Yes, top post. The problem is everyone is an expert and really it's all just a mater of opinion I tend to read these threads but not post as I seldom know what I'm talking about half the time anyway
One of your posts inspired me to a rare response of more than a couple of words. After spending around 20 minutes writing what was probably a load of cobblers, I couldn't post it as apparently the thread had been moved. One day in a year or so when I get time I'll rewrite it - it probably needed it anyway!
I'm increasingly of the view that we should be doing a deal with Assad. The terms would have to include future UN monitoring of that country and regime. The country may have to be partitioned. All military efforts would then be to crush ISIL. A bitter pill to swallow but this course would also have benefit of bringing Russia onside.
A very bitter pill but possibly the only way forward. Also heard speculation that Al Queda should be supported against ISIL, but surely that is too much.
Al Qaeda appears to be more of a doctrine than a homogenous worldwide outfit. If we can turn local Al Qaeda leaders in Syria, it may be a runner. But the philosophy of "my enemy's enemy is my friend" tends to be fraught with difficulties farther down the line...
Said with feeling, Swordsy! Ireland knows. It's a measure of last resort. The territories - government and rebel - seem, from my superficial glance at newspaper maps, to lend themselves to a geographical split...but I won't second guess those on the ground
I was thinking more of India/Pakistan and Israel (sorry Wats). A lot of bloodshed particularly with the former. I just don't like seeing Countries broken up into smaller pieces. The less Countries we have the better. I understand sometimes partitioning might be the only solution. Israel/Palestine will probably end up splitting in two at some point which is unfortunate.
Ukraine is another where there is pressure. And the Kurds in Turkey. But I think we're too far down the road to allow Assad to take back control of the whole country. The reprisals don't bear thinking about
Give Israel power over the whole Middle East. A splendid balance between Western democracy and orthodox relgious nutters
German Christians are making hay while the Sun shines http://www.irishexaminer.com/irelan...n-droves-at-berlin-church-352175.html?ref=yfp
I'm surprised Putin hasn't intervened. He's always showing the might of the Russian military, now he could send them in to exterminate IS and bathe in the glory of being the World's good guy. He could then ride bare-chested into Damascus in his biggest propaganda coup with his vanity in overdrive...
The might of the Russian military had their arses tanned by the Mujahadeen [corrected] during the Afghanistan campaign. No doubt Putin's advisors remind him of that each time he whips his shirt off...!
It wasn't the Taliban Goldie, it was the Mujahadeen, which fragmented into loads of provincial warlords after they won, letting the Taliban fill the vacuum. Which looks pretty similar to Iraq and Syria now....... On reflection perhaps partition not such a good idea. Just get rid of all borders between the Med and Iran,and from Turkey to Yemen, they were all drawn in 1918 anyway. This is what ISIS is trying to do anyway. Same impact by giving up on religion entirely. Apostates and atheists suffer the same fate according to the Koran - death.
http://www.bbc.com/news/business-34172729 Good article in the BBC - the sly Germans getting all the educated, rich and driven refugees first.
Cameron says the UK (can he speak for Scotland?) will take 20,000 Syrians over the life of this Parliament i.e about 5,000 a year. Better than nowt, and sounds manageable to me. But enough to keep the 'kick 'em all out' faction in his party happy? And the doors are still open to the rest of the EU of course, his immigration pledges look undeliverable unless we leave the EU. If that's the case, why don't we just get on with it? Still waiting to be educated on what 'traditional British values' are.
