Islamic State kills dozens of its own in hunt for spies

[mopar71]

In other news ISIS locked up a bunch of Kurdish women in cages and burnt them alive, seems they didn't want to be willing sex slaves.

It must do so many of our leaders feel good to know that destroying Iraq and Libya allowed this bunch of animals to form. Then they were trained, financed and armed by US, Saudi and Turkey to unleash on Syria, how many dead or dispossessed there now?

Makes me proud as a westerner to own the moral high ground. In more news the US has asked Russia not to bomb Al-Qaeda factions in Syria, seems 9-11 is all forgiven and they are besties now.

Also neutral polling in Syria suggests Assad would still win a fair election, not an outcome that will be allowed of course. Also seems oddly most Syrians blame the US for what happened to their country.

Never mind, bringing freedom and democracy will continue, after the middle east is a smoking pile there is still Russia and China.

Try as you might, you can't blame ISIS on the US.

I disagree. The US supported the Mujahadeen in the Afghan which basically became Al Qaeda, which basically in return became ISIS. They are all one in the same. All fighting for the same Jihad. And the US war in Iraq left a vacuum and the perfect environment for such terrorism.

I understand where you are coming from, I had a friend just yesterday at the bar trying out the same on me. Countries and people are constantly supporting others who later we wish we hadn't. Think of your ex-wife.

The Mujaheddin was armed by the US during the USSR-Afghan war. That war ended in 1989...27 years ago. Those Mujaheddin are pretty much all dead today.

The USSR was armed by the US, UK & Canada during WWII. That war ended in 1944. Twenty-seven years later, 1974, we were in the middle of the Cold War with proxy wars the norm around the world. Damn the West for supporting the Soviets! It is all FDR's fault!!

As for the vacuum in Iraq, that was solely because someone wanted to be able to say he fulfilled a 2008 campaign promise leading up to the 2012 election -despite all the warnings about what would happen if he did. That, along with lying to the American people about Benghazi and doing nothing to stop Assad in Syria other than draw imaginary red lines and "leading from behind" in Libya with minimal effort were all about doing whatever it took to get re-elected in 2012. If anyone seriously wants to blame an American president for the current mess in the ME, then the logical, historically accurate choice is President Obama.

[mopar71]

I disagree. The US supported the Mujahadeen in the Afghan which basically became Al Qaeda, which basically in return became ISIS. They are all one in the same. All fighting for the same Jihad. And the US war in Iraq left a vacuum and the perfect environment for such terrorism.

Are you saying the mess in the M.East wouldn't be as bad as it is now, if the US had not become involved? That's a tough line to justify.

I contend that ISIS & Syria are problems precisely because the US did not get involved.

The US & allies aren't winning in Afghanistan because the Taliban is allowed to cross into Pakistan where they are safe. Iraq is a mess because we pulled everyone out too soon. But in both cases, despite all the fighting and bombing there was no massive refugee problem. The enemy did not have the freedom to do all the horrific stuff we all see ISIS doing on a regular basis. They were too busy fighting for their own lives. The involvement of the US & allies brought war to countries which were led by regimes brutalizing their own people, and it was long over due whatever the reasons given at the time.

Back to Syria & ISIS...when Assad was allowed to cross that red line that Obama laid out, that gave everyone there a green light to do what they want because the "World's Policeman" was sitting this one out. The US signalling that they were not getting involved is a major reason the problem has been allowed to grow so much.

It is not too much unlike rising crime in US inner cities is due in large part to the police not policing the areas for fear of being arrested themselves for racism. Exactly like the Middle East, these neighborhoods have always been dangerous and a mess. The current leadership didn't cause the problems but their polices have made it worse.