The Islamic State: Q&A

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September 11, 2014
The Islamic State: Q&A
What is the Islamic State?
How is it related to Al Qaeda?
The Islamic State (IS) is a transnational Sunni Islamist
Al Qaeda leader Ayman al Zawahiri publicly severed ties
insurgent and terrorist group with more than 10,000
with the group in February 2014. Since then, IS leaders
fighters across Iraq and Syria. Its forerunner is Al Qaeda in
have stated their view that their group "is not and has never
Iraq (AQ-I), which was formed in 2004 to combat the U.S.
been an offshoot of Al Qaeda," and that, viewing
military presence in Iraq. In April 2013, group leader Abu
themselves as a state and a sovereign political entity, they
Bakr al Baghdadi announced his intent to merge his forces
have given leaders of the Al Qaeda organization deference
in Iraq and Syria with those of the Syria-based Jabhat al
rather than pledges of obedience. A number of media
Nusra, under the name the Islamic State of Iraq and the
reports suggest possible competition between the Islamic
Levant (ISIL/ISIS). (Al Baghdadi reportedly was detained
State and Al Qaeda for prominence and support. Al Qaeda
by U.S. forces in Iraq from 2005 to 2009). Jabhat al Nusra
affiliate Jabhat al Nusra reportedly has had occasional
and Al Qaeda leaders rejected the merger, underscoring
direct clashes with the Islamic State in Syria, and some
growing tensions among Sunni extremists in the region. In
figures from Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP)
June 2014 ISIL declared the establishment of an Islamic
have reportedly voiced support for the Islamic State.
caliphate stretching from Aleppo province in Syria to
Diyalah province in Iraq and changed its name to the
What, if any, threat does it pose to the
Islamic State.
United States?
What areas does it control?
In September 2014 public remarks, National
Counterterrorism Center Director Matthew Olsen stated that
The Islamic State operates in northeastern Syria and
the Islamic State poses an “immediate and direct threat” to
northwestern Iraq, reportedly controlling towns and cities
American personnel in Iraq. In August, IS militants
along the Tigris and Euphrates rivers—including Mosul and
beheaded two American journalists captured in Syria. Olsen
Fallujah in Iraq and Raqqah in Syria. In Iraq, the Islamic
also stated that “we have no credible information that ISIL
State has reportedly capitalized on disaffection among key
is planning to attack the U.S.,” but he highlighted potential
Sunni Arab individuals and groups (such as tribes and
threats posed by foreign fighters with Western passports.
former Saddam Hussein regime elements) to lead an
According to Olsen, as many as 12,000 foreign fighters
insurrection against the country’s Shiite-controlled central
have travelled to Syria, including more than 1,000
government.
Europeans, and more than 100 U.S. citizens.
How is the Islamic State financed?
What has the United States done in Iraq
to counter the Islamic State?
The Islamic State is thought to be largely self-financing,
relying on oil sales and criminal and extortion networks.
At the request of the Iraqi government, the U.S. has
Group members reportedly sell heavy and light crude oil
conducted airstrikes and provided military advisors,
from oil fields under their control to local merchants or
intelligence support, and weapons sales. In June,
traders who smuggle the oil across the border or in some
President Obama authorized the deployment of 300 U.S.
cases sell it back to the Syrian government. In both Syria
military personnel to serve as advisors, assess the Iraqi
and Iraq, the Islamic State derives revenue by imposing
Security Forces (ISF), and gather intelligence on the
“taxes” on local populations and demanding a percentage of
Islamic State. An additional 820 military personnel have
the funds devoted to humanitarian and commercial
been sent to help secure the U.S. Embassy and other U.S.
operations in areas under its control, including farms and
facilities in Baghdad and Irbil (capital of the Kurdish
local businesses. In addition, it has looted banks and
Regional Government [KRG] in northern Iraq), to protect
demanded protection money from Christians and other non-
evacuation routes such as the international airport in
Sunnis who wish to remain on land controlled by the
Baghdad, and to operate surveillance aircraft. On
Islamic State. The group also obtains funding by ransoming
September 10, President Obama announced that he would
and releasing hostages, particularly from European
expand airstrikes in Iraq and send 475 military advisors to
countries. External financial support for the Islamic State
Iraq to provide training, intelligence, and equipment to Iraqi
and other extremist groups in Iraq reportedly has come
and Kurdish forces.
from a network of private individuals located primarily in
the Arab Gulf states. The Islamic State takes in as much as
On August 7, 2014, President Obama stated that he had
one million dollars per day from illicit oil sales, smuggling,
authorized targeted airstrikes against Islamic State
and ransom payments.
positions. Virtually every day since August 8, U.S. combat
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The Islamic State: Q&A
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aircraft and armed unmanned aerial vehicles have struck
What has the Administration requested
Islamic State heavy weaponry, checkpoints, and other
to date, and what is the status of its
positions. In notifying Congress, the President has
