On November 13th, gunmen and bombers attacked a number of locations throughout Paris, they killed over 130 people, and wounded an even larger amount. ISIS, or IS, claimed responsibility for these attacks. “A group of believers from the soldiers of the Caliphate (may Allah strengthen and support it) set out targeting the capital of prostitution and vice, the lead carrier of the cross in Europe — Paris.” (ISIS Statement 11-14-15). Our fear might actually add fuel to the flame, it is a must that we are not fearful, we ought not to be afraid.
ISIS its basic goal is to hold on to its territory in Syria and Iraq, so why attack Paris?
One explanation, according to Will McCants, is that ISIS is losing territory,
According to Will McCants, (Brookings Institution), ISIS "lost something like 25 percent of their territory" since its peak last summer. This loss, all thanks to airstrikes by an American-led coalition which inculdes France. These airstrikes are very problematic for ISIS, it has strong foreign militaries that are fighting against it, and it doesn’t have an effective way of fighting back.
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Paris has been the first major foreign target of an ISIS attack. This could be the beginning of an era in which ISIS attacks outside of the Middle East, are more likely to occur. The Paris attacks could be seen as a compensation for territorial loss on ISIS’s side.
ISIS wants to send off a message, the more you fight ISIS, the more of a target you become, you will pay a hefty price, if you attack ISIS. So if ISIS attacks Paris, it might not actually be out of strength, but rather out of weakness.
Stricking back in a way like this might not be seen as very effective, but in a way, it actually is. Atrocious attacks like these, spread fear. Fear is what makes you or a country do stupid things. Fear is ISIS’s real