| Author | Message | ||
     Aesquire |
aka Syria, Iraq & Caliphate Wars https://www.bostonglobe.com/opinion/2014/10/09/wor ds-matter-isis-war-use-daesh/V85GYEuasEEJgrUun0dMU P/story.html Muslim scholars around the world have denounced the group’s attempt to declare a caliphate. Egyptian Islamic theologian Yusuf al-Qaradawi published an open letter to Muslim scholars explaining, “A group simply announcing a caliphate is not enough to establish a caliphate.” The Syrian Sufi leader Muhammad al-Yacoubi called the group’s declaration “illegitimate” and that supporting it was “haram,” or forbidden. The term “Daesh” is strategically a better choice because it is still accurate in that it spells out the acronym of the group’s full Arabic name, al-Dawla al-Islamiya fi al-Iraq wa al-Sham. Yet, at the same time, “Daesh” can also be understood as a play on words — and an insult. Depending on how it is conjugated in Arabic, it can mean anything from “to trample down and crush” to “a bigot who imposes his view on others.” Already, the group has reportedly threatened to cut out the tongues of anyone who uses the term. Why do they care so much? The same reason the United States should. Language matters. With some 30,000 to 50,000 fighters, Daesh is a relatively small group, and propaganda is central to its growth strategy. Whether hijacking popular Twitter hashtags or using little known distribution channels to post videos to YouTube, their leadership knows that the war of words online is just as key to increasing its power and influence as the actual gruesome acts they commit on the ground. By using the militants’ preferred names, the US government implicitly gives them legitimacy. But referring to the group as Daesh doesn’t just withhold validity. It also might help the United States craft better policy. I personally have had severe misgivings about the "liberation" of Syria from it's murderous dictator, Assad. A number of reasons, not the least is that Syria is a Russian client state, and Russia needs the warm water port in the Mediterranean. I'm also not liking the apparent trend of Barack Obama to push to toss out secular governments, with the Muslim Brotherhood, AQ, Boko Haram, and now "ISIS"... all Islamist Fascist intolerant groups, filling the voids left by what seems to me ill advised policy. We have war stretching across the North of Africa through the Balkans. We have a Ukraine thread, and since there is little action being reported on that front, I figure the Iraq/Syria/Turkey/Egypt/Iran/Jordan etc. war in progress needs it's own thread. I consider the deliberate abandonment of Iraq to be a major crime against Humanity and a blot on the honor of the U.S. and Civilization. I tend to "blame" Barack Obama for these wars, and call them the Obama Wars, but he's not the only player, by a long shot. Iran, Russia, even China are deeply involved. ( Yes, Jimmie, George, Bill, & George had their parts to play in setting up the disaster in progress, but the decision to just let Daesh take large parts of Iraq is Barry's. ) Now, we have another campaign promise broken. http://www.defenseone.com/threats/2015/10/bye-bye- no-boots-ground-us-send-special-ops-troops-syria/1 23285/?oref=d-topstory Opinions? News? | ||
| Aesquire |
Since I tend to the Jacksonian in these matters, even a war I do not approve of should be done properly, quickly, with an eye towards not killing innocents, saving as many as possible, and getting it over as fast as possible. There is also the matter of the thousands of refugees swarming into Europe, and being shipped over here. A lot of military age men, either fleeing being drafted into the Daesh War, or spreading it further seem to be a large percentage of the refugees. https://www.rt.com/news/320192-soros-orban-hungary -usa/ http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2015/10/refugee-deat hs-spur-criticism-europe-ineptness-151030101046617 .html And there is a growing area of the planet that must be dealt with with intelligence and reason, to figure out how to handle the local warlords. http://www.defenseone.com/ideas/2015/10/dont-call- warlord-territory-ungoverned-space/123244/?oref=d- river | ||
| Aesquire |
Very clever immigration map. "The line chart displays the total rate of asylum seekers over time. Hover over the chart to move the map in time." http://www.takepart.com/article/2015/10/28/map-tha t-shows-how-huge-europes-refugee-crisis-really-is Happy All Hallows Eve. | ||
| Hootowl |
"Although the migration from Syria has dominated the news, with 20 million refugees in the world—and another 30 million displaced within their own countries—it’s clear that people are fleeing | ||
| Aesquire |
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2015/10/3 1/russian-plane-crash-egypt/74934010/ or http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3297871/Ru ssian-passenger-plane-220-tourists-board-missing-E gypt-Fears-aircraft-crashed-Sinai-desert.html This could be anything from crappy Russian maintenance to Daesh attack with stolen weapons to Russian Provocation propaganda. Wouldn't be the first time the Russians were involved with shooting down an airliner, or that an airliner shoot down was used as a rationalization for war, or that ( Iran ) an airliner was sent to be destroyed for propaganda reasons. I just have no idea which, if not all, apply here. Prayers for the victims. | ||
