From Brookings, Mara Revkin on the legal foundations of the Islamic State. Is the Islamic State a state? (and more) Kareem El Damanhoury on the Daesh state: The myth turns into a reality. Hassan Ahmad (UC-Berkeley): Prosecuting ISIS at the ICC. Sahar F Aziz (Texas A&M): Rethinking Counterterrorism in the Age of ISIS. In the age of ISIS, who’s a terrorist, and who’s simply deranged? The difference between ISIS and ISIS-ish: What to make of criminals and social misfits who suddenly take up the ISIS name? How the Islamic State recruits and coerces children: Kids are brainwashed into terrorism. Islamic State defectors hold key to countering group’s recruitment. Andy Greenberg on Google’s clever plan to stop aspiring ISIS recruits. With mosques under surveillance, IS turns to soccer for recruitment. Jihad v soccer: James Dorsey on the Islamic State’s convoluted love-hate relationship.
Scott Atran on ISIS: The durability of chaos. How a secretive branch of ISIS built a global network of killers: A jailhouse interview with a German man who joined the Islamic State reveals the workings of a unit whose lieutenants are empowered to plan attacks around the world. Why Europe can’t find the jihadis in its midst: A small, well-organized ISIS cell has been at work in the heart of Europe for years, recruiting criminals, exploiting freedom of movement, and evading counterterrorism efforts. Inside the head of an ISIS true believer: The so-called Islamic State vows to endure and expand, but under relentless pressure, it’s shrinking — how do its partisans think they can endure?
Mosul: Smuggled diary reveals life of fear under IS. Inside the real US ground war on ISIS: As the US and its allies prepare to launch a major offensive for Mosul, US service members are on the ground in growing numbers — and increasingly in harm’s way. Signs of panic and rebellion in the heart of Islamic State’s self-proclaimed caliphate. Caliphate in peril, more ISIS fighters may take mayhem to Europe. What happens after ISIS falls? Islamic State’s self-declared caliphate is shrinking, but its demise is likely to bring new problems — fresh regional clashes, a revived al Qaeda and more terrorism in the West. The end of the Islamic State will make the Middle East worse: The group's weakening will resurface more potent fault lines. If ISIS loses Mosul, what then? Militants were largely driven from the city during the Iraq War, but they came back — here’s why this time is different.
Forget what Donald Trump says — ISIS is in retreat. Why ISIS is rooting for Trump: Islamophobic politicians make the best enemies.
