Islamic State kills Another US hostage

[Skashion]

I don't think you can negotiate with ISIS but it's important people recognise and tackle the political issues which leads to them being able to recruit new fighters until the end of time. The problem with the Middle East isn't that we haven't had enough violence. As long as there are political imbalances and injustices and people excluded from the political system, you will find people who will fight and will fight generation after generation. It happens the world over. It happened on our own shores not very long ago and was only solved by a power-sharing agreement. We've been fighting a war on terror for thirteen years, does Islamic extremism look weaker to you?

 

[paphos-mcfc]

I don't think you can negotiate with ISIS but it's important people recognise and tackle the political issues which leads to them being able to recruit new fighters until the end of time. The problem with the Middle East isn't that we haven't had enough violence. As long as there are political imbalances and injustices and people excluded from the political system, you will find people who will fight and will fight generation after generation. It happens the world over. It happened on our own shores not very long ago and was only solved by a power-sharing agreement. We've been fighting a war on terror for thirteen years, does Islamic extremism look weaker to you?

Personally mate, I think the beast has yet to be awoken.

I think their ultimate goal is to try and attack Israel.

 

[johnny on the spot]

Jon Snow is currently reporting that IS have just suffered a major defeat in Iraq in a joint op between the US, Shia Iran and Sunni Saudi Arabia.

If this is true, it's the weirdest team up in recent history.

Is there a link to any report on this? Can't find it anywhere

He was live on C4 News earlier. I had to rewind it to make sure I'd heard it right.

Related blog post:

Islamic State turning old enemies into new allies

I arrive back in Iran for the first time in a year to find extraordinary change in the air, on many fronts. By far the most intriguing and geo-politically important is the tender opening between historic foes – Saudi Arabia and Iran.

For months now people have been describing much of what is going on in Syria and Iraq, as a holy war. At its root – Sunni Saudi, versus Shia Iran. These two centres of Islamic practice have been bitter enemies for years.

The differences between the two faiths are too complex to go into here. But both share Mohammed, Islam’s founding prophet. Both share the Koran. It is what happened after the prophet’s death that divides them. Today, their two societies are markedly different. The far more numerous Sunnis dominate the Arab world. The Shias dominate Iran, and there are pockets of Shia belief in Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Bahrain, and even Saudi Arabia itself.

But amid the rise of, and widespread exhibition of the vile inhumanity of the Islamic State (IS) – filmed beheadings, the rape and mass removal of women to provide wives for IS fighters; the killings of Christians and minority Islamic faiths – suddenly there is change in this region.

Most remarkable has been the tender opening of dialogue between these two vast regional enemies – Iran and Saudi Arabia. This week Iran’s deputy foreign minister made a rare dash to the Saudi capital of Riyadh. This is on the very same day the Saudi King warned Britain that it was a live target for some kind of an attack by IS.

In this tender opening lies some hope that the seat of IS can be addressed in Syria. Both Iran and Saudi, on different sides – Iran pro-Assad, Saudi pro-rebel – have vast influence. The Russians, for all the tension over Ukraine, are involved, as are the Americans too. This sees the US airforce bombing IS in Iraq (though not yet in Syria) from the air, and Iranian-backed Shia militias fighting IS on the ground.

But it is to the regional powers the world is currently looking. Standing here in Tehran, it is pretty clear already that Iran sees the threat from IS, to the entire region, to be so grave as to necessitate dramatic changes that include some of the most improbable alliances that even this region has ever seen.

Follow @jonsnowc4 on Twitter

 

[kas_tippler]

They're a medieval religious cult, very nasty people although as a fighting force we've got nowt to worry about. Good at cutting people's head's off but actual warfare they're crap

 

[MCFCTrick]

They're a medieval religious cult, very nasty people although as a fighting force we've got nowt to worry about. Good at cutting people's head's off but actual warfare they're crap

They know that themselves .... that's why they fight from within.

 

[SWP's back]

Actually the original point was about ransoming hostages back from IS. You've conveniently missed that part out, was that because it didn't fit your little diatribe or because you think it's preferable to leave peacekeepers, aid workers, journalists and humanitarian doctors behind to be beheaded rather than hand over some cash?

Putting aside for on minute the argument that paying ransoms encourages more hostage taking (as this could be argued one way or the other), where do you think the millions paid in ransom fees goes to?

American, Russian, British, Chinese and French pockets to buy weapons. All 5 countries need to take a long hard fucking look at themselves tbh. But seeing as human life is priceless, I have no problem with paying ransoms.

No buddy. The cunts cutting peoples heads off and mutilating girls need to take a long hard look at themselves.

And paying ransoms will simply put many more lives at stake as it will encourage them. Maybe people should start engaging their free will and stop travelling to Syria and Iraq to report. I know I wouldn't go anywhere near there.

 

[SWP's back]

Jon Snow is currently reporting that IS have just suffered a major defeat in Iraq in a joint op between the US, Shia Iran and Sunni Saudi Arabia.

If this is true, it's the weirdest team up in recent history.

Very true.
But a very promising one...

 

[SWP's back]

[bigimg]http://cdn.meme.li/instances/300x300/54008755.jpg[/bigimg]

Excellent.

 

[Rosler1985]

It doesn't matter who armed them, who's helped them in the past or who needs to take a long look at themselves.

They need stopping now. Whether that means the Yanks, Brits, Saudis or Iranians going in it doesn't matter. They need fucking obliterating now. Time for talking later. Straight in, brute force, kill the cunts.

 

[mackenzie]

It doesn't matter who armed them, who's helped them in the past or who needs to take a long look at themselves.

They need stopping now. Whether that means the Yanks, Brits, Saudis or Iranians going in it doesn't matter. They need fucking obliterating now. Time for talking later. Straight in, brute force, kill the c**ts.

But wouldn't the West or whoever be then buying into what they ultimately want?
I understand your sentiments entirely but I think the answer lies in nullifying them, rather than allowing them to recruit by 'martyrdom.'
How that nullifying happens I have no idea. However, I know that I can't watch the footage of the beheadings because I would feel that I'm being sucked into what they want and, anyway, my curiosity (as dark as it usually is) has limits.