The Disciples in Times Square

The ISIS Showdown at the Crossroads of the World

For the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, more commonly known as ISIS, the two week period from October 31st through November 13th, 2015, had been extraordinarily successful from a public relations point of view. It had both made an explicit ideological statement and would serve as a recruiting tool for faithful Muslims around the world. Not only had 396 people lost their lives in terrorist attacks, but those attacks had taken place both in the Middle East and in Western Europe. The message those attacks sent was unmistakable. We know who our enemies are, we can find them, and we can kill them. The first attack was against Metrojet Flight 9268 over Egypt's Sinai Peninsula on Saturday, October 31st, as it flew Russian vacationers home from Sharm al-Sheikh to St. Petersburg, Russia. All 224 on board were killed. The second attack was staged against Southern Beirut in Lebanon on Thursday, November 12th, where two explosive devices were set off and the death toll was 43. The third, and most dramatic, attack took place in Paris on the evening of Friday, November 13th. In total 129 persons were killed that night with 352 or more wounded, at least 99 of them critically.