IS makes strangest suggestion yet

John Cantlie is being held as a hostage of the Islamic State and has been tortured after trying to escape. Source: Supplied

Warning: Graphic Content.

ISLAMIC State hostage John Cantlie has raised the idea of a "truce" between the terrorist group and other nations for the first time in the latest issue of Dabiq magazine.

The British journalist, who has tried to escape the group before and was punished with torture, purportedly wrote an article claiming other nations are "going to have to face the Islamic State as a country, and even consider a truce."

It's the first time the terrorist organisation with an apocalyptic vision of the future has suggested a potential scenario for cooperation.

The article that appears under Mr Cantlie's byline suggests IS has grown so strong the US and allies have no option but to acknowledge it as a country in all but name.

"I am certainly no expert on such matters and my views are those of a layman, but generally one doesn't expect a mere "organisation" to lay siege to cities or have their own police force," it states.

"You certainly don't expect a mere "organisation" to have tanks and artillery pieces, an army of soldiers tens of thousands strong, and their own spy drones. And one certainly doesn't expect a mere "organisation" to have a mint with plans to produce their own currency, primary schools for the young, and a functioning court system."

"These, surely, are all hallmarks of (whisper it if you dare) a country ... Could the Islamic State, the Caliphate that was only announced in June, really be a country?

It goes on to quote US leaders who have spoken of surprise at the scale of the group, saying "at some point the only option left will be an offer of a truce."

"What's the alternative, launch air strikes in half-a dozen countries at once? They'll have to destroy half the region if that's the case."

Prof. Barton said Mr Cantile is in a "terrible situation" being forced to write for the official mouthpiece of the Islamic State. Source: Supplied

Monash University's Professor Greg Barton said it's the first time the group has proposed such a scenario and said there's "no doubt" Mr Cantlie wrote the article under duress. He said as with anything published in Dabiq, we can assume it comes "straight from the top of the Islamic State."

"When something comes out in Dabiq, it's right from the top of their official position" he said.

"The thinking behind it is very sophisticated, nothing is by accident."

While overall IS strategy has never been entirely clear, Prof. Barton said it's likely the message is designed to appeal to the general public rather than other countries and make the terrorist group seem more legitimate.

"It's not something we expected to see coming at this point, the idea of a truce and talking about it in these terms may be what they are hoping to achieve. It may be they want to sow the seeds of doubt among the general public. It's hard to say, it's the first time we're seeing this message."

"I don't believe the idea that is being floating is going to get any kind of crazy reception. It's not crazy talk, there is some kind of substance to this idea."

Iraqi security forces cheer after beating the Islamic State out of Tikrit in what is seen as a major strategic victory. Picture: AFP/AHMAD AL-RUBAYE Source: AFP

Prof. Barton said there may be a point when the "human cost" of the fighting becomes too great. Pictured, an Iraqi militia ban is wounded in battle. Picture: AP Photo/Khalid Mohammed. Source: AP

The article comes as Iraqi forces have achieved victory over IS by pushing them out of the strategic city of Tikrit, with some suggesting the timing is linked to military setbacks.

However Prof. Barton said we can't assume the same progress will continue in larger cities and it's more likely the idea is being floated as a way of appealing to sectors of the population who think the "human cost" of the war will become too great.

"Mosul is the second largest city in Iraq and the other large city is Raqqa in Syria. Those are homes to millions of people. All told there are probably about 8 million people under IS control."

"The reality is we might be able to take Tikrit but taking Mosul could take a very long time and come at a very high cost. It's interesting, clearly the Islamic State is flying a kite and seeing what response it gets to idea of a truce but at a certain point it might be decided to leave IS with a rump rather than going all out to eliminate it completely because eliminating it completely may come at a horrendous human cost."

"Above anything else it makes them look like they are a real state. It makes them look legitimate, that may well be the main purpose of this message."

Foundation for Defense of Democracies expert Daveed Gartenstein-Ross said the message is designed to undermine air strikes against IS by giving "credence" to anti-war voices in the west.

He told the Daily Beast: "ISIS is very attuned to the different audiences it wants to influence and fairly effective in how it does that, and here, I think, it is seeking to appeal to those in the West who have unease about the military action that is being undertaken taken with the aim of eroding the enemies' political will."

Although taking back Tikrit is a victory, Prof Barton said it doesn't necessarily mean Mosul will follow. Pictured, Iraqi security forces celebrate. Picture: Alaa Al-Marjani. Source: Reuters

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