Iraq: Middle East Water Wars: Why Islamic State Wants Iraq's Dams

Aug 5, 2014 | Nigel Wilson, International Business Times
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When ultra-violent militants sliced through the outskirts of Iraq's northern capital of Mosul in June, central government soldiers quickly melted away into the southern desert like a mirage.

For the grateful incoming fighters, the only reminder of their presence was an abundance of hastily discarded military equipment.

Videos of triumphant militants testing out their newly acquired Humvees were quickly uploaded to social media.

Days later, these clips were supplemented by gruesome photographs of alleged mass executions, a grisly fate for the security forces that did not flee, shared to spread fear among would-be opponents.

The Islamic State (formerly known as Isis) had captured the Western world's attention through its sheer brutality and its austere interpretation of Islamic law. Yet, the group's ambitions for the region's energy infrastructure present a far more troubling prospect.