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Political Science Majors were asked: “What are the challenges facing the global community as it seeks to combat听threats posed by ISIS?”

The following responses were obtained by Political Science Major Hugo Salazar.

Pietro Pisciotta, Junior: “The biggest听challenges would be not just听beating them back militarily but听doing so with an end game in听mind so as to not create a power听vacuum that will lead to another听extremist group in the region. The听problem with the West’s foreign听policy in the region for the past听few decades has been going in听guns blazing without a plan for the听future.”

Liz Rilling, Senior: “I think the听biggest challenge faced by the听global community is letting go of听certain identities as synonyms for听terrorism. Part of what has people听and the media erupting over ISIS听is their shock that westerners-听British, Americans, etc.- are involved听in the group, as if this听somehow makes their acts even听more repulsive. Terrorism is terrorism,听and if we ever intend to听overcome this threat we need to听start accepting as a society that听you won’t always be able to identify听the enemy from the outside. If听we don’t, we will grow distrustful听of our fellow citizens and begin to听project racism upon outsiders phenomena 听that will ultimately tear听us all apart.”

Mike Sonta, Freshman: “In terms听of this mounting ISIS issue that has听virtually come to beleaguer not听only our government, but a multitude听of our allies鈥�, I feel that it is听absolutely paramount that we as a听global community must remain听perpetually cognizant of the perils听and consequences of another long听term commitment in the Middle听East, and ultimately, we must reject听the naivet茅 suggesting that another听鈥渂oots on the ground campaign鈥澨齱ill serve as anything other than an听agent to destabilize an already precarious听region. Additionally, we听must remain vigilant to ensure that听the alliances that we do form to听degrade the militant organization听must be trustworthy, as well as听steadfast to the purpose at hand.听This process of training Syrian rebels听must be undertaken with appreciable听care and caution as we do听not wish to augment this already听dynamic conflict.”

George Giakoumis, Junior: “I听think the biggest challenge in dealing听with ISIS is the inability to focus听any sort of combative effort on听a single area or region. Because听you鈥檙e dealing with a group which听has roots in many different areas,听each of which has its own sovereign听power, it’s exceedingly difficult to act with any semblance of听force.”

Jazmine Javier, Junior: “I think听one of the biggest challenges is听assessing sovereignty. On one hand听the global community wants to听combat ISIS for humanitarian reasons听yet the more it super imposes听sovereignty, the more it tends to听backfire. Without a strong global听front on the issue, it would be very听difficult to enforce any type of听cause for having boots on the听ground or drones above it.”

Dylan Maraj, Sophomore: “One听such problem are the agents of ISIS听that are already within the borders听of multiple states. It was found that听supporters and the developers for听the Web page that was for the sole听use of promoting ISIS were American听citizens who studied at Northeastern听University. To combat ISIS,听the global community must first be听wary of the agents that are already听within their borders.”

Varun Gandhi, Sophomore: “ISIS听is a new up-and-coming threat to听the global world and should be handled听with speed. The main issues听surrounding ISIS are that it’s a religious听military organization and it听has growing numbers from many听different nations. America must听work with the governments of these听nations if we want to suppress ISIS.”