The other thread title is ridiculous. Iraq has not collapsed and if the poster had read the news he would know that ISIS is attempting to carve out an extremist Sunni Islam state from the the North of Syria into the North West of Iraq.
Believe what you will but anyone with a keen eye to investment would want to have a reasonably accurate understanding of Middle East developments.
Why is this important to you? Oil is one answer. Another is that a silly play by Turkey and Saudi Arabia to support these guys at one stage is blowing up in their face (and in our faces). ISIS must have been receiving significant materiel support from Saudi Arabia and elements within within Turkey to do what they have done. Supposing ISIS materiel support has dried up they would be in a now or never situation, thus the latest moves into Iraq. Putin's Ukraine strategy maybe a bit of a benchmark for ISIS ATM.
What will happen next? Well if ISIS succeed they will IMHO aim to bite the hand that fed them ... and seek regime change in Saudi Arabia. The split, leading to bullets flying between ISIS and the Al Qaeda linked Al Nusra Brigade in Syria is not surprising given Al Qaeda's stated aim of overthrowing the house of Saud. ISIS has its own agenda and probably needs the support of matybe 10-20% of the population in any area to hold control. Their fighters are from everywhere ... Albania, Azerbaijan, Kosovo, Egypt, Yemen ..... and all the way to Australia. They include Syrians and Iraqis.
So what can go wrong for ISIS? Peshmerga Kurdish troops from Northern Iraq for starters. Unlike the Iraqi regulars, these guys are a cohegent force and they know what they are doing. The Peshmerga have every ability to take out ISIS in Mosul for starters.
So there we have it. Kurdish and Turkish interests aligning with those of Iran and the US. That's as far as my crystal ball will take me.
