Islamic State a product of foreign intervention, most Arabs believe

The majority of respondents in 12 Arab countries – 58 per cent – say Islamic State is the product of foreign intervention and policies, according to a recent survey by the Arab Centre for Research and Policy Studies, based in Qatar.

Only 29 per cent of participants attributed the existence of Islamic State (IS) to internal conflicts in the Middle East, according to the fifth annual Arab Opinion Index 2016, which measures public opinion across the Arab world. At the same time, almost half – 43 per cent – said IS is a product of religious extremism and fanaticism in the Middle East.

Middle Eastern experts said many Arabs believe the US invasion in Iraq in 2003 led to the formation of IS.

“The origins of IS are in Iraq, and the US invasion and occupation created the conditions that made this possible, including de-Baathification and promoting sectarianism,” Mark Tessler, political science professor at University of Michigan, said, referring to the removal of the Baath Party from power.

“The majority of the Arabs think that the US invasion to Iraq was a huge mistake, primarily driven by American interest in controlling the oil fields,” said Mustafa Gurbuz, non-resident analyst at the Arab Centre Washington DC, and adjunct professor in Arab World Studies at American University.

The origins of Islamic State can be traced back to the Sunni insurgency, led by al-Qaeda in Iraq, against the Shiite-dominated government that replaced Saddam Hussein. While Hussein’s government was secular, it was largely dominated by Iraqi’s Sunni minority.