Islamic State Crisis Megathread (ISIS/ISIL/IS)

[The Alma Mater]

Really ? That seems to not be how things work IRL. As long as a dictator manages to take away the trash on time and limits congestion on the roads, a few deaths every now and then is something peope shrug about. "Filthy furriners" otoh ...

Wait you suggesting people will get annoyed by isis wiping out their history because it's idolatry?

No, I am sugesting that they probably barely care. Sure, a few harsh remarks might be made in the coffeehouse; but that is all.
The assumption people here have is that people will rebel and overthrow the oppressors if treated badly. That however is far from common or normal.

[Jamzmania]

The CIA estimates there are around 30,000 or less inside Syria and Iraq.

IIRC that was back in the summer of last year however. And then there are all the groups outside Syria and Iraq that have pledged allegiance to ISIS. Most likely the numbers in Iraq and Syria are between the CIA's estimate and the upper 200 000. Something like 80k seems rather reasonable.

The numbers inside Syria and Iraq would be the only ones that mattered, though.

[Jamzmania]

Wait you suggesting people will get annoyed by isis wiping out their history because it's idolatry?

No, I am sugesting that they probably barely care. Sure, a few harsh remarks might be made in the coffeehouse; but that is all.
The assumption people here have is that people will rebel and overthrow the oppressors if treated badly. That however is far from common or normal.

They aren't just treated badly. They are treated absolutely inhumanely.

[Napkiraly]

Probably the ones that aren't regularly slaughtering innocent people in the streets.

Really ? That seems to not be how things work IRL. As long as a dictator manages to take away the trash on time and limits congestion on the roads, a few deaths every now and then is something peope shrug about. "Filthy furriners" otoh ...

Except they aren't doing just "a few deaths". They're doing far far more. Offing elders, ethnically cleansing entire regions, etc. And if you're too brutal, which ISIS is, the tolerance for their rule start decaying mighty fast.

[Napkiraly]

Wait you suggesting people will get annoyed by isis wiping out their history because it's idolatry?

No, I am sugesting that they probably barely care. Sure, a few harsh remarks might be made in the coffeehouse; but that is all.
The assumption people here have is that people will rebel and overthrow the oppressors if treated badly. That however is far from common or normal.

That's because, contrary to popular belief, many dictators aren't stupid evil, tossing around the villain ball. They know when to reign in the shit stick.

[Gauthier]

Except this time we'll have MOAR blackjack and hookers!

Have all the blackjack and hookers!

You know what? Screw the coalition!

[Dain II Ironfoot]

From now on we need to fit all equipment for the Iraqi army with self destruct devices.


I'm reminded of that travel wiki site that had their entry on the Capital of Somalia. Every section was preceded with various warnings that doing anything in the city, from visiting a location, getting around, to even staying in your hotel, had an extreme risk of getting abducted and\or murdered.

If you go on Wikitravel and look up a random place, some interesting tidbits are sure to spring up. For example, I looked up Swaziland and a warning came up as follows:

Under no circumstances, insult King Mswati III or the royal family of Swaziland. Activism is brutally dispersed and people are reported to be shot and to be brutally injured from doing this! Do not attend ANY of the political demonstrations that happen occasionally.

It also noted that that country is essentially AIDS central, and that nearly 1 in 3 adults are infected.

But at least I can think of a reason or two to go to Swaziland. Why would anyone go to Somalia?

I'd go to Somalia... Shooting with a RPG is like a dream! But i would most likely visit the north of the country as it is pretty safe up there.

I mean, they aren't too far off.

Assad is the one with Putin's backing and they call the Kurds communist?

Like Putis is communist :/

Open letter to the Iraqi Army.

Thoughts?

I'm usually not this kind of guy but:

Fuck the Iraqi Army, we need troops there. The Kurds are getting pushed back, the various militias and foreign volunteers are getting hammered despite what everyone is saying and Iran does not have the local support or logistics to continue a sustained open field combat with ISIS.

Seriously, Special Forces are good when you have conventional, not-going-to-bail-out-on-a-fucking-huge-defensive-advantage, decently trained, decently armed, prepared army to fall back on. If not, then you're getting into a grinding match that you will and I repeat, will lose a shit ton of irreplaceable soldiers.

Those are my two cents.

No, just no.

[Dain II Ironfoot]

Iran and Iraq to increase cooperation in fight against terror

[Cabana]

You seem to think that ISIS has popular local support, that they have the numbers (how many people do they have? 50,000? Less?), and that the terrain is even suitable for the kind of resistance comparable to the Viet Cong.

