ISIS' ill-gotten gains are estimated at less than $2 billion annually. Look how much havoc they've created in the world with that relatively small flow of funds. Now suppose they managed to capture Baghdad - what would that do for their finances? Well, until oil prices dipped Iraq was exporting $90 billion a year. So imagine ISIS with 40 times the budget it has now to underwrite global terrorism.
Does anyone (aside from fools like WTF) seriously think we can just ignore these bastards?
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Originally Posted by lustylad
Seems like I've seen numbers something on that order for ISIS. May not be very impressive for a state, but a helluva lot for a terrorist organization with an apocalyptic vision, to be sure. And, yes, it would be an unmitigated disaster if they seized Baghdad. Presumably, they could then enrich themselves sufficiently to make a go at purchasing nukes from the A. Q. Khan group. (I haven't read anything about that bunch lately; are they still out there somewhere?)
Or with that kind of loot, they might even succeed in doing a deal with North Korea.
Yes, let's just stick our heads in the sand and hope for the best!