about Isis from one of the Arab world's most respected journalists

What you want to know about Isis -
I recommend Abdel-Bari Atwan. I heard him on the radio and on bookTV,

What I learned: Isis is a de facto state. It has cabinets and ministries. Its cars have their own licenses. They have their own currency, they trade with other nations, have customs department. The head of their media department was educated in a US university in ITT. They use bit coins. They are very sophisticated, understand how to use social media.

His book: "Islamic State:The Digital Caliphate."
"In his book, based on visits to the Turkish-Syrian border, online interviews with jihadists, and the access to leaders he enjoys as one of the Arab world’s most respected journalists, Atwan draws a convincing picture of the Islamic State as a well-run organization that combines bureaucratic efficiency and military expertise with a sophisticated use of information technology.
He was the editor-in-chief at the London-based daily al-Quds al-Arabi for twenty-five years and now edits the Rai al-Youm news website - the Arab world's first Huffington Post-style outlet."

http://www.nybooks.com/articles/archives/2015/jul/09/inside-islamic-state/