The IS has been acting more and more like an actual state since declaring a "caliphate" earlier this year. In Raqqa, like this Vice News documentary reports, the IS is able to police, conduct Sharia court rulings, dictate how their citizens can live, dish out punishment like actual states do, and a slew of other state-like conducts. However, it is unclear if the IS will be able to govern the rest of their territory like they can in their main power base of Raqqa.
Moreover, it also unclear if the IS would be able to withstand multiple engagements from multiple offensives and still be able to maintain control over their territories. As Michael Knights notes in this latest Combatting Terrorism Center's publication, "If the ISF and Kurdish forces undertake selective offensive operations on a widening number of battlefields, the ISIL-led defense will undoubtedly become stretched, particularly if its ability to move and mass counterattacking forces is limited." A coordinated assault coming from the Kurds, the Iraqi military, US airstrikes, as well as a possible Syrian rebel element, the IS would more than likely not be able to sustain its grip on the various ground it controls. If the IS were to lose massive amounts of ground, it might persuade some groups to switch sides--especially those who have joined in either a move of collective interests or out of fear.
But, like stated above, as of right now the IS is still acting like a state. This is even more evident today with their weather forecasts.
The #IslamicState (#IS) now giving weather forecasts for the different regions of the #Khilafah during news bulletins pic.twitter.com/fCxU5Sm8rA
— AbuUmar8246 (@AbuUmar_8246) August 29, 2014
"State of Aleppo"
The #IslamicState (#IS) now giving weather forecasts for the different regions of the #Khilafah during news bulletins pic.twitter.com/hoT3Q9bO2D
— AbuUmar8246 (@AbuUmar_8246) August 29, 2014
"State of Baghdad"
The #IslamicState (#IS) now giving weather forecasts for the different regions of the #Khilafah during news bulletins pic.twitter.com/9Cr960mgaA
— AbuUmar8246 (@AbuUmar_8246) August 29, 2014
"State of Damascus"
The #IslamicState (#IS) now giving weather forecasts for the different regions of the #Khilafah during news bulletins pic.twitter.com/MOClv9jns4
— AbuUmar8246 (@AbuUmar_8246) August 29, 2014
"State of Kirkuk"
The #IslamicState (#IS) now giving weather forecasts for the different regions of the #Khilafah during news bulletins pic.twitter.com/NnPzhKtomg
— AbuUmar8246 (@AbuUmar_8246) August 29, 2014
"State of Raqqa":
The #IslamicState (#IS) now giving weather forecasts for the different regions of the #Khilafah during news bulletins pic.twitter.com/bfd8lRxIoq
— AbuUmar8246 (@AbuUmar_8246) August 29, 2014
"State of al-Anbar":
The #IslamicState (#IS) now giving weather forecasts for the different regions of the #Khilafah during news bulletins pic.twitter.com/2suBOKw9vT
— AbuUmar8246 (@AbuUmar_8246) August 29, 2014
"State of Barka" (Hasakah Province):
The #IslamicState (#IS) now giving weather forecasts for the different regions of the #Khilafah during news bulletins pic.twitter.com/iQdMIiUVk1
— AbuUmar8246 (@AbuUmar_8246) August 29, 2014
"State of Salah ad-Din":
The #IslamicState (#IS) now giving weather forecasts for the different regions of the #Khilafah during news bulletins pic.twitter.com/FyHSTaWRsu
— AbuUmar8246 (@AbuUmar_8246) August 29, 2014
"State of Ninewa":
The #IslamicState (#IS) now giving weather forecasts for the different regions of the #Khilafah during news bulletins pic.twitter.com/oc2czUnCRY
— AbuUmar8246 (@AbuUmar_8246) August 29, 2014
-- Caleb