You Say ISIL, I Say ISIS. Let's Call the Whole Thing Off.

[MineralMan]

What I'd like to call off is the controversy over what to call this murderous group. It doesn't really matter. What matters is looking closely at what's going on and finding a way to deal with it. If President Obama can get some of the neighboring nations to participate in getting this scruffy bunch of murderous terrorist, I'll be very glad. If he doesn't, the problem remains anyhow.

It's another chapter in the violent history of this region. We should not have been involved in this in the first place, because we always get Middle East operations bollixed up. Apparently, we neither understand the political realities of the region, nor appear to be capable of choosing sides in any sort of coherent way.

The nations in that region need to step up and get the region under some sort of civilized control. Depending on the U.S. to do it hasn't worked out very well over time. So, let's see some action on the part of those who live there, who understand the complexities of the situation and who have the most to lose.

We can help, maybe, but it's not our exclusive job to straighten out that part of the world.

[morningfog]

1. We are, and always have been, a destabilizing element there. Our role is to destabilize

and radicalize. We give the space and throw fuel all over the fire.

And we are about to expand our destabilization all over again.

[J_J_]

3. It is time for US to say NO!

I am tired of these 1%er warmongering assholes ruining the planet for the rest of us.

Eisenhower warned us about them and it is time for his prophesy to come true:

"Indeed, I think that people want peace so much that one of these days governments had better get out of the way and let them have it"

[MineralMan]

4. Oh, it's not just us. Not by a long shot.

The very national borders of that region were drawn by western nations, completely ignoring the actual political structure that existed. We're definitely at fault, too, but we're not the only ones at fault.

The entire western world was so greedy for oil that sense went out the window long ago. We have our share of blame, but that blame is shared a lot more widely than most people understand. We don't study history very well, especially outside of our own sphere of influence and our own historical perspective.

This all goes back to the post-WWI era and has continued apace ever since.

We, and the rest of Europe, are unsuited to make decisions in this region and, yet, we have done so again and again.

[morningfog]

7. I didn't say it was just us, but I only live and vote in one country.

[MineralMan]

9. Yes, so do I, but the whole world is also my concern.

Looking at things only from an American perspective is not all that useful.

[NightWatcher]

2. ISIL sounds like the mouse from An American Tale

ISIS reminds me of the US contractor USIS that bollocks up background checks for security clearances. If these groups want to get across a name that strikes fear, maybe they should watch some Quentin Tarantino flicks.




Today in the news, President Obama launched a strike against a group of Bad Mother Fuckers. Oh dear Honey, I sure hope we kill all those BMF'ers before they strike again.

[MineralMan]

6. Very, very few Americans even know what "The Levant" is.

We barely know our own history, much less the history of the Middle East.

[Cyrano]

5. We've conveniently ignored Saudi Arabia which is

the biggest exporter and paymaster of terrorism in the world.

The Saudi royal family just won't stand up to their clerics that preach Wahhabism, -- a hate filled view of Islam that demands the conversion or death of the infidels (everyone else).

The fact that the Saudis are sitting on the biggest oil reserve in the world is what lets them get away with all the death and destruction they've caused.

[MineralMan]

8. The West has ignored that and much more for a century and more.

Ignorance, however, is not an excuse.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

10. Most of the ME would be an ignored backwater if not for oil.

[MineralMan]

12. Perhaps so. I'm not sure what that has to do

with my opening post, though. The oil exists, and is responsible for the West's meddling in the affairs of that region. Once the very cradle of civilization, it lost its way with the help of Europe. It might have joined the progress of the 20th century, but there was all of that oil available there. The West exploited that, to the detriment of whatever might have developed there.

Not the U.S. alone, but the entire Western world. We are all at fault in this.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

14. Yep. We prefer them as obedient, even grateful, non-entities and are shocked when they refuse.

Our "Policy" is to keep the region docile by buying off or intimidating the governments. When the people those governments rule get upset enough to fight back we step in to help...the governments.

I totally agree that this is a regional problem and that if we must take some action it should be through the UN and consist of humanitarian efforts not our "helpful" bombs and drones.

[MineralMan]

16. That hasn't worked out so well, though, has it?

Time to bring the nations of the region into the situation and make them deal with it. We don't do that. We need to. We simply do not understand what we're doing there, and don't appear to care, either.

I have no doubt that military action will be required, but it shouldn't be our responsibility and ours alone. Every nation in that region needs to be working on fixing this. We can't do it without them.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

18. The problem being is that we are definitely not a disinterested party in the conflicts.

We have taken sides in too many of the local disputes and are hardly reliable intermediaries. IMO what are needed are truly disinterested parties with no overriding interests among the parties. Off the top of my head, Japan, Australia, Brazil...?

In the meantime, the nations selling arms to the region should be pressured to stop. No small task, but doable...maybe.

[KamaAina]

11. A female African American friend strongly objects to ISIS

because she feels it demonizes an African goddess.

No, not The Onion.

[MineralMan]

13. I believe it. Too bad.

When acronyms collide with other things, FUBAR are the results.

[jamzrockz]

15. Letting the neighbours deal with it

is akin to letting the fox investigate the problem with the missing Chickens. Israel, Jordan, Turkey and Saudi Arabia leaders are all in agreement that Assad should leave and they have been doing everything in their power to assist the rebels and terrorists working towards that goal. I don't think the Syrians would enjoy anyone of those neighbors to "help" them with anything.

A better solution is for the US and UN to back down and allow Syria to pick their friends they want to assist them with getting rid of the terrorists and rebels. If they want to invite Russia, China or even Iran, let them do so. Its the vitcim that should be picking their helper not the predators and instigator choosing to "help" out the prey

[J_J_]

17. Iraq doesn't need the US, never has, never will

Somehow they existed before the US came along, and somehow I think they will get along without us.

'another chapter in the violent history of this region' is all part of the propaganda.

Iraq was doing just fine. I do not recall the people of Iraq asking for our 'help' with Saddam.

This applies more to the US "'another chapter in the violent history of this region"

[underpants]

19. Chuck Todd knows

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10025508237