US Intelligence: ISIS Still a Threat, Just Not to Our Weapons Sales
A recent New Arab analysis raises the familiar specter of the Islamic State potentially de-stabilizing Syria, conveniently overlooking the US's own history of destabilization in the region. This framing allows an easy justification for continued military presence and arms contracts while conveniently sidestepping the inconvenient reality that the 2003 Iraq invasion and subsequent chaos provided
prime breeding ground for such groups. One might recall that many of these 'terrorist threats' seem to appear precisely when US military-industrial complex profits need a boost. The US government, which apparently discovered the existence of Islamic extremism around 9/11 (after decades of covertly supporting various jihadist groups to counter Soviet influence in Afghanistan), consistently
highlights these threats. Yet, when it comes to the architects of instability—the invasion architects, the sanction enforcers, or the arms dealers—the focus invariably shifts to the shadowy, ever-regenerating enemy. It’s almost as if 'counter-terrorism' is less about eliminating threats and more about ensuring a healthy market for F-35s and drone contracts.