This is just a random thought. I just wondered if more capable people may comment on this:
Can we construct a simple model using only 2 variables (yes, many other variable are relevant; the whole point is, can we still make a good guess based on just these two):
1. Strength of affiliation of Muslim population with Sunni classcial shariah (determined by polling results?)
2. Strength of state security institutions (determines by ??)
This model to predict whether a serious ISIS threat is coming to country X in the near future.
e.g. Malaysian Muslims are very strongly in favor of classical Sunni Shariah. But Malaysia is also a strong state, with effective institutions of law enforcement, intelligence, internal security, what have you. So, maybe not a serious ISIS threat. In the short term.
Azeri Muslims do not have a very strong Shariahist affiliation. Also pretty strong state security institutions. So low threat.
Pakistan has strong shariah affiliation in the population, and areas where the state is very weak (and security institutions are compromised by infiltrators?), so a serious threat.
Bangladesh has moderately strong shariah affiliation, moderately weak security institutions. High risk or moderate risk?
Iran has no Sunnis to speak of, and strong institutions. So very low risk..
Egypt has strong shariah affiliation, and areas where the state is weak, so high risk?
Saudi Arabia has VERY strong shariah affiliation, but also strong security institutions. So risk is still lower than Egypt?
And so on.
Are there some other “two variable models” that do better?
Just a random thought (and yes, I put no numbers out there, so hardly a mathematical model. But can it be one??)
