Canada, Australia and New Zealand and the Islamic State

While Canada, Australia and New Zealand are politically and culturally similar because of their shared colonial heritage, they also share pertinent similarities specifically related to IS and their individual threat profiles. All three countries have had citizens depart for Syria or Iraq to fight with IS forces, and are home to support and facilitation networks of varying size and capability. Although each of the three countries attempts to cultivate its own image as a tolerant, open society that effectively integrates small but growing Muslim communities,1 IS presents a challenge to the long-standing allies’ abilities to maintain their pluralism and effectively address a new security environment featuring a common threat.