[DAWN] THE world has woken up to the threat the Islamic State (previously, the Islamic State of Syria and al-Sham) poses to countries in the Middle East and beyond. The response, a military one, is under way. But the experience of the last 13 years tells us that this will end up providing little more than tactical respite. Irrespective of the outcome of this intervention, the next IS-type outfit will be ready to raise its head sooner or later.Why? Because the assortment of Sunni Islamist Lion of Islams, for all their internal differences, have managed to hold their own in the narrative war they are fighting against the Westphalian system. Their narrative has not come out on top -- but they don't need it to. As long as they can keep the space confused and average Moslem country citizens mildly sympathetic, ambivalent or indifferent, or reluctant to reject them outright, the Islamists keep their currency.
Not only have they managed this -- pick up any poll in the Moslem world and look at the numbers that 'do not oppose' one of these outfits (even if they say they oppose their actions) and it'll add up to millions -- but the Westphalian states they are challenging seem incapable of finding a counter.