ISIL faces cash crunch as fighters’ pay is halved and revenues dry up

[webfact]

ISIL faces cash crunch as fighters’ pay is halved and revenues dry up
By Robert Hackwill

LONDON: -- Revolutions and mass movements can only do so much with fanaticism and passion, as ISIL are finding out in Syria and Iraq as they are squeezed by the coalition, the Russian-backed Damascus regime, and a revived Iraqi army and its Shia and Kurdish allies.

Now according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights * the Islamic militants have announced ISIL is slashing pay for its fighters, who will now be expected to lay down their lives for the Caliphate for 50% less than before.

The pay cut represents the first sign that ISIL is feeling the pinch from the air strikes and ground operations that have severely diminished its revenues from activities like oil smuggling. It means the average Syrian fighter can now expect $200 a month, while foreign jihadis will get $400.

ISIL is continuing to try to preserve the facilities of a functioning state by maintaining support for schools and hospitals, but with reduced revenues there must be a question hanging over how long they can maintain their spending and continue to buy weapons and recruit.

In December the UN Security Council held its first-ever meeting of finance ministers to discuss ways of financially crippling ISIL.

ISIL has been strapped for cash for some time according to local reports from inside Mosul, Iraq’s second city, currently under ISIL control.

The US also claimed last weekend that one of its airstrikes had destroyed an ISIL cash depot, sending millions of stored dollars and other currencies up in smoke.

It is also losing support from business and private supporters, especially in Saudi Arabia after the kingdom belatedly decided to crack down on the wildcat financing of Islamic militancy in the region.

The Turks have also reportedly reversed policy, which allegedly was to previously turn a blind eye to ISIL’s lucrative cross-border smuggling operations. Ankara has always denied helping ISIL, and is currently prosecuting journalists who say they have proof of cross-border arms sales.

*Readers should note the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights is a one-man operation run out of an apartment in Coventry by an anti-Assad Syrian exile who went to the UK in 2000.

-- (c) Copyright Euronews 2016-01-21

[trogers]

Soldiers of fortune, or soldiers of faith. Wait and see...

[arjunadawn]

This will only cause DAESH to contract. It does nothing to address the ideology nor the proxy funding that birthed DAESH. As long as DAESH enables the multi prong utility of threatening Assad, Iranian hegemony, and fracturing Iraq along sectarian lines DAESH will continue. When the day comes when DAESH is no longer needed, it will fold into other groups but no matter its next incarnation, the problem is not resolved by DAESH's demise. DAESH is a symptom.

[spidermike007]

This will only cause DAESH to contract. It does nothing to address the ideology nor the proxy funding that birthed DAESH. As long as DAESH enables the multi prong utility of threatening Assad, Iranian hegemony, and fracturing Iraq along sectarian lines DAESH will continue. When the day comes when DAESH is no longer needed, it will fold into other groups but no matter its next incarnation, the problem is not resolved by DAESH's demise. DAESH is a symptom.

A symptom otherwise known as blowback. We never had any business being in Iraq. It was stable while Saddam was in power. He did a far better job keeping maniacs like IS at bay than we are doing. We completely screwed up the balance of power by going in there. Cheney should have been tried for treason long ago, for pulling off this stunt, which is a blunder of historic proportions. You can debate Afghanistan all day long, as to the merits of that campaign. But, there is no debate on Iraq. It is a monumental mistake, and has turned into an epic disaster. All of that blood is on the hands of Tiny George II, and Dickless Cheney. Syria is another story altogether. Not sure what that answer is there. Assad has no business being alive. But, who do you replace him with?

[shirtless]

So these guys are hired guns , I wonder if they have a union.

Edited January 21, 2016 by shirtless

[Credo]

Perhaps they can pay their soldiers in Rubles.

[Transporter]

In the Uk when the government cut the overtime for the police to zero they decided to do as little as possible and even stood still watching whilst rioters burned their vans in Tottenham. Maybe the same will happen with ISIS.

[spidermike007]

Well, even with a lower salary, it is probably more than they were making previously, in the broken country they came from, and they still have rape, serial killing, plunder, and the ability to kidnap a nearly unlimited amount of virgins, and keep them as sex slaves. My guess, is that kind of power appeals to a certain percentage of teenage boys, and young men. If you can call them that. I prefer the term cockroach.

