I'm not sure if he's going to read this, but anyway: be strong. I think Western countries have finally understood that Daesh is a problem that can't be "contained", that the only way is to completely eradicate them, even if this means collaborating with governments that they don't like. This won't make terrorism disappear of course, but at least a lot of evil people, the same people trying to seduce young and naive muslims all around the world to join them, will cease to exist.
VLC contributor living in Aleppo writing about the Paris attacks
31–40 of 737 posts
Re: VLC contributor living in Aleppo writing about the Paris attacks
#32This is why the response you often hear from some quarters: "these attacks have nothing to do with religion/Islam" is so objectionable. It silences all of the majority, ordinary, moderate Muslims that wish to reform their religion.
Re: VLC contributor living in Aleppo writing about the Paris attacks
#33Earlier quoted context omitted.
I don't see media speaking much about these countries that allows financing of ISIS. But if we want to eradicate ISIS, I too think we should deal with its financial sources first. Maybe because these countries are the same countries that western companies want to sell weapons to.
Isn't it naive to think of these countries as one entity? Is the US, or any Western country, one unified allied voice where everyone has the same policies or supports the same causes? It's very likely that these "rich oil-producing countries" are made up of fragmented power centres and viewpoints, just like everywhere else in the world. Painting these countries all with one brush is about as foolish as painting Chris…
But the fact is that they are a safe-heaven from the US anti-terror campaign. After 9/11, pretty much in any other country of the world the financiers of Al Qaeda would have been imprisoned or assassinated by the US and its allies. In Saudi Arabia or Qatar, not only they have not, but they are still heavily financing ISIS. Whether the monarchies are complicit or not, they are certainly not doing anything against this financing.
Re: VLC contributor living in Aleppo writing about the Paris attacks
#34Earlier quoted context omitted.
are you serious??? How long did it take for muslims representatives to say sorry about the invasions and conquest that led to the creation of crusades? I have yet to hear an apology.
It doesn't matter to me what the other side of a conflict does, what matters to me is what my side of a conflict does. The fact that we don't descend to the level of our opponents gives us at least a moral edge, and it might even give us a real edge in the longer run. The moral high ground is one that you give up at your peril. Not that the Catholic church in particular has much moral high ground left but at least th…
the thing your kind of people (which is the majority of people in the western world) will never understand is that barbary will always win against democracy. It is by saying sorry, teaching to people that you opressed them, enslaved them, telling them that they are a minority living with less chances and opportunities than a random "white man" well those same people will hate you for this, they will always see you as their enemy -just look at BLM in usa, the riots in french suburbs- and you gave them the tools. Hell I am myself a minority - coming from a muslim country - and get this because I lived in the suburbs of France and saw the global mindset of people there. This is a war of civilisations and way of life. and trust me. the peaceful one, the one that always say sorry for everything is not going to win.
Re: VLC contributor living in Aleppo writing about the Paris attacks
#35Earlier quoted context omitted.
What you're communicating is essentially what "terrorists" are aiming to achieve and draw power from. Their attacks are targeted to maximize disruption of daily life and make people afraid of some unknown terror. Better to continue life as you normally would, be alert, and to not give in to fear.
That's fairly easy to write in an air conditioned office somewhere in the west, but it was a pretty brave thing to do this right in the middle of the action.
Nobody said it's easy. I'm sitting in Paris right now, and it reflects the attitude of many of the citizens here. I know shop owners that stayed open over the weekend in defiance of what the terrorists were aiming to achieve.
Re: VLC contributor living in Aleppo writing about the Paris attacks
#36Isn't it sad that this has to be said at all? "Hey, not every adherent of a religion supports killing innocent people of a different religion". It'd be like us having to apologize for the Crusades. Besides, the hits were driven by politics, religion is just a facade.
> Besides, the hits were driven by politics, religion is just a facade.
Politics, markets and religion are greatly overlapping concepts!
For example, an anthropologist points out that markets and major religions formed at the same time, and are frenemies. "Nowadays, the work of destroying such ways of life is still often done by missionaries–representatives of those very world religions that originally sprang up in reaction to the market long ago. Missionaries, of course, are out to save souls; but they rarely interpret this to mean their role is simply to teach people to accept God and be more altruistic. Almost invariably, they end up trying to convince people to be more selfish and more altruistic at the same time. On the one hand, they set out to teach the “natives” proper work discipline, and try to get them involved with buying and rolling products on the market, so as to better their material lot. At the same time, they explain to them that ultimately, material things are unimportant, and lecture on the value of the higher things, such as selfless devotion to others." (Originally from Harper’s Magazine, reprinted here: https://libcom.org/library/army-altruists-alienated-right-do...)
