For John, BLUF: Ideas are powerful. Nothing to see here; just move along.
Here is an article by Saudi Journalist Jamal Khashoggi. "How can we defeat ISIS if we don't understand it?"
We cannot be optimistic about it yet. In the end, ISIS will fail, whether after long or short battles. Nevertheless, it will remain a dangerous terrorist movement that is secretly active on the same land where it was governing, just as its predecessor, the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan. However, its defeat will increase its violence and hatred. Its destructive idea won't vanish as well because what has been established and prepared through decades and even spread beyond the limits to reach mosques in Europe and the whole world, cannot disappear in one year.In the end we are dealing with an idea. That idea has to be dealt with at the level of ideas. Whack a mole [a technical military term] is not the complete solution.The world will militarily triumph over ISIS and its affiliates, but it needs to work hard in order to prevent the emergence of another generation of the organization.
Regards — Cliff
♠ Jamal Khashoggi is a Saudi journalist, columnist, author, and general manager of the upcoming Al Arab News Channel. He previously served as a media aide to Prince Turki al Faisal while he was Saudi Arabia's ambassador to the United States.
The world needs to take a step backwards before it declares war on ISIS. This is an internal battle of the Muslim religion which can only be resolved by them. It is my supposition that every major world religion goes through a violent/purgative phase, e.g., Roman Catholics and their Spanish Inquisition. The media's profiling of muslims across the globe as violent terrorists is abhorrent. I will be praying that Allah will be wicked to the wicked and righteous to the righteous, under the belief that He wishes no man or woman to be forced to worship Him. False worship is far worse than no righteous worship to true believers. Personally, I am not Muslim, Christian nor Jew.
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