| Aesquire |
http://www.infowars.com/german-schools-abolish-chr istian-festival-to-avoid-offending-muslim-migrants / I have doubts about this website but the news matches other sources. Will there be Christmas this year in Germany? | ||
| Alfau |
When Muhammed died 14 centuries ago, the Muslim world needed someone to take the prophet's place. "The caliphate was the leadership of Islam after the death of Muhammad the prophet of Islam," explained Islamic expert Moshe Sharon. The last caliphate was located in Istanbul, Turkey. For 400 years, Istanbul and the Topkapi Palace was the political center of the Muslim world. From there, the Turkish sultans ruled the Ottoman Empire as caliphs from 1517 until the empire fell after World War I. But in 1924, the Turkish leader Attaturk abolished the caliphate. Since then, many Muslims have dreamed of its return. http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2011/October/Arab -Spring-Feeding-Push-for-Islamic-Caliphate/ | ||
| Aesquire |
Nice summation. Credit to Attaturk for being one of the greatest leaders of the 20th century. His work is being methodically demolished by the new King in Constantinople. ( he's built a very nice fortress/castle/presidential pad ) | ||
| Aesquire |
https://ca.news.yahoo.com/iran-wont-cooperate-unit ed-states-khamenei-aide-state-142247001.html Seems perfectly rational. Iran is an ally of Russia, and Assad, and plans to own Iraq. Why on Earth should they cooperate with Barry? No upside for them at all. | ||
| Aesquire |
http://www.nationalreview.com/article/426542/isis- christians-middle-east-holy-war A Call to Crusade. Expect more. But not soon from the Pope. http://www.nationalreview.com/article/420194/pope- francis-condemns-arms-makers-christians-persecuted We live in an era of Christian persecution not seen since the Roman Empire. Christians face systematic beheadings, church burnings, slavery, religious cleansing, and, if they don’t flee fast enough, genocide. In the face of these realities, the Church’s plea for peace rings hollow. When the pope called for peace in the Middle East in his Christmas address, the only nations likely to heed his call were the very nations most well-positioned to defend the innocent and helpless members of the Body of Christ. The jihadists and Islamic radicals persecuting them care not for the pope’s words. Indeed, they are only too eager take advantage of moral doubt and confusion among their opponents. The days are long past when the pope or any other Christian leader could speak the word and cause the Christian world to take up arms. But that’s not to say that Christian leaders, or Christians in general, lack influence. All too often they use their influence to support a naïve but culturally popular yearning for peace and sometimes cultivate the destructive belief that Christians are in part responsible for the current wave of jihad. Guilt-ridden over sins committed in the thousand-year war that ultimately saved Christendom from expansionist Islam, we seem incapable of calling for courage and resistance, if courage and resistance mean taking up arms. Instead, all too many shake their heads at the mere thought of religiously motivated conflict, embarrassed by, for example, Chris Kyle’s cross tattoo in American Sniper — way too “Crusader-y” for modern tastes. Do I want a Holy War? Heck no. We are in one today though. You can deny it all the way to the time they rape your children to death in front of you, unless you decide earlier to be a slave. Which, btw, doesn't prevent your children's murder at all. In fact, expect to pay your Tax for not being Muslim by them taking any daughters to be raped for the Glory of the Jihadi. Don't believe me? It's happening today. And spreading. | ||
| Alfau |
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| Aesquire |
Great photoshop.... Inspirational....  http://www.express.co.uk/news/world/617832/British -extremists-jet-bomb-accents-Sharm-El-Sheikh-Egypt http://news.yahoo.com/suspicions-bomb-behind-plane -crash-grow-chaos-egyptian-174712057--finance.html | ||
| Alfau |
Now that we have established that your a d_ick... STFU. | ||
| Reepicheep |
Military forces can be used or misused, but to claim they have no relation to liberty is just stupid. Particularly for an Australian, who would probably be under Imperial Japanese rule today, were it not for ships full of American soldiers that shipped out past that very statue. I'm not trying to hold a 70 year old war over anyone's head or preening over America's role in it. And Canadians, English, and Australians were critical to winning it as well. I'm just saying it was either stupid to use that picture to mock us (if that was your intent), or stupid to attack us for not being offended by it (if that was your intent). But maybe there is a third scenario I am not seeing. | ||
| Ducbsa |
This is a good book http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/204501.The_Ghos t_Mountain_Boys on the sacrifices made by US and Australian troops in New Guinea to save Australia. It mentions a veteran of the campaign who had Guadalcanal Marines acknowledge that it was tougher than the 'canal. Maybe your response above could be self-directed. | ||
