the middle east Thread

[SUTSS]

And most importantly, have a plan for after the military defeat. No good just defeating IS and then leaving a huge power vacuum like last time or we'll be back there again.

 

[Ebeneezer Goode]

There have been American boots on the grounds for ages. Just hundreds instead of thousands.

 

[Womble98]

I really do think an independent Kurdistan has to follow. They are the kind of people we should be backing. A progressive, democratic, group. Womens rights are very well respected there as well. They are the one group who has come out of this with any kind of credibility, and to add, many other minorities are right at home within Kurdistan such as Yazidis.

 

[Ebeneezer Goode]

BBC Breaking News ‏@BBCBreaking 9m9 minutes ago
Video emerges purporting to show beheading of 21 Egyptian Christians in Libya by Islamic State-linked militants http://bbc.in/1zX2FgU

 

[silkyman]

Fuck's sake.

 

[Ebeneezer Goode]

ISIS plans to invade Europe through Libya

 

[pontoonlew]

ISIS plans to invade Europe through Libya

Is it possible for a large group of people to be that deluded? Madness

 

[silkyman]

What are they going to ferry fighters over in?

And how are they going to get past europe's various naval strength if they did try?

Surely they'd come through Turkey?

 

[pontoonlew]

What are they going to ferry fighters over in?

And how are they going to get past europe's various naval strength if they did try?

Surely they'd come through Turkey?

I think they explored the Turkey route and realised there was no chance. They haven't even managed to get past the Kurds in the North never mind the Turks.

 

[Mustard]

I think 'invade' is a pretty shit term, 'infiltrate' would be more like it. Italy is really struggling to patrol it's own seas seeing as it's been forced to look out for Greece too thanks to the EU's incompetency in managing a joint border force to patrol the Mediterranean. With the amount of refugees coming in it's certainly plausible that terrorists will be amongst them.

 

[silkyman]

I think they explored the Turkey route and realised there was no chance. They haven't even managed to get past the Kurds in the North never mind the Turks.

In that case, how could they possibly think they could 'invade' Italy, or even make any headway beyond making landfall?

 

[silkyman]

I think 'invade' is a pretty shit term, 'infiltrate' would be more like it. Italy is really struggling to patrol it's own seas seeing as it's been forced to look out for Greece too thanks to the EU's incompetency in managing a joint border force to patrol the Mediterranean. With the amount of refugees coming in it's certainly plausible that terrorists will be amongst them.

They could do that anyway. That story was as if it was going to be a launch point for genuine assaults.

 

[Ebeneezer Goode]

In that case, how could they possibly think they could 'invade' Italy, or even make any headway beyond making landfall?

Because it happens all the time. Boatloads of immigrants are always crossing from Libya to Italy.

 

[silkyman]

What sort of number would be needed to actually make any inroads as an invading force?

And if it's already happening, the steally infiltration could hav been going on for years.

 

[Alty]

What sort of number would be needed to actually make any inroads as an invading force?

And if it's already happening, the steally infiltration could hav been going on for years.

More than they could ever muster. These barbarians are not a credible threat in Europe.

 

[pontoonlew]

Because it happens all the time. Boatloads of immigrants are always crossing from Libya to Italy.

Not with RPGS and AK-47s they're not.

 

[AFCB_Mark]

I hardly think IS fighters are going to try coming across to Italy in the same leaky old tiny boats that are a death warrant for 100s of migrants. Also the migrants don't cross armed with weapons and explosives.

So I think any IS would stick out like a sore thumb. It's a big area for a small force to patrol granted, and I'm sure it'll be beefed up if necessary.

 

[RavenBish]

It's cannabis, not religion. Apparently.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/a...ind-blowing-terror-threat-midst-cannabis.html

 

[spireite]

It's cannabis, not religion. Apparently.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/a...ind-blowing-terror-threat-midst-cannabis.html

he's a twat him

I always wondered how him and his brother got on

 

[silkyman]

There is a link between skunk and psychosis. I think it's fair to investigate if there could be correlation between heavy users and sudden violent crime.

 

[Ebeneezer Goode]

 

[Techno Natch]

There is a link between skunk and psychosis. I think it's fair to investigate if there could be correlation between heavy users and sudden violent crime.

Except the link is tenuous at best. Many psychoactive drugs, including alcohol can trigger psychosis in people, it doesn't mean that it will lead to people committing crimes like the one in that report.

