world

Video purports to show beheading of second U.S. journalist

98 Comments
By ZEINA KARAM

The requested article has expired, and is no longer available. Any related articles, and user comments are shown below.

© Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

©2024 GPlusMedia Inc.

98 Comments
Login to comment

My thoughts go out to this man, his family, and indeed all of the people around the world who are suffering at the hands of extremism. It takes many forms.

5 ( +6 / -1 )

One question should be, why are we there when Iraq has:

Branch: Air force

Size: Approximately 14,000 personnel (2013)]

Equipment: 418 aircraft

3 ( +6 / -3 )

@okinawamike

A big majority of that equipment is in the hands of ISIS. As the Iraqi army and police force ran, they left all that behind. So now the Jihadists have some very powerful and modern equipment.

-3 ( +3 / -6 )

I've found throughout my life that if I stay out of my neighbor's houses and off their property and don't kill any of them, they tend not to try to kill me. But hey, I'm not smart like politicians are.

1 ( +12 / -11 )

Islamic extremism is the worst man made evil since mid-20th century fascism. The West has eased up on it over the last five years. They will not stop committing these kinds of atrocities no matter what relationship other nations have with Muslim countries. President Obama has tried the good cop routine and it is not working. In fact, the threat has grown in response to his misguided world view and ideologically driven foreign policy.

Just because it's the 21st century that doesn't mean that basic human nature is any different than it was 75 years ago. Islamic radicals are telling the West it is at war. The West isn't listening again.

5 ( +11 / -6 )

I think the Middle East is better off with ruthless dictators to neutralize its radical extremists.

12 ( +15 / -3 )

I've found throughout my life that if I stay out of my neighbor's houses and off their property and don't kill any of them, they tend not to try to kill me. But hey, I'm not smart like politicians are.

Nor are you a military expert. Either you confront the enemy, destroy and defeat them or you allow them to grow and kill and behead more people, because they promised a Caliphate in the west and even if you don't have the stomach to fight, they do and will.

think the Middle East is better off with ruthless dictators to neutralize its radical extremists.

That's all pie in the sky now. Could've, would've, should've talk will not help this situation.

-10 ( +4 / -14 )

Wolfpack said

Islamic extremism is the worst man made evil since mid-20th century fascism. The West has eased up on it over the last five years. They will not stop committing these kinds of atrocities no matter what relationship other nations have with Muslim countries. President Obama has tried the good cop routine and it is not working. In fact, the threat has grown in response to his misguided world view and ideologically driven foreign policy. Just because it's the 21st century that doesn't mean that basic human nature is any different than it was 75 years ago. Islamic radicals are telling the West it is at war. The West isn't listening again. *And That is Just the Way it is !*****

-2 ( +3 / -5 )

Many wish to dwell Bass. Time to finally destroy this evil organization and other like it. The boko's finally were dealt a blow. Isis has no place in the modern world or anytime in history either.

5 ( +6 / -1 )

I say the US should just stay out of it. Let the Arab leaders finally learn to compromise and work together to fight them. Could be a win-win if they can learn to live with each other. They are not really a threat to the US yet, except for the oil and gas, which unfortunately, is what Obama has for brains

-4 ( +4 / -8 )

good Cop routine Mcgeee? hmm i remember Bergdahl- and so does Isis apparently-

there would not be any beheadings if the US had made the deal back several months ago - but now after we made a deal with Bergdahl for 5 Al-Queda leaders we are trying to go back to "the US does not negotiate with terrorists" routine- not working though....

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

For these guys I have to disagree FizzBit. Its a growing, wealthy organization similar to Nazi arianism. Any and all who don't fit are eliminated. 1933 was the start then. If it were only a regional issue I would agree. This became global in the last month with the executions and what nationals are in their ranks.

4 ( +6 / -2 )

@praack

good Cop routine Mcgeee?

That wasn't from Mr. Mcgeee..

There are around two dozen hostages in ISIL's possession. They ransom some hostages to fund their jihad. They behead other hostages to send a message to would be jihadi's and wealthy donor's to the cause. Money will not deter ISIS from their goals. Many, including the president of the US, share your misunderstanding of a group that even the perpetrators of 9/11 think are dangerous.

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

The Islamic State is on a roll, heads arolling and minorities are being exterminated, and Obama et al STILL want to support the Sunni jihadi rebels against Assad. It is infuriating and stunning at the same time.

0 ( +4 / -4 )

I say the US should just stay out of it. Let the Arab leaders finally learn to compromise and work together to fight them. Could be a win-win if they can learn to live with each other. They are not really a threat to the US yet, except for the oil and gas, which unfortunately, is what Obama has for brains.

Exactly, but the looney left will never and can never understand it. For some maddening reason, they think if you leave these people alone, they will somehow disappear or change their minds and call off their twisted Jihad and NOT come to our countries. When you have Saudi Arabia warning you of potential terror threats and you have even the British taking these threats seriously, you know something is seriously, seriously wrong. And once again, by popular demand.

http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/danhodges/100282799/we-may-not-like-it-but-we-need-america-to-be-the-worlds-policeman/

But if events of the past few months have shown us anything, it’s surely this. There is only one thing worse than the United States acting as the world’s policeman. And that’s the United States not acting as the world’s policeman. This week we marked the start of the First World War. For obvious reasons, few commentators described it as the war to end wars. But for a time there were hopes that the Great War would indeed prove to be the globe’s last major conflict. The League of Nations, established at the Paris peace conference, was supposed to be the guardian of that everlasting peace. But the League of Nations collapsed. The world was again plunged into war. And the US was again forced to come to the world’s aid. “The US cannot act as our policeman,” the world said in gratitude, once that conflagration was over. So the United Nations was established. And today the United Nations is now as effective at enforcing peace and the rule of law as the old, defunct League. We spend a huge amount of time in this country debating the failings of the European Union. But compared to the UN, the EU is a model of excellence in international governance. Forget Jean-Claude Juncker and Herman Van Rompuy. In the course of human history there cannot have been a more ludicrous or hapless-looking figure bestriding the world stage than Ban Ki-moon. “Leave it to Dag,” people used to say about the legendary Swedish secretary general, Dag Hammarskjold. Today few world leaders would so much as leave their washing up to Ban. The UN is no longer fit for purpose. In fact, the UN QUITE clearly no longer has any idea what its purpose is. The best that can be said for that benighted organisation is that it’s morphed into an extension of the Red Cross. At its worst it’s morphed into a poor man’s international ACAS.

Syria, Gaza, Nigeria, Libya, Iraq, Mali, Ukraine. The idea that the UN could have influence in any of these crisis zones would be laughable, if the events there weren’t so horrific. The ritualistic statements of support from Ban Ki-moon for the people of these regions have effectively become a death sentence. So we have a choice. Either the United States acts as the world’s policeman. Or the world has no policeman. And we want a policeman. When Boko Haram snatch our girls. Or Hamas launches its rockets, and Israel launches its response. Or Isis is on the march. At that moment we grab the phone and dial 911. And at the end of that phone is always the same tired, overworked, world-weary cop. Sometime the cop comes. At which point a crowd gathers, and people say “What are you doing here. This isn’t your neighbourhood, fascist pig!” Sometime the cop doesn’t come. At which point a crowd gathers to chant “Where the hell are you? People are dying! Don’t you care?” But whatever the cop does or doesn’t do, we still end up dialling 911.

And there you have it. Dan Hodges, NOT a conservative by any stretch of the means whatsoever, but his admission to what many Europeans or people in the world for that matter really think, but don't want and never want to admit is, he is totally right.

