Australian spy chief criticised for 'fist bump' gesture with Philippines leader Duterte

[scott h]

5 hours ago, Clermont said:

 

That fist pump just put Australians in harms way

 

Just don't talk, everyone thinks westerners are Americans anyway....oh wait, they don't like us either lololol

[robert k]

"Observers warn, however, that the local criminal group leading the attack, the Maute group, have entirely local aspirations of power and are using the Isis brand to draw attention to their anti-government cause.

“We need to be careful not to buy into an Isis narrative that is only skin deep,” said Tom Smith, an academic specialising in political violence in south-east Asia.

“Thus far there is little evidence that the violent local clans in Mindanao have any connection to Isis that is deeper than just branding,” he said, adding that several local insurgent groups have been running for half a century, long before Isis."

To paraphrase a recent US president when told that a white man "felt" he was black and the president told him that if you feel you are black, then you are black. If you feel and say you are ISIS? Then you are ISIS. And you should be treated as such in full measure.

[Benington]

Another President played up minimal ISIS connections in Mindanao to build a case for extending military control to cover other areas of the country. But little heard on that since his forces got bogged down.

Mindanao is never going to be a fertile area for ISIS due to its distance from the Middle East and the milder version of Islam practised there.

Tom Smith is right.

[robert k]

45 minutes ago, Benington said:

Another President played up minimal ISIS connections in Mindanao to build a case for extending military control to cover other areas of the country. But little heard on that since his forces got bogged down.

Mindanao is never going to be a fertile area for ISIS due to its distance from the Middle East and the milder version of Islam practised there.

Tom Smith is right.

I see, Mindanao has Kinder, Gentler Beheadings?

[Benington]

2 minutes ago, robert k said:

I see, Mindanao has Kinder, Gentler Beheadings?

They're used in the kidnapping/ransom business, not in the Caliphate business!

[robert k]

1 minute ago, Benington said:

They're used in the kidnapping/ransom business, not in the Caliphate business!

So you are saying they are ordinary beheadings and NOT the kinder gentler kind? What other kidnappers other than muslims behead their victims, take pictures of it and release it besides muslims?

Edited August 25, 2017 by robert k

[Clermont]

Wow I'm learning a lot this morning, I thought if you lost your head you were dead and it didn't mater how. I never imagined it could be done gently.  

[Benington]

30 minutes ago, robert k said:

So you are saying they are ordinary beheadings and NOT the kinder gentler kind? What other kidnappers other than muslims behead their victims, take pictures of it and release it besides muslims?

It's a bit early in the morning for this grisly topic so I'm not going to research it, but I am sure similar sales techniques are used in other places. In any case, haven't they been excommunicated?

[Dave Hounddriver]

29 minutes ago, Benington said:

It's a bit early in the morning for this grisly topic so I'm not going to research it

Tongue held 

[Benington]

Why should I anyway? Onus is on the claimant!