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Benjamin Culkin

2/14/15

Political Science 154

Dr. Kent

What to Do about ISIS?

At Amnesty International, our goal is to end all violations of human rights, no

matter what they may be. This includes but isnt limited to unlawful imprisonment,

execution, torture (Gove n.pag), as well as the right to speak freely and the right to a fair

and unbiased trial (Halsey n.pag). It is unfortunate that we should have a reason to

exist, but since there is, it is best that we do. Recently, the group of extremist Islamist

rebels ISIS (or alternatively ISIL, or IS or even Daesh (more properly transliterated as

DAIISH) depending on whos translating) (Tharoor n.pag) has been committing a

historic string of violations of human rights since its recent leap onto the world stage

sometime in early to middle 2013 with its takeover of of several areas in the east of

Syria (Islamic n.pag). As a result, the violence must stop, but the mere fact that they

commit horrific acts doesnt mean that they have forsaken their rights. They still have

them, and we must respect them, lest we become what we fight.

As Amnesty International, our first and most powerful tool has been our sterling

reputation and the powerful influence that comes with it. This can be expressed through

lobbying those who are causing the issue, be they governments, corporations, or other

who make decisions to rule in a way that aligns with our beliefs, the second being

energizing the public to rise up and do the above for us (What n.pag). We also have

limited financial reserves, and a small force of volunteer peacekeepers, but not on the

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scale of any of the major power. We have no formal allies we can turn to, but we have a

mishmash of volunteers and activists that we can ask and hope for a response, as well

as a consultative status at the UN, allowing the shaping of key UN resolutions.

Ideally, the best resolution to the conflict would be for ISIL to disintegrate quietly,

and for whoever comes in to pick up the pieces doing so in a manner respecting the

rights of all involved, but prosecuting those on both sides of the conflict fairly for any

crime committed. Unfortunately, this isnt going to happen, because when groups like

ISIL fall apart, they either fall apart because of idealogical differences, splitting into a

bunch of little factions which cannibalize each other, or fall apart due to a unplanned

change in leadership leading to a conflict amongst leaders and the group becoming

leaderless. This in some ways is a worse ending than doing nothing at all, because a

group without a leader is prone to even more pointless violence, descending into

needless barbarism.

The next best solution would be that ISIL is removed forcibly from the equation

by a coalition of forces, so that those who have committed crimes are shown the effects

of justice, and those who havent committed any crimes are not simply tarred as He

was in ISIL, he must have done something. and are instead simply let go to resume

their life, with assistance to return to a normal life from the rigors of unconventional

warfare.

The best way to accomplish one of these objectives is not through the usage of

our own limited resources (Our monetary funds arent a drop in the bucket for the cost

of such a conflict, and we cant ensure the safety of any peacekeepers we would send),

but to simply encourage other nations to take actions against not ISIL as a matter of

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their political objectives, but because of what theyve done, are likely doing right now,

and will do again if something is not done. All we must be careful of however, is that in

fighting those who would commit such acts, we do not commit them ourselves. After all,

is not the best way to fight the darkness to cast a light upon it, or to put it in more

evocative terms, It is better to light a candle to hold against the dark, than to curse it

and be consumed?

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Works Cited

Gove, Philip Babcock. "Human Rights." Def. 2. Webster's Third New International

Dictionary of the English Language, Unabridged: A Merriam-Webster.

1961. Merriam-Webster Online. Merriam Webster. Web. 20 Feb. 2015.

Halsey, William Darrach. "Human Rights." MacMillan Online. MacMillan Dictionary, n.d.

Web. 20 Feb. 2015.

"Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL)." Encyclopedia Britannica Online.

Encyclopedia Britannica Online, n.d. Web. 20 Feb. 2015.

Tharoor, Ishaan. "ISIS or ISIL? The Debate over What to Call Iraqs Terror Group."

Washington Post. The Washington Post, n.d. Web. 20 Feb. 2015.

"What We Do." Amnesty Online. Amnesty International, n.d. Web. 20 Feb. 2015.