Category Archives: Fundamentalist terror

Malaysian leader calls on world leaders to confront terrorism | Reuters

Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak called on world leaders to confront Islamic terrorism, saying its “barbaric acts” do not represent any race or religion, as he opened a regional summit overshadowed by a spate of attacks around the globe.Islamist militants killed 19 people in an attack on a hotel in Mali on Friday before Malian commandos stormed the building and rescued 170 people, many of them foreigners. This came a week after Islamic State militants killed 129 people in coordinated attacks in Paris.”The perpetrators of these cowardly and barbaric acts do not represent any race, religion or creed, nor should we allow them to claim to do so,” Najib said in his opening speech at the ASEAN summit.”They are terrorists and should be confronted as such, with the full force of the law.”Malaysia has deployed extraordinary security measures around Kuala Lumpur as leaders from 18 countries, including U.S. President Barack Obama, arrived for a pair of weekend summits.

Source: Malaysian leader calls on world leaders to confront terrorism | Reuters

Raad Rahman: Will I Die a Muslim? – Guernica / A Magazine of Art & Politics

I wonder how I will die, because none of this is my Islam. I’ve spent the better part of the years since 9/11 instinctively apologizing for the acts of extremist Muslims who have absolutely nothing to do with me, and everything to do with a brand of Islam that is despicable to all Muslims. I am exorbitantly angry with these extremists for continuing to try to tie my identity with their damnable actions.One look at my mini-skirts, tube-tops, and swimsuits, and if you’re even the most conservative of Americans, you end up asking me, “But you look so ‘normal.’ What causes you guys to take the step to go over the other side?” This actually happened with a well-meaning white woman from the Midwest on a flight to Chicago, who was shocked to hear there is no other side for us moderates and liberals. Such ignorant Islamophobia is pervasive to many of the encounters I have had over the last decade.

Source: Raad Rahman: Will I Die a Muslim? – Guernica / A Magazine of Art & Politics

www.german-foreign-policy.com France to Germany and rest of EU: assist in attacking IS

The EU Mutual Defense ClauseTo rally the EU behind its leadership in its fight against the IS, Paris has now evoked the “EU Mutual Defense Clause” in accordance with Article 42, Paragraph 7 of the Lisbon Treaty, according to which all EU member nations are obligated to come to France’s aid. The political results are obvious. Whereas, over the past few years, EU foreign policy has been focused on the struggle around Ukraine – under German predominance and leadership – the new set of priorities for fighting IS would be predominantly under France’s leadership. Paris, at least, would be able to relativize Berlin’s predominance. Therefore, the French government has leaked its wish to have the Bundeswehr participate in this fight against IS – of course, under French command – i.e. German support with aerial refueling of French fighter bombers and German air freighters. Berlin, however, is not disposed to submit to a French command, and made it clear that it will not participate in France’s attacks on IS in Syria. According to Germany, “there are already enough participants intervening with their fighter bombers.”[4] However, they would gladly come to France’s aid by sending the Bundeswehr to Northern Mali to relieve French troops operating there. In fact, the basis for an operation in Northern Mali had been adopted already months ago. (german-foreign-policy.com reported.[5])

Source: www.german-foreign-policy.com

Coalition Efforts Against ISIL

However, there are times, of course, when we believe it’s in our national security interests and the President authorizes for more direct action missions. So you’ve seen that against Abu Sayyaf, the number one financier of ISIL, in an operation into northern Syria about five, six months ago now. And we collected more information off that site than we have in any Special Forces operation in history. It was what has led now to a number of operations to really just completely uproot ISIL’s economic financial networks in Deir al-Zor in eastern Syria, and you’re going to see more of that. A lot of that came out of that raid. And of course, when we helped the Iraqi Kurdish Peshmerga do the rescue operation against the 70 hostages, and of course we lost a brave American in that operation.

