Quote Originally Posted by Bob's World View Post
The ideology has been there for 15 years, but now suddenly 20,000 pack up and go.

Is it so hard to accept that it is the mission that is the draw, and not the message?

I think Western egos can accept that so many have been brainwashed, but can't accept that so many see the Sunni-Shia competition for influence as so incredibly vital with clear eyes and mind.

We need to wake up and clear our own eyes and minds as to the nature of the problem.
Bob,

The estimated 20,000 that have gone to Iraq / Syria to join the fighting and possibly many to Daesh (ISIS) should be compared to the flow of foreign fighters to Afghanistan in the Soviet era and to Bosnia-Herzogovina afterwards. I cannot now recall any reliable numbers.

A swift search found an article by Thomas Hegghammer. He estimated 5-20k in Afghanistan (1980-1992) and 1-2k in Bosnia (1992-1995). Another paper refers to 3-5k in Bosnia. See:http://belfercenter.ksg.harvard.edu/...n_Fighters.pdf

Personally I think many went in the early part of the Syrian civil war to defend fellow Muslims from a violent tyranny. Anecdote here is that the UK government's contradictory stance over Libya acted as a factor.

Is it the message that motivates the aspiring fighters to go, but after arrival it is the mission?

I have yet to read a study that estimates how many are with Daesh and non-Daesh groups.