamic State of Iraq and

Syria (ISIS) is not only achieving territorial gain in Syria. The militants are also

succeeding in obliterating the countrys cultural existence-and replacing it with a new

culture that serves their extreme narrative. (ISIS wages cultural warfare on Syrias

heritage). They are manufacturing a culture in order to suit their own ideology. They

promote this new culture through propaganda and by stripping citizens of their cultural

memory. Destroying the citizens of Syrias sense of belonging in a culture is depriving

them of self-expression and identity empowerment from their original culture.

The war against Isis is continually ongoing and damaging to the people of Syria

and Iraq. Control against Isis is a continuous uphill battle. It seems to only become more

difficult with every passing day. Urban fighting is inevitable resulting in heavy casualties.

Any civilians trapped within the fighting will suffer immensely. (The war against Isis.).
It is a struggle for control between the Iraqi and U.S. army. These nations are continually

caught in a cat and mouse game with Isis. For every advancement and step forward, they

take two steps back. This battle is damaging Iraq and Syrias citizens. They may be better

off in the long run but for now, they are the ones facing the most fatalities and difficulties.

They are the ones suffering from this war. Isis has committed atrocities all over Iraq and

Syria in order to spread terror and motivation for their cause. The UN has received

reports of brutality and executions as punishment for the fleeing of citizens. (The war

against Isis). The citizens in the regions where the fighting has commenced are

frightened. They long for the survival of themselves and their families. Isis is punishing

these citizens desire for survival and peace with brutal acts of terror and execution. They

are punishing their own citizens.

Isis is continually damaging Iraq and Syria. They will not stop there. They desire

a complete and total Islamic world in which they are in power. They seek to expand

territory and conquer other countries. Isis continues to rise as a whole and has been doing

so since as early as 2014. In that short period, they have damaged Iraq and Syrias ancient

sites, psychologically damaged their citizens, destroyed their economy, killed off many

generations of families and oppositions, and inflicted fear and terror on anyone who

disagrees or refuses to join them. They are creating a nation with an environment where

people cannot succeed in their every day lives. People are not happy. They do not have

the freedom to enjoy certain things they once did. They are constantly fearful for their

survival. Their daily life is a constant struggle. Isis is not only affecting their own

environment. Their actions have consequences on a global scale. Isis cannot continue this

type of behavior. They must be stopped for good or the world will suffer.
 Works Cited

Basu , Moni. "The women who escaped ISIS but lost everything." CNN. Cable News

Network, 26 Oct. 2016. Web. 20 Feb. 2017.

Beck, John. "The war against Isis." New Statesman. 28 Oct. 2016 eLibrary. Web. 15 Mar.

2017.

Cordesman , Anthony H. "War and the Iraqi Economy: A Case Study." War and the Iraqi

Economy: A Case Study | Center for Strategic and International Studies. CSIS, 15 Sept.

2015. Web. 20 Feb. 2017.

Cottee, Simon. "What's the Right Way to Think About Religion and ISIS?" The Atlantic.

Atlantic Media Company, 12 July 2016. Web. 20 Feb. 2017.

Cullinane , Susanna, Hamdi Alkhshali, and Mohammed Tawfeeq. "Tracking a trail of

historical obliteration: ISIS trumpets destruction of Nimrud." CNN. Cable News

Network, 13 Apr. 2015. Web. 26 Feb. 2017.

Curry, Andrew. "Here Are the Ancient Sites ISIS Has Damaged and Destroyed." National

Geographic. National Geographic Society, 1 Sept. 2015. Web. 28 Feb. 2017.

Diyab , Dr. Halla. "ISIS Wages Cultural Warfare on Syria's Heritage."

English.alarabiya.net. Al Arabiya English, 12 Aug. 2015. Web. 20 Feb. 2017.

Gripp, Andrew. "The Debate is Over: ISIS States Its Primary Motivation is Religion, not

Western Foreign Policy." IVN.us. IVN, 05 Aug. 2016. Web. 20 Feb. 2017.

"Iraq: Women Suffer Under ISIS." Human Rights Watch. Human Rights Watch, 02 Aug.

2016. Web. 20 Feb. 2017.

Jamieson, Alastair. "ISIS Death Toll: 18,800 Civilians Killed in Iraq in 2 Years: U.N."

NBCNews.com. NBCUniversal News Group, 19 Jan. 2016. Web. 20 Feb. 2017.

Paraszczuk, Joanna. "The ISIS Economy: Crushing Taxes and High Unemployment."

The Atlantic. Atlantic Media Company, 02 Sept. 2015. Web. 20 Feb. 2017.

Lily Templer

Mrs. Cairns

E2H
Red 1

December 5, 2016

The Igbo Society's View of Women is Negative

The Igbo are the second largest group of people living in southern Nigeria.

Although the Igbo people have many unique and amazing beliefs, rituals, and practices,

the ones regarding women are purely negative. In the novel, Things Fall Apart, the author

Chinua Achebe discusses the beliefs, rituals and practices in regards to the women of the

Igbo tribe as highly negative, as women are not treated equally and are even oppressed.

Women are not treated equally in the Igbo tribe. In the beginning of the book the

author displays this by writing, He had a large barn full of yams and had three wives.

(Achebe 6) Men can have as many wives as they want. While women are just married off

to the highest bidder and do not have any say. Women are not allowed to have multiple

husbands. And women are also not allowed to have any say in the matter of their

husbands. The belief of gender inequality is negative because it forces the women to be

okay with sharing their husbands, while having no say about it. Later we see the author

display inequality again by saying, "His mother and sisters worked hard enough, but they

grew womens crops, like coco-yams, beans and cassava. Yam, the king of crops, was a

mans crop." (Achebe 23) Nearly every aspect of Igbo society is gendered, even crops.