requests in Congress?
communicated the following as objectives for the airstrikes:
“stopping the advance on Erbil [aka Irbil] by the terrorist
The Administration’s June 2014 request for FY2015
group Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL),
Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO) funds included a
supporting civilians trapped on Mount Sinjar, supporting
request for funds and authorities for a proposed $1.5 billion
operations by Iraqi forces to recapture the Mosul Dam, and
Syria Regional Stabilization Initiative (RSI), $500 million
supporting an operation to deliver humanitarian assistance
of which would support an overt training and equipment
to civilians in the town of Amirli, Iraq.”
program for select Syrians. On September 10, President
Obama reiterated his request to Congress for “additional
Since the Islamic State-led capture of Mosul in June, the
authorities and resources to equip these [vetted Syrian
United States has announced sales of over 5,000 additional
opposition] fighters.”
HELLFIRE air-to-surface missiles to Baghdad. Deliveries
of U.S.-made F-16s and Apaches, purchased in 2011 and
As of early September, congressional consideration of this
2012, are reportedly in their early stages. After the Islamic
request had merged with congressional consideration of a
State move toward Irbil, the Administration reportedly
proposed continuing resolution to fund government
began supplying mostly lighter weaponry and ammunition
operations after September 30, 2014. It remains to be seen
directly to the peshmerga (Kurdish militia) through the
whether a version of the Administration’s requested
Central Intelligence Agency. That channel is a means of
authority and funding will be included in a proposed
adapting to a general policy that requires all U.S. Foreign
continuing resolution, whether it may be considered as an
Military Sales (FMS, run by the Defense Department) to be
amendment to such a continuing resolution, or whether
provided to a country’s central government.
Congress might consider the proposal independently. Some
congressional committees already have acted on the
During early August 2014, the U.S. military conducted
President’s June 2014 request for funding and authorization
airdrops of food and water to those trapped on Mount
for the train-and-equip mission.
Sinjar. In late August, the U.S. military airdropped
humanitarian aid to the town of Amerli (in eastern
The Senate Armed Services Committee reported version of
Salahuddin Province), inhabited by ethnic Turkmen Shiite
the FY2015 National Defense Authorization Act (Section
Muslims. IS fighters had precipitated crises in both areas,
1209 of S. 2410) would authorize the Department of
but their hold on these areas was largely broken by U.S.
Defense, with the concurrence of the State Department, to
airstrikes with ground support from the ISF, peshmerga,
train and equip vetted members of select Syrian opposition
and—in the case of Amerli—Shiite militiamen.
forces for limited purposes through the year 2018.
President Obama has repeatedly ruled out direct U.S.
Section 9015 of the Senate Appropriation Committee’s
combat deployment, stating that U.S. troops cannot fix the
version of the FY2015 Defense Appropriations bill (H.R.
underlying political problems that appear largely to have
4870) would authorize assistance, including the provision
driven the IS-led Sunni insurrection in Iraq. The
of defense articles and defense services, to appropriately
Administration reportedly supported efforts among Iraqi
vetted elements of the Syrian opposition, for, among other
national parliamentary leaders to bring about the
purposes, “protecting the United States, its friends and
resignation of longtime Prime Minister Nuri al Maliki, in
allies, and the Syrian people from threats posed by terrorists
the hopes that his successor Haydar al Abbadi can help
in Syria.” Under this section, the committee specifies that
entice Sunni Arabs to reject IS control while encouraging
up to $500 million may be used for a support program. The
them and Kurds to accept a continuing central government
Senate Appropriations Defense subcommittee considered
role in the regions they predominantly inhabit.
and rejected a proposed amendment that would have
stripped the authority and funding for the Syria program
What are potential U.S. actions against
from the bill.
the Islamic State in Syria?
For additional information, see CRS Report R43612 The
President Obama on September 10 delivered a speech
“Islamic State” Crisis and U.S. Policy, coordinated by
laying out a strategy to defeat Islamic State forces, stating
Kenneth Katzman, and CRS Report RL33487, Armed
that the U.S would not introduce combat troops in Syria but
Conflict in Syria: Overview and U.S. Response, coordinated
would instead work with a coalition of regional and
by Christopher M. Blanchard.
Western states to strengthen local partners fighting IS
forces on the ground. The President did not rule out U.S.
Carla Humud (Coordinator), chumud@crs.loc.gov, 7-7314
airstrikes in Syria, saying, “I will not hesitate to take action
Christopher M. Blanchard, cblanchard@crs.loc.gov,
against ISIL, in Syria as well as Iraq.” The President noted
7-0428
that the United States had “ramped up our military
Kenneth Katzman, kkatzman@crs.loc.gov, 7-7612

assistance to the Syrian opposition,” which he described as
the best counterweight to extremist groups. He called on

IF00050
Congress to provide additional authorities and resources to
train and equip Syrian fighters.
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