Shocker: The Islamic State is Actually … a State

It Walks Like a Duck, Quacks Like a Duck, Has Webbed Feet and Swims … Could it be a Duck? Here is one from the ‘told you so’ department. On June 26, we wrote the following in an article entitled ‘The Democracy Delusion’:
‘It is fair to say that ISIS has all the trappings of a State: it collects taxes, it runs its own oil production facilities and sells the oil, it has a slick media/propaganda arm, it has its own (highly effective) army and so forth. The organization has overrun and conquered Northern Iraq in just 10 days.’
(emphasis added)
In an earlier article on June 13 (‘ISIS Attempts to Establish Islamic Caliphate’) we pointed out that:
‘It is worth noting that people apparently celebrated in Mosul, welcoming the ISIS takeover (those that didn’t flee that is). In another indication how extremely well organized this group is, it has immediately restored electricity and is running city services – something the previous administration of Mosul was apparently not capable of.’
A very interesting 5-part documentary on ISIS by VICE news shows in some detail how the organization administers its de facto capital Raqqa in Syria. IS runs a judicial system (complete with courts, judges, prisons, etc.), a welfare agency, collects taxes, enforces price controls in markets, runs electricity and water services and provides police services. The police not only engages in standard policing services, but is at the same time a ‘religious police’, similar to the one Saudi Arabia employs. This is to ensure that everybody adheres to the sharia. Small offenses (such as violations of Islamic dress codes) usually result only in a rebuke and warning, but presumably repeat offenders must expect harsh punishment.
Offenses considered more serious, such as drug and alcohol dealing, theft, etc., are punished according to the prescriptions of the Q’ran. Again, this is precisely what is done in Saudi Arabia as well, which even executes people for allegedly practicing ‘sorcery and witchcraft’. In fact, Saudi Arabia’s sharia-based justice system is probably just as harsh as that of ISIS. Saudi Arabia has just carried out its 61st execution of 2014, beheading a man for drug trafficking. In August alone, there were 19 executions in Saudi Arabia, including executions for sorcery. Moreover, five members of Saudi Arabia’s Shia minority have been sentenced to death this year for the crime of taking part in pro-democracy protests.

This post was published at Acting-Man on October 28, 2014.