Responding to the Islamic State's totalitarian anger

Islamic State leaders are convinced their organization’s sensationally barbaric execution videos serve two distinct but, from their calculated perspective, useful purposes.

Purpose one: The murder videos are recruiting ads. Islamic State leaders believe the videos visually demonstrate their undeterrable will to kill in order to secure and expand radical Islamist power. The videos apparently persuade young, alienated Muslim men. Best guesses indicate the Islamic State has attracted anywhere from 20,000 to 40,000 European, North American and Asian Islamist volunteers.