Cyprus-Forum.com

[Paphitis]

I have had very little time for the forum, but my small forays leave me feeling you (Garavnoss et al.) are attaching too much romanticism to the IS movement. The facts are becoming blurred as you weave reasons for engaging support for their strategies.

IS are not protecting some established culture. They are asserting expansion by destroying pre-existing cultures (Christians, Kurds etc). It is IS that are therefore enlarging and akin to your Goliath or Roman Empire in wishing to take over the rights of others.

So America is bigger and IS are fewer - but it's not just about size ...

You seem to think because IS are fewer in numbers that they are a minority that needs to be protected.

[However, you have re-enacted the distraction another unchecked muslim minority caused.]

- A minority in numbers they might be, but (like the TCs) they are a LARGE MENACE!

My OWN view on the strategies of IS (and I must stress that it does NOT mean that I support them) is that they are committed to the task of regaining those territories which were destroyed by the Western forces.

The Proposition that Iraq (and other nations) are better off since their invasions/uprisings or whatever other upheavals, does little to alleviate the suffering of those who now live amongst it.

The emergence of IS (and others) is directly attributable to the destruction of their homelands (AS THEY SEE IT) and it should come as no surprise that they are hell bent on resisting the political and military might which is forcing change upon them.

One may proffer the opinion that Materialism is a more comfortable way to live, that Democracy is better for the people and that a whole new culture would be beneficial to them but, respectfully, when those same people view the corruption and misconduct at most levels of the societies they are expected to emulate, they simply do not want it, they were better off as they were before.

One could argue that the leadership of those Middle Eastern nations were ruled by tyrants, we have heard it all before, the leaders NOW are non-existent and the future is looking rather dismal and will probably remain so for some time.

Many of the Jihadists are actually recruited from Russia and other European countries. It is not their homeland and as a matter of fact they have been targeting minorities, other ethnicities, sects, Christians, Kurds, Turkmen and Yazidis. Can you explain what attachment these people have with the Iraqi Military establishment or the Assad Regime?

Their criminal actions are ideologically driven and that is the real battle that will need to be won in the longer term as we try to deal with the more immediate terrorist threat in Syria and Iraq and even in our own homelands.

[Garavnoss]

As I see it.

The hard core of IS are those that wish to impose "Sharia Law" on the society they wish to establish, the recruits they attract from other parts of the world (even Australia) are like- minded and would naturally wish to get rid of those minorities (which refuse to adhere to certain requirements) and establish their own nation..... (their ultimate objective).

The above does NOT mean that I am in agreement with slaughter etc (for the benefit of).

As to explaining the attachment to whoever else, your guess is as good as mine.

[Garavnoss]

As I see it.

The hard core of IS are those that wish to impose "Sharia Law" on the society they wish to establish, the recruits they attract from other parts of the world (even Australia) are like- minded and would naturally wish to get rid of those minorities (which refuse to adhere to certain requirements) and establish their own nation..... (their ultimate objective).

The above does NOT mean that I am in agreement with slaughter etc (for the benefit of).

As to explaining the attachment to whoever else, your guess is as good as mine.

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As an additional contribution to the above, I think people should understand that the actions of IS are absolutely at variance with the tenets of "Islam" and it is unfortunate if those who do not know that, condemn Muslims on account of their own ignorance.

The mantle under which IS (upon their emergence) first operated, was one which conformed to the ancient tenets of a "Caliphate".

I believe that the more modern approach, was supposed to allow those of different faiths to worship freely under certain conditions, one of which being that they agree to live within the confines of the "Law" (I am not qualified to expand) just as the larger Muslim communities in other countries (such as U.K) are required to live within the confines of IT's "Laws", another being that those who live within the confines, are required to pay a fee for their protection (similar to a tax) which I understand is called "Jizya" and could be representative of about 10% of the income of the family under such protection.

Those who do not wish to avail themselves of such rules are advised to leave, if they do not they can expect punishment.

Whether or not IS follows such guidelines is an entirely different matter, some say "Yeah", some say "Nay", I say "I do not know".

That which I DO know is that the information I see on the news and read in the newspapers, is very often at variance with that which I have seen with my own eyes, I find it difficult to differentiate between one dead body and the next, courtesy of whoever.