-3 ( +3 / -6 )

@bass4funkSEP. 03, 2014 - 08:36AM JST

Nor are you a military expert. Either you confront the enemy, destroy and defeat them or you allow them to grow and kill and behead more people, because they promised a Caliphate in the west and even if you don't have the stomach to fight, they do and will.

You aren't a military expert too. Besides, one need not be a "military expert" just to make valid conclusions.

@darnnameSEP. 03, 2014 - 08:15AM JST

I've found throughout my life that if I stay out of my neighbor's houses and off their property and don't kill any of them, they tend not to try to kill me. But hey, I'm not smart like politicians are.

Correct.

Everytime and everywhere Americans reap what they sow.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

Islamic extremism is the worst man made evil since mid-20th century fascism. The West has eased up on it over the last five years.

It's not that the west has eased up - everyone other than the extremists thinks that the extremists are a poison and need to be eliminated. But many people are recognizing that painting all Muslims with the same brush, that they are all extremists, does no one any favors, and is unacceptable discrimination. It's only the racists who equate this to easing up on the extremists. Everyone else recognizes that it's placing the blame on those who deserve it, and not on everyone.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

@bass4funk ”And we want a policeman. ” Whose we? Who calls 911? In Britain we call 999, and in Japan 110. Wait, Bass4funk is an American!? Policemen want policemen?! I don't want policemen.

2 ( +5 / -3 )

@Bass. Excellent popints, research and writing.

-3 ( +3 / -6 )

The UN must do something they must protect the oil! oops...i mean people!

6 ( +7 / -1 )

@bass4funkSEP. 03, 2014 - 09:26AM JST

There is only one thing worse than the United States acting as the world’s policeman. And that’s the United States not acting as the world’s policeman.

Just to add : self-proclaimed and rather crappy "world policeman". Osama bin Laden and Al Qaeda were and are direct results of U.S. foreign policy. A total mess in Iraq and ISIS are also direct result of U.S. asistance to rebels in Syria.

4 ( +5 / -1 )

But if events of the past few months have shown us anything, it’s surely this. There is only one thing worse than the United States acting as the world’s policeman. And that’s the United States not acting as the world’s policeman.

I was thinking that Obama should have an "Arab Summit" calling all of the Middle East leaders together for a good "Yes you can" speech about coordinating with each other, yes Sunni and Shia, and formulating an attack plan to get rid of these guys. Probably will never happen, but that's what I would do. Let them finally take some responsibility for themselves. Of course, in the big picture, the US won't do that because the "worlds policeman" as you call them are really "the worlds resource mercenaries". And they like being there, home economy be damed.

0 ( +3 / -3 )

It's only the racists who equate this to easing up on the extremists. Everyone else recognizes that it's placing the blame on those who deserve it, and not on everyone.

There it is, the racist card. Race has absolutely no part in this debate. The Muslims sit on the side lines while one extremist group after the other chops off heads in the name of religion . There is NO outcry from the world Muslims over these murders and the extremism. There are no Muslims on the WORLD STAGE decrying that this must stop. One can only surmise from the silence that they agree with the radicals and are unwilling to side against them.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

strangerland:

" It's not that the west has eased up - everyone other than the extremists thinks that the extremists are a poison and need to be eliminated. But many people are recognizing that painting all Muslims with the same brush, that they are all extremists, does no one any favors, and is unacceptable discrimination. "

This confused thinking is at the root of the West`s problem. In order to prove how nice we are and avoid discrimination at all costs, we are blanking out "islam" from islamic extremism, which in turn prevents us from doing anything meaningful. The excuse of "all muslims" is a red herring of course. Most muslims have not choice in being that, because under islamic law they are born as muslims and leaving the religion is impossible. It is like avoiding discussion about the Juche ideeology in order to avoid discriminating against "all North Koreans". Will we ever wake up? The radical islam practised in the Islamic State IS based on islamic teaching, and it IS an problem of islam.

" It's only the racists who equate this to easing up on the extremists. "

That is another favourite red herring. Islami is an ideology, not a race. The Chechen jihadis in Syria are lilly white, as are all the Western converts, some of whom are busy beheading American journalists. Can we stop falling for this silly "race" card already?

-1 ( +3 / -4 )

With poetic license and a hint of plagiarism... This poem applies...

First they came for the Christians, and I did not speak out— Because I was not a Christian. Then they came for the Jews and I did not speak out— Because I was not a Jew. Then they came for the Journalists, and I did not speak out— Because I was not a Journalist. Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me

-2 ( +2 / -4 )

I've found throughout my life that if I stay out of my neighbor's houses and off their property and don't kill any of them, they tend not to try to kill me.

The Yazidis and Christians did all that., but still got killed.

3 ( +5 / -2 )

Awful. Barbaric. Lesson to the US. and will likely result in greater US involvement. I see that 300+ more troops are going in.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

@night knight

You aren't a military expert too. Besides, one need not be a "military expert" just to make valid conclusions.

No, but I have been to Iraq and been in a combat zone for a brief period and I have seen death and destruction and what the enemy can do and what our military is capable of and what happens when you don't take the enemy seriously! So I DO have more experience to make a stronger analytical point on the issue.

Just to add : self-proclaimed and rather crappy "world policeman".

Crappy, bailed Europe twice out of 2 world wars, had Iraq with the surge under control, Japan and Germany are peaceful countries and to a huge extent, keeping China at bay from doing anything nutty. Personally, I wouldn't call that shabby at all.

Osama bin Laden and Al Qaeda were and are direct results of U.S. foreign policy.

OBL is dead and Al Qaeda was for the most part dismantled after the surge and Obama being the pacifist he is, allowed ISIS to grow for the last 4 years, he knew it, he was constantly briefed and yet, he did nothing! So you can make the argument that the US being disengaged from ME politics is having a devastating affect.

A total mess in Iraq and ISIS are also direct result of U.S. asistance to rebels in Syria.

So what you are saying, that ISIS is are NOT responsible for murdering and beheading people? None of these guys have a free will? NO one told these guys to cut off the heads of children or women or other Sunnis? That's all on them. That is like saying when you were a kid and got physically abused and you grow up and become an adult and an abuser yourself. If you got arrested and told the court and the jury because you were abused, you had to follow in your parents footsteps to continue and to perpetuate the cycle of abuse?? No one would buy it!

@stranger

It's not that the west has eased up - everyone other than the extremists thinks that the extremists are a poison and need to be eliminated.

Of course they should.

But many people are recognizing that painting all Muslims with the same brush, that they are all extremists, does no one any favors, and is unacceptable discrimination. It's only the racists who equate this to easing up on the extremists. Everyone else recognizes that it's placing the blame on those who deserve it, and not on everyone.

No one is saying that, but the problem is, the moderate Muslim community is NOT doing enough to condemn these vile ruthless murderers! That is the problem, so if the moderates want to change the perception of the that don't know anything about Islam, they have to speak out and ridicule these Islamists.

@timtak

”And we want a policeman. ” Whose we? Who calls 911? In Britain we call 999, and in Japan 110. Wait, Bass4funk is an American!? Policemen want policemen?! I don't want policemen.

Hey, I didn't write the article and maybe you don't want a policeman, but as Hodges was saying, with all this s*** that is going on, the world needs the US to take a more assertive role. That's a fact, whether we like it or not. This problem is not going away anytime soon.

-6 ( +1 / -7 )

@bass, the problem is about US playing the policeman for sometime and pretending it never was a policeman when the stuff hit the ceiling.

Iraq would not have been a mess if baby Bush and his coterie had not gone playing cowboys and injuns with the Iraqis.The 'Bring them on' and 'Mission Accomplished' were nothing more than fantasies of immature grown men wanting to play war.

