Recruiting Styles For Al Qaeda And ISIS

This paper will use the Qualitative research methodology, structured as a Case Study examining recruiting styles for Al Qaeda and ISIS. The comparative technique uses systematic cases to determine the similarities and differences amongst the two. When comparing these two groups, several variables must be accountable. The first factor that must be taken into account is the time period. While Al Qaeda was widely known in 2001, and gain world attention. It slowly became ordinary news in U.S. media. While ISIS has burst on the news scene, especially in the social media aspect. They have produced propaganda videos that have been seen by millions because of the large growth of social media. This has also allowed them to recruit individuals. During

Ultimately, the individual must accept that by joining a terrorist group, they are willing to die for their cause, while also putting a target on themselves, family and friends. Al Qaeda wasn’t nearly as successful as ISIS has been in recruiting terrorist. Both these organizations draw on similar schools of thought.
People who joined these terrorist groups and organization can fall into these categories the revenge seeker, the status seekers, the identity seeker, and the thrill seeker. The revenge seeker is a person who perceives himself as a victim. They then tried to retaliate against the source of their anger. For instance, if an U.S. airstrike killed their family, they would seek to punish the U.S. anyway they could. While the status seeker is trying to improve their social standing beyond what it is. For example a person working a minimum level job, believes his status can changed if he joined a terrorist group. The identity seeker is looking for a place where they belong and can be appreciated instead of an outcast. While a thrill seeker wants to accomplish an arduous task or surviving a harrowing adventure. This can be from an individual who needs the thrill of combat in their

The use of the media, is imperative for the successes of these groups. One of the biggest factors between AQ and ISIS is the generation gap disparate communications tactics and outreach. Both of these groups have English magazines; the Al Qaeda’s English language magazine, known as “Inspire”, and ISIS’s English language magazine, known as “Dabiq”. Within these publications would be an array of material from propaganda to how to build weapons. The Dabiq would focus more on religious justification for the groups actions compared to the Inspire (Glenn, 2015). Al Qaeda has predominantly relied on ordinary media types from forums and websites. While ISIS has used those same tactics, but with a much bigger emphasize on social media platforms. According to Brookings Institution, there were at least 46,000 pro-ISIS Twitter accounts in March 2015 (Glenn, 2015). While AQ main goal is to takeover corrupted “apostate” regimes in the Middle East and replace them with “true” Islamic governments (Byman, 2015). AQ perceives the United States as its main threat, and the source of the Middle East’s problems. ISIS however has a strategy instead of attacking far enemies, they preferred near enemies, in the local and regional level. Baghdadi favors purifying the Islamic community first by attacking Shi’a and other religious minorities as well