ISIS's most recent act of barbarism, the burning of the Jordanian pilot Moadh al-Kasasbeh, and the release of its appalling video, once again illustrates how the group keeps upgrading its inhumanity. The Jordanians rightly reacted with fury and have sworn revenge. What can be done immediately is to hit ISIS hard. But the long-term prospect requires a broader strategy and must address the problem of failed states and weak governments.ISIS and similar terrorist organizations such as al-Qaida and Boko Haram are thriving because they are taking advantage of the civil war in Syria, and the weak government structures in Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Nigeria, Mali, Somalia and Yemen. There is no denying the fact that social grievances, economic woes, tribal ties or radical ideologies play a role in the rise of violent extremist groups. Such factors could be present in any society with varying degrees of intensity. But they become lethal and endemic when they find a political and security vacuum that they can manipulate. Failed states and weak governing bodies create huge security vacuums where terrorist groups spread like a wildfire. As I stated before, a failed state is usually defined as one that is unable to provide security and basic services to its citizens. The absence of a strong central authority creates acute problems not only for the citizens of that country but also for its neighbors. The danger that war, failed states and security vacuums pose to the regional and global order is multiplied with the globalization of local problems. The absence of functioning government institutions paves the way for disorder, illegality and terrorism.ISIS is making full use of the civil war in Syria, internecine fighting in Yemen and Libya, weak government structure in Iraq and lack of central authority in places such as Afghanistan, Nigeria and Mali. If the problem of failed states and weak governments is not addressed, no amount of air bombardment or anti-ISIS statements and religious fatwas will be sufficient to stop the advance of ISIS.In the meantime, ISIS is developing new capabilities. By killing Muslims and non-Muslims, Arabs, Kurds, Yezidis as well as Westerners, Sunni and Shia, journalists as well as ordinary citizens, ISIS captures the attention of different countries and communities around the world. All of this is done with a particular strategy in mind: keep the attention of the world media and prepare for the next act.A key strategy ISIS uses is to move into areas where there is virtually no state authority and no security structure. In Syria, ISIS's work was facilitated by the Assad regime that supported ISIS to weaken and divide the Free Syrian Army. The failure of the international community to train and equip the Free Syrian Army played to the hands of both the Assad regime and ISIS. While the world media focused on the barbaric acts of beheadings, burnings and summary executions, the Assad regime allowed ISIS advances in the northern Syrian territories to weaken the anti-regime forces. The result is the advance of ISIS not only in Syria but also in Iraq, where it controls about one third of Iraqi territories.With the rise of ISIS, the Asad regime has not become a lesser security threat for the Syrian people and the neighboring countries. The carnage and chaos it causes serves as a breeding ground for violent extremism in the region. Furthermore, ISIS is using the weapons it captured in Iraq and Syria in its current barbarism. It is manipulating the security vacuum in Iraq and Syria to its advantage by even selling oil to the Syrian regime. One cannot help but ask: why is ISIS not putting up a serious fight against the Assad regime? Why is it not advancing, for instance, towards Damascus, the regime's capital and stronghold? The Asad regime uses ISIS to divide and weaken the moderate Syrian opposition.ISIS is also an effective instrument in the propaganda war where ISIStarget="_blank"'>