I wish the Yazidis and Christians send a thank you note to baby Bush for their 'freedom'.

5 ( +6 / -1 )

Bass, you should have stayed a little longer... at least until your luck ran out.

-4 ( +1 / -5 )

No, but I have been to Iraq and been in a combat zone for a brief period and I have seen death and destruction and what the enemy can do and what our military is capable of and what happens when you don't take the enemy seriously! So I DO have more experience to make a stronger analytical point on the issue

Read: too deeply embedded in an psychoideological foxhole to offer any objective analysis.

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

Do not worry, Obama will soon send Holder and his criminal justice team to listen ISIS concerns. Dictators and extremists around the globe have gone wild since Obama revealed himself to the world that he lives in liberal bubble. As predicted, the world is becoming more troubles when America is weak.

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

the problem is about US playing the policeman for sometime and pretending it never was a policeman when the stuff hit the ceiling.

Nonsense

Iraq would not have been a mess if baby Bush and his coterie had not gone playing cowboys and injuns with the Iraqis.

Even worse, had Obama maintained a SOFA agreement, stuck close to Maliki and properly trained the Iraqi police and military, gave them more incentives and left a residual US presence force and NOT being so disengaged, then we wouldn't have an ISIS.

The 'Bring them on' and 'Mission Accomplished' were nothing more than fantasies of immature grown men wanting to play war.

And the Obama/Biden taking a bow for ending the war (which now is clearly evident, they didn't and we might have to go back in, which we slowly are to a degree) when it's quite the opposite. Funny, Obama never mentions that, wonder why?

I wish the Yazidis and Christians send a thank you note to baby Bush for their 'freedom'.

Sorry, Obama is the president, therefore the letter would go to the chief in charge, but you guys are funny, had Iraq been a complete success, you would have said the opposite. ROFL Typical.

-8 ( +0 / -8 )

Nonsense

Pretty insightful analysis.

stuck close to Maliki

The problem is they stuck too close to Maliki, he should have been kicked out long time ago.

properly trained the Iraqi police and military,

The Iraqis ran way, either out of fear or out of misplaced loyalties. What training do you think would have prevented that.?

Sorry, Obama is the president,

But, But Obama did not free them, Bush did. So they need to thank Bush for their ' freedom'.

had Iraq been a complete success,

Iraq would never have been a success, even partial one, people with sense realized that long long ago.

6 ( +7 / -1 )

Droll Quarry wrote...."There it is, the racist card. Race has absolutely no part in this debate. The Muslims sit on the side lines while one extremist group after the other chops off heads in the name of religion . There is NO outcry from the world Muslims over these murders and the extremism. There are no Muslims on the WORLD STAGE decrying that this must stop. One can only surmise from the silence that they agree with the radicals and are unwilling to side against them."

Totally agree. And if they don't step up en mass denouncing these nut jobs...things are going to get very ugly.... and deservedly so.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

@sense

Read: too deeply embedded in an psychoideological foxhole to offer any objective analysis.

Sorry, I keep forgetting, liberals have only a one-sided socialistic, skewed, analytical POV. My bad.

@ulysses

Pretty insightful analysis.

So you are saying Obama NOT working with Maliki and NOT establishing a SOFA agreement and Maliki cutting off the Sunni from all kinds of level of employment and isolating them didn't give rise to ISIS? Of course it did. But I keep forgetting, it's NEVER Obama's fault on anything, he's the perfect president incarnate and impervious from any negative thing. Obama is and shall always be perfect as the Sainted most honorable, humble, anointed one. ROFL

The problem is they stuck too close to Maliki, he should have been kicked out long time ago.

No, Obama didn't stick close enough to Maliki, even when he asked for a residual force to stay in Iraq when things were heating up. Maliki is an idiot and a Saddam in reverse, but Obama could have kept the communication going and yet, he didn't.

The Iraqis ran way, either out of fear or out of misplaced loyalties. What training do you think would have prevented that.?

The training wasn't long enough, not to mention the moral was way lower, Maliki fired all of the top generals who most were Sunni, they were loyal to the state, not an ideology, until Maliki screwed that up by firing the majority of the Sunni in his military and police force. Bitte and left with nothing, no employment, families to feed, this is how those seeds were planted. If the US forces had stayed where they should have, they could have given better training to the Iraqis, but that didn't happen as his majesty pulled all of our forces out and this is the result of it. In the US, we fought the British, we were poorly trained and still rose up to defeat the mightiest military in the world at that time. Anything is possible, you need to have moral and courage, having pride in their country and that takes time to foster, but they didn't have that kind of time.

But, But Obama did not free them, Bush did. So they need to thank Bush for their ' freedom'.

Yes, Obama freed them and as his successor, all Obama had to do was follow the recommendations that were given to him on how to make sure the peace lasts in Iraq. Obama did the opposite and 4 years later here we are, so the responsibility rests on Obama's shoulders. That is also the reason why you don't hear him or Biden bragging about they won the war. If they open their mouth it would be political suicide. Therefore, the letter most definitely go to Obama.

Iraq would never have been a success, even partial one, people with sense realized that long long ago.

Sorry, it was on its way to becoming stable after the surge. businesses were growing, people could walk out, life was coming back to normal and then Obama took over and changed everything.

-6 ( +0 / -6 )

To me the issue isn't what was done and what the West should now do. the issue is how people like this whpofess to be religious and all can act so barbarically.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Bass, your long and impassioned defences of US policy in the Middle East and its failings under Obama are, I am sure, heartfelt. but surely you cannot believe that the Middle East (and indeed the Maghreb) are better now (since the US upset the balance of power across the Arab world) than they were before the US invasion of Iraq? The your average Arab joe (Ahmed?) is happier and safer now than he was when Saddam was around and the middle East was run by despots?

2 ( +2 / -0 )

So you are saying Obama NOT working with Maliki and NOT establishing a SOFA agreement and Maliki cutting off the Sunni from all kinds of level of employment and isolating them didn't give rise to ISIS?

What does Obama working with Maliki involve? Should he ask the Seals to provide a bodyguard detail for him? Maliki is a sectarian thug who Obama tolerated for too long. So if Obama made a mistake it was sticking with Maliki.

The training wasn't long enough

Iraqis have been trained for close to 10 years now, how long more do you require them to be trained before they are fit to fight. The mistake was when Bush and cronies disbanded the military, got rid of all Baathists and tried to put together a rag tag bunch who ran away when they faced the first real challenge.

Yes, Obama freed them and as his successor,

They were already 'free' when Obama took over. 'Mission Accomplished' had been declared long before even Obama filed for his nomination. You might want to ignore facts, but they wont go away.

Sorry, it was on its way to becoming stable after the surge.

You are looking at Iraq the same way your hero did, from glasses colored by a barely there understanding of the land you are breaking up. Iraq was never stable, it was just a temporary period of less fighting. The society was already fractured and the various factions were regrouping.

The future for Iraq involves it being broken into Sunni, Shia and Kurd states.

The only country which would really benefit from this failed invasion is Iran, it has a new ally in the region where it had none 10 years ago.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

Sorry, I keep forgetting, liberals have only a one-sided socialistic, skewed, analytical POV. My bad.

no-one ever cured a disease by being an expert on the symptoms

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

AKBFan:

" I am sure, heartfelt. but surely you cannot believe that the Middle East (and indeed the Maghreb) are better now (since the US upset the balance of power across the Arab world) than they were before the US invasion of Iraq? "

No, but is CERTAINLY is not better now than before the US-bombing of Gaddafi in Libya, and the US support for Sunni radicals in Tunesia, Egypt, and Syria?

