Enemy of Enemies: The Rise of ISIL
An Al Jazeera production, Enemy of Enemies: The Rise of ISIL attempts to retrace the stratospheric rise of the bloodthirsty terrorist organization, and speculate on the severe consequences that may still lie in their wake.
A panel of experts from three different continents - including the former Iraq Minister of Defense Ali Allawi and National Security Advisor Mowaffak al-Rubaie - provide the majority of the film's informed commentary. According to their consensus, the United States invasion of the Iraq, and the subsequent toppling of Saddam Hussein, planted the foundation from which the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant could be born. Now rendered chaotic without the presence of its leader or any established government, Iraq's lack of cohesive identity made them vulnerable to a new and threatening insurgency.
Destabilization in the region reached a turning point with the rise of Islamic militant Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, a figure who was previously regarded as an innocuous presence at best. Declaring dogged allegiance to the philosophies of Osama Bin Laden, Al-Zarqawi inspired the ire of the United States with a series of videotaped beheadings of its captured citizens, and managed to detonate a level of civil war in the region through his mass bombings of sacred landmarks. At the height of al-Zarqawi's rule, the region was suffering up to 5,000 deaths a month. Upon his death in a United States air strike, the snake of terrorism grew a new tail and called itself ISIL.
Throughout this unfortunate string of events, the perception of the United States and their role in the region began to transform on all sides. Were they liberators, as their leaders insisted them to be, or were they facilitators of a new realm of mayhem? The film's expert panel consists of voices from all sides of these issues. Their debates run throughout the course of the film, and their practical and ideological differences make for fascinating and enlightening viewing.
Enemy of Enemies: The Rise of ISIL provides valuable insights into the origins of one of the most defining conflicts of our time. It is only through an understanding of where we've been that we may be able to determine where we go from here.
"The uploader has not made this video available in your country." For a website dedicated solely to documentaries, this crap sure happens a lot.
Kat is delusional. The U.S. has a lot of blood on her hands. I despise war.
Haye Veltman.....Teaching Atheism will not change anything, in fact it is a religion itself of people who choose to believe in something other than a 1 GOD. Wars have been fought forever under the guise of religion and the TRUTH is war is about POWER, control, money and land. It always has been. Most of the wars or conflicts that the US has been involved in came from either attacks on our country or not letting madmen like Hitler gain that POWER to the point it would threaten our safety.
@cyberdog. Im Irish. We're still called a divided land! The Brits stil havent left us in peace. Y u wanna point out national discretions to individuals?? Chè Guevarra calls us the creators of guerilla warfare, does that make us at fault for taliban n daesh tactics??? Simple fact is all major powers stick there nostrils where they dnt belong and complain about the outcome!! Bein realistic, in no way condoning their actions, would Saddam r Qaddaffi have allowed this happen. U cannot n should not force ur beliefs/culture on anyone bcoz the disenfranchised get a cause n therefore we come on this n bitch back n forth even tho a dog wit a mallet up his arse can c whos to blame!! The indefensible cant b defended
Well said
this documentary is an accurate representation on my own views on this region (however i do not singularly agree with either the US guy or Iraqi - they are both right, but obviously have their own angles)... that said, my view, like the rest of you (hopefully), it is made up of an amalgamation of second hand sources. Personally, i read lots of them from different global regions and perspectives to try and get a fair view.... my personal view is US is ok (it has allies good and bad, Saudi Arabia, gulf states, turkey), but is far from innocent - the problem is its short term and only appeasing some allies, trying to be fair (when it can), but with several hands tired behind its back by its allies (and often taking the easiest route) ... it is so easy to criticise them, and i do, but ask me for a solution... and i dont have one.... i really dont... i would like assad gone, and a new shia government for that part of Syria; IS gone and a more moderate rule for that part of iraq/syria (sunny), kurdish government in that part of iraq/turkey, and a more moderate (less Sectarian) iraqi government... all the above seem fair... but having just wirtten it, it's quite obvious the above is a recipe for more war..... and thats without even thinking about the interest of russia (total dictator incidentally - good geopolitician though)...egypt, Israel, Iran, China etc.... it's a long list.... i am fascinated by how this will end (intellectually) and appalled emotionally (there will be plenty more blood split ahead).... my feeling is it will only come when shia and sunnys have spilt so much blood, and the west is drained of involvement, a solution will be found.... but i don't see anyone tiring of this soon..... and all the above still leaves Israel, the ruling kings in SA and corruption all over the region... its a long, long road ahead now.... not to mention international concensus would be far easier if West (USA/Europe), Russia and China actually were on the same side... we are part time partners fighting for geopolitical supremacy... i am western and think we are the lesser of evils but.... i am not the only voice
You can watch it on Aljazeera America, it was on last night and again this week.
