Rise of ISIS: A Threat We Can't Ignore

Very informative book. I realized that ISIS was a real threat prior to reading this book but much more so after reading this book. On our current course we are alienating our most significant ally in Israel and leaving them further isolated to fight Hezbollah and ISIS alone. Our nation continues to play right into the hands of these barbarians. This book clearly illustrates how savage thee radicals are but we continue to be PC and restrict our forces as to what conditions that they can use their weapons. If we don't wake up and fight them with the power and force that we have at our disposal, we need to get ready to live under Sharia law. Unfortunately war includes collateral damage but we need to fight them under the same pretenses that we are under.

There are a whole lot of lies, misinformation and disinformation out there these days when it comes to the issue of the "so called" Religion of Peace. Just as with ALL religions (i.e. Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, Judaism and especially Christianity), 70% to 90 % of those who claim to be its adherents have NEVER STUDIED THE TEXT on which they claim to base their beliefs. Rather, they only CLAIM to be adherents for primarily social, political and/or economic reasons. True adherents to Islam (real Muslims) are the ones that are doing exactly that which ISIS, Hezbollah, Al Qaeda, Hamas and other similar groups (who are all officially classified as terrorists by the U.S. and most other western governments) are doing.This book does much to unmask the misinformation (and more oft - outright obfuscation) and to paint a true picture of what ISIS and their ilk are truly all about. It's the past, the present and the future of that which we ALL need to be aware - it's NOT GOING AWAY.Much thanks to Jay Sekulow and his co-authors for their bravery and diligence in documenting these truths in a manner that is cogent and concise! "The Rise of ISIS" is a MUST READ for anyone who doesn't desire to keep their head in the sand regarding perhaps the MOST impactful issue of out day.

While it contained some good information, it was pretty disappointing given the title. The title makes you think it’s going to be about the history of ISIS, their ideology, and their goals - especially as they pertain to America. But out of the eleven chapters, only two are about ISIS, containing nothing really more that what we’ve already heard about on the news. The rest of the book is about Hamas and Israel.I very much appreciate much of what Jay Sekulow and his staff do for America and the liberties we need protected. However, it’s really hard for me to get behind a foreign policy that is based on the premise that when Israel is attacked so is America, or a foreign policy that is based on the premise (roughly stated) that if some group is being persecuted overseas it’s America’s duty to go stomp that bully into the ground. But those two foreign policy views (mostly the former) are argued for throughout this book.I thought the information about Hamas and Israel was somewhat helpful. It gave some more detail than what I’ve heard on the news. And there was certainly a lot I learned about the laws of international warfare. Yet it had hardly anything to do with the “Rise of ISIS” and how they are “A Threat We Can’t Ignore”... A more accurate title would have been: The Recent Conflict Between Israel and Hamas: A Primer on The Laws of International Warfare

I am not a "reader" so this reply is mostly based on my download of the audio book version of this work. In my opinion this narrative is very well researched and documented, and was very helpful in enlightening me about the history of ISIS, and why it is that they do what they do and what they hope to accomplish if allowed to march on uninterrupted by the US and the world at large. It is true that HAMAS is also covered in great detail in this book, but it is only because both ISIS and HAMAS, as well as many other "Jihadist" organizations, are all interconnected by their desire to achieve basically the same goals which are: 1. The eradication of Israel as a State and its people from existence as human beings in general. 2. The establishment of ISLAM as the only geopolitical and theocratic form of government over the entire globe. These two facts became very clear in my mind as I listened intently to this book, and also made me wonder why, if these indisputable facts are so evident and undeniable, why isn't our government more active and adamant in fighting against this very real threat to the freedoms we hold dear, instead of dismissing it as something that can be controlled through diplomatic means, which it clearly is not.

