Very true. We are the most diverse country out there, like the bible describes perfectly. It would be an economic failure to have a major disaster here in the US. Just imagine that. They will be able to put the world into chaos and then select a New World Order with one man as their "Leader". I see this happening any time now. I don't know about you guys, but I believe in God, and he never fails me, ever! God bless everyone I hope no one turns to the dark side, mwuhahahaha! LIONZFIRE I know! When I tell people there will be a war here I can't tell you how many people think I'm crazy. I know there's a reason why our government is preparing all kinds of envorcement with billions of rounds. Oh and I mean halo point bullets that rip through your body and are made for maximum damage for their size. Why on earth would Parks and Recreation, wildlife people need halo point bullets? So they could shoot the bear they see once in a blue moon? The President knows there is a war coming, so why would he scare the population. He's just silently but openly preparing for a huge war. LIONZFIRE
I've not even thought about "a war" here, actually. Never entered my mind when it comes right down to it. I'm thinking along the lines of terrorist attacks. I can't grasp why people say there's no threat when there's *been* a threat given. I don't think there's anything they'd (a group like ISIS) wage a real war for... that's not how terrorists operate, but they sure want to be in the spotlight, so attacks... absolutely. There was a time maybe 15 years ago when I heard someone say that bin Laden would never have the guts to do anything "real big." And here again, so many people are underestimating, thinking ISIS will stay in Iraq. No way.
Am I the only one here who has ever been to Mosque? Or Synagog. Or Temple? Or Shrine? Am I the only one here who speaks Arabic? Am I the only one here who is sensative to non-eurocentric cultures? Am I the only one who sees how the American Public gets manipulated by the social engineers working for the oligarchs?
ISIS is a threat to our United States. First they are an economic threat. They have robbed banks as they rolled toward Baghdad. Additionally, they kidnapped people and received ransom or killed those innocent people. If they capture more than one oil field then they will inevitably raise prices. That in turn would affect the price Europeans, Indians, and the Chinese pay. We need those three groups to focus on purchasing American made goods and services. The less they buy from us the more our US Dollar will fluctuate. We already have super low interest rates on our municipal bonds, and savings instruments. Some of us retirees depend on savings interest rates increasing. Next, ISIS would become a terrorist type threat to these United States. They are using that stolen bank or funds to recruit poor people who would do anything to receive a pay check. They have recruited Cambodians to engage is terrorism against our interests. Can you believe it Cambodians. Not all of those Cambodians are of the Islamic faith. Some of them are desperate for money.
I feel that this conversation has become totally disjointed and off topic and I'm not sure I can add to it any longer because I'm rather lost. If I'm reading you correctly, you're saying that ISIS (which is what we were discussing) can't possibly be a threat because *you* speak Arabic and go to a Mosque? If so... well, I don't know what that has to do with the topic of this thread, that's all. Of course you're not the only one sensitive to other cultures... but that, too, has nothing to do with whether or not ISIS is a threat to America. I'm seeing English words, but it's like we're talking a different language. Do you or do you not feel that the direct threats ISIS made to America are a concern? And if not... why, when it was so clearly threatened?
Yeah, I believe in something superior too, but we do have free will and we have been using it to make wars, so I hope this is not the beginning of a new one, sincerely I don't think it is.
Bin Laden was a whole different case, he was trained by the US, he was an ally of the US and he did it as a revenge I think. Also, he only started talking after the 9/11 no?
That reminds me of our own actual ISIS program. Hmm, that raises some hairs there. What if Bin Laden IS Obama. Just saying, I'm not actually serious but, who knows. The Devil is the greatest deceiver the world has ever known. God bless, LIONZFIRE
As I have read the comments on this thread I agree with Interrogator#6 in that this situation is being presented to excite our fears. Kate it has been the practice of extreme Islamic groups to verbally attack the United States, yet their intentions are more localized and we will not get attacked if we remain vigilant and pay attention to what Isis is actually committing their resources to. If we get involved, they will react. We have contributed enough to the problems in the Middle East, for this we MUST repent, and the first step to that repentance is to let them handle their own business, if we don't then Isis will be a threat. lionzfire122 if you are truly a prophet, remember 1 John 4:1. Indeed the United States has been manipulated into two unnecessary military adventures and during these, wrongs have been committed by both sides, this is what happens when we participate in wars, yet we can decide to put our differences behind us and work together to repent for our wrongs and strive for peaceful solutions in our dealings with other nations.
That could happen with any program really, military one I mean, if we are creating and training allies and we don't treat them well, they can always turn against us, history has proven us that.
Is ISIS a threat to the United States right now? No. Is it a threat to her allies and interest abroad? Yes, I'd say so. Will they be a threat if/when they consolidate power in a new nation-state? You can "bet your boots" on that one.
As a follow-up question here, Sir... (sorry, it's the journalist in me rearing it's ugly head) did you still feel the same as you did in the rest of this thread (i.e. ISIS not being much of a threat) when the boogie-man beheaded someone for all the world to see? I don't mean to sound cocky, but I'm trying to understand the mindset of people who think ISIS isn't a threat. Simply to learn the reasoning... I know I can be naive in a lot of things, but I'm not understanding how this isn't cut and dried. I think we *do* have more to fear than fear itself. A LOT more.
