We believe the Salafi’s, the Muslim Fundamentalists wish to reestablish a Caliphate in the Middle East. This also is ISIS’ goal, the goal of the Wahhabis of Saudi Arabia, and others in the Middle East.

The majority of the world’s Salafis are from Qatar, UAE and Saudi Arabia. 46.87% of Qataris and 44.8% of Emiratis are Salafis. 5.7% of Bahrainis are Salafis and 2.17% of Kuwaitis are Salafis.

Wahhabism (Arabic: ???????, Wahh?biyyah) or Wahhabi mission (Arabic: ?????? ?????????, al-Da’wa al-Wahh?biyyah ) is a religious movement or sect or form of Islam variously described as “orthodox”, “ultraconservative”, “austere”, “fundamentalist”, “puritanical” (or “puritan”),] describes an Islamic “reform movement” to restore “pure monotheistic worship”, or an “extremist pseudo-Sunni movement”. Adherents often object to the term Wahhabi or Wahhabism as derogatory, and prefer to be called Salafi or muwahhid.

The Salafi movement is thus has Saudi Arabia’s funds available.

We suspect ISIS and the Salafis are as inseparable as the is Tea Party from conservative money, with the same dogmatic attitude, and willingness to roll over anyone who stands in their way.

So let’s introduce some geography into the discussion. Do look at the maps, as they are key to understand the geography, which, coupled with the Saudi Money, and Turkish standing army (500,000) strong, would drive a Caliphate’s strategy.

On the map, pay attention to Turkey in the North, Syria South of Turkey, Iraq and Part of Jordan South of Syria and then Saudi Arabia and the various Gulf States.

Now let’s compare this with a map of the 1913 Ottoman Empire, The last great Muslim empire. Apart for the obvious empty quarter in the middle of Arabia, once can see the 1913 Ottoman Empire’s boundaries a good match for the initial boarders of a new Caliphate.

What about Turkey?

Turkey, although a secular republic since the end of the Ottoman Enpire is undergoing somewhat of a change with an Authoritarian, Radical Muslim-leaning, President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Googling “Erdogan Muslim Leanings” produces a list of web sites, including:

“Or is he presiding, as a growing number of observers fear, over an Islamist transformation of Turkey that would put it at odds with the West as it consolidates a “neo-Ottoman” regime?”

And

“Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey, chief of the Justice and Development Party, is reviving the role of an Ottoman Empire Caliph or Sultan.”

Which would then support the supposition that Erdogan also supports ISIS’ goals.

Erdogan is also on record that Assad of Syria must go. If one is to establish a caliphate, then Syria is a clear candidate for a province of the Caliphate, between Turkey and Saudi Arabia. All that needed to establish a complete land corridor is one piece of Jordan’s desert and one piece of Iraq’s desert. The initial Caliphate could include Anbar province from Iraq, and the piece of Jordanian desert would then not be necessary — At least initially.

ISIS is the sacrificial sword of the Caliphate, and with great reluctance, Turkey and Saudi Arabia would have to act jointly to “bring order” to the region, and sacrifice the radicals (dangerous-to-the-Caliphate radicals) of ISIS.

How to prevent such an outcome? Let’s take a look at a “projected” Kurdistan:

Forming a Kurdistan would scotch some of the Imperial Ambitions. Coupled with a Syria independent of Turkey & Saudi Arabia, the Caliphate would have some very interesting obstacles.

Palmerston: Great Powers have interests, not alliances.

What are the US’ interests?