If you want to know where they came from, just look at who benefits from their actions: Israevil and the international intelligence community. And the Military Industrial Complex. That is how you can know where these people came from. These are all the people that were freed from all the prisons in the countries overthrown by the west in the last decade.
Ruth, Kat, Lobo........ A simple Google search will allow you to watch the documentary in the US. I live in the States and I absolutely agree with what Chard said. The US is hardly the benevolent bringer of democracy we are taught it is. Just ask the people of Guatemala, the Congo, or Iran...to name a few.
We aren't hated because they don't understand us. In fact, I think they understand us all too well. Too busy posting photos of our dinner on FB, too busy posting selfies on Instagram, too busy standing in line for the new Iphone, too busy checking out what the Kardashians are wearing/doing. Too busy to actually take the time to learn about our "real" history but not too busy to deny it.
Too busy to learn WHY there is a Syrian refugee crisis but not to busy to shout "Not in MY backyard". Ignorance is one thing but willful ignorance should be unacceptable to those who espouse the ideals of freedom and democracy. Don't get me wrong, I've always thought that as a whole, and in their hearts, the people of America are kind, compassionate and giving. But, as a whole, we are so caught up in us and ours that we don't think about theirs and them. I love my country but I am outraged, ashamed and appalled by what our government has done, and will continue to do, in the name of "We the People".
Until "we" decide to elect those who strive for world peace not those who strive for world domination the status quo will continue.
For all the beleivers on this page. If your brain is capable of understanding what is happening in the world (and most of you claim they do), it might be a wise idea too cut down all your history/roots with any kind of religion and stop being religious. Teach your surrounding atheism, propper and decent values without hate. It's time a new generation of people stands up and makes it clear too everybody, explaining people why we need too loose this part of our humanity! What has religion brought us over the years? I can write thousands of things too give this idea strenght, but I wont since ive haven't go all day (from pedofile priests too jihadi terrorists, too landstealing jewish settlers)! It all comes back too fanatics who claim that only THEY speak the trued! As an atheist, you learn there is no 1 version that explains all, there is no 1 trued, there is no 1 holy word, there is nothing that preaches hate! I strongly beleive in the radicale mid! Where people no matter what they think , always respect eachother and will never turn too vilolence, even tho they disagree! If we reach a planet wide idea that its religion together with inequality that is causing all our modern problems, we might overcome the problems we have ahead! If we stay divided we are doomed! Go too school, learn about science, ditch your holy books!