Kate nothing in dealing in war, especially here in the U.S is cut and dried, and I am hearing too much fear and anger on this, there are those that benefit by us going "boots on ground", we do not need to do that, it has proven in the past to only worsen the situation, we need to work with those in the area, the Kurds, Turkey, Syria, Shia Muslims, Iran (that is going to be a hard one), also strengthen our border security, invest more in our intelligence assets and our special forces and be prepared to run surgical strikes as needed. YOU CANNOT SUCCEED FIGHTING TERRORIST AS IF THEY ARE A CONVENTIONAL ARMY. We need to fight them smarter not harder and not make our troops targets.
Jrj, you are right, a boots on ground approach might not be the best solution, but the situation there is real, imminent and desperate. I don't know if there is time to prepare a more careful strategy like those you listed. ISIS can be dealt a hard blow if America acts decisively and strongly enough in a short time, and that would help also diminish the chance of a direct threat to the US. All considered I think it is worth the risk. I also have another factor in mind. The real fight in those areas is that of education, of diplomacy, of culture. And America showing up for the protection of people can have a lasting impression. I'm Italian, and I rejoice in the knowledge that no matter how inefficient our army is, if say Namibia decides to attack us we'll have the US (via NATO) to help us. Everyone always jokes that US is the World Guardian, well an action there shows they are also when they don't have interests to pursue. Smarter, as you say, is indeed the way to go here, but there is also the need to be hard in this case. After all they're not a conventional army, but in this specific case they're almost acting as if they were. The US won't beat terrorism by doing that, they won't even beat ISIS, but they will resolve a horrible situation, provide the basis for a better relationship with the normal folks, those who condemn and who are threatened by ISIS, and perhaps show terrorists they don't really stand a chance. I like the comparison to North Korea, although in their case you can be more passive as they are mad, but not completely, and they at least partially know their threats are vacuous.
I agree. And yes, I'm hearing a lot of fear and anger, too. That, of course, is what the terrorists want and why they do what they do, I'm sure. For the record, all my statements here were about the "US has nothing to fear from ISIS" statements on this thread. I can't understand why anyone would think that. I haven't researched them or anything, but when Hamas and Al Qaeda both make a point to make sure people don't compare them, it doesn't sound like "nothing to fear." I don't think they're going to go away... I just hope something can be done without those boots. Thank you for the reply, @jrj1701 .
I'm glad to read your post, @Einadiz ... because I've heard those statements about America worrying about our own problems and not going around the world to help others solve theirs... and I know it's just one of those "words are cheap" issues. I guess, because the people saying those things don't ever seem to take a moment to wonder what the world would be like if we *wouldn't* do those things. If America just stayed here and flipped a "sorry, bud, solve your own stinkin' problems" when atrocities are going on... well then those same people would be whining about how arrogant America is just helping our own and not worrying about our brothers and sisters around the world. Makes me sooooo upset! Nor do they realize that in an emergency situation, guess who they'd call on to come help. I try really hard to ignore it when I hear it, but... that's hard for me.
Kate, in this whole situation I heard many times the phrase "damned if you do, damned if you don't" used to describe America. I believe it's an accurate description. In my opinion America's role is not the ideal situation to be in, but at the moment that's the best we have, simply because of the gulf between the US's economy and everyone else's. Well, also because America seems the only one willing to get its hands dirty. I don't really appreciate the US being involved in every war, but there are situations when an intervention is really necessary, and who's gonna answer the call? The EU is the definition of "indecisiveness" (except for France), China never exposes herself too much, ONU is notoriously inefficient and slow. That said, I must confess that sometimes, or often, the US's interventions are of the elephant in a glass shop kind. How many times is it you armed one side and then had to fight it now, a dozen? America should keep its role until there are decent alternatives, but there should be a clearer vision of the overall narratives in warzones, a focus on stable solutions, a delicacy fit of such delicate matters.
Yes, the situation has flared up in recent months so the USA's intervention makes sense despite all the criticism. It's just hard to forget what happened in that region and what continues to happen thanks to America's re-entry into the Middle East after the events of 9/11 and beyond. I haven't been monitoring this set of events as closely as other conflicts but I have many friends who served in Iraq during major operations and they are happy that the President is doing something about the instability in the area.
One thing I've been noticing especially since this escalated is that it's so much easier for people to be talking heads than to actually do some critical thinking. Example... if outside of America, it's "America shouldn't stick its nose into the affairs of other places, even terrorist activity"... and if it's an American, it's like "we have enough to worry about at home, we shouldn't be there." But I haven't seen a lot of critical thinking about what happens if we let it go. To those outside of America... well it's probably not their skyscrapers that are going to fall while the world watches in horror. And for the Americans, it's almost as if they forget what happened when we *did* "let it go." It's like what, they're waiting for the next attack to give a wimpy "oh golly gee, maybe we *should* try to do something to stop them?" Terrorists do NOT say "oh how sweet" to pacifists and let them alone... never! Those people and places merely become easy targets. Now here's the thing... I hate war. I hate having to police all the crazies of the world. I have family members I love dearly who are every DAY put in harm's way in those hot spots because of this going on. But geez, I also know how to think and see what not tackling it would cause. World peace would be lovely, but it's not going to result from letting bullies trample all over us. Infuriating, I tell ya!
Kate there is more to this that some folks are seeing and are not coming up with the conclusion that we need to get involved, we need to stop our involvement with ISIS and those that fund ISIS. Where did the weapons come from that ISIS is using? How many are US and British converts to this death cult? Who is supplying the $$$??? Some of the answers to those questions are not pretty, and there is good evidence of some of our allies in the Middle East are supplying and funding this death cult with personnel, cash, and weapons, and they need us in there to bring more.
