It is often remarked that proponents of the prevailing international order, despite their rhetoric about freedom and democracy, eagerly support dictators, warlords and other autocrats in order to preserve the status quo. However, this tendency is no less pronounced in opponents of the system. For example, during the Cold War, Vladimir Lenin, Mao Zedong and Fidel Castro inspired many Westerners in leftist movements, particularly young people, some of whom carried out campaigns of domestic terrorism in order to provoke revolution. The Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) similarly aspires to a new form of social arrangement. In this post-Occupy period, when no one else seems to have the willingness or ability to meaningfully fight the system, ISIL appears to many youths as virtually the only actor interested in and capable of radical societal reforms. Understanding this source of ISIL’s appeal is critical to countering its narratives, undermining its recruitment and ultimately defeating the group.

Beyond brainwashing

The U.S. has an unparalleled capacity to reform international systems and institutions. It could counter ISIL’s narrative by simply changing the way it does business in the Middle East.