Introduction
The claim that the United States created or armed ISIS (the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria) is one of the most persistent and explosive narratives in global conspiracy culture. According to this theory, ISIS was not a spontaneous Islamist uprising, but a covert tool of Western intelligence—deployed to destabilize rivals, control oil, or justify endless war. What evidence exists, and how did this idea become so widespread?
Origins
Whispers of US involvement began during the early years of the Syrian Civil War, as American arms intended for “moderate rebels” wound up in ISIS hands. WikiLeaks cables, State Department leaks, and the chaos of shifting alliances further muddied the waters. Politicians and pundits from Russia to Iran to America’s own alt-media ran with the accusation—sometimes as genuine warning, sometimes as propaganda.
The Theory and Its Variants
- Armed by Proxy: US and coalition weapons “lost” in Iraq and Syria are seized by ISIS, intentionally or through “negligence.”
- False Flag: The US “created” ISIS to sow chaos, justify military intervention, or topple Assad in Syria.
- Deep State: Rogue elements within intelligence agencies orchestrated ISIS’s rise for their own clandestine goals.
Key Examples
- 2014: US-supplied Humvees and weapons captured by ISIS after the fall of Mosul.
- Allegations by former DIA chief Michael Flynn, who claimed the US “turned a blind eye” to ISIS’s emergence.
- Endless online documentation of weapons serial numbers, suspicious funding flows, and testimony from defectors or journalists.
Critical Analysis
Most mainstream analysts blame ISIS’s rise on regional chaos, sectarian strife, and failed interventions—but the “US Funds ISIS” theory remains potent, especially as proof that in modern war, the line between friend and foe is always blurred. The fog of geopolitics breeds both real scandal and endless room for conspiracy.
Influential Literature: Pro & Contra
- Michael Weiss & Hassan Hassan – “ISIS: Inside the Army of Terror” – Regan Arts, 2016.
- Joby Warrick – “Black Flags: The Rise of ISIS” – Anchor, 2016.
- Youssef Aboul-Enein – “Ally or My Enemy: America and ISIS” – St. Martin’s, 2017.