They have been indoctrinated to believe that what they are doing is not wrong. As long as the crime is committed against an "infidel" it is alright. They could not possibly be more wrong. We all know what they are doing is very wrong. The universe simply does not work like that. Let us hope they will not get away with these crimes. Sooner or later, all of these criminal thugs will have to face up to something, let us hope it is sooner rather than later. Once they commit these acts, they no longer have the right to breathe oxygen. Certain lines just cannot be crossed, in this world.

Edited January 21, 2016 by spidermike007

[jaidam]

They could start one of these online gofundme thingies that are all the rage these days. So long as there is internet in the UK's east midlands and north, they will be flush again in no time. ISIS are almost universally supported by UK muslims. Yes the % that admire IS is widely known, not worth another suspension for writing unpopular facts.

[Grouse]

They could start one of these online gofundme thingies that are all the rage these days. So long as there is internet in the UK's east midlands and north, they will be flush again in no time. ISIS are almost universally supported by UK muslims. Yes the % that admire IS is widely known, not worth another suspension for writing unpopular facts.

ISIS ALMOST UNIVERSALLY SUPPORTED BY UK MUSLIMS - Proof please. Or do you not mean financially?

[wabothai]

Soldiers of fortune, or soldiers of faith. Wait and see...

The cowards will lay down their weapons, lose their passports and apply for asylum in Europe. Wait and see...

[pedro01]

Well -that's probably enough to buy a 12 year old Yazidi girl or 2 each month, so they'll probably still he happy.

Probably enough left for the odd pleasure Goat or 2 too.

[dcpo]

They could start one of these online gofundme thingies that are all the rage these days. So long as there is internet in the UK's east midlands and north, they will be flush again in no time. ISIS are almost universally supported by UK muslims. Yes the % that admire IS is widely known, not worth another suspension for writing unpopular facts.

Bullshit. The Sun newspaper claimed 1 in 5 UK Muslims supported IS, which even taken as true is far from universal. Moreover, there's no reason to even believe it is true, because the poll they refer to didn't ask 'do you support IS?', but actually 'do you have some sympathy for Muslims who join fighters in Syria?' which is clearly a different question, because a: sympathy does not equal support, and b: many Muslims are fighting against IS in Syria. A poll by the same company who did the survey for the Sun asked the same question to non-Muslims in the UK and found that 13% of non-Muslims have 'some sympathy for fighters in Syria'. Do you believe 13% of non-Muslims on the UK support IS?

Interested people can read more about this here.

[NeverSure]

This will only cause DAESH to contract. It does nothing to address the ideology nor the proxy funding that birthed DAESH. As long as DAESH enables the multi prong utility of threatening Assad, Iranian hegemony, and fracturing Iraq along sectarian lines DAESH will continue. When the day comes when DAESH is no longer needed, it will fold into other groups but no matter its next incarnation, the problem is not resolved by DAESH's demise. DAESH is a symptom.

A symptom otherwise known as blowback. We never had any business being in Iraq. It was stable while Saddam was in power. He did a far better job keeping maniacs like IS at bay than we are doing. We completely screwed up the balance of power by going in there. Cheney should have been tried for treason long ago, for pulling off this stunt, which is a blunder of historic proportions. You can debate Afghanistan all day long, as to the merits of that campaign. But, there is no debate on Iraq. It is a monumental mistake, and has turned into an epic disaster. All of that blood is on the hands of Tiny George II, and Dickless Cheney. Syria is another story altogether. Not sure what that answer is there. Assad has no business being alive. But, who do you replace him with?

Uh, The UK provided 1/3 of the troops that invaded Iraq with the blessing of Tony Blair and Parliament.

I think you have very selective memory.

Cheers.

[spidermike007]

This will only cause DAESH to contract. It does nothing to address the ideology nor the proxy funding that birthed DAESH. As long as DAESH enables the multi prong utility of threatening Assad, Iranian hegemony, and fracturing Iraq along sectarian lines DAESH will continue. When the day comes when DAESH is no longer needed, it will fold into other groups but no matter its next incarnation, the problem is not resolved by DAESH's demise. DAESH is a symptom.

