11/21/17, 10(29 AM The Islamic State is more like a street gang than like other terrorist groups - The Washington Post Page 1 of 6 https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/monkey-cage/wp/2017/11/15/the-i…-more-than-its-like-other-terrorist-groups/?utm_term=.d14dea954c8a Monkey Cage Analysis ○ The Islamic State is more like a street gang than like other terrorist groups By By Matthew Phillips Matthew Phillips and and Matthew Valasik Matthew Valasik November 15 November 15 At its peak in the summer of 2014, the Islamic State was a bureaucratic, corporatized At its peak in the summer of 2014, the Islamic State was a bureaucratic, corporatized organization overseeing (without legal authority) a “ organization overseeing (without legal authority) a “ shell-state shell-state” spanning 35,000 ” spanning 35,000 square miles. That’s roughly the size of Indiana. The Islamic State has since been square miles. That’s roughly the size of Indiana. The Islamic State has since been defeated militarily a number of times, losing nearly all its territory in both Iraq and defeated militarily a number of times, losing nearly all its territory in both Iraq and Syria. And yet it remains the preeminent international terrorist threat, as we saw again Syria. And yet it remains the preeminent international terrorist threat, as we saw again on Oct. 31, when a truck drove onto a New York City bike path, killing eight people. on Oct. 31, when a truck drove onto a New York City bike path, killing eight people. Scholars have noted Scholars have noted that the Islamic State has shown an ability to adapt to a variety of that the Islamic State has shown an ability to adapt to a variety of circumstances that seem unique among terrorist organizations. But terrorism experts circumstances that seem unique among terrorist organizations. But terrorism experts can learn from the flexibility, resilience and group evolution studied in another type of can learn from the flexibility, resilience and group evolution studied in another type of criminal group: criminal group: street gangs street gangs. Approximately 33,000 gangs have been documented to exist in the United States. Approximately 33,000 gangs have been documented to exist in the United States. Gang scholars have studied street gangs’ remarkable ability to adapt despite law Gang scholars have studied street gangs’ remarkable ability to adapt despite law enforcement’s near-constant efforts to suppress them. And they’re often able to enforcement’s near-constant efforts to suppress them. And they’re often able to flourish in a multitude of directions, flourish in a multitude of directions, given the right ingredients and opportunities. given the right ingredients and opportunities. Our Our n ew research ew research explores how nearly 100 years of gang scholarship helps us better explores how nearly 100 years of gang scholarship helps us better