[rob777]

"This may be a dumb question, but what exactly is a caliphate?"



The "caliphate" is a supreme leader over a unified Islamic empire who combines the functions of Prophet, Priest and King. Muslems like Bin Laden view the loss of the caliphate as the primary reason for the downfal of classical Islamic civilization. The main goal of those who believe this is to re-establish a unified Islamic empire under the rule of a single caliphate. They see the western tradition, with its separation of political and religious authority, as their primary obstacle.

[Aquinasfan]

The "caliphate" is a supreme leader over a unified Islamic empire who combines the functions of Prophet, Priest and King. Muslims like Bin Laden view the loss of the caliphate as the primary reason for the downfal of classical Islamic civilization.

That dovetails with this:

In matters political Islam is a system of despotism at home and aggression abroad. The Prophet commanded absolute submission to the imâm. In no case was the sword to be raised against him. The rights of non-Moslem subjects are of the vaguest and most limited kind, and a religious war is a sacred duty whenever there is a chance of success against the "Infidel". Medieval and modern Mohammedan, especially Turkish, persecutions of both Jews and Christians are perhaps the best illustration of this fanatical religious and political spirit.

Mohammed and Mohammedanism
1911 Catholic Encyclopedia