ISIS rebels hunting for wives: Iraq crisis

[webfact]

Iraq crisis: ISIS rebels hunting for wives in Baiji

IRAQ: -- AS the Sunni terror spreads, ISIS militants are on a mission of a different kind that is as equally terrifying — the hunt for wives.

In the ISIS-controlled town of Baiji, home to Iraq’s largest oil refinery, residents told Britain’s Independent they are most frightened by Islamic militants going door to door asking about the numbers of married and unmarried women in the house.

ON THE EDGE: Iraq on the verge of collapse

“I told them that there were only two women in the house and both were married,” said Abu Lahid. “They said that many of their mujahidin (fighters) were unmarried and wanted a wife.

They insisted on coming into my house to look at the women’s ID cards (which in Iraq show marital status).”

Despite claims by ISIS that is men have been ordered not to bother local people if they are Sunni, the rebels are imposing their puritanical social norms in the towns they have captured, The Independent says.

Full story: http://www.news.com.au/world/iraq-crisis-isis-rebels-hunting-for-wives-in-baiji/story-fndir2ev-1226963903347


-- News.com.au 2014-06-23

[Ulysses G.]

Situation normal for this part of the world.

[Kerryd]

Wow - why am I not even slightly surprised by this ? I mean after all, this isn't the kind of action that peace-loving and tolerant people would do, is it ?

This sounds more like the actions of poorly educated, poorly trained, armed criminals that have no (effective) leadership and no fear of any consequences of any kind (because they all can claim their actions are justified by their interpretation of their religious edicts).

Kind of like the Christian Crusades all over again, just with deadlier weapons and mass media coverage.

I did give a condescending snort when I read about the various Gulf Coast Countries being in a bit of a quandary now, as the (Sunni) rebels they had been funding to overthrow Assad have branched out and are attacking Shias in Iraq. They are concerned about what all those now well-armed (and funded) rebels may do when they run out of targets and possibly set their sights on establishing fundamentalist theocracies back in their home countries (like Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar and the UAE).

Certain of those countries even had to pass laws recently forbidding their citizens from going off to fight with the rebels, after having earlier encouraged many to do so ! Some have had to have their "state clerics" stop their fund-raising drives as too much of that cash was going to the rebels that they couldn't control.

(Think about that for a minute. State affiliated religious leaders openly fund-raising to send money to rebel fighters trying to overthrow governments in foreign countries. Now think about charitable organizations that do not have to declare their income, pay no taxes (of any kind) and can use those undeclared, unknown sums of money to do whatever they want, with no scrutiny of any kind. Scary. Think about that the next time you go past a church, mosque or temple.)

[NeverSure]

This is exhibit "A" as to why there will never be a borderless world of kumbaya. Which civilized county would meld cultures with this bunch.

The religion of pieces.

[Credo]

The entire region is like a rubic's cube. Once you start moving it around, it's extremely difficult to get it back.

Humpty Dumpty also comes to mind.

[brit1984]

maybe opportunity for TAT to attract new high quality tourists

[monkeycountry]

This is exhibit "A" as to why there will never be a borderless world of kumbaya. Which civilized county would meld cultures with this bunch.

The religion of pieces.

Plenty of european countries have been doing that for years, which is also why the right wing parties are getting more and more popular these days.

[klauskunkel]

Iraq crisis: ISIS rebels hunting for wives in Baiji

the rebels are imposing their puritanical social norms in the towns they have captured

That's just great, they've been told to go forth and propagate...playing with stones and goats is just not enough, now they're gonna have offspring...

[Emster23]

All that slaughter and mayhem does turn a lad's thoughts towards finding a wife and settling down.

[Lancelot]

All that slaughter and mayhem does turn a lad's thoughts towards finding a wife and settling down.

Happily married guys with a mortgage seldom wander off to join jihad

[coma]

There will be no shortage of wives for them whenever the Iraqi Army gets it's act together and starts sending them to Allah.

[fvw53]

May-be they do not like to wait for the 72 virgins promised in paradise according to certain translations (not all) of the Quran?

[wabothai]

Like in the old cowboy movies, time to settle down after killing a few.

