Whose hands will be awash in the blood of the terrorist attacks in Paris?

2015-11-14T10:21:09-05:00

http://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2015/nov/14/paris-terror-attacks-attackers-dead-mass-killing-live-updates
The simple answer is the perpetrators whomever they may be. However, few will be satisfied with the simple answer, will they?

The popular approach of applying critical theory will demand that we look to the motivations of the perpetrators much as other crimes are mitigated by assigning blame to a turbulent childhood or social injustice.

I suspect that blame will eventually land on the shores of the United States where the ideologues will scramble to pass it on to George Bush. After all, ISIS wouldn't even exist if he hadn't meddled in the Middle East, would it?

To be fair, I had my misgivings when he decided to invade Iraq. I had no problem with the legal issues involved. Sadaam had violated the cease fire. The whole question of WMDs, at least for me, was an unnecessary canard. However, surprise of surprises, there were signs of progress. The first free elections in Iraq were stunning to behold if you actually bothered to look. Despite threats, the people participated in numbers that shamed America's routinely tepid turnout. Iraqis displayed their badges of having voted with great pride. No, the job wasn't complete. The nascent movement towards self government had a long way to go, but it was a beginning.

Sadly, as so often is the case, America lacked the will to see the job done. No, I'm not going to blame President Obama. He is a pale reflection of America's popular opinion. We were tired of Iraq and very tired of bearing the expense and sacrifice. Much like we abandoned Russia to the Bolsheviks following WWI and Vietnam to the communists following the victory there, we abandoned the Iraqis long before they were capable of governing themselves, and ISIS arose.

So, how will we react if and when the world points the finger at us?

Paris attacks: one attacker was 'French extremist known to police' – live

Latest coverage of the attacks across Paris that have left at least 127 people dead

Response by SSgt Alex Robinson made Nov 14 at 2015 10:22 AM

2015-11-14T10:22:48-05:00

ISIS for one... I wonder how many Syrians were involved? I know the French have confirmed one Syrian passport.

Response by SSG Michael Scott made Nov 14 at 2015 10:52 AM

2015-11-14T10:52:12-05:00

Personally, do it want anymore middle east refugees coming to America. That is why we civil affairs in the armed forces. Destroy and rebuild their land so they can claim the home land back. We do not need that shit here.

Response by LTC John Shaw made Nov 14 at 2015 12:04 PM

2015-11-14T12:04:52-05:00

I don't think the French or the world sees this as an American caused problem, if anything they are now looking for American help. Some will point the finger, ignore those who do and let's focus on kicking Daesh butt.

Response by Capt Seid Waddell made Nov 14 at 2015 12:40 PM

2015-11-14T12:40:18-05:00

CPT Jack Durish, I don't agree that it is accurate to blame Bush for ISIS under any stretch of the imagination. The precursor of ISIS, AQI, had been thoroughly defeated during the Anbar Awakening. Their bloodthirsty ways had been experienced by the Sunnis, who then joined with us to exterminate them in detail.

It was Obama's retreat from Iraq before Iraq was ready to govern and defend itself independently that allowed the remnants of AQI to re-form itself into ISIS.

Obama's failure to back the Syrian rebels early on and to arm the Kurds allowed ISIS to expand in Syria and to make attacks back into Iraq. And Obama's failure to take out ISIS when they were in massed columns in the desert during their assault into Iraq, and again when they drove captured American weapons and vehicles back into their home bases in Syria.

And it is not accurate IMHO to blame American war weariness for Obama's failure to act in a timely manner; that is what leadership is for - to explain the situation and to lead the people to support clearly laid out policies. The American people would have followed a strong leader just as they backed Bush after 9/11.

Unfortunately, Obama lacks strategic vision and appears to be terminally indecisive. That is the reason for the rise of ISIS, IMHO.

Response by COL Ted Mc made Nov 14 at 2015 1:10 PM

2015-11-14T13:10:13-05:00

CPT Jack Durish - Captain; The governmental reaction is a really good example of poor information management.

One of the first things that I would have done was to release the "dying statement" of one of the perpetrators that was to the effect that they were planning on holding the hostages to extort money and that it all went awry because of the incompetence of the person who was supposedly a "master bomb maker".

It's extremely difficult to point a sole finger of blame at the United States of America for the situation in the Middle East. (Which doesn't mean that people won't try.) Even pointing out how and when the US government screwed the pooch isn't going to be good enough (although it is necessary to do so to prevent it happening again).

When you have a bunch of murderous sociopaths who actually believe in their own delusions then you are going to get a bunch of murderous sociopaths actually acting on their own delusions. These people can be VERY difficult to detect and if you can't detect them you have one hell of a time "deterring" them.

Response by SGT Francis Wright made Nov 14 at 2015 1:28 PM

2015-11-14T13:28:26-05:00

The problem is that we did not follow FDRs and the War Departments Doctrine. We were to worried about offending someone. Vietnam Doctrine didn't work then, it didn't work now. You want to send the US Military in to do a job? Then let them do it. If we tried to run WWII like this; we would have been divided in half. Wake up.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 14 at 2015 3:30 PM

2015-11-14T15:30:34-05:00

There are bad people who do bad things and we need to continue addressing that, however we also need to be careful not to divide the world into us and them based on geography or religion. No one suffers more at the hands of Islamic extremists than Muslims. The people fleeing war in the Middle East are victims of terrorism just like the people of Paris today or the people of New York after 9/11.

Response by PO1 John Miller made Nov 14 at 2015 7:19 PM

2015-11-14T19:19:11-05:00

I'm pretty sure our administration will, just as you predict, blame Bush. I also suspect that our President will once again resolve to stand by the Muslim Brotherhood while making only token gestures to take the fight to the terrorists (if he will even use the word terrorist).

Response by TSgt John Temblador, PI, CIPA made Nov 16 at 2015 1:06 AM

2015-11-16T01:06:21-05:00

Obama says he is God, mocks the Bible https://youtu.be/eY984VuVk_Q

Obama says he is God, mocks the Bible

Obama read Psalm 46 and attributed what was read to himself, PROCLAIMING HIMSELF AS GOD. Here are a few facts that really drive home that point. At the 9/11 ...

Response by SPC David Hannaman made Nov 16 at 2015 3:24 PM

2015-11-16T15:24:54-05:00

CPT Jack Durish "Sadaam had violated the cease fire. The whole question of WMDs, at least for me, was an unnecessary canard."

Indeed.

I'm weary of war. I'm tired of acting as the "police of the world" as I said on another thread, France spent years fighting us diplomatically, and now that they have "skin in the game" I'm pleasantly surprised to hear that they retaliated so quickly.

I wish them well... and hope we "take the high road" politically and offer aid where we can.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2015/11/15/paris-terrorist-attacks-airstrikes/75837088/

'Massive' French airstrikes hit Islamic State to retaliate for attacks

French officials on Sunday announced "massive" retaliatory airstrikes against Islamic State sites in Syria, the Associated Press reported, citing French defense officials who said the airstrikes destroyed two

Response by COL Ted Mc made Nov 17 at 2015 3:27 AM

2015-11-17T03:27:55-05:00

As a brief respite from all the doom and gloom, I offer this link

From "The Telegraph"

#3, #5, #22, and #36, #44, and #60

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/comedy/comedians/funny-jokes/

100 funny jokes by 100 comedians

Martin Chilton counts down 100 great jokes by 100 great comedians.