In ISIS behaviour, the amateur psychologist in me sees quite a bit of pure psychopathy.
Not as is the coldly, calculated vicious side of what they have done.
Rather - that because psychopaths lack empathy, despite their intelligence, pure clinical psychopaths eventually miscalculate and get caught, or suffer the consequences of their actions.
They've miscalculated here I think.
Contrary to what some posters here think, I don't know if they're that clever really.
I think they just want a fight with the west - the mythical confrontation in Daesh so to speak.
I think we're crediting them with way too much strategic nous to assume that they have some masterplan of provoking us to come in, and kill Muslims as collateral damage in order to turn Muslims of the region against us.
If that was the plan, they wouldn't have committed such an egregious act of barbarism as burning someone alive - which will alienate moderates.
I think they're all a bit thick to be honest.