Well documented explanation of just what's going on. Decidedly pro-Israel with detailed references to how the United Nations is behind a lot of cover up and/or involvement with ISIS and other jihadist activity. ISIS does not stand alone. It is heavily involved with Hamas, Al Qaeda, Muslim Brotherhood, and other extremist Islamic groups, or groups 'claiming' to be Islamic. Not for the faint of heart or squeamish, though they don't dwell on the barbarous acts done by ISIS. NO PICTURES, so the book has to be read to be shocked. Some surprising details regard just how large and well armed ISIS is, primarily obtained from defecting Iraqi troops who either joined up or just abandoned their weaponry and fled. Yep, a lot of this boils down to the fact that we helped them organize in their earliest days to be against somebody else who we thought as bad and it now turns out they're worse than the 'other folks'. Do keep in mind that the USA helped create Al Qaeda to combat the Russian invasion of Afghanistan. They went there for exactly the same reason we're there now. Terrorists.

The writer has hijacked the title of ISIS to talk about his experiences in the Israeli Palestinian conflict. He generalises all Arab groups, cites atrocities, crimes with the one demographic. He fails to mention any questionable activity (that has caused outrage to many) carried out in the name of Israel. His constant rhetoric is defending Israels' actions which have been called into question by the west, basically saying "they started it" or "We're not as bad as them" a rather immature view that continues through the book. Short enough to get through without having to stop because of its failings.

PRAISE:The book arrived in excellent condition, and sooner than I had expected.The overall "look" of the cover design is appropriate and in-line with the overall feeling of the book. I like the type of paper that was chosen for the cover.The Notes section contains a wealth of information and resources.In a way, the author represents a big chunk of the United States and it is valuable to understand this when studying ISIS and how it affects the world.CRITICISM:The pull-quotes don't offer any new or valuable information different from the regular text; rather, they repeat, word-for-word, the text that is already there. If it is necessary to inflate a small book, then try some pictures, such as city landscapes or a tank rolling down the street (but not the beheadings), or use smaller summaries of ideas in the bold quotes.Having four authors/contributors, the book can sometimes feel inconsistent and incoherent. On the one hand, chapter two, which talks about how ISIS began, is well-written and presents many facts that enriched my knowledge of the group. On the other hand, much of the rest of the book seems written by a terrified, howling puppy, rather than a rational, intelligent man. In chapter one, for example, the writer's bitter, "shock jock" presentation was reminiscent of a guy on a street corner who holds up a REPENT sign and yells about the end of the world.The title is misleading and I was disappointed to find only about two chapters dedicated to explaining the ISIS group. The book leaves me with the feeling that the authors didn't have enough material on ISIS to create a sizable book, so they added in Hamas and Israel.I had bought this book because I was confused about ISIS and wanted to know more information. I wanted to know ISIS's actual point of view in English and how the members rationalize their actions. People travel long distances to join them and I want to know what the appeal is. What happens in the transition between "ordinary citizen" and "official ISIS member," and how have their childhoods affected their decisions? What are their spiritual beliefs about life and after death? I also want to understand more about how ISIS uses social media and where their money comes from, as well as stories of people who decided to leave the group.RECOMMENDATION:If you only buy one book about ISIS, this isn't it. But if you buy ten books, then this could be a good resource for understanding how a large portion of Americans feel about ISIS (and Hamas and Israel). Two stars for effort and facts presented.

The author delivers a clear understanding of the cycles of history and why it is so important we pay attention to the lessons learned, that evil cannot be appeased or bargained with, that this is merely interpreted as weakness. That ISIL and its hydra like tributaries of diseased ideology must be excised. Cancer is not fought with appeasement, nor fanaticism with a balm. Excellent book - thank you

Less of a book, more of a political rant. The book is ostensibly about isis but spends page after page examining Hamas. It also contains a line to the effect that "America has never experienced genocide". I did a double take when I read that one. Really? I think many native Americans may think differently.

This book is just an awful piece of right-wing propaganda masquerading as a serious treatise on the ISIS terrorist organisation. The author is a partisan commentator from the US who uses his flimsy book to pursue a pro-Netanyahu and anti-Palestinian agenda, which is supposedly concerned with ISIS? He also tries to score domestic political points by attacking the policies of the Obama administration while completely ignoring the failures of the Bush regime's Iraq policies. Try the Jessica Stern book instead!