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Re: The Shining City Upon a Hill
It is time to end America's longest war': Biden announces full withdrawal of troops from AfghanistanComment
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Re: The Shining City Upon a Hill
I said this month ago that if Biden was elected that ISIS would come back. It's true.
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Islamic State is back and this time the west is ill-prepared to take it on Hassan Hassan
Isis has never ceased attacks in the two countries since the loss of its territories, but the recent operations are particularly bad news. Aside from the attacks, for example, reports from the ground consistently suggest that the group has had greater visibility and mobility this year in villages and suburbs across Iraq and Syria.
The way in which some of the attacks were conducted also indicates that the group has access to information about troop movements and individuals it seeks to target. Such trends are usually early signs that the group has established roots, carved out space for itself and built the infrastructure necessary to launch attacks.
The steady pressure was disrupted by a chain of events in both countries, paving the way for Isis to return. The initial US withdrawal from Syria caused its allies on the ground, the Kurdish-dominated forces, to seek the help of Russia and the regime in Damascus to prevent Turkey from taking over. Even after the US reversed its decision to withdraw, part of the third of Syria previously controlled by the international coalition became shared with the Russians. The damage was already done, as the international mandate against Isis shrank in both territory and influence.
In Iraq, too, mass protests in Iraq in October triggered several events and raised the political temperature in the country. The protests in central and southern Iraq forced the government to resign and led to political stagnation that lasted until two weeks ago, when political parties agreed on a new prime minister, Mustafa al-Kadhimi.
The protests, which sometimes included an anti-Iran tone, also added to the tensions between the US and Shia forces in the country. Attacks and counter-attacks, by the US and Iranian proxies, ultimately led to the killing of the Iranian general Qassem Suleimani and the prominent Shia militia leader Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis.
Despite what seemed like a perfect storm, Isis could not expand its influence until recently. The earliest notable attack happened on 9 April, between the group and Syrian regime forces near Palmyra in the Syrian desert. The attack appeared sophisticated, as the group ambushed regime forces and clashed with them for several hours. Later that month, Isis conducted several attacks in Kirkuk, Diyala and Salah ad-Din. Such attacks included the attempted storming of the counter-terrorism and intelligence directorate in Kirkuk, and several coordinated attacks in Salah ad-Din. The attacks were among the most sophisticated in years.
Isis clearly benefited from the security vacuum and decreased pressure in both countries. As Isis establishes a foothold, it soon becomes hard to weaken it without deeper international engagement. Renewed tactical operations might force it underground but it will not dismantle its networks, because that process requires a patient counter-terrorism strategy that seemed to exist a year ago.
The recovery of Isis is still new and fragile, and so could be easily reversed if the pressure is restored. However, the problem is that the current trends seem more favourable to Isis than to local forces. Tensions between the US and Iraqi forces also make it harder for the two partners to work in harmony as they did during the fight against Isis in places like Mosul. The US has already withdrawn from several tactical bases in western and central Iraq, in the very areas in which it recently carried out attacks.
In other words, the chances for further Isis recovery are increasing as the odds decrease for a tougher crackdown led by the US. This pattern is what makes the current phase particularly dangerous. If the pattern continues in the coming months, Isis is likely to become a far greater threat that will be much harder to contain than it is now.
Hassan Hassan is the director of the non-state actors and geopolitics programme at the Center for Global Policy thinktank, and co-author of the New York Times bestseller ISIS: Inside the Army of Terror
Adversity temporarily visits a strong man but stays with the weak for a lifetime.Comment
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Re: The Shining City Upon a Hill
There is no mention by the Biden Administration that they are giving up the fight on ISIS. ISIS will always have the ability to reconstitute itself because its followers are oppressed Muslim people. America can not solve all of the problems in the world. America does have the ability to shoot a missile down anyone's throat at any point in time on short notice, anywhere in the world to remind terrorists they could soon meet Allah!
Old news!
Islamic State is back and this time the west is ill-prepared to take it on | Hassan Hassan
The GuardianComment
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Re: The Shining City Upon a Hill
Biden Administration to Impose Tough Sanctions on Russia
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Re: The Shining City Upon a Hill
America's race to zero emissions
Advances mean all new US vehicles can be electric by 2035, study finds
Cost of batteries to fall and recharge points to increase
Rapid electrification could save drivers $2.7tn by 2050Comment
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Re: The Shining City Upon a Hill
Day by day more info is leaked out about Jan 6th, and it's not good.
Police Told to Hold Back on Capitol Riot Response, Report Finds - The New York Times
who gave that order?
The New York Times
@nytimes
Breaking News: The Capitol Police were told not to use their most aggressive tactics ahead of the Jan. 6 riot despite warnings of violence in which "Congress itself is the target," according to a new report by an internal investigator.
Capital Police open the doors for the protestors:
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Re: The Shining City Upon a Hill
At Least 25% Of Our Country's Youth Has Seen Through Liberal Lies
Dems have been covering for Biden non-stop. Biden needs a cheat-sheet with pictures and prescripted questions in order to hold Press Conferences. Harris has to direct him to get onto a helicopter as he clearly was not sure where he was going and the sad thing is we are talking about the President of the United States. Dems try to ignore it and help him in every way they can, but he is clearly not all there, and it turns out students have also taken note. At least 25% of students in a recent poll claim that Biden is not mentally fit to run our country. It should be 100%...
"AComment
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Re: The Shining City Upon a Hill
Posting in the wrong thread again Phil
Sorry No CONSPIRACY theoriesComment
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