The video is out there for all to see. It shows a Jordanian pilot being burned alive in a cage by ISIS savages. But while networks and websites were debating whether or not to show the gruesome footage, and just how much warning to give viewers, something else happened this week that has gone nearly unnoticed.
The United Nations issued a chilling report Wednesday detailing some other Islamic State atrocities. The victims aren't pilots or soldiers or journalists, but children. ISIS is routinely abducting boys and girls in Iraq, who are tortured, raped, and sold as sex slaves. Non-Islamic children have been crucified or buried alive, while others are used as suicide bombers or "human shields" to ward off air strikes.
Want more evidence of ISIS depravity? The UN reports that many of the children were "mentally challenged" to begin with, even before being subjected to "systematic sexual violence." The ISIS butchers seem to be even worse than the world had known, subhuman in the literal meaning of that overused term.
When it comes to body counts, ISIS is not close to Hitler, Stalin, and other 20th century villains.
But ISIS sure seems to take more pride in its evil.
The Nazis didn't announce to the world that cattle cars were transporting human beings to mass extermination camps; the Soviets tried to hide the fact (and did so, with the help of the New York Times) that millions of its citizens were being intentionally starved to death. But ISIS, apparently incapable of shame, proudly produces slick videos showing beheadings and immolation.
We can also compare the responses of world leaders. In 1938 Winston Churchill wrote "While England Slept," an attack on appeasement in general and Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain in particular. Then, in 1940, Churchill gave his first speech to the House of Commons after replacing Chamberlain. The nation's policy, he proclaimed, would be "to wage war against a monstrous tyranny, never surpassed in the dark, lamentable catalogue of human crime."
Well, now that ISIS is approaching Nazi-level degeneracy, the world looks to President Obama, who issues weak statements about "shrinking ISIL's sphere of influence." The president also sets the goal of "degrading" the Islamic State and turning it into a "manageable problem." Can you even begin to imagine Winston Churchill spewing that kind of pabulum?
There is at least one leader in the West who recognizes and identifies evil, perhaps because he studied in a Roman Catholic seminary and briefly considered the priesthood. Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott has identified ISIS as a "death cult" that is completely unashamed of its atrocities. "They absolutely revel in the killing," he said, while calling for "extreme force."
And then there is Abdullah ibn al-Hussein, a former special forces commander now known as King Abdullah of Jordan. The king sounded downright Churchillian this week when he vowed to pursue ISIS until his army "runs out of fuel and bullets." He then ordered the immediate execution of two Al Qaeda terrorists who had been languishing in Jordanian jails. Yes, at times it's good to be king.
Thankfully, we don't have a king who can order the immediate execution of prisoners. But we should be able to execute a plan that demands more than merely "degrading" the Islamic State and its mass murderers. 80 years ago the world looked away as madmen took over an entire country, then other countries. That chapter of history ended with a Holocaust and vows of "never again."
Well, something similar is happening again, thus far on a much smaller scale. Will strong, Churchill-like leaders rally the world against this pure evil? Or will the Chamberlain attitude prevail, where we consider making peace treaties with those who would behead, rape, and crucify our children?
During his recent sit down with NBC, President Obama defended his ISIS strategy with eight words: "Anything we could be doing," he insisted, "we are doing." Does anyone believe that?
Anyone?
The crisis is no longer approaching, Mr. President. It has arrived.
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23 comments:
The US has been bombing ISIS for months. Something like 80% of all airstrikes against ISIS are from US forces. President Obama sent a new AUMF to ask for expanded powers to battle ISIS this very week.
What more do these people want? I suspect the answer is boots on the ground, which is a t
He then ordered the immediate execution of two Al Qaeda terrorists who had been languishing in Jordanian jails. Yes, at times it's good to be king.
Summary execution is something to be celebrate?
Or will the Chamberlain attitude prevail, where we consider making peace treaties with those who would behead, rape, and crucify our children?
What a fucking strawman. WE ARE BOMBING ISIS! RIGHT NOW!
We are not negotiating with them.
The fact that we haven't sent in the 101st Airborne doesn't mean we are working on a peace treaty with them. Grow the fuck up you simple minded twit.
Sorry, lost my train of thought.
To finish my sentence: ""I suspect the answer is boots on the ground, which is a terrible idea".
Though I'm sure you could have probably guessed that.
For six years, Republicans have been complaining that Obama thinks he's a king. Now they're complaining that he isn't acting like a king.
In other words, when he does something, they complain and when he does nothing, they complain, meaning today is just another day.
Like anon wrote, it's all about escalation. Our corporate overlords want boots on the ground and they'll get it.
Then people can watch videos of US prisoners being tortured and killed.