| Hootowl |
"But maybe there is a third scenario I am not seeing." Read his posts over the last several years and the issue will become clear. | ||
| Aesquire |
Without the unsinkable aircraft carrier that was the British Isles, the U.S. would have had a very hard time fighting in Europe. D day would have been impossible. Otoh, without U.S. aid and the arsenal of liberty, the invasion of Europe would have been in Wales & Bristol To free England from the Nazis. What decade France would have been freed? And without the U.S. tooling up to aid Europe, it is conceivable that German would be the official language east of the Rockies. Australia served as the unsinkable base in the Pacific and you can carry the above scenario through to San Francisco being the Japanese capital on the west coast. Ditto, since the bulk of Aussie armed forces were committed in Africa, Sydney's opera house would look quite different and Kabuki the common style of play, not Andrew Lloyd Webber. World conquering evil is just as alive today. Western civilization with all it's flaws the target. Denial just makes you a victim and a collaborator. If Alfau prefers others to judge and penalize him for his faith, that is his business. Stockholm syndrome is very common with leftists and pacifists. News media types already are aware that they can blame Christians and patriots with no fear but actually speaking the truth about obedient Islam gets you murdered. Rationalization & cowardice. | ||
| Reepicheep |
At what point did I suggest Australia wasn't critical to winning the war that kept Australia free? My point was that it appears that an Australian was either mocking the USA for having a military, or mocking people in the USA for not feeling mocked when somebody points out we have a military. The freedom part of it came in because it was the statue of liberty bearing arms. Which, by God, it had too, otherwise it would have long ago been melted down and turned into a giant bust of Hitler. | ||
| Ducbsa |
Reepi, my post was a reply to Alfau, not you. | ||
| Aesquire |
Reep, I don't have a single complaint with your post. Well thought out and spoken. Here, here.  But apparently my praise for the photoshopped picture was a sign of phallic self worth.  | ||
| Reepicheep |
My bad, apologies for jumping to conclusions. And I love the A10, even if I do think it is ugly. | ||
| Hootowl |
Sometimes, as with dogs and airplanes, ugly is endearing. | ||
| Reepicheep |
As are titanium bathtub's. | ||
| Reepicheep |
And it makes Godzilla noises when it shoots. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tZQsXxeWxuo | ||
| Aesquire |
Also a big fan of the A-10, which the AF has decided to keep for a little longer.. Yeah! http://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2015 /11/us-air-forces-top-combat-general-says-a-10-ret irement-may-be-postponed/ IMHO they should take the oldest airframes and rebuild them as NightHog all weather attack planes. The A-10 has a tough time without air superiority so we still need fighters, but we also need a slow plane with loiter time and precision munitions. To survive in today's air defense environment, you need better electronics on the plane, and probably a second crewman. Or a remote trained Drone Pilot as second seater. In that case, just new avionics needs to be installed, while you IRAN the metal bits. Hopefully with no electronics made in China. | ||
| Aesquire |
http://www.express.co.uk/news/world/619227/Jihadi- John-ISIS-Vladimir-Putin-Russia-killed-airstrikes- Syria Interesting. Russia is taking credit for "Jihadi John's" killing.... in a round about way. And could be correct. | ||
| Aesquire |
http://www.cnn.com/2015/11/13/world/paris-shooting /index.html http://www.vocativ.com/news/250318/isis-supporters -celebrate-paris-attacks/ http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/f rance/11995227/Paris-shooting-Many-feared-dead-liv e.html Yes, let us pray for France. http://www.breitbart.com/video/2015/11/13/obama-is is-is-not-getting-stronger-we-have-contained-them/ Please assume a profanity filled comment. | ||
| Aesquire |
Hey, Alfau! Any comment on the multiple attacks in Paris? Your wisdom would be appreciated. A fresh perspective. Thank you. | ||
| Aesquire |
Npr Saturday morning cancelled regular programming and focused on Paris. & politics, reaching the conclusion that an experienced politician was needed to save us from ISIS. Hillary, naturally. 2 things struck me as I listened. Never heard the words "Muslim" "jihadi" "sharia" or "Islam". Was acutely aware that this organization cheerfully told fake jihadi that "others may be run by Jews, but not us" & agreed to push anti-jew and anti-American propaganda for the Muslim Brotherhood. ( one of Obama's favorite groups ) Just a coincidence that Obama bragged that ISIL was "contained" the day Paris was attacked by jihadi. No coincidence that Obama deliberately uses ISIL to insult Israel. | ||
| Aesquire |
http://www.nationalreview.com/article/426975/benja min-netanyahu-radical-islam-terrorism-medievalism? target=author&tid=897 “The core of the conflicts in the Middle East is the battle between modernity and early primitive medievalism,” Exactly so. |
