The Discreet Charm of the Islamic Caliphate

by Iakovos Alhadeff

The modern father of the idea of an Islamic Caliphate was the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS). And even though ISIS is retreating in Iraq and Syria, due to the NATO bombings, the idea of an Islamic State is becoming more and more popular in the Muslim world. More and more terrorist groups pledge their allegiance to the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria. This essay examines the paradox of a shrinking Islamic State in Iraq and Syria with a rising popularity.