[rijb]

We don't need to send troops. Just send in a bunch of sheep, wearing chadors. That'll wear them out.

[neverdie]

it's a terrible situation that's about to get a whole lot worse.

[HeijoshinCool]

There will be no shortage of wives for them whenever the Iraqi Army gets it's act together and starts sending them to Allah.

.

Yes, there'll be what, 72 virgins?

Sadly, what a surprise it will be to the men, that the awaiting virgins are of of the species sus verrucosus.**

** The Javanese warty pig

[SanukJoeII]

Wow - why am I not even slightly surprised by this ? I mean after all, this isn't the kind of action that peace-loving and tolerant people would do, is it ?

This sounds more like the actions of poorly educated, poorly trained, armed criminals that have no (effective) leadership and no fear of any consequences of any kind (because they all can claim their actions are justified by their interpretation of their religious edicts).

Kind of like the Christian Crusades all over again, just with deadlier weapons and mass media coverage.

I did give a condescending snort when I read about the various Gulf Coast Countries being in a bit of a quandary now, as the (Sunni) rebels they had been funding to overthrow Assad have branched out and are attacking Shias in Iraq. They are concerned about what all those now well-armed (and funded) rebels may do when they run out of targets and possibly set their sights on establishing fundamentalist theocracies back in their home countries (like Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar and the UAE).

Certain of those countries even had to pass laws recently forbidding their citizens from going off to fight with the rebels, after having earlier encouraged many to do so ! Some have had to have their "state clerics" stop their fund-raising drives as too much of that cash was going to the rebels that they couldn't control.

(Think about that for a minute. State affiliated religious leaders openly fund-raising to send money to rebel fighters trying to overthrow governments in foreign countries. Now think about charitable organizations that do not have to declare their income, pay no taxes (of any kind) and can use those undeclared, unknown sums of money to do whatever they want, with no scrutiny of any kind. Scary. Think about that the next time you go past a church, mosque or temple.)

Unless I misunderstand the post, it seems like a badly informed poster.

Sunnis are the majority in most Arab countries, except Iran and Bahrein. So why would all those other (Sunni) countries be concerned about Sunni rebels fighting in Iraq? You name Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, UAE, all with a Sunni majority (Saudi Arabia even 90%)...

[boomerangutang]

Change the word 'wives' to 'sex' in the title - would be more accurate.

A wife, for an Arab, is someone they can dominate, who does food, laundry, cleans, never goes out, doesn't drive, doesn't talk back, ....and someone to have legal sex with. When a pontificating overbearing man gets tired of one of the wives, he can just say 'I divorce thee!' 3 times, and he's back on the prowl. In this case, going with a rifle - knocking on doors of cowering people, and asking to see whether there are any attractive young'uns there.

[Rustapha]

Kerryd, on 23 Jun 2014 - 13:57, said:

Wow - why am I not even slightly surprised by this ? I mean after all, this isn't the kind of action that peace-loving and tolerant people would do, is it ?

This sounds more like the actions of poorly educated, poorly trained, armed criminals that have no (effective) leadership and no fear of any consequences of any kind (because they all can claim their actions are justified by their interpretation of their religious edicts).

Kind of like the Christian Crusades all over again, just with deadlier weapons and mass media coverage.

I did give a condescending snort when I read about the various Gulf Coast Countries being in a bit of a quandary now, as the (Sunni) rebels they had been funding to overthrow Assad have branched out and are attacking Shias in Iraq. They are concerned about what all those now well-armed (and funded) rebels may do when they run out of targets and possibly set their sights on establishing fundamentalist theocracies back in their home countries (like Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar and the UAE).

Certain of those countries even had to pass laws recently forbidding their citizens from going off to fight with the rebels, after having earlier encouraged many to do so ! Some have had to have their "state clerics" stop their fund-raising drives as too much of that cash was going to the rebels that they couldn't control.

(Think about that for a minute. State affiliated religious leaders openly fund-raising to send money to rebel fighters trying to overthrow governments in foreign countries. Now think about charitable organizations that do not have to declare their income, pay no taxes (of any kind) and can use those undeclared, unknown sums of money to do whatever they want, with no scrutiny of any kind. Scary. Think about that the next time you go past a church, mosque or temple.)

