War on ISIS or Shadow Boxing in the Middle East?

In the aftermath of the implosion of the Arab Spring, institutional collapse in Libya, Syria, and Iraq, the Islamic State is the biggest emerging threat. The Obama Administration has asked Congress for renewed authority to escalate the war on ISIS in Syria and Iraq.

But the focus on a military response ignores the root causes of militant Islamism. What are the real origins of ISIS and the role of the U.S. and the surrounding states? What is a better solution?

Sharat G. Lin is a research fellow at the San José Peace and Justice Center. A writer on global political economy and the Middle East, he recently visited Kurdish areas at the heart of the battle against ISIS.

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