Military So ISIS & the Middle East

Discussion in 'Free Speech Alley' started by LSUpride123, Aug 29, 2014.

  1. alfredeneuman

    alfredeneuman Founding Member

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    Glad it's being confronted. No easy answers. I am not at all surprised Turkey will offer no support. It stands to reason because in my opinion, the Turks are enabling ISIS. I still think it will take ground forces to accomplish O's objectives.
     
  2. uscvball

    uscvball Founding Member

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    Careful now....I know you know about the lawsuit. ;)
    [​IMG]

    The stock took a hit but loyal customers seem to have kept it afloat.

    "The lead plaintiff in the lawsuit against the company is the Louisiana Sheriffs' Pension & Relief Fund in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Two individuals, Thomas Canty and Tammy Federman, lead the lawsuits against Lululemon officials.

    Lululemon has denied dragging its feet in addressing quality control. It also said that while there was a negative backlash to Wilson's comment in November that some women's body shapes "just actually don't work" with its yoga pants, that did not show that the company committed securities fraud.

    On March 27, Lululemon projected lower-than-expected full-year results, but investors were comforted by its focus on attracting and retaining loyal customers.

    Lululemon shares rose 28 cents to $54.42 in afternoon trading on the Nasdaq."
     
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  3. red55

    red55 curmudgeon Staff Member

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    This is the big complication in Syria. When ISIS gets "degraded" from airstrikes, the force that will move in will be Assad's Syrian army. The "moderate" rebels have still shown no capability to fight ISIS successfully on the ground. Their one element with some fight to them is Al Nustra Front, an Al Qaida affiliate that we will not supply. I'm not so sure about the war in Iraq either. The Kurds will fight but they won't fight beyond Kurdistan. The Iraqi army that failed miserably against ISIS is not going to turn into a elite fighting force, nor will they fight in Syria.

    France wants a pieces of this for some reason, probably the muslim unrest in France, but they want Iran to be involved. Can't see how this would help. Iran got their asses badly kicked by Saddam and still doesn't have an army anybody respects. If Iraq invites Iran into the Iraq fight, we will likely leave. But it would totally freak out the Saudis. The French will be a problem because they hate being seen as a stooge of the US, which will make them be contrary.

    Turkey is being low key with ISIS holding 50 Turkish diplomats hostage, but they are trying to interdict supplies and foreign fighters coming in through Turkey. Their border with Syria is porous. We will need bases in Turkey, but they can't be trusted. n the other hand, they want top be admitted to the EU, which will never happen as long as the rest of Europe considered them to be a Middle Eastern country.

    The Arab League wants to help but they don't want to be seen to be helping, so they are useless. We need Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Jordan to allow bases to train and equip Syrian rebels but they are hesitant to do so openly. The Brits are tired of following us to war. The Germans have all eyes on Russia. The Israelis are a huge wild card, just like in 1991. They could kick some serious ISIS ass on the ground but the rest of the Arab world would turn against us. Or maybe not. The Saudis and Jordanians would prefer Israel on their borders to ISIS actually establishing a state in Syria.

    I think Obama will have his hands full with any coalition and he will have to do some serious arm-twisting to get any of them to step up to the plate. I think this conflict will focus on the US degrading ISIS logistics, resupply sources, foreign fighters, taking out their heavy equipment, and allowing them to get weaker. They are no immediate threat to the US and until some local countries begin to fear them and fight for themselves. That is the only way I can envision a US ground army getting involved again. The US population is tired of fighting for people that are unwilling to fight for themselves.
     
  4. alfredeneuman

    alfredeneuman Founding Member

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    I don't think there's any way around US involvement in Syria helping Bashar by default.

    The Brits may be tired of following us to war, but they, like other European countries, have failed to confront the rise of militant Islam in their own backyards.