The world would be a far better place, if religion, (all religions) were not taken seriously,! Any person who picks up a gun and wants to blow your head off because you don't think the way he or she does, Well, were are we at as a global community. ??

[arjunadawn]

Regrettably. The West's penchant for poorly defining things and peoples has entire populations vulnerable to 'this' malignancy. How can one hope to confront a problem if it can't be described... candidly? The greatest fallacy is that "these' jihadists are extremists. They most definitely are not extremist; they literally apply Sharia in accordance with the universally (Islamic) accepted dictates of Islamic exegesis. Moderate Islam remains quiet because they know they're oxymoronic- Islam has no moderation; it's Sharia or it's not. Moderate Islamists remain silent because they have no legitimacy. Islam that is not political, military, judicial, and theological, is just not considered valid. This is why there's never outrage regarding the most horrific, genocidal outrageous of the modern error, and growing exponentially as Islam expands. Technically, those the West ignorantly declare as extremist (relative to the West's moral and theological compass) are most surely devout and can cite Sura and Hadith or relevant commentary for all their actions; Boko Harem is another case in point. Until one can define a thing, one can never truly know it.

[Emster23]

"They most definitely are not extremist; they literally apply Sharia in accordance with the universally (Islamic) accepted dictates of Islamic exegesis." Good of you to notice, which most apologists seem to ignore. That said, those who would literally follow what bible says would be hard to differentiate from the Muslim reactionaries (I don't think of them as radical. Radical would be things like equality between sexes, tolerance of other dogmas, etc)

[boomerangutang]

"They most definitely are not extremist; they literally apply Sharia in accordance with the universally (Islamic) accepted dictates of Islamic exegesis." Good of you to notice, which most apologists seem to ignore. That said, those who would literally follow what bible says would be hard to differentiate from the Muslim reactionaries (I don't think of them as radical. Radical would be things like equality between sexes, tolerance of other dogmas, etc)

There are similarities between deist extremists, fersure. However, there are differences between Muslim extremists and Bible thumpers. Probably the main difference: Biblists don't routinely bomb public places like markets.

Even the most extreme Bible thumpers have moved on from ancient proclivities such as stoning. Muslim extremists are still stuck in barbarism. Going door to door to abduct girls for sex (at riflepoint, or whatever) is just one example of many.

[Morch]

"They most definitely are not extremist; they literally apply Sharia in accordance with the universally (Islamic) accepted dictates of Islamic exegesis." Good of you to notice, which most apologists seem to ignore. That said, those who would literally follow what bible says would be hard to differentiate from the Muslim reactionaries (I don't think of them as radical. Radical would be things like equality between sexes, tolerance of other dogmas, etc)

There are similarities between deist extremists, fersure. However, there are differences between Muslim extremists and Bible thumpers. Probably the main difference: Biblists don't routinely bomb public places like markets.

Even the most extreme Bible thumpers have moved on from ancient proclivities such as stoning. Muslim extremists are still stuck in barbarism. Going door to door to abduct girls for sex (at riflepoint, or whatever) is just one example of many.

They are not stuck nor much different, really. They just had a late start.

Islam came about 600 years after Christianity. In its heyday, Christianity was just as brutal.

Question remains if Islam will repeat the same course Christianity took and mellow down as time passes.

Not something we're likely to witness in our lifetime, could quite possible grow even worse than it is now.

[capcc76]

These people have missed some key steps in the evolutionary process. They walk like human. They speaking human. The sleep, eat and drink kind of line human, but there all comparisons stop. They have not evolved.

Reminds of Captain Caveman cartoon growing up going from cave to cave to get I'm women with his club. The ISIS operate a same intellectual plane as Captai Caveman.

Dang, I will never feel the same about Captain CVeman again thanks to those losers.

Doing their daddy's proud kidapping and dragging brides from homes kicking and screaming. What can one saw. Only stand in awe observing about their suave and smooth manner in which they court and win women over.

