MIAMI HERALD
ISIS in Syria, Iraq, weaker, is on the verge of collapse
by Daniel Pipes
April 18, 2016
I predict that the ISIS state in Syria and Iraq will collapse as fast as it arose. Indeed, I will go out on a limb and say I expect it to be gone by the end of 2016. That the Islamic State (also known as ISIS, ISIL or Daesh) will be gone is predictable — all totalitarian states eventually disappear because of three main developments: Cadres become disillusioned, subject populations suffer and external enemies increase in number. All these problems afflicted, for example, the fascist states of World War II as well as the Soviet bloc. ISIS will collapse quickly because it suffers from an extreme form of these problems. ▪ Disillusioned cadres: The heaven on earth that ISIS promises its recruits turn out to be closer to hell, prompting many of them to flee and many more to want to. Growing numbers of ISIS fighters lack loyalty to the group, toiling only for the money or out of fear. READ MORE