ABSTRACT
This chapter deals with how the lack of learning the right lessons led to the failure and demise of the Islamic State (ISIS). The author argues that while the group showed an impressive ability to learn tactically and mount a military challenge on the battlefield, it failed to follow an appropriate sequence and consolidate its successes by combining micro-level experiences with macro-level knowledge. He contends that the group's defeat in Syria can at least in part be explained by ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi's insularity – that is, his lack of direct contact with and input from other organizations and the outside world. According to the author, this, along with the strict religious basis of the leadership's interpretation of reality, led to a lack of learning from history and other experiences, which in turn had an impact on alliance management, internal cohesion, military power, and information strategy, finally leading to the demise of the Islamic State’s territorial project.
