Who Am I?
If Daesh is truly losing the war and losing control of their territory, then those guys now have a strong need to go somewhere, and find a new patron. That said, Daesh still has a lot of territory yet. The arent going to jump ship now, but it's something to watch for.
"We learn from history that we do not learn from history."
Beware the Crazy Man.
Yeah they'll go. But chaos is itself a patron.
Final Fantasy, Foreign Policy, and Bollywood. Helluva combo, that...
Anka Aquila
Just being secular is not enough, fanatism is not limited to religion.
Although Marq has a point, that doesn't mean ideas can't be vanquished:You disprove them and attack their roots with the only weapon that you have left, the truth.
To destroy Daesh there has to be a firm opposition from the very heart of Islam, even if that means they would have to make a council or an organisation to interpret and lay the fundaments of what is legal and what is not in Islam.
Instead of focusing on relatives that divide us, maybe we should try to find the absolutes that tie us.
The Cosmopolitan Fictioneer
All I meant to say is that you cannot wipe out an idea just by shooting its current believers to death; killing them won't stop like-minded individuals from adopting their beliefs and acting upon them in the same way.
Fiat iustitia, et pereat mundus.
A procrastination in of itself
They might be willing to cut a deal but even if the US now was (it certainly wasn't before, remember the US is the one to put these guys out in the cold to begin with), the US isn't in charge any more, the Iraqi goverment is, and they don't seem willing to made deals with anyone.
"And the Bunny nails it!" ~ Gabrael "If the UN can get through a day without everyone strangling everyone else so can we." ~ Cyran
I made my own avatar
And now, news bits.
Police Arrest Suspected Terrorists in Spain: https://www.stratfor.com/situation-report/spain-police-arrest-suspected-members-jihadist-groups
The suspects, who provided logistical support for terrorist activities in Iraq and Syria, were held in raids in the cities of Valencia and Alicante and in Spain's North African enclave of Ceuta.
Four of those arrested are Spanish nationals of Jordanian, Moroccan and Syrian origin. Another two are Syrian and Moroccan citizens. The authorities did not provide details about the seventh suspect, as the investigation is still ongoing. The arrests come as European nations remain vigilant after the terrorist attacks in Paris.
First part of Tunisian barrier along the border with Libya has been completed: https://www.stratfor.com/situation-report/tunisia-first-part-barrier-along-libyan-border-complete
The defenses were announced last summer after gunmen killed 38 people outside a popular tourist hotel in Sousse. Tunisia's defense minister said the second phase of the project would involve installing electronic equipment with the help of Germany and the United States. Libya is beset by instability and Islamic State militants control the Libyan city of Sirte.
UAE leaders prepare to send troops into Syria: https://www.stratfor.com/situation-report/uae-leaders-prepared-send-troops-syria-minister-says
The comments come after Saudi Arabia said it is ready to deploy ground forces if leaders of the U.S.-led international coalition fighting the Islamic State call for it. However, the Syrian government has said it would resist any ground incursion into its territory.
Man, everybody's going to Syria.
Anybody want space lobsters?
A procrastination in of itself
I swear to god, if everybody fucks up my Syria assignment by invading I'm gonna be pissed. I need a good grade.
"And the Bunny nails it!" ~ Gabrael "If the UN can get through a day without everyone strangling everyone else so can we." ~ Cyran
How close are UAE and Saudi Arabia in terms of foreign relations?
Anka Aquila
![[up]](https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/smiles/arrow_up.png "[up]"){kind=icon}
I find some irony that there are now limes in the former province of Africa Proconsularis.
As far as I know, they don't have the tense atmosphere that other muslim countries have with each other.
Instead of focusing on relatives that divide us, maybe we should try to find the absolutes that tie us.
Beware the Crazy Man.
Fairly close. UAE joined Saudia's war in Yemen and are probably the second most active foreign power in that fight apart from Saudia itself.
I'm worried that the UAE said that though. If it had been just Saudi Arabia, I'd just say it was idle talk, given how extended they are with just Yemen, but if the UAE involves itself as well, along with the mercenaries they've been hiring for Yemen, the conflict in Syria is going to somehow get even worse than it already is.
Final Fantasy, Foreign Policy, and Bollywood. Helluva combo, that...
A procrastination in of itself
Pretty close, remember, the Gulf minus Yeman isn't super far from possibly one day unifying into a federal state, they're all pretty close with each other, the Gulf Cooperation Council is a pretty strong organisation when it comes to unifying the Gulf.
edited 7th Feb '16 8:09:58 PM by Silasw
"And the Bunny nails it!" ~ Gabrael "If the UN can get through a day without everyone strangling everyone else so can we." ~ Cyran
I'd count Oman out of that state as well.
Politics is the skilled use of blunt objects.
Beware the Crazy Man.
Indeed.
A procrastination in of itself
I'm gonna shift over to the Middle East thread for a more in depth reply and discussion.
