ISreal

I've been thinking about IS (the Islamic state) so far the caliphate as it were, consists of a sizable chunk of Iraq and some of Syria, at least for now. This caliphate was born in a land in the grips of chaos thanks to a failed occupation by an impotent imperialist power, they are a theocratic state and a self-proclaimed Muslim homeland that recruits internationally by appealing to defenders of a faith whose membership seems to be facing persecution in most other parts of the world. They are unrecognized by most, supported with arms and money by a few who hope to use them to further agendas of their own, and are under attack on all sides. Sound familiar? Sounds a bit like the humble beginnings of another Middle Eastern upstart. Can you guess which? I'll give you a hint. Big blue star