A Look At The Islamic State

[ArcadiaGP]

ISIS 'more dangerous than people realize' - CNN.com

ISIS fighter: "We will conquer Europe one day…For us, there is no such thing as borders. There are only front lines."

 

[T.Lex]

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/isis-closing-israel-north-south-113000327.html

The war against ISIS is taking a dangerous, perhaps inevitable turn. The terror organization has been keen to expand to southern Syria and the Syrian capital of Damascus. Now it says it has recruited three Syrian rebel groups operating in the south of the country in an area bordering the Israeli occupied Golan Heights — that have switched their loyalties to ISIS.

While Israel might be a tantalizing prize, but ISIS must know that they have no chance. I somewhat disagree with an aggressive Israel causing trouble in the "tacit alliance" that currently exists. Frankly, I think those countries would welcome a strong Israel finally putting down the rabid ISIS. They could do the PR about how bad Israel is, but they wouldn't make too big a deal of it.

 

[T.Lex]

Apologize for the consecutive posts, but:
BBC News - Rare Islamic State visit reveals 'brutal and strong' force

A German author given rare access to territory run by Islamic State has told the BBC that the group is stronger, more brutal and harder to confront than he had expected.
...
"There is an enthusiasm that I've never seen before in warzones," he said.
"They are so confident, so sure of themselves. At the beginning of this year, few people knew of IS. But now they have conquered an area the size of the UK. This is a one per cent movement with the power of a nuclear bomb or a tsunami."
Filmed by his son - with a permit guaranteeing their safety - his material gives the impression of a group busy entrenching their bureaucracy, relatively unperturbed by the threat of coalition air strikes.
"I had the impression that they want to show that the Islamic State is working," Mr Todenhoefer said.

Has a pick of an IS operator with very restrained Bubba-potential:

I wonder if Arfcom would count that as a clone-quality recce....

 

[mrjarrell]

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/isis-closing-israel-north-south-113000327.html



While Israel might be a tantalizing prize, but ISIS must know that they have no chance. I somewhat disagree with an aggressive Israel causing trouble in the "tacit alliance" that currently exists. Frankly, I think those countries would welcome a strong Israel finally putting down the rabid ISIS. They could do the PR about how bad Israel is, but they wouldn't make too big a deal of it.

People tend to forget that while the IDF has a reputation, it hasn't really fought a sustained war against anyone in decades and their last time out against hezbollah they didn't do very well. It will not be a cakewalk for the Israeli's and they know it. For now they're just tending to the borders in the Golan and, as usual, hoping someone else will pick up the ball and run with it.

 

[printcraft]

People tend to forget that while the IDF has a reputation, it hasn't really fought a sustained war against anyone in decades and their last time out against hezbollah they didn't do very well. It will not be a cakewalk for the Israeli's and they know it. For now they're just tending to the borders in the Golan and, as usual, hoping someone else will pick up the ball and run with it.

Well, that doesn't make much sense...... I keep hearing that Israel is a great threat to the middle east...... something is not adding up.

 

[Thor]

Well, that doesn't make much sense...... I keep hearing that Israel is a great threat to the middle east...... something is not adding up.

Lunacy?

 

[bingley]

What kind of tourism packages does ISIS offer for a family of five?

 

[bonkers1919]

 

[ArcadiaGP]

Islamic State group turning Christian churches into torture chambers: report - Washington Times

 

[printcraft]

Islamic State group turning Christian churches into torture chambers: report - Washington Times

Torture is only bad if America does it.

 

[KG1]

Torture is only bad if America does it.

They use Christian churches so it's all good.

 

[Kutnupe14]

Well, that doesn't make much sense...... I keep hearing that Israel is a great threat to the middle east...... something is not adding up.

I've never heard that Israel was threat to the ME... it's the poor schleps in the occupied zones that are taking the brunt. IMHO, their response to people they have dominion over, is heavy handed. Obviously one can't hold ALL the Palestinians at fault, and yet the their movement is severely restricted. Even the good ones can't even travel OUT unless Egypt allows them.... and that crossing has been open 17 days all of 2014. Does anyone not see this as a problem?

 

[88GT]

Yes, it's a problem. The PLA should have thought of that before they got into bed with terrorists groups...or became one itself.

 

[Kutnupe14]

Yes, it's a problem. The PLA should have thought of that before they got into bed with terrorists groups...or became one itself.

The PLA does/did not equal all Palestinian people. There's no way to justify the imprisonment of an entire populace.

 

[Kutnupe14]

The PLA does/did not equal all Palestinian people. There's no way to justify the imprisonment of an entire populace.

Why Don't Palestinians Just Leave Gaza? They Can't.

 

[88GT]

Like I said, they should have thought of that when they decided to buck the vote for the 2-state solution. This is what happens when you adopt a "If I can't have it, nobody can" attitude and then utterly fail in your attempt to take it by force. And there's no such thing as a Palestinian. It's a fabrication of politics.

 

[lucky4034]

There is no such thing as [insert any imaginary border name here]... they are all a fabrication of politics.

 

[Kutnupe14]

Like I said, they should have thought of that when they decided to buck the vote for the 2-state solution. This is what happens when you adopt a "If I can't have it, nobody can" attitude and then utterly fail in your attempt to take it by force. And there's no such thing as a Palestinian. It's a fabrication of politics.

Ok, what would you call them, "Israeli-ish citizens"?

 

[Thor]

How about disassociated tribal factions.

 

[88GT]

Ok, what would you call them, "Israeli-ish citizens"?

Logical fallacy.

But in short, they are Arabs, generally. The red-headed step-child status of said Arabs notwithstanding, they are still Arabs. I do not know how Israel deals with people living in land it took during war. Would we change the name of Mexicans if we took Chihuahua?

Palestinians have never existed as a distinct race/ethnicity/nationality Palestine has never existed as a sovereign state. The label was manufactured solely for political purposes. Prior to '48 they were either Arabs living in British Palestine or Arabs living in Transjordan.

Displacement is a consequence of losing war.