Summer Vacation For College Students in Iraq Is No Vacation
In the United States, summer vacation for college students is all about the beach, partying, and summer jobs. For some students in Iraq, "summer vacation" couldn't be any different. Female student, Shadad Haider, of the University of Baghdad has spent this summer learning how to dismantle and assemble an AK-47 as well as how to fire the legendary weapon. Shadad is doing this because of the very real danger that the Islamic State poses to her country and her family. The students are learning how to combat ISIS at the University of Baghdad and the voluntary program has attracted more than 100 trainees.
From School To The Battlefield
Some students have already transitioned from their training program to the front lines to fight the brutal regime. ISIS now controls large swaths of the country and their rule is brutal, especially in regards to female citizens. Several women in the Iraqi training program have found themselves motivated to fight ISIS because of the terrorist group's barbaric treatment of women. ISIS members believe that Allah (God) not only allows, but actually encourages the rape of young women (under 18). Even more disturbing, ISIS terrorists will pray immediately before and after the rape of these women.
Will Iraq Ever Regain Normalcy
At this point there is no doubt that the Invasion of Iraq and subsequent hasty withdrawal of U.S. troops from the country created a massive power vacuum that allowed and indeed created ISIS. If Saddam were still in power, there would be no Islamic State, or if the United States would have maintained a military presence in Iraq, there would be no Islamic State. The unfortunately reality is that the Middle East is far too unstable to function without either a Dictatorship, or U.S./Coalition protection. I do believe that the threat of ISIS to U.S. interests are far too great to ignore forever, and that we will eventually need to significantly increase our involvement in Iraq again to combat and kill the Islamic Extremists who form ISIS.