Gutless, weak, ISIS scum of the earth. Why don't all the so called good Muslims come out and say that they don't support this type of terrorist activity? Because they all read the same Quarn
They do, but the corporate stooge media has little interest in showing it. Does the media clearly say that IS IL's ideology is based on and supported by Sa udi religious extremism and their religious hierarchy? Of course not! Look at who should've been IS IL's primary targets if they were truly an independent "Isl amic fundamental ist" group and see if they have really attacked those two middle east states, they haven't, so that hints at who their true masters are
Why is it "Not available in the USA"? It seems really suspicious, because maybe there IS something in it that someone doesn't want the American people to know about, perhaps something like where exactly did ISIL's first funding come from? We know that their humvees and a lot of their weapons were taken from the cowards who ran from them, but before that, there had to be someone funding them in a major way. "Follow the money!"
damien , the reason the US Government wants regime change is to throw the countries into chaos and war and tear the country apart then when they install their puppet Governments it is those Governments who look to them for new military weaponry and arms and contracts for rebuilding...You play both sides so you always win and get rich doing it! Only problem is Obama didnt have the backbone after rebranding Al-Qaeda as ISIS who they funded trained and armed to overthrow Assad at the onset on the Syrian Arab spring and are still doing under the "Syrian rebels" lie and now they realize the power they have....They created a monster he cant control!
I've got to wonder about the truth of this documentary since they are not offering it to be viewed in the US. Is that because they are saying something that is untrue and they don't want to be called out on it? What could their motivations be? If they are rightly accusing the US of wrong doing then you would think that the most important population to view the film would be US citizens. Otherwise how could it be constructive? Apparently they aren't hoping to effect any change with their film, but perhaps just hoping to get other countries to side with them against the US?
cyberdog, Ireland! go on entertain me?????? USA thinks it doesn't have to answer to anybody, Iraq was better off under Saddam full stop, but the US would rather have a puppet in every camp so they can drop depleted Uranium on innocents then walk away! KAT get a grip of reality love if there was a god America be the first place to pay for atrocities they are the biggest war monger in the world go check out they equipment isis uses, american tanks and hum v's american made munitions! FreePress and freedom of speech is a dillusion you don't have any such things plenty of documentaries showing the US funding training and support of Terrorists are unplayable on us vpn's . bradley manning edward snowden let the world know what the US really did and look where freedom of press and speech got them. and justifying US genocide in Iraq by quoting 9/11 is laughable.......WAKE UP SHEEPLE!
Brother , what you penned about ISIS is true ..... They are killers , murderers ..... I agree fully with your view point ! But brother , I ask you a simple question .... Who created ISIS ? Did not US create it ! Hillary Clinton confessed very succinctly that US has created ISIS ! Who bombed Iraq ! Who is waging a war against Syria ? Who is killing innocent women , children , wiping out a civilisation 7000 years old in Yemen ? Are not the killers , heathenistic Saudis who are wiping out Yemen only at your country's behest ? Obama smilingly standing next to the modern day Hitler and calls himself a king ? Salman Ibn Abdul Aziz ?
If you see the devastation that this knave has brought upon ydmen you will certainly cry ! But only if you have a heart which feels pain !
Bloody American foreign policy? should be changed in order to prevent the world from real terrorism. The world number one terrorists organization that we called USA. Because it is making conflicts in the countries and supporting for violence there by promote them to terrorism and train them, fund them,protect them, do oil business with them,sell military weapons to them finally the US called them terrorist.
One thing we really have to realize that where the terrorists could have gotten the weapons either they made themselves or getting from western allies like America,Britain, France etc..
They maintain a good relationship with terrorists for their selfishly businesses on the other hand ✋ they called blood thirsty terrorist.
My question is if the ISIL is terrorist then how we call their business counterparts.
American private military contractor 'Black water' plays a major role in producing the ISIL?.