Hysterical and unnecessary.

 

[silkyman]

It probably is in relation to the wider threat of radicalised Islamists, but as a seperate issue 'most common form of weed in the UK has link to psychotic episodes' certainly deserves a little more research. I know weed smokers like to use the 'it never ever hurt anyone' argument for legaliation, but I expect a lot of people claimed the links between fags and lung cancer were 'tenuous' in the early days.

But a matter for a different thread, really.

So. Jihadi John. Less than four years from perfectly normal, humble and gentle young programming graduate to main public figure of an international terrorist organisation.

It's almost aspirational.

 

[silkyman]

Well.. If are planning to take over the world for your religion, you don't want any artefacts of anyone else's lying around.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/wor...0-years-Buddhas-fall-to-Taliban-dynamite.html

 

[Techno Natch]

It probably is in relation to the wider threat of radicalised Islamists, but as a seperate issue 'most common form of weed in the UK has link to psychotic episodes' certainly deserves a little more research. I know weed smokers like to use the 'it never ever hurt anyone' argument for legaliation, but I expect a lot of people claimed the links between fags and lung cancer were 'tenuous' in the early days.

But a matter for a different thread, really.

So. Jihadi John. Less than four years from perfectly normal, humble and gentle young programming graduate to main public figure of an international terrorist organisation.

It's almost aspirational.

Yes but to link it to a terrorist is a extreme example and completely unfounded.

The Skunk that is linked to psycosis is a extremly potent form of Cannabis. This cannabis was born from the unregulated market and a drive to get the "strongest weed" many smokers would prefer to smoke
more mild forms but it's not really avaliable
now like in Amsterdam where you have a wide choice avaliable.

It is really important research as it has identified that strong strains of cannabis can contribute to psycosis.

However It would be the same as doing a study on people that drink 8% lager every day and get health problems. Of course they do its common sense.. If anything the report highlights the need for proper regulation.

Anyone that uses the "it never hurt anyone" argument is silly because all drugs are dangerous and they are needlessly more dangerous due to prohibition.

As you said though something for another thread. I do need to make a drug policy thread.

 

[Ebeneezer Goode]

I honestly think destroying those artefacts annoys me more than the killings. Obviously from an ethical point of view you have to value the life over the sculpture, but it's just that they're not only robbing everyone in the world of something, they're robbing everyone that will ever live too.

 

[sl1k]

 

[SUTSS]

As usual with Russell Brand there is a core of truth but he misses several points and doesn't offer any real solution.

First off, his use of figures is very disingenuous. To compare the numbers of Americans killed by terrorism to the number globally killed by global warming is a clear nonsense. Now I've no doubt there are more killed by the effects of climate change than terrorism but not to the extent he is suggesting. The real figures also show that both climate change and terrorism kill more people in poorer areas of the world so that point is moot.

Secondly, he seems to be suggesting that because climate change is a larger problem that terrorism that we should ignore terrorism and focus on climate change. This is quite clearly nonsense. Whilst we are not paying nearly enough attention to the global problems of climate change that doesn't mean that terrorism suddenly doesn't become an issue. On a slight tangent it surprises me that the anti-immigration right aren't more concerned with the effects on climate change with it being a huge, and ever increasing, push factor for immigrants.

Thirdly, he is removing all blame from the radical preachers that are taking advantage of this situation. Yes, the famine in Syria definitely played a part in the unrest that has followed. People are unlikely to cause much of a fuss when everything is rosy. But there is a huge gap between trying to take down a tyrannical dictator and beheading anyone who doesn't follow your particular interpretation of your religion. One does not excuse the other like Brand suggests. It also has nothing to do with the amount of non-Syrians getting involved.

We do need to address issues that make people look for an alternative but we can't excuse an alternative that is as horrific as Islamism. There needs to be a stronger liberal argument against Islamism alongside dealing with issues of climate change, alienation, exploitation and other factors.

 

[silkyman]

"Secondly, he seems to be suggesting that because climate change is a larger problem that terrorism that we should ignore terrorism and focus on climate change."

See also 'why don't they get on with curing cancer' whenever some 'science' is announced that doesn't have an obvious immediate use.

 

[Ebeneezer Goode]

He talks a lot of shit to be honest. You should watch his video where he defends his deism. He starts parroting intelligent design rhetoric, some the most infantile forms of it too.

DA CHANCES OF CONDITIONS BEING JUST RIGHT HERP DERP...