ISIS; the new name of terror, raging massacre and havoc in both Syria and Iraq. Most of us don’t know exactly when it erupted and spread all over Iraq. Some western political analysts believe that ISIS is after child of 2003 American- British invasion of Iraq.

The present Deputy Prime Minister of UK, a Liberal Democrat leader, Nick Clegg holds the ex-prime minister Tony Blair responsible of the insanity prevailing in Iraq ever since. The Liberal Democrats voted against the war on Iraq then. Mr. Clegg went as far as saying that reasons for the invasion are legally dubious. He added that Blair is only trying to air brush the consequences of a judgmental error. He supports the decision for air strikes in Syria. Extremists are training in Syria and may strike in Britain, Mr Clegg said. “It poses a very direct threat to the safety of citizens on the streets of Britain.”

The question is why Brits are so scared of a monster that was initially created by them. Let’s revisit the history of the rich yet unstable Fertile Crescent. America supported Saddam in his war against Iran to keep Iran from becoming a strong Muslim state. Saddam was an ally as long he took orders. Al- Qaeda was created in Regan times by their funding. After 2003, Iraq invasion and during 2006 the Islamic State of Iraq(ISI) sprouted. ISI was funded by American allies Saudis, Kuwait and Qatar. ISIS compromised of many insurgent groups funded by pro Americans and America itself. Kuwait’s banking system has been used for a long time to fund extremists in both Syria and Iraq. The fore runner of moderation America has only manipulated and given rise to extremism in the Gulf. Whose benefit does it go to?

ISIS, is called a Jihadist group, which being a Muslim I certainly denounce. It has seized large swaths of regions including Mosul, Saddam’s home town Tikrit and aiming for Baghdad. It has up to 6,000 fighters in Iraq and 5,000 in Syria, including atleast 3,000 foreigners. The Economist reported that Isis is formed by a thousand jihadists from Chechnya and perhaps 500 or more from France, 400 Britain and elsewhere in Europe”. What I fail to understand is that what is luring this young lot to extremism? To my belief Islam is all about moderation, for me modernization is not clubbing or dressing scantily; it’s more about respecting everyone’s beliefs as dearly as your own. We are the proud followers of a religion that was supposed to bring peace for all mankind. What went wrong that youngsters from France and Britain joined something which is not even remotely close to teachings of Islam? I strongly feel it is basically the pro western life style that led them to going off the tangent. They could not find the balance; it’s either this extreme or that. Religion has to be a part of one’s life from day one, does not matter which religion you are following. Reports from cities where Isis has taken control are bleak, with public executions,

beheadings, kidnap, amputations, torture and beatings among tactics used to maintain control. Isis has long targeted journalists and activists, and has been known to use suicide attacks and land mines against its opposition. This is not how we were told to function by our Prophet. This is certainly not how he spread Islam. What I have learnt by visiting European countries that a group of radical Islamists recruit youth, mostly by guilt tripping them. Since the basic understanding of Islam is not there as it is there in countries like Pakistan, Turkey and Malaysia they are easily mislead. Make Islam a code of conduct not something that brings out fear. Sadly, Islam is now associated with barbaric, ill groomed self conceited Mullahs. Something has to be done about them before Syria becomes another Iraq or Afghanistan. Something has to be done before ISIS engulfs more innocent lives.