MADISON, Ala. (WAAY) - ISIS, the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, is a name that means terror and fear for many. One local doctor, whose family fled Syria within the last two years, is speaking out against ISIS, saying we shouldn't be quick to judge just because Syria is in the name.
Dr. Ammar Alrefai, a Madison doctor, says “I do this for Syria, I’ll do this for my home country and the two points I want to get across are number one, if it wasn't for the Assad regime Syria would not be in the situation we are in now. Number two, the ISIS ideology does not represent the Syrian people"
Alrefai’s brother was killed in the Syrian civil war. He says that it’s because of these Middle Eastern regimes that groups like ISIS come to power. Many believe the reason they come to power during these regimes is because they often times come to the people of the country with an olive branch of food, fuel and security
Alrefai believes these regimes need to be dealt with. When WAAY asked him if overthrowing these regimes are the best thing for the people in that country, he replied “In the long term, yes!”
Although we sit a half a world away, Alrefai says the impact from these regimes can and has been felt, saying "These regimes are probably the root cause of terrorism. If we didn't have regimes like the one in Syria, like the one in Egypt, like the one Iraq, like the one in Iran, we probably would not have had 9-11!”
So where did ISIS come from? Why are they so powerful? And are they as big of a threat as some think?
Originally, ISIS was an affiliate of the better known al-Qaeda, however they were just known as the Islamic State of Iraq then. al-Qaeda wanted to use brutal tactics to start civil war within Iraq. They are the group behind the bombing of the Al-Askariya Mosque in 2006. However, after top al-Qaeda officials were killed, things began to die down and ISIS was almost stopped cold while they were still in Iraq.
When the US pulled out of Iraq, the group began to resurface and gain power. Iraqi officials spoke of this and US officials told security personnel in Iraq to pursue them aggressively before it’s too late. However, Iraqi forces didn’t have the military capabilities of the US and failed to stop them.
When Syrian President Bashar al-Assad lost control over the northern part of Syria, ISIS moved in. This allowed them to begin recruiting more fighters while avoiding the Iraqi police. It wasn't long after moving in that they adopted the Syria into the title and became ISIS.
ISIS is a major threat to Middle Eastern countries. It targets weak governments that aren't well accepted by the people, thus giving ISIS a lot of power in the region. As ISIS continues to grow, the threat they pose to western civilization will grow as well. Even if the US doesn't put “boots on the ground” stopping their rapid expansion will help limit their power.
Federal officials in the United States are asking police departments around the country to be on high alert for revenge attacks on the U.S. from radicalized individuals.
As U.S. planes carry out airstrikes over Iraq and Syria, President Barack Obama is urging Muslims in the Middle East to reject the ideology behind groups like the Islamic State. And he's calling on them to cut off funding that allows such groups to thrive.
Speaking to the U.N. General Assembly Wednesday, Obama said the U.S. would be a "respectful and constructive partner" in confronting the militants through force. He said the U.S. would be leading a coalition to dismantle what he calls a "network of death."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
