Islamic State Going Beyond it's Base; Beheading in Libya

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/16/world/middleeast/islamic-state-video-beheadings-of-21-egyptian-christians.html

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/15/world/middleeast/islamic-state-sprouting-limbs-beyond-mideast.html?ref=world&_r=0

Militant affiliates of the Islamic State can now be found not only in Syria and Iraq, but in Afghanistan, Algeria, Egypt, and Libya.  Officials also claim that there are “less formal pledges of support” in additional countries.  The United States has developed the mindset that we must continue follow these affiliates regardless of the state they emerge in.  Others are critical of this method.  This increase in followers has resulted due to the group declaring it a religious state in June 2014.  There is no evidence that the Islamic State has control over other countries, but their influence is evident.  This is seen as the Islamic State recently released a video of the beheadings of 21 Egyptian Christians in Libya.  This is the first time an official video of killings taking place outside of Syria of Iraq (Islamic State territory) has been released.

Marissa Holaway