You can harp on the mistakes of Bush all day long, but it is Obama with his support for the Muslim Brotherhood across the Middle East who is responsible for the current disaster with ISIS.

You can bet your MSNBC subscription that with Gaddafi and Assad still in control, there would be no Islamic Caliphate in Syria and Iraq.

-2 ( +2 / -4 )

MSNBC? Who watches that c++p? Still think that the catalyst for all of the mess in the Middle East was the ousting of Saddam. the other stuff followed.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Obama with his support for the Muslim Brotherhood across the Middle East

So that's why he was so vocal in criticizing Egypt's coup d'état?

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

“I’m back, Obama, and I’m back because of your arrogant foreign policy toward the Islamic State ... despite our serious warnings,” the fighter says.

Uncomfortable truth is Obama supplied US made weapons to IS during Syrian Civil war. Now IS used US supplied weapons and murdering US civilians. During Afgan war, US supplied weapons to Afgan rebels who fought with USSR. Those rebels become the murderers of US citizens and Osama Bin Laden was the daring of US during Afgan war. Back stabbing has become the posionous snake. In fact Obama should support the Syrian government who is pro western.

Obama failed his people, duty and nation. No terrorist has directly threatened the President of US with blunt message. US is the Super Power armed with nuclear stock pile. Now barbaric terrorist is threatening the commander of chief as clown.

If Ronald Regan is the current president of states, that murderer will share the same cruel fate as his victim

While Obama is debating and playing golf, American journalists are losing head like silence of the lamb. If the founding fathers of 13 states are alive, they will be deeply offended by Obama and dysfunctional administration.

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

ZenpunSep. 03, 2014 - While Obama is debating and playing golf, American journalists are losing head like silence of the lamb. If the founding fathers of 13 states are alive, they will be deeply offended by Obama and dysfunctional administration.

It's George Bush who made the whole middle east such a mess that nobady could fix!

0 ( +2 / -2 )

@AKBfan

your long and impassioned defences of US policy in the Middle East and its failings under Obama are, I am sure, heartfelt. but surely you cannot believe that the Middle East (and indeed the Maghreb) are better now (since the US upset the balance of power across the Arab world) than they were before the US invasion of Iraq? The your average Arab joe (Ahmed?) is happier and safer now than he was when Saddam was around and the middle East was run by despots?

That can be argued, but to even think that with Saddam we were better off and the minorities under him, especially the Shia majority, they would say a very different thing. Don't forget his murderous butchering sons. Imagine what would have happened and how things would've turned out, had they gained the power.

@ulyssus

What does Obama working with Maliki involve? Should he ask the Seals to provide a bodyguard detail for him? Maliki is a sectarian thug who Obama tolerated for too long. So if Obama made a mistake it was sticking with Maliki.

So if Maliki is a thug, which I totally agree, then what does that make Obama???? Also, Obama owed it to the Iraqi people to finish what was started to have worked things out with Maliki, but unfortunately, Obama was too giddy to get out of Iraq, take the forces and didn't come close to listening to his senior advisors who were dead against it and advocated for a SLOW troop withdrawal and NOT all at once. And here we are because of the result of it.

Iraqis have been trained for close to 10 years now,

That's still not enough, the Iraqi military wasn't all that as a fighting force, to properly and thoroughly train them it can take longer than that. Especially, if you want to see lasting quality results.

how long more do you require them to be trained before they are fit to fight.

Until their moral was high enough to where they believed that had something good to fight for. that didn't happen in the end.

The mistake was when Bush and cronies disbanded the military, got rid of all Baathists and tried to put together a rag tag bunch who ran away when they faced the first real challenge.

Actually, NO. I live and grew up with many Christian Iraqis in L.A. and I heard quite the opposite, so it was a very good thing that we got rid of Saddam and his 2 thuggish and brutal sons. Again, if you want to fault Bush for going in, there is an argument that can be made, I was all for it, you may not, fine. But one thing is for sure, as passive as Obama is, we would never have been in this situation if Obama would have done the right thing instead of being disengaged and thinking without listening to the people that do this for a living, we would not be here on JT talking about this.

You are looking at Iraq the same way your hero did, from GLASSES colored by a barely there understanding of the land you are breaking up. Iraq was never stable, it was just a temporary period of less fighting. The society was already fractured and the various factions were regrouping.

No, I am looking at Iraq from a military strategic point of destroying and isolating the enemy, protecting our allies and our natural interests. But to your other point, yes, that is true, that was another reason as to why sooner or later, Saddam would have fallen, he was increasingly becoming more paranoid with the people surrounding him as well as everyone else outside, including Iran that wanted to take a piece out of him.

The FUTURE for Iraq involves it being broken into Sunni, Shia and Kurd states.

You might actually be right at this point.

The only country which would really benefit from this failed invasion is Iran, it has a new ally in the region where it had none 10 years ago.

Not a bad and unreasonable argument.

@sense

no-one ever cured a disease by being an expert on the symptoms

That would depend. I think the disease is, this WH is just hopelessly out of touch with radical Islam, terrorism and refuse to call it what it is. Unlike Cameron that defined it as such, Islamist, terrorists the symptoms: living in a bliss of denial.

So that's why he was so vocal in criticizing Egypt's coup d'état?

He criticized a lot of things and people. Assad and infamous Red Line stance, Russia, Iran and on and on, that's about as far as Obama's rhetoric will go sadly and unfortunately.

-5 ( +0 / -5 )

bass4funk is right. You can't just let these extremists take over. They're already in control of parts of Iraq, imposing sharia law and a 'caliphate' tax, which is something like $400 a month per household. If you don't convert to Islam, you die. I've seen footage of them driving around the streets spraying civilain cars with bullets - with people in them. Now we have the beheadings - in the 21st century. The hypocrisy of these religious nutters knows no bounds. "Intefere with us (murdering, raping & pillaging entire settlements) and the beheadings will continue". There's no reasoning with these animals.

They need to be wiped off the face of the earth. All of them. They need to be shown that the free world is NOT going to convert to Islam - and that's what is the basis of extremism.

My question is - where are all the other Islamic nations in this war? Where is their support? It's a peaceful religion, yes? Where is the outrage?

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

ISIS videos always show captives dressed in GITMO orange enemy-combatant boiler suits. GITMO orange is a Bush color which ISIS uses as symbolic way of conveying their message of a ruthless revenge for the U.S. led War On Terror which Bush misguidedly initiated in response to 9/11. No enemy combatants in Guantanamo; no special rendition by CIA; no targeted assassinations of politicians, political activists and scientists by the U.S. and Israel; no covert regime change policies in Iran, Iraq, Egypt; no NATO command air raids on Libya obliterating thousands of civilians just to put down one aging man (Muammar Gaddafi); no international complacency on questions of fast tracking Palestinian autonomy = No regional threat by ISIS. Blaming extremists and blaming Islam and blaming Obama just shows a willful denial and ignorance of historical causation and responsibility.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

You know why Mr Obama reluctant to strike hard? Because he is aware the situation in middle east might go beyond America's control and that will hinting the world USA is no more a leading role in global security. Mr Obama just do things without objectives and without a good ending, he just dont cares, he cares his own ONLY!

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

AKBFan:

" MSNBC? Who watches that c++p? Still think that the catalyst for all of the mess in the Middle East was the ousting of Saddam. the other stuff followed. "

No, the ousting of Saddam, for which there actually some good reasons (do you seriously support his genocide of the Kurds, the only people in the region who give shelter to Yazidis and Christians??) did not necessarily lead to this.

Yes, Bush messed up by sending in Bremer who disolved the Iraqi armee and allowed the Shias to establish their regime.

