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Study: American ISIS Recruits Struggle with Inexperience, Culture Clash
(AFP) A study by the George Washington University Program on Extremism found that U.S. recruits to the Islamic State in Syria and Iraq struggled more than their European counterparts. "For many of the returnees, life in jihadist-held territory did not live up to their expectations. Living conditions were much harsher than they saw in the online magazines and videos, and the promises of companionship and camaraderie were rarely fulfilled. Instead, cultural clashes, bitter infighting, and suspicion among recruits and leadership abounded. Many of the Americans had little to no combat experience and were assigned duties such as cleaning safe houses, cooking, and caring for the sick and injured." The study examines the experience of 64 of the estimated 300 Americans who made their way to the Islamic State. That is a fraction of the 5,000-6,000 who traveled from Europe to join the fight.