Not really. The NVA and the cong only had to fight one country. ISIS is fighting on multiple fronts.

What about Laos and Cambodia?

[New Skaaneland]

When it comes to visuals I'm all for remakes of classic maps - and I think the devs should've been much faster to make improved map versions official - but when it comes to overall playability I think much was good about the oldies. Not every map has to consist of just two bases and a middle section which you pass through within seconds.

How off topic am I?

[Wewtlandem]

I haven't read all of the last 400 some odd pages but has anybody noticed how the bulk of Daesh's high command and Shura Council are almost all Baathists? That one crazy ginger dude from the most wanted Iraqi playing cards said that the BGC could destroy ISIS once they run out of usefulness.

[West Aurelia]

Abu Sayyaf's real name is Fathi Ben Awn Ben Jildi Murad al-Tunisi.

32 Danish IS fighters have collected 378,000 kroner in unemployment benefits.

10 Canadian youths arrested for trying to join IS.

[Miletos]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-32820857 - Daesh has captured Palmyra

If there were ever a time for Syria's chemical weaponry to be used for the common good (assuming that it'd be possible to do so without harming any civilians in Tadmur), that time would be now.

[Laanvia]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-32820857 - Daesh has captured Palmyra

If there were ever a time for Syria's chemical weaponry to be used for the common good (assuming that it'd be possible to do so without harming any civilians in Tadmur), that time would be now.

Oh, bollocks.

[Shamhnan Insir]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-32820857

This is getting worse.

One - They are destroying amazing relics from history.

Two - They are shafting their own economy by doing so.

[Novus America]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-32820857

This is getting worse.

One - They are destroying amazing relics from history.

Two - They are shafting their own economy by doing so.

ISIS/ISIL/IS/Daesh literally wants to bring about the apocalypse.

They therefore do not give a f***k about the economy, or relics.

They also cannot be negotiated with. "Okay, work with us here and we will agree to destroy half of the world..."

http://www.theatlantic.com/features/arc ... ts/384980/

[Blakk Metal]

You seem to think that ISIS has popular local support, that they have the numbers (how many people do they have? 50,000? Less?), and that the terrain is even suitable for the kind of resistance comparable to the Viet Cong.

Who do the locals prefer then - IS or the great Satan known as the USA ?

I have never heard of anyone in my life refer to the USG as being good. I've heard many refer to IS being good.

[West Aurelia]

Some Iraqi troops believe that the US supports IS.

IS now controls 50% of Syria after capturing Palmyra.

Inside Palmyra following IS' capture of it. The Syrian government freed prisoners in the hopes that they would defend the city in a last-ditch attempt, but they just ran away. At least IS can't recruit them, like they did in Iraq.

[New Skaaneland]

What were the accusations against those prisoners?

[Jamzmania]

Does anyone still believe ISIS is on the verge of defeat or even losing ground at this point?

[Salus Maior]

ISIS/ISIL/IS/Daesh literally wants to bring about the apocalypse.

Reminds me of an RPG storyline....Except it's real and not fun at all.

[Novus America]

What were the accusations against those prisoners?

From the article it appears at least some were political prisoners of the Assad regime.

Probably criticized the government or ran afoul of the wrong official.

[Napkiraly]

Does anyone still believe ISIS is on the verge of defeat or even losing ground at this point?

Depends on the front. Gains were made with the Kurds. Unfortunately with the Iraqi Regular and Assad forces it's been rather different.

[Imperial City-States]

Does anyone still believe ISIS is on the verge of defeat or even losing ground at this point?

Well it depend on what you mean by 'verge'. If you mean crumbing within the next few months absolutely not. However their actions are unsustainable, as a result they will lose even more support as time goes and and they'll likely kill each other off.


In terms of Battlespace,

The Kurds are making progress as they're actually fighting while the Iraqi Army runs away holding their lady parts. Not to familiar with the gig in Syria

[Novus America]

ISIS/ISIL/IS/Daesh literally wants to bring about the apocalypse.

Reminds me of an RPG storyline....Except it's real and not fun at all.

Indeed, or bad to the point of unwatchable action movie.

Either way, they cannot be reasoned with, and we cannot assume they think like us at all. North Korea, for example is still interested in self preservation. Daesh/ISIS is not. They do not care about improving material conditions or the economy. They do not care about archaeology. They do not even care about gaining wealth for a elite group like most authoritarian regimes. They only care about death and destruction. They exist for death and destruction. They will not stop until they are dead. They are basically the IRL equivalent of zombies.