The Conservative view spelled out nicely.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vZijLQGH1v0
How do you get right wingers to support a military action that Obama is already leading? By claiming he doesn't support it! Oh and putting Bill O'Reilly's name at the top of your bullshit doesn't hurt either.
The only reason why propaganda aimed at conservatives baldly & endlessly states that Obama/"Democrats" are weak or don't support the military or aren't doing enough to bomb, maim, murder & wreak havoc across the globe is to keep conservatives willing to have their pockets picked by the 1% and the MIC.
As we see here daily, rightwing think tanks, Fox, Rush, Glenn, etc, spew out lies about Obama (disclaimer: I'm not fan) 24/7/365. Obama/"Democrats" are forever damned if they do, damned if they don't.
Quite honestly, it doesn't matter one whit what Obama/"Democrats" do because nitwit conservatives will be directed by Rush, Glenn, Fox, etc, to hate hate hate it just because.
There's no substance here. There never is.
Frankly there's precious little difference between either of the "two" legacy parties; it hardly matters who the puppet in the White House is. The same polices will occur, no matter what.
List for me all of the vast giant honking huge difference between BushCo & ObamaCo, particularly in regard to War, murder and mayhem around the globe. Go ahead...
ferschitz: We, for better or worse are the leaders of the free world. With it, comes certain responsibilities to the rest of the World, whether you like it or not.
Your lil' rant is cute, however.
Mike Hawk
P.S. - "the same policies will occur"? Please, put your joint down, freak boy!!!! Lawd have mercy....
We, for better or worse are the leaders of the free world.
Says who?
With it, comes certain responsibilities to the rest of the World, whether you like it or not.
Again, says who? And would these responsibilities include not starting stupid wars on false pretenses? Because we seem to have failed that test pretty recently, which is a big reason ISIS even exists now.
Oh yes, "and John "bomb, bomb, bomb Iran" McCain is a "leader and friend of ISIS"...."I can provide links of photos in which he is seen shaking hands with today's leaders of ISIS".....blah, blah, blah.
You liberal war doves and your schtick/rhetoric is pretty damn PATHETIC.
Indeed, the result of WW2 speaks for itself. There is no doubt any any RATIONAL person's mind that the USA is the Leader of the Free World.
http://www.americanforeignrelations.com/E-N/Exceptionalism-The-leader-of-the-free-world.html
Now, drop and give me 50, soldier!!!!!!! ;-)
Mike Hawk
"We, for better or worse are leaders of the free world."
Well if that's not typical USA exceptionalism propaganda, I don't know what is. Who, exactly, has "appointed" the USA to be leader of the "free world," and with minor exceptions, what part of the world isn't free? How truly free are we here in the US anyway.
What a load of bollocks. And if the USA is somehow the leader, I'd say we've made a huge hash of it. Perhaps it's someone else's turn.
And how does being the leader lead inevitably to the USA waging War against just about every country in the Middle East, Russia, large parts of Africa, N Korea, parts of Central America, and elsewhere. Our leadership is quite ineffectual if it only "works" at the end of a gun or dropped bomb.
Wake up fool.
*no doubt in any RATIONAL person's mind...
Indeed, the result of WW2 speaks for itself.
So because of a war that ended 80 years ago, in much different world, won by a coalition of allies (not just the US) including the USSR and China, the US suddenly becomes "leader of the free world" (a vague title with no defined meaning)?
There is no doubt any any RATIONAL person's mind that the USA is the Leader of the Free World.
Which means what, exactly? Sounds like nothing but a fancy title you can bandy about to legitimize whatever action the US does or does not take. Like, say, invading Iraq for no good reason in 2003, a decision which lead directly to our current ISIS situation.
Whom are you calling a "fool"????
Just for that, DROP AND GIVE ME ANOTHER 50, SOLDIER!!!!! :-)
Mike Hawk
Unlike this O'Reilly claptrap, here's a link to one of the best articles yet on ISIL.
Long, but compelling.
http://www.theatlantic.com/features/archive/2015/02/what-isis-really-wants/384980/
That article is way too LOOOOOOOOONG.
Can you give us the CliffsNotes?
Thanks.
Mike Hawk
Schitzengiggles (hee, hee, hee)I watched George Carlin make his jokes. He's good isn't he? I did enjoy it even if he is a bit off base. We have a volunteer army, don't we? The conservatives among us do not force you to join the military, that is a personal choice.
I do not like Bill O'Reilly, I think he is an ass and turn him off whenever he is on.
My feelings about your "leader" is that he has one purpose in life and that is to continue with his agenda to complete the Cloward - Piven
strategy before he leaves office. He has raised the US debt to more than double that of all the preceding Presidents before him. He has grown the number on Food stamps and welfare to almost 1/6th of the population. He has made it a law to force all to have medical insurance. But there are those that complain about the volunteer military and say that the conservatives are the reason for our military failures.