    ISIS is a threat to the US, otherwise we would not be getting involved. The administration has done a poor job explaining why. They obviously know something the average American doesn't, and it goes beyond the idiotic boisterous threats of destroying the great satan. Saying words like "war" and "destroy" and then placing a limit on our capability to carry it out sends the wrong message. Words have meaning, and it doesn't help when your own cabinet isn't even on the same sheet.

    If the border between Iraq and Syria were sealed, the remnants in Iraq could be easily defeated. I think there's a lot of Sunnis who are involved simply out of disenchantment, not because they want a caliphate. And many of those in Iraq don't give a fuck about Syria. AQ tried this in Iraq and were soundly defeated by the some of the same folks who claim to be part of ISIS.
     
  5. red55

    red55 curmudgeon Staff Member

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    I agree, but Assad will be greatly weakened and not much of a threat to Israel, at least.

    They have been easy on the Russians, too. The Russians have a lot of finances in London. But Britain is slowly going broke, they will soon no longer be capable of much military help beyond Europe.

    The countries that are immediately threatened will have to commit military forces to the fight if they expect America to get involved on the ground.

    They are a potential threat, not an immediate threat. It is not vital to defeat them today. This is why a war of attrition may be the best way to combat them. They cannot easily replace lost men, equipment, or supplies. We need to pressure them instantly and steadily and give them time to get weaker. Hammer their command and what passes for control. Let the internal squabbles build.


    Indeed. We must do the economic, political, psychological and military things necessary to divide the fighting factions and their tenuous local tribal supporters. It is worth taking the time to do this right. Some actions will only drive them together.

    Obama said "degrade and ultimately defeat ISIS". I think that an ultimate defeat of ISIS that costs less in terms of money and American lives makes far more sense than another invasion and indefinite occupation with the forlorn hope of immediate annihilation of a stubborn guerrilla army.
     
  6. Winston1

    Winston1 Founding Member

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    Sport I haven't bashed him for anything lately...I've been giving him a chance to do something. Since you ask, I think it is pretty obvious to all (it should be so even to you Red) that he failed in the last several years to recognize the problem and even when his own people pointed the need refused to act.

    It should also be pretty obvious that with the last several years of indecision and wandering in the desert he has lost the respect of those very leaders he now needs to put his coalition together.... Britain said hell no...France & Germany the same. The Saudis and other ME states have given luke warm reception at best. There is no coalition of the willing as in 1991 or even one of the coerced as in 2003.

    The problem is that his refusal to take firm steps and provide leadership 2 years ago in Syria has put us in a postion that is difficult at best. For the record Red.. I never advocated boots on the ground. I as MANY in HIS OWN inner circle did asked he do more to support the Syrian resistance other than the pitiful effort that was done. There were several paths he could have taken to provide strong leadership and build a coalition. I didn't criticize him for not making war but for the poor leadership that has made this situation what it is.

    So how 'bout that Syrian war???? It is a sad sad thing that has us in an imeasurably worse position than we should be. If he does send us into war he will have my support not because I advocated for it but becasue our troops deserve all of our backing. If he screws up I will criticize him as I did W for his handling Iraq after the invasion. If he does a good job he will deserve much credit as well.
     
  7. tigerchick46

    tigerchick46 Quick Learner

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    Meanwhile ISIS beheads a 3rd American/Brit and puts it on the web, let's be sure and keep talking about what we are gonna go before we do anything.......awesome. Nuke the sandbox.
     
  8. LaSalleAve

    LaSalleAve when in doubt, mumble

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    You know, those reporters have balls for going over there, but when are WHITE Journalists going to learn that they probably shouldn't be going to that shit hole.
     
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  9. tigerchick46

    tigerchick46 Quick Learner

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    It's just an isolated group who hate us over there, only about "15,000" of them, we should surgically try to remove just these individuals. Nevermind that's crazy talk.
     
  10. LaSalleAve

    LaSalleAve when in doubt, mumble

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    I read somewhere where some white chick from Colorado went over there to fight with ISIS. In my opinion, this scunt is worse than them.
     
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