The Flags we Hide Behind - The Truth about ISIS and the West

Inevitably, after the terrorist atrocities which took place in Paris, Muslims from around the world came out and condemned the actions of these extremists. And rightly so. They say that the views and ideals of ISIS and their affiliates do not reflect those of their religion: that these people are hiding behind the flag of Islam.

Its been a master-stroke of propaganda that extremist groups in the Middle East have convinced the local people that what we have is a war between the West and Islam. We've made it easy for them. They can point to the fact that the US has bombed at least 14 Muslim nations since the 80's.

A decade ago, when a million people marched in the streets to protest the illegal invasion of Iraq, we all knew that despite dodgy dossiers and claims of weapons of mass destruction the real reason for the invasion was oil. Everybody knew that.

Somehow people seem to have forgotten.

The truth is that its not the West vs. Islam. This has nothing to do with religion. Its all about oil. It's always been about oil. Lets rewind a little...

In 2011 when the Arab spring spread across North Africa and into the Middle East a number of oppressive regimes fell to the people. Two dictators fought back against their own people: Muammar Gaddafi of Libya and Bashar Al-Assad of Syria. Both of these events happened at the same time. Yet the West only rushed to help one of these nations, only one of those leaders' bloodied corpse was dragged through the streets. Why?

Why rush to help one nation who's dictator was murdering his own people and ignore another? Oil of course. Libya had the largest oil reserves in the whole of Africa and pumped out over 300,000 barrels of oil a day. Syria has no oil. Only in Nov '14 when ISIS crossed the Syrian border and started capturing Iraqi oil fields did Western governments sit up and take attention.

ISIS do hide behind the flag of Islam. And the West hide behind the flag of Democracy. In reality we are only interested in oil money. Its not about liberating people from oppressive regimes or spreading “freedom”, it was never about Saddam Hussein, or the Taliban or ISIS. Its all about oil.

If, like Saudi Arabia, you willingly sell us your oil then there's no problem. You can be as oppressive as you like: you can ban women from driving, jail political dissidents, flaunt human rights laws and you can behead as many people as you want. No questions asked. We'll even sell you weapons. The good ones fighter jets, tanks and the like. And if you don't? We'll still sell you weapons! But less good ones, the old ones, the Kalashnikovs and RPGs that we have lying around from the last time we invaded one of your neighbours.

If ISIS want us to stop dropping bombs on them and let them steal land from local people and set up their own country or Caliphate then they just have to sell us their oil.