Why does President Obama say "ISIL" instead of "ISIS"?

“The Levant” read on:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islamic_State_of_Iraq_and_the_Levant

Our Prime Minister says ISIL as well, and wonder why.

Sorry for the bad link. Will fix.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islamic_State_of_Iraq_and_the_Levant

http://www.ibtimes.com/isil-isis-islamic-state-daesh-whats-difference-2187131

They don’t like Daesh, so we should call them by that name, and not give them the legitimacy of a “state”.

Fluther

I agree with @Inara27 that we should all call them Daesh, and refuse them legitimacy of a “state”.

Well, the problem is Daesh stands for: “Dawlat al-Islamiyah f’al-Iraq wa al-Sham,” which translates to “Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant.” So, just because it’s not in English doesn’t mean that it doesn’t mean “state.” …”..doesn’t meant that it doesn’t mean…..?” I wish GailCalled were here.

Snake or serpent, babe or broad. No one is confused as to what or who we’re talking about. Given the choice, I should prefer the universal adoption of the most derisive and degrading name for the bunch as can be devised.

George W always mispronounced Sadam just to disrespect him. Maybe this is the same thing.

Dubya had truckloads of vocal mishaps uncharacteristic to a man born in Connecticut. Not only the propensity to rhyme Sadam with madam, but the charming and endearing reference to Eye rack always wafts pleasingly on the ear.

I prefer ISIL, because it doesn’t overlap with a name that already has mythological and historical connotations. Obviously, whatever we call them is dependent on translation, so we could make it pretty much anything we want. Lately, it seems like Daesh is gaining popularity, because it’s a borderline insult. But I don’t think anyone on either side cares very deeply what name they are called by.

@dappled_leaves “But I don’t think anyone on either side cares very deeply what name they are called by.”

Yes, I don’t think ISIS/ISIL/Daesh care much – but if giving them a different name could help avoid the rampant confusion concerning “Muslims” as opposed to “radicalized Muslims who will blow others up”, then I’m all for it.

@Dutchess Thanks, all this time I thought DAESH stood for Dumb Ass Expendable Shit Heads. I like my version best since they like to blow themselves up.

@Pandora

However that version could be confused for the U.S. military.

@longgone “if giving them a different name could help avoid the rampant confusion concerning “Muslims” as opposed to “radicalized Muslims who will blow others up”, then I’m all for it.”

I don’t think that is happening because we can’t get the terminology right. Nor do I think getting the terminology right will make that go away. Some people simply don’t empathize with people who don’t look like them.

Which is not to say that I don’t think people can be educated or have their minds changed; I just don’t think “Now let’s all find the perfect word!” is doing anything to help. If anything, it seems to make some people dig their heels in – look at the anecdote @Dutchess_III described in her details. The names are a distraction.

@Dutchess_III, that is one of the translations. But it also has some derogatory meanings or implications as well. I think they mentioned those versions in the link I posted.

@Inara27 ”...ISIS threatened “to cut the tongue of anyone who publicly used the acronym Daesh, instead of referring to the group by its full name,” the Associated Press wrote in September 2014.”

So, Daesh it should be.

https://www.freewordcentre.com/blog/2015/02/daesh-isis-media-alice-guthrie/

A informative read from a linguist and speaker of Arabic.

According to a friend of a Freemason, there is a branch of freemasonry called Daughters of ISIS, which is not affiliated with ISIS/ISIL.
Apparently, there has been some backlash towards these members due to the assumption of them being involved with ISIL. He was told that they approached government officials to request the name ISIS stop being used for this group.
I can’t find anything online about them personally requesting this change, but I did find this article on one of their websites pointing out this issue.
http://www.wheelerprofessional.com/desert2012/Daughters_Protective_Order.pdf

^^ Yeah, there’s a couple of very exclusive vacation hotels down here in the Caribbean, connected to a club for high-end couples and singles said to be known for their taste for BDSM, in this case, dominant women and submissive men. Club Isis. I think they should consider a name change for now.

ISIL is currently what they call themselves. The Islamic State, the global caliphate, is their end game, their aspiration. Once the world is rid of infidels, God will reward Islam with their former glory. They stated in their online e-mag, Dabiq, a couple of months ago that they will flog any of their members or associates who refer to them as ISIS in the future. That is now a name used exclusively by the evil “Crusaders” (us and every cherry-picking Muslim on earth). ISIL now has safe zones and control people and resources (oil, wheat, water) in areas of Yemen, Syria and Iraq.

About a year ago they tool back the city and surrounding area around Falluja and control much of the land “between the two holy rivers” (Tigris and Euphrates) and a lot of the country in west Iraq and in the north, Mosul and surrounding areas up to the Turkish border—Kurd country, lots and lots of oil there. They have northern Yemen, and the Raqqa valley in Syria and recently connected that to their western Iraqi province. They have significant presence in every Mediterranean north African country from Morocco to Egypt and along the Levant from the Sinai through Syria, except possibly Israel. They have good relations with Hamas and the Muslim Brotherhood.

Fighters are leaving other Islamic terrorist groups and joining up with ISIL—everybody likes a winner—and ISIL is forming alliances with other, larger, and equally vicious groups such as Boko Haram—which controls large areas of unstable countries in west Africa—in Chad, Niger, the Ivory Coast, Ghana, parts of Liberia and far north and east into the desert. So, now, it is more than than just the Levant and Iraq.

We can expect a name change soon.

Their possession of land beyond the Levant and the Middle east is no longer just an aspiration. They executed a citizen of the Peoples Republic of China the other day. The Chinese government has expressed the same sentiments as Putin did after the Russian airliner went down. They vow to hunt them to the ends of the earth to the last man. Every major power is after them, including much of Melanesia and Indonesia. Southeast Asia is not happy with them either.

Looks like we may have a real coalition. Sad that the only way the world can get together is in blood sport. If the citizens of the world could coalesce to bring an end to poverty, famine, disease, ignorance and the tyrants who make all that happen, maybe we wouldn’t all have to deal with insane thugs like ISIL.

Honestly, I say “ISIL” and not “ISIS” because “Isis” is a name that quite a few women have, and that would just suck.

Thank you for that synopsis @Espiritus_Corvus. You made so much clear to me.

@Espiritus_Corvus yeah it is sad that we can only really team up when it is a conflict involved, but then the ones at the very top tend to get even more wealthy when these things happen.
We bottom feeders look at the horrors and the evil these terrorists groups do and want them gone,the ones at the top will play along as well with of course we want them gone, now how many assault rifles, rocket launchers, and stinger missiles did you want with that order?

What I can assure you is happening, knowing what I know about politics, is that the people in charge of ISIS/ISIL are bickering amongst themselves, jockeying for position, and maneuvering and in-fighting.

@jca I agree but you will get that anywhere that isn’t a true democracy .

@dappled_leaves Yes, you may be right. I wish a name change could fix things – I’m not naive enough to believe that is the case, though.