'''Islamic State''' (IS) (also known as '''Islamic State of Iraq and Syria''' (ISIS)<ref>http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2014/07/iraq-christians-told-convert-face-death-2014718111040982432.html</ref> or 'Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant' (ISIL), as referred by Barack Obama or 'Daesh', as referred by [[John Kerry]]), is a terrorist organization that operates in [[Iraq]] and [[Syria]]. Founded by [[Abu Musab al-Zarqawi]], it grew out of [[al Qaeda]] in Iraq.<ref>http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2014/06/10/229948/some-answers-about-the-islamic.html#emlnl=Morning_Newsletter</ref> It was founded during the [[Operation Iraqi Freedom]] of 2003. Its current leader is [[Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi]]. IS currently fights non-Muslims, Shiite Muslims, the Iraqi Army and Kurdish [[Peshmerga]] troops.<ref>http://www.euronews.com/2014/08/12/kurdish-peshmerga-troops-plead-for-weapons-to-fight-islamic-state-militants/</ref> The goal of IS is to construct an Islamic Caliphate in Syria and Iraq.<ref>http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Middle-East/2014/0623/Briefing-What-is-the-Islamic-State-In-Iraq-and-the-Levant-ISIS</ref> | '''Islamic State''' (IS) (also known as '''Islamic State of Iraq and Syria''' (ISIS)<ref>http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2014/07/iraq-christians-told-convert-face-death-2014718111040982432.html</ref> or 'Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant' (ISIL), as referred by Barack Obama or 'Daesh', as referred by [[John Kerry]]), is a terrorist organization that operates in [[Iraq]] and [[Syria]]. Founded by [[Abu Musab al-Zarqawi]], it grew out of [[al Qaeda]] in Iraq.<ref>http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2014/06/10/229948/some-answers-about-the-islamic.html#emlnl=Morning_Newsletter</ref> It was founded during the [[Operation Iraqi Freedom]] of 2003. Its current leader is [[Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi]]. IS currently fights non-Muslims, Shiite Muslims, the Iraqi Army and Kurdish [[Peshmerga]] troops.<ref>http://www.euronews.com/2014/08/12/kurdish-peshmerga-troops-plead-for-weapons-to-fight-islamic-state-militants/</ref> The goal of IS is to construct an Islamic Caliphate in Syria and Iraq.<ref>http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Middle-East/2014/0623/Briefing-What-is-the-Islamic-State-In-Iraq-and-the-Levant-ISIS</ref> |