Solo – It’s just this quaint old fashioned thing, probably misguided, about relying on facts, as opposed to emotional knee-jerk, tabloid editorial style feelings about how I’d like the world to be. I realise this puts me at odds with most of the political establishment as well as your good self and Chip.

Having said that, there is a certain charm to seeing a combination of child-like naïveté, mindless misplaced optimism about our capacity to actually shape events, and a military blood lust. Bless you’re little camouflage cotton socks

chip – Member

That is your opinion and you are welcome to it.

And one I gladly do not share.

Shia militias fighting in the north have been accused of reprisals against Sunni Iraqis.

Shia militias around Baghdad have said they will ‘cleanse’ and ‘erase’ when they retake territory from ISIS.

Does anyone else think we ie the West or more specificaly the media are over stating the military capabilities of ISIS or ISIL?

They have taken over large parts of two countries who dont really have any credibile forces. Parading captured hardware doesnt mean they know how to use it or service it.

Loons they are but good soldiers??? maybe a hard core of 2000 would be up for the fight but put some motivated forces against them and they would crumble away.

Don’t worry about me solo,
I never take the internet personally or try to belittle some because we do not agree ( I did say try).
I quite enjoy the arguement and will be agreeing with someone tomorrow who I did not today.

Biners is welcome to think what he wishes and believe what he wishes providing it does not harm anyone else as he lives in a free country. A free country thanks to a great many brave men.

Having said that, there is a certain charm to seeing a combination of child-like naïveté, mindless misplaced optimism about our capacity to actually shape events, and a military blood lust. Bless you’re little camouflage cotton socks

And again, I put it to you, that you are repeating yourself. We know what your opinion is, thank you.

Same for Lifer, you have clearly posted your opinion, we get it, thank you.

Very sad to see what by the reports I’ve heard, has been done to a Man afflicted with a desire to help and assist those in need.

When trying to establish how effective the air strikes are it is worth remembering The Kurds and Isis while opposed to each other both have a similar agenda to get western troops involved on the ground the Kurds as they need want help in the ground fight Isis as they see it as away of rallying support from other groups or if you believe their guff because they love death and want to kill western troops in a toe to toe fight.
I can’t see how we can justify standing by and doing nothing, can’t stomach our so called Allies in the region who appear to be the flip side of the same coin and do not see that the deployment of ground troops will have a beneficial outcome as we will never have a clear exit strategy or road map for long term stability. So with reluctance I think Air Strikes are the least bad option to contain Isis while something else comes along.

Something else could be isolation and collapse internally or our loyal and noble Arab Allies deciding to cut off their pocket money and the flow of tacit complicity and ideological justification .

Of course we have – have you read 1984? now we have beaten the scourge of communism we need a new baddy and this lot will do.