Tags
a demented terrorist, Alan Henning, Bashar al-Assad, David Haines, Fuad Masum, Garamantes, Paris
It’s very early and I have not heard or read the latest news.
Yesterday, world leaders met in Paris to deal with the crisis in the Middle East. Fuad Masum, the President of Iraq, was in attendance. However, Bashar al-Assad, the President of Iran, did not join the group.
The Strikes
The strikes have not helped. Drones spare lives among the military, but civilians are at risk. Moreover, it appears that flying in elite commandos and a military escort would further endanger the lives of the detainees. All of them may be killed.
Diplomacy
As for diplomacy, if Bashar al-Assad does not attend a meeting of world leaders, a diplomatic resolution may not be possible. Terrorists are not a country and there is no Islamic State.
A Slight Shift
The crisis has shifted, slightly. David Haines, a British aid worker was beheaded on 14 September 2014 and the man in black, left-handed “Jihadi John,” is preparing to slaughter Alan Henning, a 47-year-old British volunteer. Before he was beheaded, David Haines said that he was the victim of America’s allies. In other words, President Obama (G. W. Bush) and David Cameron (Tony Blair), the prime minister of the United Kingdom, were at fault. Who’s holding the knife?
“Jihadi John”
“Jihadi John” has now murdered 3 men in cold blood. He has therefore demonstrated that he is incapable of feeling remorse. I should think he can now be considered a demented terrorist attracting to the Middle East individuals like himself. Apparently, he has been identified, but how does one bring him to justice?
Squatters
There is no Islamic State. Consequently, it would be my understanding that Bashar al-Assad is allowing squatters on his territory: Syria. To my knowledge Isis is killing journalists and aid workers in Syria. Is Syria not protecting its borders?
Criminals, not Muslims
I think it would be prudent not to look upon the terrorists as Muslims. That would be an insult to Islam and very wrong. Isis members are a group of criminals, and criminals are criminals. So far, the strikes have not deterred Isis and are unlikely to do so, which takes us back to a diplomatic resolution and to Bashar al-Assad. Inferno!
Adults, not quite: Fanatics
As my father would have said: “Let them sort it out among themselves. They’re adults.” Indeed, countries in the Middle East are quite capable of looking after themselves. However, these fanatical “adults” have hostages who will be slaughtered if the world does not negotiate their release. Moreover, there is a civil war in Syria. Adults?
—ooo—
We are now going back to our dogs and other beasts, real or imagined. There was a king Garamantes and a kingdom of Garamantia (see National Geographic). The king, his people (Berbers), and his valiant dogs—we are looking at medieval dogs—lived in southwestern Libya. Although the people of Garamantia had devised a sophisticated irrigation system, their territory turned into part of the Sahara desert.
RELATED ARTICLE: Dogs, a long time ago (12 September 2014)
There are websites dedicated to the Garamantes (see Temehu).
Garamantes (Photo credit: Egypt Search, both)