[Scott]

To paraphrase someone: There are good people who do good things and there are bad people who do bad things, but it takes religion to get good people to do bad things.

Let's stay away from condemning an entire group because of the actions of a few.

[simple1]

Wow - why am I not even slightly surprised by this ? I mean after all, this isn't the kind of action that peace-loving and tolerant people would do, is it ?

This sounds more like the actions of poorly educated, poorly trained, armed criminals that have no (effective) leadership and no fear of any consequences of any kind (because they all can claim their actions are justified by their interpretation of their religious edicts).

Kind of like the Christian Crusades all over again, just with deadlier weapons and mass media coverage.

I did give a condescending snort when I read about the various Gulf Coast Countries being in a bit of a quandary now, as the (Sunni) rebels they had been funding to overthrow Assad have branched out and are attacking Shias in Iraq. They are concerned about what all those now well-armed (and funded) rebels may do when they run out of targets and possibly set their sights on establishing fundamentalist theocracies back in their home countries (like Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar and the UAE).

Certain of those countries even had to pass laws recently forbidding their citizens from going off to fight with the rebels, after having earlier encouraged many to do so ! Some have had to have their "state clerics" stop their fund-raising drives as too much of that cash was going to the rebels that they couldn't control.

(Think about that for a minute. State affiliated religious leaders openly fund-raising to send money to rebel fighters trying to overthrow governments in foreign countries. Now think about charitable organizations that do not have to declare their income, pay no taxes (of any kind) and can use those undeclared, unknown sums of money to do whatever they want, with no scrutiny of any kind. Scary. Think about that the next time you go past a church, mosque or temple.)

Unless I misunderstand the post, it seems like a badly informed poster.

Sunnis are the majority in most Arab countries, except Iran and Bahrein. So why would all those other (Sunni) countries be concerned about Sunni rebels fighting in Iraq? You name Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, UAE, all with a Sunni majority (Saudi Arabia even 90%)...

The dictatorships don't want battle hardened extremists possibly entering their territory, whom the extremists consider corrupt and unIslamic.

[CMNightRider]

Hunting for wives??? Sometimes you have to be careful what you wish for. :-(

[johna]

The news article seems blown out of proportion, men are looking for wives everywhere, perhaps the first step in demonizing an enemy our leaders want us to fight, remember this news was brought to you by the same people who told us of,

Iraqi troops loot Kuwaiti hospitals

Iraq has WMD

Iran is building WMD

Assad is using chemical weapons

[impulse]

Anyone remember the WWI pictures of the Hun with a baby on a bayonet?

Maybe these guys are as bad as they seem, maybe we're being fed the same line they always feed the potential cannon fodder.

[arjunadawn]

"...those who would literally follow what bible says would be hard to differentiate from the Muslim reactionaries (I don't think of them as radical. Radical would be things like equality between sexes, tolerance of other dogmas, etc)

I revisited your post again because it didn't seem clear the first time. I believe your saying Christians (because you cite the bible) would be indistinguishable from Muslim "reactionaries" were they to literally follow the bible's injunctions? I am not Christian but am quite familiar with Judeo-Christianity and while I can cobble together some examples to support your assertion, I generally find it is incorrect. There exists today both Christian and Jewish sects that are wholly intolerant, militant, and reflect your point, but they must do theological gymnastics to conclude this mandate. The bible in both its dispensations and generally accepted practices does motivate proselytizing, but not eternal genocide against others- big difference.

Islam requires few contortions to grasp the edicts. I will not make an argument based on countless examples but only submit the source documents are most definitely qualitatively different in the motivation to violence on fellow man.

(For my second book I elected to bridge the mystical similarities between Islam and the Judeo-Christian traditions. Excepting the Sufi experience I had to continually return to the Quran to find the communion examples, the transcendent injunctions, the sources that should have jumped off the pages evoking surrendering in God. What I found instead was that I was doing the theological gymnastics to try and stretch mostly unrelated Sura passages into mystical comparisons. After a time, the voluminous references to pain, and suffering, and killing, and hell, and more suffering, and more killing became exhausting and I tired and gave up. I could not for the life of me distill a transcendent mystical manuscript from any where in that book).