Gen (Lord) Richards view on the threat posed by IS
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Gen (Lord) Richards view on the threat posed by IS
Ex-Army Chief Says West Has No Strategy For IS
As far he goes, I agree with him. Might be helpful if he offered a view on what an appropriate strategy (and associated plan) might look like though - no point keeping it to himself.
Sun.
As far he goes, I agree with him. Might be helpful if he offered a view on what an appropriate strategy (and associated plan) might look like though - no point keeping it to himself.
Sun.
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Wot? Politicians be Statesmen? What kind of Tea is he drinking?
That he is right is beside the Point.....thinking they will change their Spots is where his thinking runs aground on the Reef of Reality.
That he is right is beside the Point.....thinking they will change their Spots is where his thinking runs aground on the Reef of Reality.
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The problem is with the UK's liberal immigration laws is a lot of them are already here, whatever you do, it can end up alienating those law biding ethic minorities that are happy to be living here.
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The West (politically) has no strategy but the world will move on.
The rise of Islam is the power, the force of the 21st Century and it will rise regardless of any "Western" strategy or not. Better for us to get in than to be out.
We created the perfect vacuum for a particular (to ourselves) nasty form to flourish.
We are now again trying to figure a way forward down a difficult road of our own making.
We are trying to get the best of something that we cannot fight.
We created the perfect vacuum for a particular (to ourselves) nasty form to flourish.
We are now again trying to figure a way forward down a difficult road of our own making.
We are trying to get the best of something that we cannot fight.
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Hangarshuffle,
Why can't we fight it mate? Ultimately, in addition to fighting the physical threat, we'll have to fight the ideology, but I happen to think 'ours' is better which means (in theory at least) we should be able to win. We might not have the will (currently) but that doesn't mean we can't fight - does it?
Sun.
Why can't we fight it mate? Ultimately, in addition to fighting the physical threat, we'll have to fight the ideology, but I happen to think 'ours' is better which means (in theory at least) we should be able to win. We might not have the will (currently) but that doesn't mean we can't fight - does it?
Sun.
The most dangerous thing for the west to do would be to treat ISIS like a terrorist group, possibly even AQ. That would be a big mistake - not only because doctrinally they are more advanced than AQ, but also because their current status is more akin to that of the Taliban (maybe The war was just a rehearsal for A N Other war?). So to analyse them on the basis of AQ would be a misreading of the situation.
For an ISIS perspective, the most dangerous thing they could do now is what nobody expects, they simply stop. They say to the world we are here, these are our borders and we are simply going to consolidate and develop as a state - there won't be any further expansion. Now we are no longer dealing with a terrorist organisation or an insurgency, but a proto-state with views that clash with most of the civilized world, but if they go no further than their stated borders and become an inward looking medieval state that just gets on with living in caves, it does rather leave the west with a quandary as to how best to handle them. Added to all the oil they have (OPEC membership request??).
For my money, watch other airfields in Central Syria go next as a springboard to the central western regions of Syria.
For an ISIS perspective, the most dangerous thing they could do now is what nobody expects, they simply stop. They say to the world we are here, these are our borders and we are simply going to consolidate and develop as a state - there won't be any further expansion. Now we are no longer dealing with a terrorist organisation or an insurgency, but a proto-state with views that clash with most of the civilized world, but if they go no further than their stated borders and become an inward looking medieval state that just gets on with living in caves, it does rather leave the west with a quandary as to how best to handle them. Added to all the oil they have (OPEC membership request??).
For my money, watch other airfields in Central Syria go next as a springboard to the central western regions of Syria.
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If they did just that, stayed in their own newly claimed borders, did not venture outside those borders, and swore off external violence, and sought to live in the Dark Ages that would be fine. If they then compounded that by refusing sanctuary to any person or group that espoused Jihad against anyone or any other nation then that would be fine.
Now do you believe in the Tooth Fairy?
Because that is the kind of thinking it would take for One to actually believe that is possible or likely.
Now do you believe in the Tooth Fairy?
Because that is the kind of thinking it would take for One to actually believe that is possible or likely.
Unlike AQ, IS occupies territory.
So, declare war on them. Don't have to send any forces, but it immediately makes any citizen aiding or fighting for them guilty of treason. No need for any of that "Shall we suspend their passport?" rubbish. Immediate life sentence for anyone raising funds, etc. Simples....I hope.
So, declare war on them. Don't have to send any forces, but it immediately makes any citizen aiding or fighting for them guilty of treason. No need for any of that "Shall we suspend their passport?" rubbish. Immediate life sentence for anyone raising funds, etc. Simples....I hope.
Evertonian
The author of Britain’s intervention in Sierra Leone, East Timor and Libya, he was the Nato commander in Afghanistan.
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He commanded the British troops in East Timor when we went in.
I think he was a Brigadier at the time.
Made Tony Blair look good with Sierra Leone !
(or Blair got the credit for it).
I think he was a Brigadier at the time.
Made Tony Blair look good with Sierra Leone !
(or Blair got the credit for it).
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I doubt it got much play / air time in the UK, small force, local to Aus,
kick Indonesia in the clacker, hold elections so it doesn't surprise me.
kick Indonesia in the clacker, hold elections so it doesn't surprise me.
If they did just that, stayed in their own newly claimed borders, did not venture outside those borders, and swore off external violence, and sought to live in the Dark Ages that would be fine. If they then compounded that by refusing sanctuary to any person or group that espoused Jihad against anyone or any other nation then that would be fine.
Now do you believe in the Tooth Fairy?
Because that is the kind of thinking it would take for One to actually believe that is possible or likely.
Now do you believe in the Tooth Fairy?
Because that is the kind of thinking it would take for One to actually believe that is possible or likely.
I didn't say it would happen, I said it would potentially be the most dangerous course of action from a western perspective. If nothing else, even if ISIS did nothing else, it's existence as an established state would be a template for and serve to encourage other groups in other parts of the world - the Afghan group HIG - a group that has even managed to alienate the Taliban through its extremist tactics today announced they were considering pledging allegiance to ISIS. Dealing with a rogue state is far more complex than dealing with a terrorist organisation as you have all the issues of governance, infrastructure and the general well being of the population to consider on top of removing the threat - all the stuff we forgot about in 2003 in Iraq.
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Gen Richards.
This would be a political, economic and military campaign that would involve naval and air forces from outside nations combined with indigenous armies on the ground.
This would be a political, economic and military campaign that would involve naval and air forces from outside nations combined with indigenous armies on the ground.
As these are inconveniently not isolated threats, we also need to cover Home counter terror and any new unpleasantness from Mr Putin, all with what we actually have.
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General Richards
For an artillery man, he didn't turn out too bad as a "combined ops" general,
successfully "running" 3 wars, one decisively off his own bat !
For an artillery man, he didn't turn out too bad as a "combined ops" general,
successfully "running" 3 wars, one decisively off his own bat !