Mike Hawk
Mikey,
The point wasn't about whether the military is volunteer or not but nice strawman. Billo is a dumbass you have that pegged correctly as is pretty much everyone on Fox News (lump MSNBC and CNN in with them as well).
However you must be incredibly dense or have some mental block if you think I'm an Obama backer. Obama is my "leader" only in the sense he was duly elected twice, that's all. His policies are shit for the most part. I don't need to read RWF to have legitimate issues with him. I like the RWF because it's entertaining. Hell.. I even laugh at you Mike (hehehe)
I think you're off base with the Cloward-Piven bit but to each his own opinion. He's not Progressive enough for that. Deficits have actually been declining...feel free to look it up. The total debt however is going up yes and the rolls are increasing for support services primarily because of a multitude of factors that could be debated. The global meltdown from the housing crisis has had a snowball effect on jobs, the general economy, and probably forcing more on the assistance rolls over time. It's a system with interdependent parts. What puzzles me is interest rates at basically zero since 2008 yet companies - the Job Creators - aren't hiring like they should. I thought that's what Conservatives said would turn the tide. Oh wait they wanted zero regulation too...let the free markets correct and regulate itself. I forget they're delusional. Companies hire not because of interest rates or regulation, they hire based on demand for their products and services. Yeah the lower rates to get capital may play but you still need demand first. With so many unemployed (a lot triggered again by the recession starting 2007/2008) and on the gubmint teat as you claim, there just isn't the demand. The whole thing about "we're over regulated and need lower interest rates" is horseshit. Now one could argue (and I do) that Obama didn't do enough or the right things in the way of fiscal policy but this was brewing before he was elected the first time. Deny it and deflect all you want. I bet you want Reaganomics back don't you. LMAO. Man we'd really be buggered now. But what if...
http://zfacts.com/p/318.html
Anyway, this has gotten way OT.
How do you get rightwingers to support a military action that Obama is already leading? (Leading where?? to the golf course?)
By claiming he doesn't support it! (10 air strikes a day when Jordan found 200 to strike in one day)
Oh and putting Bill O'Reilly's name at the top of your bullshit doesn't hurt either. (Agreed)
The US has been bombing ISIS for months. Something like 80% of all airstrikes against ISIS are from US Forces. (See above Carpet bomb the bastards)
President Obama sent a new AUMF to ask for expanded powers to battle ISIS this very past week.
What more do these people want? I suspect the answer is boots on the ground, which is a TERRIBLE idea!!! (I agree that it is not good to send our guys to fight over there and I wish there were some other way, but if you say you are coming to my house to kill me I feel I have the right to do you in.)
He then ordered the immediate execution of two Al Qaeda terrorists who had been languishing in Jordanian jails. Yes, at times it's good to be king.Summary execution is something to be celebrate? (You have the right to write this letter because good men have died to give you that right. Do you think that you will still have that right if we are taken over by Sharia law. I don't think so.)
Or will the Chamberlain attitude prevail, where we consider making peace treaties with those who would behead, rape, and crucify our children? What a fucking strawman. WE ARE BOMBING ISIS! RIGHT NOW! (Selective targets chosen by Obama stooges)
We are not negotiating with them. (Are you sure?)
The fact that we haven't sent in the 101st Airborne doesn't mean we are working on a peace treaty with them. Grow the fuck up you simple minded twit, O'Reilly. (What are you worried about, do you think that ISIS would be difficult to defeat or are you afraid that they will be defeated?)
For six years and counting, Republicans have been complaining that Obama thinks he's a king. Now they're complaining that he isn't acting like a king. (Come on he has the power and has had it. He is just stalling and doesn't want to take the decision himself. Let someone else make the decision.)
In other words, when he does something, they complain and when he does nothing, they complain, meaning today is just another day.
(On the golf course or in the office taking "selfies")
Mike Hawk
Fuck off, "Mike". You're either just trolling, or you're an idiot. Possibly both.
(You have the right to write this letter because good men have died to give you that right. Do you think that you will still have that right if we are taken over by Sharia law. I don't think so.)
Fuck you, Mike. Fuck you right in your fascist ear.
Sharia law does not threaten us.
Summary execution of prisoners is not something that will protect us from Sharia or anything else. It just means we stoop to their level.
Those men who died that you invoke didn't just die for freedom of speech but for the rule of law. For due process. For a country which can at least try not to act like a bunch of bloodthirsty savages. Your invoking of their memory to try and silence dissent and condone unlawful action is shameful.
Again, and with feeling: Fuck you Mike.
Dave, isn't it time to drop the hammer on this dipshit?
https://evertb.wordpress.com/2012/09/26/tracking-a-troll/
"Mike Hawk" is a provocateur who thinks he's a laff riot. It's best to just ignore his ignorant bs.
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