Islamic State kills Another US hostage

[BertTrautmann'sParachute]

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.

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That would be ironic. IS uniting Islam against itself. It'd probably hurt them more than bombing them back into the stone ages, even.

 

[foxy]

How classy, he's a fucking Aid Worker, what a bunch of scum bag this lot are. And why does the BBC insist on calling them IS? Why give them the satisfaction and insult the majority of innocent Muslims?

 

[SWP's back]

Just wasn't on the thread. You keep listening to your soundbites while your country sells weapons to every buyer in the middle east.
I'll worry about our soldiers and medics in the peace corps that go in and clean up the mess created by it.

Sorry where was I in agreement that we should sell weapons to every buyer in the Middle East ?

I just stated the case that ISIS are not for negotiating , they are jihadists and in there view fighting a holy war. You want us to just casually give this group of fanatics millions of dollars every time they shove a knife to an American head, correct ?

I don't give a fuck who they are, if people from my country, not the States are captive, I want them home with their families. I find it extremely hypocritical that the British and Americans trot out this "no negotiating with terrorists" line after arming the cunts in the first place. As for them using the money, you do realise it wouldn't be much use to them if the 5 countries I named would swallow their greed and obey the arms treaties they signed, don't you?

We didn't arm them.

 

[SWP's back]

Nice to see its going to kick off good style :

US Vows To 'Degrade And Destroy' Islamic State

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Barack Obama has vowed that justice will be done against the Islamic State after it beheaded a second American journalist.

The US President said America would "not be intimidated" by IS violence and promised to "degrade and destroy" its forces.

He spoke after a video was released apparently showing a masked IS militant killing US reporter Steven Sotloff - and warning that a British hostage will be next.

The 31-year-old, from Florida, is seen dressed in an orange jumpsuit in the video - titled A Second Message To America.

Mr Sotloff, who had worked for Time and Foreign Policy magazines, was forced to read out a statement before he was killed.

Intelligence officials believe the killer is the same British man who murdered journalist James Foley on video two weeks ago.

Sky News is not naming the British captive - who is shown kneeling at knifepoint - at the request of his family.

Earlier, the UK Government's emergency committee met to discuss the threat, with Prime Minister David Cameron saying Britain will not be "cowed" by "barbaric killers".

The US and UK have both said the video showing Mr Sotloff's murder is authentic.

Mr Sotloff's relatives said they were aware of "this horrific tragedy" and were "grieving privately".

Israel also revealed he had dual citizenship and it withheld the information to protect him.

Mr Obama told a news conference in Estonia: "We will not be intimidated. Their horrific acts only unite us as a country and stiffen our resolve to take the fight against these terrorists.

"Those who make the mistake of harming Americans will learn that we will not forget, our reach is long and that justice will be served."

Hours after the video emerged, Mr Obama authorised a State Department request for 350 extra US military troops to be stationed in Iraq.

The White House said the troops would "protect our diplomatic facilities and personnel in Baghdad".

Nato leaders are set to attend a two-day summit in Newport, Wales, on Thursday.

The group will discuss offering training support to the Iraqi military to combat IS fighters, according to Sky News sources.

For that read, special forces to do the job.

 

[SWP's back]

How classy, he's a fucking Aid Worker, what a bunch of scum bag this lot are. And why does the BBC insist on calling them IS? Why give them the satisfaction and insult the majority of innocent Muslims?

Ermmmm because that is their name?

 

[foxy]

How classy, he's a fucking Aid Worker, what a bunch of scum bag this lot are. And why does the BBC insist on calling them IS? Why give them the satisfaction and insult the majority of innocent Muslims?

Ermmmm because that is their name?

I've said it's their name but why give them the satisfaction? It's quite a controversial name? At least with other terrorist group names you aren't providing a derogatory image of a religious group. It's like labeling the Nazis "the greatest humans on earth" constantly or labelling Stockport County "the greatest football club on earth". Islam is a generic word and feel is being massively misused and is insulting to the Muslim population who have no affiliation with the 'IS'. It's almost as if the BBC recognises parts of Syria and Iraq as the ISIS in which it's giving them credit and massaging their horrid ego.

 

[aguero93:20]

Sorry where was I in agreement that we should sell weapons to every buyer in the Middle East ?

I just stated the case that ISIS are not for negotiating , they are jihadists and in there view fighting a holy war. You want us to just casually give this group of fanatics millions of dollars every time they shove a knife to an American head, correct ?

I don't give a fuck who they are, if people from my country, not the States are captive, I want them home with their families. I find it extremely hypocritical that the British and Americans trot out this "no negotiating with terrorists" line after arming the cunts in the first place. As for them using the money, you do realise it wouldn't be much use to them if the 5 countries I named would swallow their greed and obey the arms treaties they signed, don't you?

We didn't arm them.

The military allies that you invaded Iraq with and that came up with the "we don't negotiate with terrorists" line not only armed them but trained them.

 

[marco]

I don't give a fuck who they are, if people from my country, not the States are captive, I want them home with their families. I find it extremely hypocritical that the British and Americans trot out this "no negotiating with terrorists" line after arming the c**ts in the first place. As for them using the money, you do realise it wouldn't be much use to them if the 5 countries I named would swallow their greed and obey the arms treaties they signed, don't you?

We didn't arm them.

The military allies that you invaded Iraq with and that came up with the "we don't negotiate with terrorists" line not only armed them but trained them.

blame Al-Assad, most of the IS leaders were locked up in a Syrian jail just a few years ago when Assad's popularity in Syria was around 60/40 for, he was on a bit of a tightrope getting over run so he decided if he released those in jail then half of those in that 40% would start a new regime and then his oposition would be weakened by 50%, very cleaver tactics at the time but a possible backfire in the near future

 

[SWP's back]

How classy, he's a fucking Aid Worker, what a bunch of scum bag this lot are. And why does the BBC insist on calling them IS? Why give them the satisfaction and insult the majority of innocent Muslims?

Ermmmm because that is their name?

I've said it's their name but why give them the satisfaction? It's quite a controversial name? At least with other terrorist group names you aren't providing a derogatory image of a religious group. It's like labeling the Nazis "the greatest humans on earth" constantly or labelling Stockport County "the greatest football club on earth". Islam is a generic word and feel is being massively misused and is insulting to the Muslim population who have no affiliation with the 'IS'. It's almost as if the BBC recognises parts of Syria and Iraq as the ISIS in which it's giving them credit and massaging their horrid ego.

No we called the Nazis the Nazis as that was their name.

Should we not have referred to the IRA as the IRA as they didn't enjoy the support of all Irish people?

 

[SWP's back]

I don't give a fuck who they are, if people from my country, not the States are captive, I want them home with their families. I find it extremely hypocritical that the British and Americans trot out this "no negotiating with terrorists" line after arming the cunts in the first place. As for them using the money, you do realise it wouldn't be much use to them if the 5 countries I named would swallow their greed and obey the arms treaties they signed, don't you?

We didn't arm them.

The military allies that you invaded Iraq with and that came up with the "we don't negotiate with terrorists" line not only armed them but trained them.

Stop talking bollocks.

1) I have invaded no one.

2) no they most certainly didn't train them.

3) Qatar helped arm them.

4) their equipment is Russian.