British Journalist David Haines beheaded!

[HarmanKardon]

Originally Posted by donquixote99

Ye Gods. All these guys have to do is kill three white people, in a grandstanding nasty way, and people are seriously saying nuclear genocide is the answer. Get a fucking grip.

Appropriate measures are necessary, they could hardly expressed by bar-room slogans.

[donquixote99]

Originally Posted by HarmanKardon

Appropriate measures are necessary, they could hardly expressed by bar-room slogans.

I reserve the right to overreact to OTT barroom slogans.

[nailer]

Originally Posted by donquixote99

I reserve the right to overreact to OTT barroom slogans.

And I'll nuke anyone who'd deny you your overreaction right.

[BlueStreak]

Originally Posted by donquixote99

Ye Gods. All these guys have to do is kill three white people, in a grandstanding nasty way, and people are seriously saying nuclear genocide is the answer. Get a fucking grip.

All I'm saying is that when we do go to war, we should fight it to win and stop mucking about with it. The whole "surgical strike" and "limited response" thing just is not working. But, I do agree that we need to restrain ourselves from developing an itchy finger, shooting at anything that looks like it might become a threat. That's no good either.

Dave

[donquixote99]

Originally Posted by BlueStreak

All I'm saying is that when we do go to war, we should fight it to win and stop mucking about with it. The whole "surgical strike" and "limited response" thing just is not working. But, I do agree that we need to restrain ourselves from developing an itchy finger, shooting at anything that looks like it might become a threat. That's no good either.

Dave

I assume you're talking about winning the traditional American US Grant way. Unconditional surrender. But let's look at what that really requires. You have to kill, destroy, and occupy massively and thoroughly. The population must be in fear for the biological survival of the nation.

For example, by the time WWII was over, 8 to 10 percent of all Germans were dead. Historically, conquered nations have often lost 20% or more of their population.

So, in rough numbers, doing the job to ISIS might mean killing 10% of the Sunni populations of Iraq and Syria, very roughly, maybe 2 million or so. Mostly civilians, ISIS doesn't have vast armies mobilized, they just have a fairly unlimited ability to draw more fighters from the population.

So, kill 2 million, 'win the war.' Up for that?

War is a blunt instrument anyway, and making unconditional surrender the goal makes it really blunt. I've nothing but admiration for leadership that goes to war reluctantly and in a limited way, if that will do the job.

ISIS's greatest strength is the way they can mobilize a virulent right wing here to do enormous political damage, just by killing two Americans.

[HarmanKardon]

Originally Posted by donquixote99

I reserve the right to overreact to OTT barroom slogans.

In a way that is what I think is a correct attitude. "In a way" means that I try not to overreact but to react in an appropriate manner.

[HarmanKardon]

After the beheading of Herve Gourdel in Algeria I ask myself if this could happen everywhere.

[donquixote99]

Originally Posted by HarmanKardon

After the beheading of Herve Gourdel in Algeria I ask myself if this could happen everywhere.

That little mindworm is how terrorism works. Minuscule effort, gigantic effect.

It may help to consider that Gourdel wasn't just a random tourist snatched off the street in Algiers. He took it on himself to go on a backpacking trip into the remote and broken country where the Islamists hide. He was then abducted some time ago, so they had him available to make use of now.

'Anytime, anywhere' is not what this shows.

[bobabode]

Originally Posted by donquixote99

That little mindworm is how terrorism works. Minuscule effort, gigantic effect.

It may help to consider that Gourdel wasn't just a random tourist snatched off the street in Algiers. He took it on himself to go on a backpacking trip into the remote and broken country where the Islamists hide. He was then abducted some time ago, so they had him available to make use of now.

'Anytime, anywhere' is not what this shows.

Indeed! Well said Don. The Corpo-craptastic media has everyone pissing in their pants over the remote possibility of random beheadings coming soon to town near you. Nothing sells soap better than fear these days, I guess.

[HarmanKardon]

There was this incident recently in Australia where an attempt of a beheading of an accidental person in public has been thwarted.

Don, Bob, I hope that you are right.