Islamic State

The relativity of the death penalty
The relativity of the death penalty
Opposition to the death penalty has a long and quite public history in Australia. Myuran Sukumaran and Andrew Chan of the so-called “Bali Nine” drug smugglers received…
Caliph emerges without his caliphate
Caliph emerges without his caliphate
This week, Abu Bakr al Baghdadi, the world’s most wanted man, appeared in a 20-minute video released by al Furqan Media, the official media outlet for ISIS. This is only the…
Film review: On Her Shoulders
Film review: On Her Shoulders
On Her Shoulders, a documentary film by Alexandria Bombach, follows young genocide survivor Nadia Murad in her global cause against sexual violence for which she was awarded …
ISIS: the generational problem
ISIS: the generational problem
The fate of perhaps as many as 70 children born to Australian mothers and caught up in the Iraq-Syria conflict has been the focus of Australian media attention. There are calls…
ISIS: children should not pay for the sins of the parents
ISIS: children should not pay for the sins of the parents
The fall of the so-called ISIS caliphate and resultant outflow of fighters’ families into temporary refugee camps highlights the plight of Australian women and their children who…
The cost of terror: two tales of country life
The cost of terror: two tales of country life
One country town, two people. One of them a hero who added to the legacy of the uncomplicated stoicism and selflessness that Australians popularly associate with “the bush”, and…
The case to prosecute “jihadi brides” at home
The case to prosecute “jihadi brides” at home
A woman believed to be Melbourne-born Zehra Duman has recently resurfaced among the thousands of women and children at al Hawl refugee camp fleeing the last vestiges of the…
Repatriating female foreign fighters: political not personal
Repatriating female foreign fighters: political not personal
The Islamic State is on the verge of total defeat. As a result, many of the remaining foreign fighters who travelled to the caliphate are coming out of the woodwork. One of…
The pain of hearing: Australia’s parliament recognises Yazidi genocide
The pain of hearing: Australia’s parliament recognises Yazidi genocide
Last week in the Australian Parliament, the House of Representatives agreed to a motion recognising the ISIS-perpetrated genocide of the Yazidi community in northern Iraq. The…
Commercial drones: Privatising air power
Commercial drones: Privatising air power
In irregular wars, the state has traditionally had a monopoly on the use of air power. This has now been overturned. With the rise of small, low-cost, commercial-off-the…