Note these inversions:
- ISIS is Muslim. Sharia law economics is free market. (Adam Smith apparently cribbed many of his most famous arguments from medieval Persan free market theorists. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islamic_economics#Markets)
- The US is capitalist. It's among the most fundamentalist religious. (About 40% believe Earth was created less than 10k years ago.)
So-called "economics" and religion are duals. Very hard for those enmeshed in them to see.
Re: VLC contributor living in Aleppo writing about the Paris attacks
#37I work with a Muslim and I'm a Christian. Since we are both very conservative, I actually have more in common with him than with my secular coworkers and friends. Unfortunately we both work remotely and live several hundred miles from each other. I think we could be good friends if we lived closer.
One thing I have learned talking with my Muslim coworker is that, just like in Christianity, there are many divisions and sects within the religion. I am Atlantean and go to an Atlantean church. I would not want to be called a Phoenician or Liliputian christian (made up names cause I don't want to offend anyone this early in the morning).
Just as with anything else, the closer and more involved you are with something the more you see distinctions between different categories of that thing. As a total outsider your categories tend to be large, all encompassing and dominated by the loudest, most visible or most discussed sub category. For most westerners I think that sub category is, unfortunately radicalised Muslims.
I'm fortunate that my coworker has given me a different perspective. I never believed all Muslims were radicalised but the true revelation for me was that my Muslim coworker was more like me than most non-muslims. It saddens me to see states in my country rejecting refugees from Syria. They are depriving their residents of potential friends and coworkers, potential spouses, neighbors or playmates that can give them a new perspective and help make their world a little larger and more interesting.
Edit: I'd love to have a discussion with anyone who disagrees with me. (Not really making an argument but whatever) if you're down voting at least make a comment please.
Re: VLC contributor living in Aleppo writing about the Paris attacks
#38Earlier quoted context omitted.
It doesn't matter to me what the other side of a conflict does, what matters to me is what my side of a conflict does. The fact that we don't descend to the level of our opponents gives us at least a moral edge, and it might even give us a real edge in the longer run. The moral high ground is one that you give up at your peril. Not that the Catholic church in particular has much moral high ground left but at least th…
the thing your kind of people (which is the majority of people in the western world) will never understand is that barbary will always win against democracy. It is by saying sorry, teaching to people that you opressed them, enslaved them, telling them that they are a minority living with less chances and opportunities than a random "white man" well those same people will hate you for this, they will always see you as…
> that barbary will always win against democracy
It's a shame that your argument fails in the first sentence.
Re: VLC contributor living in Aleppo writing about the Paris attacks
#39> They control large areas of land, have their own oil fields, and receive direct support from many countries in the region. Namely from rich oil-producing countries. That's one of those things where we could make a fairly immediate change in policy, it would come at a cost, definitely but it would change the situation for IS for the worse far more effectively than any number of bombs dropped would do.
I wouldn't be surprised if many closely-tied to Saudi leadership are behind funding of ISIS. Saudia Arabia seems to care more about taking down Assad. And the US keeps aiding and supporting Saudi Arabia - because oil. Something's gotta give. And while they're at it, maybe declassify those post-9/11 Saudi-related documents.
Re: VLC contributor living in Aleppo writing about the Paris attacks
#40Earlier quoted context omitted.
Isn't it naive to think of these countries as one entity? Is the US, or any Western country, one unified allied voice where everyone has the same policies or supports the same causes? It's very likely that these "rich oil-producing countries" are made up of fragmented power centres and viewpoints, just like everywhere else in the world. Painting these countries all with one brush is about as foolish as painting Chris…
But the fact is that they are a safe-heaven from the US anti-terror campaign. After 9/11, pretty much in any other country of the world the financiers of Al Qaeda would have been imprisoned or assassinated by the US and its allies. In Saudi Arabia or Qatar, not only they have not, but they are still heavily financing ISIS. Whether the monarchies are complicit or not, they are certainly not doing anything against this…
This is a slightly dated but pretty good primer on how ISIS manages to pay the bills to keep the lights on:
http://www.newsweek.com/2014/11/14/how-does-isis-fund-its-re...