I will read the article, but this is true. They are not like Al Qaeda, hiding in caves. They have a front and an "army". Very different group than in the past, and one that we are 100% better able to handle, and with ease. Militarily.
I agree with this. They're strategic idiots, so won't last long. There's a reason the ME has been riddled with terrorists for thousands of years and the methodology has lasted. Guys fighting with slingshots because it's basically 1894 in their world just aren't going to last long playing real war.
Are you kidding me? I asked exactly what I asked. I'll be quite sure to let you know what I'm actually saying, because I am transparent and ham handed. And quite condescending. Because of these things that you appear to realize, you should also realize that what I asked is what I asked. And you did mention an authoritarian ruler. You said this, exactly: Yes. They delivered self rule. And it went poorly. That isn't the same argument. Where the French messed up was not in establishing a fake country with various ethnic groups, as you stated. Are you now changing the argument? (And yes, that's a question, that means... are you now changing the argument?)
It's a valid point. There should have been more coverage, and attempts at solidarity. But I'm not going to say that the reason there isn't is because nobody cares about Kenya. They aren't a major ally. We could still do better, but that's not us peons.
We would be burning news coverage 24/7 and lighting up a new country daily if we covered every terrorist attack in every country around the globe. And I think people would become rather apathetic. If you really want to see a lot of this stop, sometimes you have to focus and make "more important" the actions against countries that do have the ability to do something about it.
Re: the Ottoman Empire, It wasn't just a "steel fist" that was employed. Those tribes were fairly insular. There was no internet and there was no radical Islam speaking out against "the man" and rallying people together. They were in a caliphate. You know... like ISIS is trying to make. I get what you're saying and think it has some merit worth considering, but the Ottoman Empire's grip followed the advice of 38 Special's smash hit.
It is been the same in a lot of these countries, even in the modern era. It isn't a coincidence that so many of the "worst" rulers come from these countries. You pretty much have to be keep control over these areas. The second a weak leader pops up, you see tribal lines re-formed, centuries old fights starting back up, and more sect on other sect violence. I'm not saying we end all outward terrorist action. But we can limit the areas they can play, and recruit in.
The successful empires in that part of the world took groups that couldn't just relax and be ruled, and scattered them all over the kingdom. Assyria did it. Egypt did it. Babylon did it, Rome did it, Ottoman Empire did it. That was the historical model (well, that and genocide) and it doesn't apply anymore.
The genocide is trying to make a come back. With the number of refugees seeking asylum, one could maybe argue that the scattering is making an attempt as well.
I don't really disagree with your intended point, but it's not a neat and tidy example unless you come at it from the position that this was "our" land before "we" got here. Otherwise, a European amalgam of cultures entered a land eventually forcing its natives to conform or be resettled or both depending on what time period you are talking about.
Again, human condition. We are going to care more for people that have similar values and a shared history. If you have the option of donating a kidney to save the life of a brilliant medical student that is a 7th generation American or an immigrant from the middle east in jail for vehicular manslaughter, which do you choose? By choosing, are you valuing one life over another? We do this every day. It's called life. Do you donate your entire paycheck to feed those starving kids from Africa that we see on the TV commercials? Or even to those poor kittens Sarah Mcglothin tells us belong in the arms of the angels? I bet you choose to value your family much more than you do these suffering souls, don't you, you insensitive ass? You are crossing into utopia shit here.
exactly. That tired, poor, huddled masses stuff was back when we needed labor. Lock that freaking door now.
