Beoz

Here we go again. France, Tunisia, Kuwait. There appears to be a common theme here ....... Islam.

Now we do know that only a tiny proportion of those who follow Islam are terror supporters, but have we got to a point that if a religion is responsible for promoting terror, that religion must be regulated in countries where it can be for the safetly of the population?

GarryP

Actually that's something of false statement. Significant minorities of muslims globally DO support terrorism 'in defence of islam', and that flows through to western countries (where 25% of UK muslims said the 7/7 bombings were justified).

http://www.pewforum.org/uploadedFile...ull-report.pdf

It's important because you need to have your understanding of where the distribution lies if you are to make sensible plans.

Problem is, islam has always had no centre. Anyone can set themselves up as a religious leader and make pronouncements as to what is true and right. And given human nature, they will find followers.

Since we know that, were we to draw a line, a significant percentage the 1.6billion would be on the "sod human rights and basic civilisation, give me islam and terrorism" side of the line - it's important that we DON'T draw a line.

The key reason for these acts, and the barbarity of these acts, is to try to force politicians to draw that line, and thus put significant numbers of people on the same side as ISIS and al-qaeda - so they can be recruited. And dumb f**ks like Abbott oblige.

Instead we need to gradually move those populations views away from barbarity, sneering at human rights, and violence. And that essentially means moving the religion away from those views - a tall order, in essence you need a reformation, and those are seldom pretty. Its even harder if you have dumb politicians shitting on the freedoms and democracies you are trying to promote.

The root problem is many muslims did not move to western countries for the freedom, they moved for the economic opportunities. They don't feel part of the western country, and they haven't bought into it's values. And even if the parents did, the kids didn't because the essential offering to the young is "we'll treat you like shit, you have no prospects, and we don't intend to fix it" (which is the same for all young people). No wonder a religious viewpoint that gives them purpose and direction finds favour.

Arresting imams makes things worse. Drawing a line makes things worse. You need shift a religion, or in the end you'll have to throw out all muslims (which tends not to be viewed favourably by history). Do neither and you have to expect a continued sequence of minor terror attacks, interspersed with major ones when someone with a brain gets fundamentalist fervour.

At least until the collapse, when they will probably end up as the target of a pogrom.

Beoz

Good points. If you try to cut off the head you send it underground, you marginalise more, and end up creating more extremism.

The Cumbrian

This all links back to one thing. Oil.

This and the facts the Saudis own loads of it. And therefore get to finance the spread of Wahhabist Islam, and all the swivel eyed lunacy that entails, worldwide.

You want to solve the Middle East Crisis? Develop an alternative energy strategy that involves Hydrogen and sunshine. Now.

Put Saudi in relative penury you will calm the Middle East in about 10 years. In the meantime they hold the stopcocks on the worlds most needed resource. Look what they did to Russia at the tail end of 14 because they were getting too big for their boots. We all enjoyed petrol at a pound a litre. Russia was in the poorhouse, the USA was happy.

Realpolitik.

Amazulu

The answer is more drone/air strikes

Violence solves everything