But it was Obama who destroyed the stable Gadaffi regime, tried to impose the Muslim Brotherhood on Egypt, and is trying to destroy the stable Assad regime.

How do some people manage to keep a gigantic blind spot on Obamas actions in this drama?

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

There is no outrage from most muslims because most muslims agree with ISIS. They follow the same religion and obey the same rules; they have nothing to fear from them.

In western cities around the world the knives are being sharpened. It won't be long now.

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

@bass4funk ... No, but I have been to Iraq and been in a combat zone for a brief period and I have seen death and destruction and what the enemy can do and what our military is capable of and what happens when you don't take the enemy seriously! So I DO have more experience to make a stronger analytical point on the issue

How you ever read "The Forever War" by Dexter Filkins, correspondent for the NY Times in Afghanistan and Iraq, embedded with US troop during the battle of Fallujah? Since he has more experience than you, in case of a difference, do his conclusions about the situation on the ground override yours? (I am not going to say "analytical points", because Dexter Filkins usually just describes facts and lets facts speak for themselves.)

2 ( +2 / -0 )

@horizon

ISIS videos always show captives dressed in GITMO orange enemy-combatant boiler suits. GITMO orange is a Bush color which ISIS uses as symbolic way of conveying their message of a ruthless revenge for the U.S. led War On Terror which Bush misguidedly initiated in response to 9/11.

Ruthless, so American troops in trying to dispose of Saddam called for a Caliphate a beheaded a bunch of Muslims and tried to impose Christianity on them, I see. ROFL

No enemy combatants in Guantanamo; no special rendition by CIA; no targeted assassinations of politicians, political activists and scientists by the U.S. and Israel; no covert regime change policies in Iran, Iraq, Egypt; no NATO command air raids on Libya obliterating thousands of civilians just to put down one aging man (Muammar Gaddafi); no international complacency on questions of fast tracking Palestinian autonomy

http://www.aei.org/article/foreign-and-defense-policy/international-organizations/terrorists-have-no-geneva-rights/

That should sum it all up.

No regional threat by ISIS.

No, no, no...of course not, they are beheading people, 2 within the last week, but No threat.

Blaming extremists and blaming Islam and blaming Obama just shows a willful denial and ignorance of historical causation and responsibility.

And liberals actually believe that BS when they say it! Wow!

-4 ( +1 / -5 )

This Muslim conflict which has gone on for centuries is all Obama's fault.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

horizon360:

" ISIS videos always show captives dressed in GITMO orange enemy-combatant boiler suits. GITMO orange is a Bush color which ISIS uses as symbolic way of conveying their message of a ruthless revenge for the U.S. led War On Terror which Bush misguidedly initiated "

...and the mass-murder of Yazidi men, and taking Yazidi women as sex slaves, that is also a response to Bush? What the heck do the Yazidis have to do with GWB?

" NATO command air raids on Libya obliterating thousands of civilians just to put down one aging man (Muammar Gaddafi) "

It was Sunni extremists, aka Al Quaeda, who fought and killed Gaddafi. Obama and Cameron played airforce for them. If anything, should ISIS not be grateful for that?

" blaming Islam and blaming Obama just shows a willful denial and ignorance of historical causation and responsibility. "

ISIS proudly refers to Koranic verses, has Allah on its flag, calls itself the the Islamic state, implements Shariah, and invites muslims from all over the world to join them. And all that has nothing to do with Islam?

Dare I say your arguments are a wee bit confused?

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

It's time to change the rules of engagement when dealing with monsters like this. No holds barred... destroy them utterly. No prisoners... totally wipe them off the face of the planet. Big talk yes yesy yes... but we really do need to rethink how we combat people who want to die so aren't afraid to carry out suicidal attacks.

Maybe let the Israelis at them?

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Thunderbird2:

" Maybe let the Israelis at them? "

Is that a sick joke? Israel is busy enough defending itself. It has neither the appetite nor the ressources to chase jihadis across the Syiran and and Iraqi deserts. Besides, that would be the moment, you´d see the entire islamic world unite behind ISIS.

In the event, Assad could deal with them quite nicely if we let him. Start supporting Assad instead of the jihadis, and put pressure on the Saudis and Qataris to do the same. Not rocket science, really. But our politicians have painted themselves into a corner with their previous bone-headed policies.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

WiiiiiiiiBi agree with much of what you say. however a little disingenuous to critiscise Saddam for his atrocities but call Assad regime stable (they also committed plenty atrocities in the era of Assad Dad) and Gaddafi stable (wouldn't like to be an outsider in his regime and he also did plenty of evil in the black states of the Sahel).

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Not a sick joke at all... as much as I dislike the Isrealis political stance re Palestine, they are very good at swift armoured warfare in open country... perhaps the best in the world. It's either that or arm and train the local forces to exterminate IS, with armoured and aerial back up. Only way to destroy IS is to be as ruthless as they are.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

@craighicks

How you ever read "The Forever War" by Dexter Filkins, correspondent for the NY Times in Afghanistan and Iraq, embedded with US troop during the battle of Fallujah? Since he has more experience than you, in case of a difference, do his conclusions about the situation on the ground override yours? (I am not going to say "analytical points", because Dexter Filkins usually just describes facts and lets facts speak for themselves.)

I know him, read a lot of his reporting, he definitely has more of a liberal slant, nothing wrong with it, that's one point of view, but having been to Iraq myself and I admit, I was there for a short time, but the carnage was nevertheless incredibly insane. I personally, followed and was very interested in David Petraeus The Insurgents. Great read, great General. I have had a lot of respect for him and how he executed and mangage to get Iraq back when the coalition forces almost lost everything. So if I want to take or analyze analytical points, I'll do it from someone's point of view that was in the thick of it all and knows combat up close.

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

bass4funk:

No, no, no...of course not, they are beheading people, 2 within the last week, but No threat.

Thanks for that worldview. ISIS have only beheaded 2 people in the last week.

Subtext (as ever): Locals don't count.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

AKBFan:

" WiiiiiiiiBi agree with much of what you say. however a little disingenuous to critiscise Saddam for his atrocities but call Assad regime stable (they also committed plenty atrocities in the era of Assad Dad) and Gaddafi stable "

You can turn that around: It is more than just "a little disingenuous" to keep on criticing Bush for his removal of Saddam, while applauding Obama for the removal of Gaddafi and Assad.

All three of these dictators are preferrable to the religious fanatatics which have replaced them (i.e. in the case of Assad are trying to replace them.). ESPECIALLY Assad guranteed protection of minorities (heck his own Alawite sect is a minority). Considering his brutality against the Kurds, Saddam was clearly the worst of the bunch; so it is quite the hypocrisy by a lot of commentators to keep protesting his removal while saying nothing about the other two.

Clearer?

-4 ( +0 / -4 )

@sense

You're not making any sense. Yes, ISIS killed 2 Anericans, but killed thousands of other people. Again, you, most liberals and this president think that you know more than any high ranking military experts. They already hacked and partially decapitated a British soldier, Rigby. So who is next? When will these guys stage a Mumbai style attack like in India? You think anyone wants to go through that? The sad thing with this guy is, he doesn't even attend his war briefings, he'd rather get his briefings by mail. This is THE most laziest and disengaged president we've ever had.

-8 ( +1 / -9 )

http://hat4uk.wordpress.com/2014/09/03/world-exclusive-steven-sotloffs-links-to-mossad/

Suggest you check out the above link, it makes very interesting reading to the involvement of the CIA, Mossad etc.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Let's get back to the important point here, face4bunk: The US has created the mess and even helped create both ISIS and al-Qaeda. It's hard to believe there aren't people in your government doing this on purpose to create the continuous crises.