And post is up, quick note for this thread, the UAE is close to the Saudis, the UAE was the only GCC member to also send ground troops into Bahrain in 2011.
edited 8th Feb '16 1:28:42 AM by Silasw
"And the Bunny nails it!" ~ Gabrael "If the UN can get through a day without everyone strangling everyone else so can we." ~ Cyran
V
The BBC: London teenager in court on terrorism charge
The 19-year-old student is accused of preparing to commit acts of terrorism on or before 5 February. At Westminster Magistrates' Court Mr Jama, who is Finnish, spoke only to confirm his name and address. District Judge Robin McPhee told Mr Jama he would be remanded in custody to appear at the Old Bailey on 19 February.
Daily Telegraph: London is not only UK city at risk of terrorist attack, expert warns
Chris Phillips, former head of the National Counter Terrorism Security Office, said police forces in the rest of the UK should also be given additional financial support to enable them to protect their cities.
"It does concern me a little bit that we are focusing so much on London whereas we know that the terrorist threat is actually worldwide and UK-wide," he told BBC Radio 4's Today Programme. "The Home Office needs to rethink how they are divving out the money for police forces.
"It is the terrorist who decides where they are going to attack. We have seen individuals who are terrrorists living in other parts of the country and they could just as easily decide to attack Bristol or Portsmouth as London.
"We need to understand that we do need to support for the constabularies around the country that have cities to protect. Those forces need the same level if support from the Home Office that the Met's getting today."
Indeed. I've long thought that if terrorists want to create terror, that an attack on an ordinary, medium-sized town would create that effect. Somewhere not so important. Perhaps not even in the middle of that town. Or perhaps one of the many utility pipelines or electricity pylons that cross the country.
It will increase the number of firearms officers by up to a third amid fears that terrorists could carry out a Paris-style marauding gun attack in the capital. West Midlands Police are also urgently recruiting extra armed officers because of the terrorist threat.
Home Office figures show that most British police forces have lost substantial numbers of firearms-trained officers since 2008. The largest reduction is in Warwickshire, which saw a 47 per cent drop. As the number of armed officers rises, there were also calls for police to have greater legal protections and support.
Ken Marsh, chairman of the Metropolitan Police Federation, said: "They need to know that when they are making that split second decision (to shoot), that they have an honest-held belief in what they are doing, that they are going to be represented, they are going to be backed up and they are going to be taken care off. We need to see that recognised across all spectrums that are out there."
The BBC: Dublin weigh-in murder: Continuity IRA claims murder of David Byrne
Irish police said they were "keeping an open mind in relation to the criminal groups involved". Three of the gunmen wore police-style SWAT team uniforms and were armed with AK47 assault rifles. The police also said at least six people were involved in the attack at a weigh-in for a boxing match.
It came ahead of a Clash of the Clans boxing bout between Dubliner Jamie Kavanagh and Portuguese boxer Antonio Joao Bento. The World Boxing Organization (WBO) European lightweight title fight was due to take place on Saturday night.
The man who died was David Byrne, 33, from Raleigh Square in Crumlin in the south of the city.
In a statement to the BBC, a man claiming to speak on behalf of the leadership of the Continuity IRA said its members were responsible.
The Cosmopolitan Fictioneer
RE Saudi Arabia and UAE: Do not confuse common interests for friendliness. AFAIK, the UAE is not keen on becoming subordinate to Saudi hegemony like with Bahrain.
Fiat iustitia, et pereat mundus.
Canada will suspend its bombing campaign in Iraq and Syria on the 22nd, while tripling its training mission.
Politics is the skilled use of blunt objects.
Field Marshal of Cracked
oh great, the fucking IRA are back
advancing the front into TV Tropes
Causing freakouts over sourcing since 2018
I don't think people claiming to be them ever went away to begin with.
edited 8th Feb '16 1:01:19 PM by Krieger22
I have disagreed with her a lot, but comparing her to republicans and propagandists of dictatorships is really low. - An idiot
A suitable case for treatment
As long as Northern Ireland remains with England, I don't think the IRA will ever completely vanish.
Look upon my privilege ye mighty and despair.
Blowout soon fellow Stalker
Which IRA?
Oh really when?
I made my own avatar
Explosion in Riyadh Claimed by Daesh: https://www.stratfor.com/situation-report/saudi-arabia-explosion-riyadh-claimed-islamic-state
Good thing nobody got hurt.
Anybody want space lobsters?
Field Marshal of Cracked
the ones that deals drugs and is now shooting up its competition
Blowout soon fellow Stalker
That's not narrowing the list any.
Oh really when?
I fixed my comment. Being secular can mean a lot of things. If these guys didn't surrender when the US could have cut them a deal and stuck to it, they aren't going to when the US has less leverage in Iraq.
Final Fantasy, Foreign Policy, and Bollywood. Helluva combo, that...