Attacks in Paris

Excellent posts Anya
Those talking of world war 3 should calm down.

It's a place to start.

The UK and the USA invaded a country, Iraq, with the sole aim of regime change whitewave under the 'pretence' of searching for WMD. It was clear from the start this was a presence as the UN Weapons Inspectors had searched and found none. The vitriol directed at Blair was totally justified.

That was a different scenario.

IS is not a country. It is an occupying force in Iraq and Syria. We have been invited in by the elected governmentof Iraq to help fight this force through air strikes. Granted we have not been invited into Syris, though Russia has.

Unfortunately the message of extreme Islam has taken hold in other countries in the same way as a cancer seeds itself throughout the body when it metastasises and these cells are much harder to root out. But if the 'caliphate' that is IS is destroyed then large caches of arms will be destroyed and training facilities disrupted, and there won't be anywhere with the same 'pull' for radicalised Muslims to 'go' to.

Also, those people who live in the areas occupied by IS will be free from the beheadings and rule of terror imposed by IS.

Just listened to two prominent Muslims on the Today programme speaking out against violent extremism carried out under what they described as a thin veneer of religion. I couldn't hear their names but they post as #notinmyname and #inspire. Worth a listen.
I hope they reach out to some of the young people tempted by ISIS propaganda.

I think I think that it is still terrorism and not a war?

They seem to have money, and means, but may lack manpower?

Don't forget the vitriol poured on Blair's head over Iraq started on 2003. This after 9/11. We must be so careful and be absolutely clear of outcome. If the aim is to rid the world of terrorism then our actions to date have utterly failed.
What's to be done? Well something somewhat more intelligent than to date.

No, WW3 is not about to start.

Breaking news on the BBC website is the St Dennis area of Paris is in lock down as police raid an apartment. 3 suspects killed and 2 arrested.

CelticRose more than 60 countries are involved in some way in the war against ISIL. It's scary and yes, I have concerns about the military action and how it will be viewed in the future. I am not sure if military intervention without going through the UN would be considered an act of aggression and therefore illegal in international law.

I just wish I had more faith in the main players. Recent history shows absolutely no evidence that they look no further than short term, resulting in chaos in every country they touch. Why should I have faith that this next exercise of destruction will be any better?

Is it me? Is WWIII about to start! Does anyone else note the frenzy of politicians to incite military action. And another question... will the politicians support our service personnel after they "have done their bit", or will they be the subject of criminal war crimes in civilian courts!

It would appear the recent G20 meeting in Antalya may be showing signs of a widening coalition at long last .

Putin mentioned in a live feed on t.v to his heads of his armed forces that the Russian navy were to collaborate with French naval ships heading for attacks on IS in Syria.

The Assad issue has not gone away but the focus must be on defeating IS for now and I hope Putin , indeed all world leaders realise they are better off being part of a coalition and working together to defeat IS.

Muslim Council of Britain statement

Statement of solidarity from British Muslim communities

A couple of points about Germany and fighting against ISIL. German law has had strict limits on military involvement since the end of World War II, originally intended to prevent a revival of Nazi crimes. This apparently prevents it from taking part in military action unless it is part of a UN/NATO backed action. It has however, got soldiers in Iraq training and arming the Kurds in Iraq fighting ISIL. About 95% of the Kurdish territory once held by ISIL is now under Kurdish control. (Unfortunately Turkey which has just joined the international coalition bombing ISIL is now bombing those same Kurds.)

I think it is time for Germany to change the law.

I read it as condemning.

Perhaps the poster meant 'condemning' and the autocorrect thought otherwise?

Just a little, finicky point.....did you really mean to write 'condoning'

Thank you for sharing that with us Geminite

Umm.. I have not read EVERY post on here but let me say that what happened in Paris last Friday was dreadful. I am suprised that the Russians waited for clear evidence that the bomb on the plane that killed 224 people was not a terrorist bomb unlike France who went in straight away?
I have a very uncomfortable fealing about Germany after all have DOMINATED the fact that all EU contries should take their quota.? They have not been part of containing ISIS nor the wars in the middle east?
1.Fact. I had a German Student some 20 years ago who living in my home was insistant on talking about the war... she told me that Germany never did anything like we Brits did? She went on to say that Germany may have been defeated in the war BUT they will control Europe through the money markets......I swear on my kids lives thats what she said.... ...
So Im just sitting here thinking, the EU hasnt worked out quite how Germany wanted it to. Has anyone asked the question why Germany are so keen on ALL of EUROPE embracing all the Syrian refugees across all boarders? Just a thought?
Oh and another thought, why and as proclaimed in the press are Muslims in this country not condoning what has happened... forget Paris, talk UK?
I feel very sad. I dont think people especially the youngsters (and I am raising the bar to young males is their mid to late 20's)have a clue what this is about? Very, very sad but this, personally I feel could be the begining of the end............lets hope we have the same values and enough power to overcome this wave of barbaric uprising that has no respect for life and above all freedom to be who you are and what you want to achieve. Rather than a sad little man who is prepared to kill himself because he will go to "heaven" and be blessed with a great shag with some virgins??????.. Wow I would blow myself up for that? Riiiiight!

That's good grandmattie an awful time for all there.

I have, this minute, come back from a long weekend in Paris. We arrived on Friday afternoon and were ther for the whole business. We were really touched at how the Parisians have been behaving. I have missed the thread of this discussion, but it was remarkable how Paris was this weekend. Yes, it was quiet; Yes, peopel were tense in the Metro; Yes, we felt overwhelmed by events, but we were met with nothing but sympathy for our spoiled holiday, kindness and help whereever we went - far, far more than normal.

I sincerely hope now the nations are drawing together and security especially cyber security are getting huge injections of money that these murdering scum will be annihilated??

Thank you for posting this article Wilma - it certainly presents a different view ....

As for Mr Trump - words fail me

Donald Trump is now shooting is mouth off all over the place, saying that if only the French civilians had been allowed to carry guns- none of this would have happened. This man is sick.

Just call me Wilma.

Yes, the article is an interesting read, especially as it is written by a Frenchman.

Thank you WilmaKF (darent' risk it again) for forgiving me ;)

and great article by Nicolas Henin- thanks for posting it.

No problem gj it was quite funny.

I think dehumanising and desensitising are both appropriate words describing what happens during conflicts. I received an email via The Syria Campaign from Nicolas Henin, the French journalist who was held hostage by ISIL, with a link to his article in yesterday's Guardian about France's military response to the Paris attacks. I don't think it had been posted, so this is the link

Nicolas Henin, the French journalist who was help hostage by ISIL