A symptom otherwise known as blowback. We never had any business being in Iraq. It was stable while Saddam was in power. He did a far better job keeping maniacs like IS at bay than we are doing. We completely screwed up the balance of power by going in there. Cheney should have been tried for treason long ago, for pulling off this stunt, which is a blunder of historic proportions. You can debate Afghanistan all day long, as to the merits of that campaign. But, there is no debate on Iraq. It is a monumental mistake, and has turned into an epic disaster. All of that blood is on the hands of Tiny George II, and Dickless Cheney. Syria is another story altogether. Not sure what that answer is there. Assad has no business being alive. But, who do you replace him with?

Uh, The UK provided 1/3 of the troops that invaded Iraq with the blessing of Tony Blair and Parliament.

I think you have very selective memory.

Cheers.

I never said, nor implied the US was solely responsible for the fiasco. They were able to recruit a few other willing participants. But, it is was Cheney, and Bush who instigated it, and were primarily responsible for this blunder which will no doubt go down in the history books, as one of the most idiotic war decisions made in recent memory.

[sebastion]

Amazing what Russia has managed to do in this short time. The U.S basically did nothing for years for what reasons we will never know.

I'm guessing money and influence in the region is all they were interested in.

[blazes]

This will only cause DAESH to contract. It does nothing to address the ideology nor the proxy funding that birthed DAESH. As long as DAESH enables the multi prong utility of threatening Assad, Iranian hegemony, and fracturing Iraq along sectarian lines DAESH will continue. When the day comes when DAESH is no longer needed, it will fold into other groups but no matter its next incarnation, the problem is not resolved by DAESH's demise. DAESH is a symptom.

A symptom otherwise known as blowback. We never had any business being in Iraq. It was stable while Saddam was in power. He did a far better job keeping maniacs like IS at bay than we are doing. We completely screwed up the balance of power by going in there. Cheney should have been tried for treason long ago, for pulling off this stunt, which is a blunder of historic proportions. You can debate Afghanistan all day long, as to the merits of that campaign. But, there is no debate on Iraq. It is a monumental mistake, and has turned into an epic disaster. All of that blood is on the hands of Tiny George II, and Dickless Cheney. Syria is another story altogether. Not sure what that answer is there. Assad has no business being alive. But, who do you replace him with?

Don't forget Tony Blair and all the other British criminals.

[Scott]

An off-topic post has been removed. This thread is about ISIL's cash crunch.

[arjunadawn]

This will only cause DAESH to contract. It does nothing to address the ideology nor the proxy funding that birthed DAESH. As long as DAESH enables the multi prong utility of threatening Assad, Iranian hegemony, and fracturing Iraq along sectarian lines DAESH will continue. When the day comes when DAESH is no longer needed, it will fold into other groups but no matter its next incarnation, the problem is not resolved by DAESH's demise. DAESH is a symptom.

A symptom otherwise known as blowback. We never had any business being in Iraq. It was stable while Saddam was in power. He did a far better job keeping maniacs like IS at bay than we are doing. We completely screwed up the balance of power by going in there. Cheney should have been tried for treason long ago, for pulling off this stunt, which is a blunder of historic proportions. You can debate Afghanistan all day long, as to the merits of that campaign. But, there is no debate on Iraq. It is a monumental mistake, and has turned into an epic disaster. All of that blood is on the hands of Tiny George II, and Dickless Cheney. Syria is another story altogether. Not sure what that answer is there. Assad has no business being alive. But, who do you replace him with?

It could be called blowback from the US meddling and fomenting revolution and insurgency and then their child became our Frankenstein. But the symptom is the manifestation of their faith; this is my meaning above. DAESH's appearance is no different than boko haram, ansar islam, jamiah islamiya, abu sayaf, ad infinitum. That is because they are a symptom of an underlying disease- the underlying ideology.

Your last 4 sentences reveal the conundrum that Bush/Obama made worse by creating an insurgency against Assad- DAESH.

Afghan/Iraq are interrelated, not exclusive. They are both part of the String of Pearls theory to encircle Iran. But then I believe the entire premise for being in both places is fraudulent.

[Lex Talionis]

Amazing what Russia has managed to do in this short time. The U.S basically did nothing for years for what reasons we will never know.

I'm guessing money and influence in the region is all they were interested in.

Puten doesn't give a damn what the Middle East looks like after the war is over as long as his man Assad is in power and their naval base is secure.

Obama on the other hand – much to his credit – has always had his eyes focused on the survivability of these countries after the war. Up till now reluctant to destroy infrastructure, he has now become more aggressive as the ISIS threat has expanded back to the home country. The pressure politics of an election year has also aided in that process.