This post is from December 7, 2015 where I reposted an earlier post. I am reposting because Mr. Trump has again criticized the President for using the term ISIL. Regardless of how you feel about Trump or the President, do your own research - don't be ignorant...
December 7, 2015: I first posted the following on June 30, 2014. Last night, Donald Trump criticized the president for using the term "ISIL". I believe NOT calling this enemy ISIL reveals an ignorance of the nature of this radical group. I continue to stand by these words and believe the term "ISIS" masks the true purpose of the Islamic State:
June 30, 2014: What's in a name? A lot, and we need to pay attention.
We've recently seen a very violent jihadist form of Islam emerge in the chaos of Syria and Iraq. Many news organizations are calling it ISIS - the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria. But up until Sunday, June 29th [2014] that's not what they called themselves. Now they just call themselves the Islamic State, but the shortened name is because of growing ambitions.
Beginning in April of last year [2013] , this group called themselves the Islamic State in Iraq and al-Sham. The Arabic word Sham translates to the word Levant. Our State Department calls them the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant, or ISIL.
Most Americans don't know what the word Levant means. It is actually a very old term that originated when the economic world centered around the Mediterranean Sea.
Levant literally means "rising" referring to the place where the sun rises - or the eastern Mediterranean coastline. It refers to all of the territory of the following countries: Cyprus, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine, Syria, part of southern Turkey, and Israel. It is used frequently by individuals, countries, and nations that refuse to recognize the State of Israel.
So, the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant - (ISIL) reveals, by the name they chose, that they intend to expand into these other nations. Cyprus, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine, Syria, part of southern Turkey, and Israel will all be replaced by ISIL if they have their way.
The name change on Sunday indicates even greater ambitions. When they changed their name to the Islamic State, they declared that they [intend to be] one nation-state, or caliphate, for every true Muslim. The idea is to unify all Muslims around the world and control as much territory as possible.
ISIS is a "cute" sounding name, reminding many from my generation of Saturday Morning live-action shows with Shazam!, Captain Marvel, and Isis. And the initials that ISIS represents makes telling the news easy; most people know where Iraq and Syria are - or at least know that they are countries in the Middle East. But it masks the true intentions of ISIL and now the Islamic State.
We are living at a time when people want to be entertained and the news media is lazy and ignorant. Just be aware that this group, if not addressed, will impact our future headlines with "unforeseen" horrors. Wake up. We are not fighting a war on terror, we are in a battle with a ruthless ideology and we need to realize what’s going. If we remain asleep while this evil grows, what happens in the future will make 9/11 look like a common traffic accident.
Don’t be afraid, be aware. Pay attention.
"The condition upon which God hath given liberty to man is eternal vigilance; which condition if he break, servitude is at once the consequence of his crime and the punishment of his guilt." - 1790 speech by Irish orator John Philpot Curran.
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