OutByEaster? Posted September 17, 2015 Moderator Share Posted September 17, 2015 I think the priority should be to contain ISIS to areas they already hold, then use a combination of sanction, financial pressure and where neccessary, military operations to weaken key areas - a sort of closing loop around them.The problem with this plan is that first we need to have in idea of what we want to leave behind, a motivation to actually do it and importantly we need to be prepared to upset the Saudi's. Politically, ISIS fill an important role in US foreign and domestic policy as the bad guy now - Bin Laden was left alive until they arrived and until either Putin or China is ready to step up and terrify the tax dollar out of the folks back home, I don't think there's a political will from the US to really do much about it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Awol Posted September 17, 2015 Share Posted September 17, 2015 The problem with this plan is that first we need to have in idea of what we want to leave behind, a motivation to actually do it and importantly we need to be prepared to upset the Saudi's. Bingo. PS. We are not. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisp65 Posted September 17, 2015 Share Posted September 17, 2015 I think we should constantly drip feed insufficient millions of dollars of guns and ammunition into this region in the hope of having an influence but on a budget. I have no knowledge of the complex history, politics or various cultural groupings but if we could just give a small number of bombs and guns to groups that haven't already been outed as bad guys by the media, I think we'll be fine. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MakemineVanilla Posted September 17, 2015 Share Posted September 17, 2015 I definitely need an update.I thought the reason parliament voted against fighting in Syria was that we couldn't decide who the enemy was, Assad or IS.I remember Assad being the bad guy and then he was less so but then Putin was bad for supporting him.They are now saying that both IS and Assad are the bad guys but more importantly, if we destroy the bad guys, who are the good guys we then hand power to for some future peaceful resolution? Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Awol Posted September 17, 2015 Share Posted September 17, 2015 Duh, it's the Middle East. The good guys are all hiding behind the icebergs. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xann Posted September 21, 2015 Share Posted September 21, 2015 The United Nations has been criticised for handing Saudi Arabia a key human rights role - despite the country having “arguably the worst record in the world” on freedoms for women, minorities and dissidents.IndependentEr? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrentVilla Posted September 22, 2015 Moderator Share Posted September 22, 2015 The UN is on a par with the EU in my view. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisp65 Posted September 22, 2015 Share Posted September 22, 2015 The UN is on a par with the EU in my view.You're broadly supportive but nobody is going to tell you to put mayonnaise on chips? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyh29 Posted September 23, 2015 Share Posted September 23, 2015 Caught a bit on the radio driving back from VP last night about a Danish journalist who had been living amongst groups of ISIS fighters(wasn't the whole show more of teaser trailer) his findings ( which we have to accept at face value) were summarised in the trailer as He saw few if any copies of the Quran and came to the opinion most of the fighters weren't practising muslimsMost were being paid $50 a month and were fighting to buy women from the sex trade ... these women change hands at $1500 and thus fighting was the only way they were likely to get the sums of money requiredthat was the gist of it , the $50 may be an error on my part The show will be \was on radio 5 if anyone wants to track it down Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bickster Posted September 23, 2015 Moderator Share Posted September 23, 2015 (edited) That was the gist of it but I thought the journo was German Edited September 23, 2015 by bickster Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrentVilla Posted September 23, 2015 Moderator Share Posted September 23, 2015 Its looking increasingly like Russia's significantly increased presence in Syria is going to prop up Assad and really put a dent in ISIS.Not only are they putting a couple of thousand special forces on the ground by aircraft, ammunition, weapons and crucially aircraft including recon.ISIS have taken a battering in the last 48 hours and its only going to intensify when they get the port and airport up to speed.No longer will Syria and Raqqa be a safe haven for these scum bags.With the coalition efforts in Iraq and Russia in Syria there aren't many hiding places left for them, well unless the Saudi's or Turk's welcome the foot soldiers of their proxy war. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OutByEaster? Posted September 23, 2015 Moderator Share Posted September 23, 2015 I think it serves Russia well too - they're saying to the US, we'll put a permanent base in the middle east unless....and I'm guessing the unless will be unless you stop trying to take over Ukraine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrentVilla Posted September 23, 2015 Moderator Share Posted September 23, 2015 Oh I'd say its permanent I don't think there is an unless.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maqroll Posted September 24, 2015 Share Posted September 24, 2015 Very interesting. Russia could basically walk into Iraq and take control of the whole show. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OutByEaster? Posted September 24, 2015 Moderator Share Posted September 24, 2015 Very interesting. Russia could basically walk into Iraq and take control of the whole show. The whole show other than the massive US bases that protect the gas and oil pipelines and secure the money that comes from them. The rest of it is worth nothing - other than as a political bargaining chip. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrentVilla Posted September 24, 2015 Moderator Share Posted September 24, 2015 Very interesting. Russia could basically walk into Iraq and take control of the whole show. I doubt they have their eyes on Iraq. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ikantcpell Posted September 24, 2015 Share Posted September 24, 2015 As much as i hate Assad, nothing would make me happier then Isis getting wiped of the map and blown to smithereens. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maqroll Posted September 24, 2015 Share Posted September 24, 2015 It just seems like Russian interests are propelling them towards some sort of reckoning with the West...be it a direct assajlt on sovereign Ukraine, or competing for influence in the vacuum of Syria/Iraq. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ikantcpell Posted September 24, 2015 Share Posted September 24, 2015 Very interesting. Russia could basically walk into Iraq and take control of the whole show. The whole show other than the massive US bases that protect the gas and oil pipelines and secure the money that comes from them. The rest of it is worth nothing - other than as a political bargaining chip. Source? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OutByEaster? Posted September 24, 2015 Moderator Share Posted September 24, 2015 Very interesting. Russia could basically walk into Iraq and take control of the whole show. The whole show other than the massive US bases that protect the gas and oil pipelines and secure the money that comes from them. The rest of it is worth nothing - other than as a political bargaining chip. Source?I don't have one that I had in mind - I was thinking of the huge embassy and a map I'd seen just after the second war with a line of bases that followed a recently built oil line.I've had a look and it's difficult to find anything that makes sense - there's a whole mass of stuff about bases in the war, but not much afterward. So, I dunno. I could be wrong and my assumption is a few years out of date.Oddly, there do seem to be a few stories suggesting that China controls most of the oil in Iraq. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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