Politicians love it, the media loves it, the Pentagon loves it (promotion opportunities), defense contractors love it, talking heads love it and apparently you love it so much you waste half your life typing on and on about "liberal this" and liberal that."

These actions are reactions to the continuous mistaken, wrongheaded decisions your government has chosen to do by destabilizing the middle east through continuous, underhanded regime change tactics with no regard for the consequences. You created the chaos and now you're whining about the mess you made.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Agree it is hypocritical to differentiate between those tyrants. I just think we would have all been better off leaving them alone back to after we freed Kuwait. given that we didn't then i guess we are stuck with the mess we see now.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Bass,

A big majority of that equipment is in the hands of ISIS. As the Iraqi army and police force ran, they left all that behind. So now the Jihadists have some very powerful and modern equipment.

I'd say the US screwed up in the Middle East big time.

It started with training and arming the Al Quaeda so that they could get the Russkies out of Afghanistan, then they slaughtered hundreds of thousands in Iraq in a war based on complete lies and totally pissing off everywhere in the area except Israel.

And now the ISIS is using equipment supplied by and lining the coffers of US military arms dealers.

What a mess!

-2 ( +2 / -4 )

Bertie Wooster:

" It started with training and arming the Al Quaeda so that they could get the Russkies out of Afghanistan, then they slaughtered hundreds of thousands in Iraq "

"Hundreds of thousands" is of course complete nonsense, unless you are referring to the Iran-Iraq war.

But that aside, I agree that Saddam`s Baath regime should have been left in place. I notice though that do not mention the other huge US blunders, namely Jimmy Carter replacing the secular Shah with Khomeinis Mullah regime, which promptly began to sponsor terrorism, and Obamas replacement of Gaddafi and Assad, both of whom kept the Jihadis at bay, with virulent Al Qaeda regimes, which is what directly created the current mess.

We are not, pray tell, trying to turn this into another US party political talking point contest?

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

@bass, I guess it's easy to ignore the deaths of Non-Americans when official policy is to look the other way:

But the view famously expressed by US General Tommy Franks that "we don't do body counts" still resonates in government circles.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/3672298.stm

(Fox News' Tony) SNOW: ...people say, "We hear about our death counts. We never hear about theirs. Why?"

RUMSFELD: Well, we don't do body counts on other people.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/2003/11/02/transcript-donald-rumsfeld-on-fox-news-sunday/

“The only thing we keep track of is casualties for U.S. troops and civilians,” a Defense Department spokesman told The Chronicle.

http://www.projectcensored.org/2-media-coverage-fails-on-iraq-fallujah-and-the-civilian-deathtoll/

Just because you can't fathom why others hold all life sacred, doesn't give you license to call names.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

What would happen if the U.S. released a video of the beheading of ten captured Islamic State extremists?

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Sensenot:

" Just because you can't fathom why others hold all life sacred, doesn't give you license to call names. "

Who holds all life sacred? The ISIS butchers? Their brothers at Al Nu and Al Qaeda? You might want to travel there and enjoy their hospitality.

Good grief.........

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

namely Jimmy Carter replacing the secular Shah with Khomeinis

LOL! Carter replaced the Shah? it sure looked like masses of Iranian people taking to the streets.

So, tell us, WilliB: How many thousands of Iranians would it have been worth slaughtering to keep the Shah in power? (The Shah who suffered from cancer and would die within a couple of years anyway.) How many thousands?

The ISIS killers and the Western-based ones seem to operate out of the same moral basis. The Devil truly knows his own.

Oh, and the Shah was put into power in the first place because Western interests didn't want a freely-elected nationalist leader with left-leaning interests. And what did the Shah do over decades to lessen the impact of leftist, liberal nationalism? That's right, he encouraged the growth of fundamentalist Islam as an ideological counter-measure. A lot of good it did him. That's how the mullahs grew in power in the first place.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

“our knife will continue to strike the necks of your people.”

Yeah, well, our knives are much longer than yours. Much much longer.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

BertieWoosterSep. 03, 2014 - 09:17PM JST A big majority of that equipment is in the hands of ISIS. As the Iraqi army and police force ran, they left all that behind. So now the Jihadists have some very powerful and modern equipment.

Did I miss something?

Did an entire US Brigade run away when 3 ISIS fighters arrived ridding a goat?

No, the Maliki Shia run Iraqi army ran off at the first sight of a fight! This had zero to do with the US and everything to do with the Iraqi government that Obama created.

Sure, Bush screwed the pooch, but Obama served it up.

The US should have left Hussein where he was, takes a monster to keep monsters at bay. But, there was money to make and people to pay back and that was then and this is now.

If you want to blame someone look up Ahmed Chalabi, that is the Shia pro Iran maniac that got the ball rolling.

BertieWoosterSep. 03, 2014 - 09:17PM JST I'd say the US screwed up in the Middle East big time.

No, the US didn't screw it up, the Middle East was screwed way before the US got into the game. If you want to point a finger, then do it right, point it at the British Empire and it's carving up of the Middle East.

Kurds, Sunni, Shia and other tribes should have had their own states, but they didn't and now we have a religious war on our hands.

Video purports to show beheading of second U.S. journalist

He was an innocent murdered by Islamic fanatics who wish to bring this insanity to your neighborhood!

I know that it is only a matter of time before the folks who murdered this innocent reporter meet a hot round, but in my book that day is taking too long.

Justice needs to be handed out, but not Liberal justice.

These murderers need to meet the kind of justice that takes body parts and not a whole. I hope these psychopaths are treated with a giant vial of hatred and bitterness before they meet their end.

But, if Liberals have their touchy feely ways, these murderers would be allowed to walk this earth to continue to spread their psychopathic insanity.

Liberals hate the truth! The truth is, you can't rehabilitate a madman, you can only kill him!

High time the West realized that it isn't fighting a war against radical Islam. Radical Islam is at war and it hides behind the innocent and sometimes the innocent try and protect their relatives. The West needs to realize it is in a war against insanity. The only way to fight insanity is with alter insanity!

You can't buy off the insane, you can only kill them!

The West and it's Liberal leaders need to go and allow folks who are willing to do what it takes to remove these psychos from their nations!

This is a war that requires bad things to happen and we all know that Liberals would rather hug a psycho than put him down!

It's hard being right all the time, but I live with it!

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

yabits:

" LOL! Carter replaced the Shah? it sure looked like masses of Iranian people taking to the streets. "

Carter helped Khomeini to take power, firmly convinced that this "holy man" could do no wrong. Under the Shah, Iran was secular, pro-Western, and granted rights to women and children. The religios mobs supported Khomeini.

Remember the Green Revolution a couple of years ago? The educated Iranians are not as enthusiastic about the Mullah regime as you seem to be.

" Oh, and the Shah was put into power in the first place because Western interests didn't want a freely-elected nationalist leader with left-leaning interests. "

Oh yes, "the Western powers", who are always united in some great master scheme, and represented at the time by the same Jimmy Carter who is currently moutpiece for Hamas? Spare us the conspiracy theories.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

JoeBigs,

This kind of comment makes me very sad:

It's hard being right all the time, but I live with it!

If you take this attitude, you are bringing yourself down to the level of the ISIS.

And so does this:

What would happen if the U.S. released a video of the beheading of ten captured Islamic State extremists?

Why ten, Serrano-san?

Are you implying that one American life is worth ten Islamic lives?

-5 ( +1 / -6 )

Ten Islamic EXTREMISTS, Bertie, not ten average Muslims.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

There are no Muslims on the WORLD STAGE decrying that this must stop.