Yam, because it is the staple of the Igbo diet, is considered a mans crop. This practice

allows men to maintain the position as the primary providers for their families, and the

respect which that role confers. Women have no way to change positions in society. Their
only option is to marry. They do not have the same opportunities to make a name or life

for themselves as men do.

Women are oppressed in Igbo society. The readers see this when the author writes

of a situation between Okomkwo and his youngest wife, Okonkwo was provoked to

justifiable anger by his youngest wife, who went to plait her hair at her friends house and

did not return early enough to cook the afternoon meal. (Achebe 29) Okonkwo beat his

wife just because she wasnt back in time to cook the afternoon meal. The author

describes Okonkwos anger as justifiable. There is something wrong with this picture.

The belief that under any circumstances it is ok to beat your wife shows just how much

pain and oppression women in the Igbo tribe are expected to endure. When deciding the

fates of people who were used as payment from another tribe the author writes, The

elders or ndichie, met to hear a report of Okonkwos mission. At the end they decided, as

everybody knew they would, that the girl should go to Ogbuefi Udo to replace his

murdered wife. As for the boy, he belonged to the clan as a whole, and there was no hurry

to decide his fate. While the boys fate remains undecided and lingering, the girls fate is

sealed quickly. Because of someone elses crime she is giving up all her rights. The girl

is a replacement for Ogbuefi Udos murdered wife. The situation is suggesting that

women are interchangeable. The tribe is treating women like objects.

In the novel, Things Fall Apart, the author Chinua Achebe discusses the beliefs,

rituals and practices in regards to the women of the Igbo tribe as highly negative, as

women are not treated equally and are even oppressed. Women are beaten regularly and

the fate of their life and their feelings have no meaning to the Igbo tribe. If the Igbo tribe
is treating the women of their tribe like this, what's stopping other countries from learning

by example and practicing the same things.

Lily Templer

Ms. Cairns

E2H

3 October 2016

3,477,829,638 people of the worlds population are male. 3,418,059,380 people of

the worlds population are female. Over the centuries, each genders roles in society have

been questioned and analyzed. Some would say women more than men. Everyone has a

role to play. Each gender is held to certain expectations and responsibilities, no matter

who they are. In Henrik Ibsens, A Dolls House and Isabel Allendes, The House of the

Spirits men are portrayed as violent and strong personalities who make rash, quick

decisions that do not work in their favor, while women are portrayed as strong and

independent personalities who do not bow to mistreatment, though choose subtle

responses to situations.

Men are depicted as violent and strong personalities who make quick and rash

decisions that do not work in their favor. In Allendes The House of The Spirits, after the

Socialists win the election Esteban Trueba conspires with foreign intelligence agencies

and military officials to organize a revolution. He met with other politicians, a group

of military men, and gringos sent by their intelligence service to map a strategy for

bringing down the new government: economic destabilization, as they called their

sabotage. (Allende 380). Trueba encourages the military coup. Later, when his

encouragement becomes reality he loses all control with the military and his
granddaughter, Alba is kidnapped and taken into custody. His own rash decision to topple

the Socialist party backfired. While trying to fix a situation and believing he was doing

the right thing he risked his fortune and his family and caused more damage then there

was to begin with. In Ibsens A Dolls House, Torvald Helmer is motivated by pride and

eager to dismiss his wife, Nora, after learning that she has taken out a loan in secret. I

may be falsely suspected of having been a party to your criminal action. Very likely

people will think I was behind it allthat it was I who prompted you...You will still

remain in my house, that is a matter of course. But I shall not allow you to bring up the

children; I dare not trust them to you. (Ibsen 60). Torvald is ready to cut his wife off

entirely. The only thing he is concerned with is the appearance of things. He is treating

their marriage as a business agreement from now on. But, once he learns that Krogstad

has no intention of exposing Noras indiscretion, he praises Nora and tells her things are

turning around. What he does not realize is that Nora has already made up her mind to

leave him and her children because she is not happy with her marriage and has no idea

who she is as a person. Torvalds motivation of pride and appearances is what prompts

Nora to make this decision.

Women are portrayed as strong and independent personalities who do not bow to

mistreatment, though choose subtle responses to situations. In Allendes The House of the

Spirits, when Clara defends Blanca and Pedro Terceros love Esteban Trueba punches her

in the face, knocking out her teeth. Pedro Tercero Garcia hasnt done a thing you

havent done yourselfYou also slept with unmarried women not of your own class. The

only difference is that he did it for love. And so did Blanca.He lost control and struck

her in the face, knocking her against the wall. (Allende 223). Instead of arguing with
Esteban after is harsh action or fighting him back, Clara simply chooses to never speak to

him and calmly walks away. She chose a subtle approach to the situation, yet she did not

forgive him or validate his action. In Ibsens A Dolls House, Nora decides to leave

Torvald because she is unhappy with her marriage. But you neither think nor talk like

the man I could bind myself to. As soon, as your fear was overand it was not fear for

what threatened me, but for what might happen to youwhen the whole thing was past,

as far as you were concerned it was exactly as if nothing at all had happened. (Ibsen 66)

Nora feels she is treated like a doll. Instead of trying to get a divorce and taking her

children with her, she acknowledges that she is not fit to be a mother or a wife and needs

to find herself as a person. She is unhappy with how her life as gone and is trying to

change it. She is making a subtle, yet firm decision to better herself.

In Henrik Ibsens, A Dolls House and Isabel Allendes, The House of the Spirits

men are portrayed as violent and strong personalities who make rash, quick decisions that

do not work in their favor, while women are portrayed as strong and independent

personalities who do not bow to mistreatment, though choose subtle responses to

situations. Society has pushed these genders to play specific roles, each with a

responsibility. Hopefully, one day both genders have the strength to break them and

venture outside their roles.