[Brillopad]

Originally Posted by Toy Soldier

Yes but that's why it's been ripe for manipulation. Religious texts are all full of rhetoric that's easy to frame in the context of War.

The tidal political forces in the middle east have frequently been western, right back to the middle ages, with Islam being used as a tool in that (just as Christianity has been used in the west, many times).

Whether or not there's still anyone at the wheel is another debate. ISIS was basically the result of deliberately created militant Islamic groups, funded, armed and promoted by the West and Russia throughout the 20th century. They then were "cut loose" and reformed as something different that DOES have religious motivation. But it's not a group that formed naturally.

To be honest with the risk involved, I don’t think the history, whatever it is, is as relevant as the here and now. It is the threat they pose to the West now that counts and people don’t need a history lesson to know that.

These people from certain minority groups - which are only a minority in the West, they are the majority in many other parts of the world, identify with this particular religion and group, whatever their motives, and there lies the problem. They may or may not be using religion as an excuse for their crimes but the threat is still the same. People naturally want to minimise the risk not increase it.