Chard….if you want to talk about atrocities you should check out what happened to us during 911…..and the good people targeted by radical groups like ISIS…he headed, imprisoned….for what? Because they are Christians? Because they are Jews? Because they live in a Western Culture? Think again when you say atrocities. ISIS has done plenty of that, including atrocities on Muslims. The hatred towards my wonderful country is unfair and undeserved. We have welcomed Muslims and they live peacefully within our country unless they plan on doing violence to our citizens….we can't live with terrorism. Believe me, all of us would rather have our people at home not risking their lives around the world to try to protect people from terrorism. This nation, the USA, has a conscience, and is striving for world peace. ISIS is driving the world into war. All of the mistakes made by the US are nothing compared to the mass violence done to us, our allies and all the innocent people murdered. Sadam was a brutal dictator. Don't blame his deposition for the creation of ISIS. It could have been different…..Iraq could have been free if the terrorists hadn't kept up all the violence. ISIS should disband and stop their insane violence. Let each Muslim decide their rules. Each one can live within the bounds set by Islam voluntarily without trapping them in a zone. Each one should be able to decide also if they wish to become a member of another faith without persecution by Islam. The women should be free and valued. Slavery is obsolete. Those are the feelings of a Christian….an 'infidel'…….but not an infidel to God. Anyone who thinks they will get to Heaven by killing people is living a lie. They will wake up in hell not in Heaven. Then it will be too late for them. God loves everyone. God does not want people killing and enslaving each other.
Phony self-righteousness, especially with that last sentence. 9 11 was allegedly done by 19 guys from one of your closest ally states, their alleged leader's family was extremely close to the families of the leaders of that ally state and the family of the leader of your state, yet your state manufactured evidence to convince the world that a third state had a hand in this. You ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR IS IL!
Please allow people in the USA to watch this film. What have you got to hide?
I'm in the USA and I can't watch it…why not? I love the USA. This is a great country full of freedom loving people of mixed races, ethnic and culture, biodiversity and we are trying to make this dream of freedom and harmony work. We are hated because people do not understand Americans that do not know them. Everyday people here are amazing. There have always been terrorists and terrorism. I believe that ISIS is not being led by God but it is really in the grips of the antithesis of God. People need to break ISIS apart inside out. Muslims need to overthrow that evil, not join it.
@ Truth First & not lies:
The fact that the US has a bloodthirsty history does not mean that the description cannot be applied to ISIL.
Nobody has ever beaten a criminal charge in court by pointing out that there are worse offenders.
Why is this video not available to watch in the US?? Are we for free speech as long as the speech glorifies the United States ? To fear and sanction what others have to say about you is to acknowledge that one is worried that their may be some truth to what is being said.
lol, you're right Eddy. When I switch to a US vpn it sure hasn't been made available there by the user/uploader or whoever. Ah well, at least the land of the free isn't blocking all of Al Jazeraa like it was (trying) back in the day when it was the only one broadcasting the burning cities of 'free' Iraq.
great doc, thx
OH DEAR ! the doc isnt available in the US...
What an unholy mess. I'm glad I'm not raising any kids there, particularly daughters. The only worse place is eastern central Africa. The first thing they all need to do is have less babies. The 2nd thing is to drop their religion. Obviously, their bloodthirsty religion is fanning the flames. Mass lobotomies?
Rohan, not everybody here is from the USA. This isn't even a US site. Also, I know that the citizens of your country are taught that blind patriotism is a positive trait, but in reality it serves only to reinforce the 'us vs them' dichotomy that is used to justify the atrocities committed by your government. Any of your fellow citizens who have the courage to stand up to the regime, and so face being demonized by both the media and brainwashed bigots, are not doing so because they hate their country, they are standing up for the country that they want the USA to become. It is your kind of ignorant, flag-waving, intolerance that keeps the US stagnating in a mire of medieval values and, frankly, it is stinking up the rest of the world.
For all you crying about what the USA does, then why don't you leave? Why don't you move to another country?
@Truth first: 'Burning alive' isn't that what UK and France done to the Germans in the world war? Could the people from a country that is innocent of not killing other people please be the first to start pointing fingers? If you name your country, I will list their involvement in barbaric and inhuman transgressions over the last century (direct and by proxy). It is always a lot easier to point fingers than to acknowledge responsibility.
you call it USA
"bloodthirsty terrorist organization" that has killed thousands.
What do you call a country that has killed millions of innocent civilians, including the burning alive of thousands with 400,000 tons of napalm?