Really? Let's see what two seconds on the internet yields:

http://newamericamedia.org/2014/09/muslims-condemn-isis-say-terrorist-group-doesnt-represent-islam.php

and

http://www.patheos.com/blogs/deaconsbench/2014/08/the-muslims-who-are-condemning-isis/

Gee, it looks like you are wrong.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

Perhaps the ISIS and the ISIL should be attacking the rich Sheikdoms of the gulf to take control of the vast oil fields, WAIT, forgive me I forgot that it is the rich Sheikdoms that are actually financing them the ISIS and ISIL.

I will go back on my medication now and stay in my dream world.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

There are no Muslims on the WORLD STAGE decrying that this must stop.

Really? Let's see what two seconds on the internet yields:

http://newamericamedia.org/2014/09/muslims-condemn-isis-say-terrorist-group-doesnt-represent-islam.php

and

http://www.patheos.com/blogs/deaconsbench/2014/08/the-muslims-who-are-condemning-isis/

And let's add one more to make the charm:

<www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2739534/ISIS-jihadis-blowing-rejecting-radio-Islamic-welcome-Iraqi-TVs-cartoon-satire-terror.html>

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Unless he runs into "nice" extremists like the ones who held Peter Theo Curtis up until a week ago, chances are looking slim for the Japanese hostage.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

According to the source of all knowledge:

from 2005 until 2010, outside donations amounted to only 5% of the group’s operating budgets, with the rest being raised within Iraq....

ISIS has routinely practised extortion, by demanding money from truck drivers and threatening to blow up businesses, for example. Robbing banks and gold shops has been another source of income.[163] The group is widely reported as receiving funding from private donors in the Gulf states,[164][165] and both Iran and Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki have accused Saudi Arabia and Qatar of funding ISIS, although there is reportedly no evidence that this is the case

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islamic_State_of_Iraq_and_the_Levant#Finances

0 ( +0 / -0 )

@darnit

The US has created the mess and even helped create both ISIS and al-Qaeda.

You mean the conditions of the Maliki government? Yes, I agree.

It's hard to believe there aren't people in your government doing this on purpose to create the continuous crises.

The sad thing is, your government could never even handle ISIS on their own without the help of the US, so when the DoDO hits the fan, we'll be there probably to help bail you out as always. But before that happens, I will take a pre-advanced Thank you anyhow.

Politicians love it, the media loves it, the Pentagon loves it (promotion opportunities), defense contractors love it, talking heads love it and apparently you love it so much you waste half your life typing on and on about "liberal this" and liberal that."

And so, what are you typing about, may I ask? Perhaps the opposite.

These actions are reactions to the continuous mistaken, wrongheaded decisions your government has chosen to do by destabilizing the middle east through continuous, underhanded regime change tactics with no regard for the consequences. You created the chaos and now you're whining about the mess you made.

What I like about your post is, you didn't once mentioned or put the blame on any of the dictators, murderers, rapists, the constant strife between Shia and Sunni, the radical Jihadists, the killing of religious minorities and the shady oil deals that many Europeans countries benefited from (we call it double standard ) how about public beatings, Sharia, female castration, beheading people, out of control sectarian violence. I guess you forgot to mention that part as well. Thank me later, please.

@bertie

I'd say the US screwed up in the Middle East big time.

That would be the Sainted anointed one, Mr. Barack Hussein Obama. Hey! You got my vote!

It started with training and arming the Al Quaeda so that they could get the Russkies out of Afghanistan, then they slaughtered hundreds of thousands in Iraq in a war based on complete lies and totally pissing off everywhere in the area except Israel.

Well, you would have to blame the Brits, the French, the Russians, the Germans, the Saudis, the Israelis as well, since they all used and shared the same intel. Please include all these countries when you talk about passing and spreading the love when it comes to blunders, bertie.

And now the ISIS is using equipment supplied by and lining the coffers of US military arms dealers.

Well, the Iraqi army didn't even put up a fight, they just saw some of the ISIS propaganda videos and thought, NO way and bailed! That is 110% on them. If you won't fight and die for your country, then you are a very sad and pathetic individual and deserve to be overrun by the enemy.

What a mess!

Sure is!

@sense

I guess it's easy to ignore the deaths of Non-Americans when official policy is to look the other way:

I think you are referring to Obama ignoring every and all advice from everyone. He's always looking away, except when he's on the Golf course, then he is very focused.

But the view famously expressed by US General Tommy Franks that "we don't do body counts" still resonates in government circles.

I remember that.

(Fox News' Tony) SNOW: ...people say, "We hear about our death counts. We never hear about theirs. Why?"

RUMSFELD: Well, we don't do body counts on other people.

On the terrorists, who cares. I have ZERO patience or tolerance for the Jihadists, you can't bargain, reason or talk to them. They just care about one thing and that's the Koran and the passages of that book. The only thing I think we should do is kill all the Jihadists before it's too late.

“The only thing we keep track of is casualties for U.S. troops and civilians,” a Defense Department spokesman told The Chronicle.

I agree.

Just because you can't fathom why others hold all life sacred, doesn't give you license to call names.

NO, we hold life very sacred that is why we give more humanitarian aid then almost every other country. We adopt more children, we are a very giving nation, but at the same time, we don't give a damn about the people that want to kill us or our enemies and rightfully so.

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

But many people are recognizing that painting all Muslims with the same brush, that they are all extremists, does no one any favors, and is unacceptable discrimination.

No one is painting all Muslims with the 'same brush' by pointing out the fact that Muslim extremists are bad people and must be defeated. Only overly sensitive folks with a politically correct chip on their shoulder would jump to such a conclusion. Why seek out racism when race is not at issue. The issue is terrorism, beheadings, oppression of religious minorities, and the oppression of shariah law (especially of women).

The absence of the average Muslim's voice while their religion is being hi-jacked by the extremist fringe is glaring. I wish there were at least some influential Muslim leaders that would speak out in defense of their religion. There really are no high level Muslims speaking out against extremism.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

The "Islamic" nutters who beheaded the jornalist to get revenge on Obama apparently don't know that Mohammed would disapprove of this.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

"The "Islamic" nutters.... apparently don't know that Mohammed would disapprove of this."

You obviously haven't read Surat 47:4 in the Koran, which exhorts Muslims to "smite the necks" of non-believers.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

You obviously haven't read Surat 47:4 in the Koran, which exhorts Muslims to "smite the necks" of non-believers.

All the more reason to kill all of these radical lunatics and give them a speedy send off to their 72 virgins.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

The sudden and dramatic rise of ISIS leaves the West, and particularly the US with some pretty big and hard questions to answer.

After invading Iraq on a false pretence post-9/11, and hunting down and deposing Saddam Hussein, who had previously enjoyed US support, the US has tried to democratise Iraq and build a functional Army, and virtually the minute they leave after a decade of involvement in the country, ISIS overrun these forces, arm themselves with modern weaponry and begin to run amok.

So the cycle begins again. Back to square 1, except this time it's worse, not better. You don't have a dictatorial strongman in charge, you have armed religious nutters running the gong show.

This is after nearly a century of fairly direct political and social meddling in this region by Western powers.

All the more reason to kill all off these radical lunatics and give them a speedy send off to their 72 virgins.

This isn't going to happen. Won't work. Hasn't worked. Why? Because this isn't a disease - it's a religious and social ideology based deeply in the history of this region - both domestic and International.

How long does the US and West try to police what goes on in this part of the world? In perpetuity? In 1000 years will your average US citizen have to do a mandatory stint on active service in the policing of the Middle East so that the region continues to operate to our satisfaction?

