Fact Check: ISIS is created by United States

Claim: "ISIS is created by United States"

Verdict: False

1. Introduction

The claim that "ISIS is created by the United States" suggests that the U.S. government directly established or funded the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS). After thorough examination of available evidence and expert analyses, the verdict is that this claim is false. While U.S. actions in the Middle East have contributed to the conditions that allowed ISIS to rise, the assertion that the U.S. created ISIS is an oversimplification of a complex situation.

2. What We Know

ISIS, also known as the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, emerged from earlier jihadist groups, particularly al-Qaeda in Iraq, which was formed in 2004. The group rebranded itself as ISIS in 2013, reflecting its broader ambitions beyond Iraq into Syria amid the chaos of the Syrian Civil War [2][5].

The rise of ISIS can be attributed to a combination of factors, including the power vacuum created by the U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003, the subsequent destabilization of the region, and the civil war in Syria that began in 2011. These events allowed various extremist groups, including ISIS, to gain traction [[9]](https://www.vox.com/2014/8/25/6065529/isis-rise)[[[10]](https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/23477989221150678)](https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/23477989221150678).

While the U.S. has been involved in military operations against ISIS, including the formation of a coalition to combat the group, it did not create ISIS. Instead, it has actively worked to dismantle the organization [1][4][6][7].

3. Analysis

The assertion that the U.S. created ISIS often stems from a broader critique of U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East. Some argue that U.S. interventions, particularly the 2003 invasion of Iraq, destabilized the region and contributed to the rise of extremist groups [8][10]. However, this perspective does not equate to a direct creation of ISIS by the U.S.

Experts emphasize that the rise of ISIS is a multifaceted issue, involving local grievances, sectarian violence, and the failure of governance in Iraq and Syria. The group capitalized on existing discontent among Sunni populations in Iraq, particularly after the marginalization they faced following the U.S.-led invasion [9].

While it is true that U.S. policies have had unintended consequences that may have facilitated the conditions for ISIS's emergence, attributing the creation of ISIS solely to U.S. actions overlooks the agency of local actors and the complex socio-political landscape of the region.

4. Conclusion

In conclusion, the claim that "ISIS is created by the United States" is false. While U.S. foreign policy and military actions have contributed to the conditions that allowed ISIS to rise, the group itself emerged from a complex interplay of local and regional factors. Understanding the rise of ISIS requires a nuanced analysis that considers various historical, political, and social dynamics rather than attributing its creation to a single entity or action.

5. Sources

1. Operation Inherent Resolve - DoD - Department of Defense. Retrieved from https://dod.defense.gov/OIR/
2. Al Qaeda vs. ISIS: Goals and Threats Compared. Brookings. Retrieved from https://www.brookings.edu/articles/comparing-al-qaeda-and-isis-different-goals-different-targets/
3. Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS). National Counterterrorism Center. Retrieved from https://www.dni.gov/nctc/ftos/isis_fto.html
4. The Islamic State Five Years Later: Persistent Threats, U.S. Options. U.S. Department of State. Retrieved from https://2021-2025.state.gov/the-islamic-state-five-years-later-persistent-threats-u-s-options/
5. The rise of ISIS — Harvard Gazette. Retrieved from https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2014/08/the-rise-of-isis/
6. The Global Coalition To Defeat ISIS - 2021. U.S. Department of State. Retrieved from https://2017-2021.state.gov/bureaus-offices/bureaus-and-offices-reporting-directly-to-the-secretary/the-global-coalition-to-defeat-isis/
7. The rise and fall of the Islamic State group: The long and short ... - BBC. Retrieved from https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-47210891
8. How the US Helped Create Al Qaeda and ISIS - CounterPunch.org. Retrieved from https://www.counterpunch.org/2014/09/19/how-the-us-helped-create-al-qaeda-and-isis/
9. How the US, its allies, and its enemies all made ISIS possible - Vox. Retrieved from https://www.vox.com/2014/8/25/6065529/isis-rise
10. US Invasion of Iraq, 2003: Indirect Link of ISIS Rising. Sage Journals. Retrieved from https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/23477989221150678