Some seem baffled and or shocked by the raw ruthlessness of the Islamic State (aka ISIS, ISIL and Daesh) most recently foisted upon us by the video of the immolation — a euphemism for being burned alive — of a captive Jordanian pilot.

But, while hard to believe, there’s actually a method to this madness.

Fear

While it tries to portray itself as a caliphate (a Muslim state under sharia law), the Islamic State is first and foremost a terrorist group. As such, it seeks to “terrorize,” causing intense feelings of fear in its target audience...

Read the full article at the Heritage Foundation: There's a method to ISIS madness