IS Systematically Destroying Historic Sites

[abaris]

I suspect this isn't too different from the mentality behind the final solution; "shit the world is after us, we've got a few weeks left, what can we do to make an impact?"

That's exactly the wrong conclusion. First, their goal is to become martyrs for their cause, second, they want to reach the muslim world at large. And for that goal they need the West to engage in yet another Gung Ho operation with as much collateral damage as possible.