Source: Coalition Efforts Against ISIL

Is defeating the Islamic State impossible? – Al-Monitor: the Pulse of the Middle East

To defeat IS, the world needs to hit the core of the group, and this means untying the shroud of knots surrounding it and cutting blood off from IS’ heart. A counter model is needed to fight the IS model, a model that is powerful, modern and shows real respect and appreciation for Islam. With such a model it would be easier to deprive the terrorist entity of sympathizers who might become future operatives. As former IS operative Abu Omar told me, “IS is very clever and smart in attracting people with potential; they know how to talk to them and how to address their ambitions. They are also very smart in exploiting mistakes committed by their enemies, and use these mistakes to prove to their supporters why they are the right choice.” He said, “I was behind their walls; therefore, I understand the mentality. If you really want to finish IS, you need to address people’s concerns, let the sheikhs talk to youths and stop making big mistakes. IS is surviving as the result of the dire mistakes committed by governments of the region.”Defeating IS should not be impossible if the above is addressed and serious military and economic steps are taken to prevent the group from expanding both financially and geographically. This means doing battle on the war fronts and imposing sanctions on countries and individuals financing the group or allowing money to flow to it or buying goods, mainly oil, from territories under its control. Long-term strategic steps must be taken or IS will be here to stay and expand. ​

Source: Is defeating the Islamic State impossible? – Al-Monitor: the Pulse of the Middle East

Terror a Means to an End for Islamic State – SPIEGEL ONLINE

IS strategists look several moves into the future. To defeat the terror group, the West must do the same. It must bring together pro-regime Syrians with the rebels, a project that will not succeed so long as Assad remains in power and which is made all the more difficult by Russia’s intervention. In Iraq, Sunni and Shiite factions divided by fear and hate must be brought together again — though the West can only help, it is the Iraqis themselves that must achieve this. In short, the West — together with Russia, Iran and the Arab Gulf states — must create the conditions that could make a ground offensive against the jihadists possible in the first place.But as long as that doesn’t happen, the world will allow a monster to continue growing. It is a monster that is today applying its battle-tested “Syria Model” of power expansion to Libya. And it is a monster that may even cease launching terror attacks were it left alone to continue expanding its foothold in the Middle East. Because terror, in the final analysis, is but the means to an end for Islamic State.

Source: Terror a Means to an End for Islamic State – SPIEGEL ONLINE

House passes bill to tighten flow of Syrian refugees over Obama’s objections – The Washington Post {The vote – 289 anti-American cowards to 137.

The House on Thursday overwhelmingly passed legislation aimed at tightening controls on refugees from Syria and Iraq, in what Republican leaders say is a swift and strong response to last week’s terror attacks in Paris.The vote was 289 to 137.

Source: House passes bill to tighten flow of Syrian refugees over Obama’s objections – The Washington Post

When Solidarity Only Goes So Far | Dame Magazine

As news of the attacks spread, dozens of my Syrian friends, most of whom I have met while they are living as refugees in Lebanon, were changing their profile pictures to the French flag, expressing genuine sympathy—and solidarity—with the people of Paris.One friend, a former tour guide in Palmyra—the oasis of ancient ruins in the Syrian desert that was a UNESCO world heritage site and popular tourist destination before it was recently plundered by the Islamic State—changed his profile picture to an image of the French tricolor superimposed over the ancient city that he once called home.“We had to flee ISIS in Tadmur,” he says, using the Arabic name for Palmyra. “Now France has a taste of how we felt.”Just the day before, I had been having coffee near the memorial at Republique with Bashar, a Syrian refugee who sought asylum in Paris around a year and a half ago. We were talking about whether or not the recent attacks would affect refugee policy in Paris when suddenly, a panicked crowd started running for the café, toppling tables and frantically diving down the stairwell, startled by what turned out to be fireworks, set off at the wrong time.“I felt so bad for the people of Paris,” said Bashar, as we waited inside of the restaurant’s basement kitchen to find out what was going on, and whether or not the coast was clear.“I know how it feels because we had to face so much of this in Syria.”

Source: When Solidarity Only Goes So Far | Dame Magazine

Turkey could cut off Islamic State’s supply lines. So why doesn’t it? | David Graeber | Comment is free | The Guardian

Western leaders could destroy Islamic State by calling on Erdoğan to end his attacks on Kurdish forces in Syria and Turkey and allow them to fight Isis on the ground

Source: Turkey could cut off Islamic State’s supply lines. So why doesn’t it? | David Graeber | Comment is free | The Guardian