Jordan, Turkey and Lebanon are all much more moderate, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia....where is the responsibility of these countries to step in to prevent the slaughter of their Muslim 'brothers' in the region?

Time, me thinks, for the Islamic world to step up here and take the lead. Geographically, socially, culturally it is their responsibility as much as anyone else's. Intervention by the West isn't working.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

After reading through most of the comments on this long-winded thread, putting aside the partisan bs, it boils down to a blame-game. Al Quaida, Al Nusra, and now ISIS/ISIL/IS didn't develop in a vacuum. Their development are the unintended (?) consequences of numerous international interventions by the various empires. What we have now is a Medusa-like manufactured crisis which has fomented a Hitleresque figure with a growing extremist following bent on genocide of non-believers.

It's likely to lead to an extermination type campaign, and seems to have already begun.

Religion is the root of much evil.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

This isn't going to happen. Won't work. Hasn't worked. Why? Because this isn't a disease - it's a religious and social ideology based deeply in the history of this region - both domestic and International.

How long does the US and West try to police what goes on in this part of the world? In perpetuity? In 1000 years will your average US citizen have to do a mandatory stint on active service in the policing of the Middle East so that the region continues to operate to our satisfaction?

Probably as long as the USS exist, the US will in one way or another be at least for the next foreseeable future linked to z region. As lying you will have radical Islamists wanting to kill Americans and the west, we will always have to be vigilant. if you want to call it policing, I'm fine with that usage, either way, they will not stop until they can raise the Islamic flag over the White House, you cannot reason, negotiate or talk with the Jihadists, so you wind up killing them or they kill you, that's it.

Jordan, Turkey and Lebanon are all much more moderate, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia....where is the responsibility of these countries to step in to prevent the slaughter of their Muslim 'brothers' in the region?

Time, me thinks, for the Islamic world to step up here and take the lead. Geographically, socially, culturally it is their responsibility as much as anyone else's. Intervention by the West isn't working.

Let's hope, the UAE took the strongest position, but none of these countries have never been in battle recently since when? The Ottoman Empire, they have largely some of the best US military hardware, but do they have the fortitude push back against ISIS in the longterm? Only time will tell. Now it's up to the moderates to speak louder and not sit on the sidelines, but the US needs to take the lead on this and I'm quite sure the other stronger Arab states would follow.

-2 ( +2 / -4 )

For all the nay-sayers and "the extremists were made because of western actions" y'all really need to talk with the muslim apostates and their support groups. They've been calling out Islamic ideology for DECADES (think since the 70s) While you sit there bickering over how the US is the cause of all this mess (which it helped open the can of worms that were already festering below the surface...).

The fact is quite simple no matter how much one wants to refute it. Islam was created by no man of peace, the Qur'an says it quite plainly, and the hadiths state it quite plainly. IS, AQ, Boko, etc all follow it quite plainly.

The ex-muslims have been saying it over and over and over and over and over again and the PC crowd still can't get it through their thick skulls how nasty this global politico-religious cult is. Get a clue and start listening to them.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

Boils down to a blame-game...Religion is the root of much evil.

And much good, so this sounds like more blame.

And I blame Bush to an extent, but what I want to know is: is America is really just a policeman, or also protecting the petrodollar so it can print itself into oblivion? Maybe Americans feel that since a policemen is needed, they are being fair protecting the petrodollar, as a sort of police tax. I see it more as corruption. Policemen are okay, but corrupt policemen?

0 ( +1 / -1 )

According to USA Today, the group purportedly responsible for discovering the Steven Sotloff beheading video, SITE Intelligence Group (Search for International Terrorist Entities), is an intelligence asset specializing in war on terror propaganda, such as the 2007 fake Bin Laden video.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Jeff Ogrisseg,

Interesting. There is quite a lot of information on the internet that points to this "beheading" being yet another Hollywood-style PR stunt to get US national support for yet another Iraq offensive.

Michael Hooper posted this:

http://hat4uk.wordpress.com/2014/09/03/world-exclusive-steven-sotloffs-links-to-mossad/

It's worth a look.

The guy in the article above watched the video. One of his comments was, "Why was there no blood?"

Hmmmm.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

unintended (?) consequences of numerous international interventions .....a Medusa-like manufactured crisis

It can't be both.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

As noted above, coming to a town near you real soon: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/crime/11075380/Woman-beheaded-in-north-London-garden.html

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Doubt stories that ISIS gets its funds primarily from kidnapping. Probably that's the cover story for some big actors.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Video purports to show beheading of second U.S. journalist

The West didn't kill those reporters, ISIS did.

People have been pointing fingers and blaming the West for this mess. Well, they are partially to blame, but they aren't the ones who are slaughtering innocent people. The West wanted democracies to spring up after the fall of the old dictators.

The West thought that by arming the rebel factions and then placing exiled groups in charge that all other groups would lay down their arms and follow those groups and a utopia would spring up. But instead what they got was chaos and a big fat religious war.

Now, psychopaths are running around in captured equipment committing genocide and the West hasn't gotten it's act together. But, when they do and stop attempting to create their utopia, this will all end and ISIS and it's fighters will be just corpses in the desert.

I just hope when those fighters try and immigrate to the West (or return home) they will be arrested and put on trial for their crimes. But, as long as the Liberals have their way those fanatics will never face justice for what they have done.

BertieWoosterSep. 03, 2014 - 09:17PM JST I'd say the US screwed up in the Middle East big time.

We can almost agree there, the US and it's allies screwed up because they believed the hype that Ahmed Chalabi was feeding them and removed Sadam Hussien. They should have left that monster in charge so he could keep the other monsters from doing exactly what they are doing today, murdering the innocent.

BertieWoosterSep. 03, 2014 - 09:17PM JST It started with training and arming the Al Quaeda so that they could get the Russkies out of Afghanistan, then they slaughtered hundreds of thousands in Iraq in a war based on complete lies and totally pissing off everywhere in the area except Israel.

They didn't arm Al-Qaeda, they armed and trained the various Mujahideen factions against the Soviets. Later, after the Soviets left and the civil war was over the US screwed up by not helping those factions to create a stable government. Instead the US turned it's back on those factions after the civil war ended and the place decayed even further.

BertieWoosterSep. 03, 2014 - 09:17PM JST And now the ISIS is using equipment supplied by and lining the coffers of US military arms dealers.

Can you provide proof that the US is supplying ISIS with it's weapons?

Because most of the arms were captured from of Iraqi military stockpiles or from the fleeing Iraqi soldiers who dropped their gear and turned tail. Also, the US hasn't been the only supplier in the region, all the usual players have been making a nice profit.

BertieWoosterSep. 03, 2014 - 09:17PM JST What a mess!

Another thing we can agree on.

BertieWoosterSep. 03, 2014 - 11:02PM JST This kind of comment makes me very sad: If you take this attitude, you are bringing yourself down to the level of the ISIS.

What makes me sad is the way ISIS has been committing crimes against humanity and the Western leaders keep wanting Assad gone. The Arab spring has turned into a nightmare for anyone who isn't a fanatic. The West needs to wake up and stop trying to create a democracy.

The nations that I blame for this mess are the British Empire and the French. In the 1920's instead of dividing the Middle East up by tribes and ethnic groups they decided to create kingdoms and install old bloodlines as kings. Yes, I know there was more to it, but why going into it here.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Login to leave a comment

Facebook users

Use your Facebook account to login or register with JapanToday. By doing so, you will also receive an email inviting you to receive our news alerts.

Facebook Connect

Login with your JapanToday account

User registration

Articles, Offers & Useful Resources

A mix of what's trending on our other sites