Coordinated Attacks in Paris, France

[RJ]

This link came up in my FB feed today, thought it was informative:

https://www.ctc.usma.edu/wp-content/...tiveReport.pdf

Can anyone here vouch for the info in this report?

[RevolverRob]

"all enemies, foreign AND domestic"

Left wing radicals have turn to violence before. Given the level of intolerance demonstrated by the current crop, I don't think it will be long before we see it again.

Nothing says, "Domestic Enemy" quite like being ready to murder your fellow citizens for disagreement on a political position.

Rob: Personally I have no interest in a war on Islam, but I hope that you rethink your second statement. I'd be quite willing to debate you on the body count differential between all religions in history (except Islam) and modern atheists, but that isn't really necessary, I think.

I'm a Christian, specifically a Catholic. I--and my church, and the overwhelming majority of Christians in the world--pose you no threat. We don't want to attack you, enslave you or forcibly convert you. We are perfectly content with you living your life and we living ours.

Yet, like a fair number of non-religious people in academia, you see us as a threat, and at least grouse on the internet about declaring war on us.

I doubt that you really believe that (and I certainly hope that you don't) but you might reflect upon why that is becoming an almost acceptable expression among some academics today.

So, not as to seem like a hypocrite (my comment above). I actually have no interest in a war on any religion, at all. But as both Nyeti and Glenn pointed out, my objection to organized religion is that there are essentially as many instances over the course of history of persecution of as persecution by (insert your organized religion here). By eliminating organized religion (and I don't mean, murdering every Christian or Jew by that statement, I mean if you could wave a magic wand and get rid of it), you would reduce the propensity and expression of violent zealotry. However, you wouldn't eliminate it, by any stretch, because we would still have communists, tinpot dictators, ethnic cleansings, and racial hatred. I don't view religion as an existential threat to just about anything. Although, I frequently worry about the inability of religious politicians to separate their religion and the demonstrable need for secularity in government. Which is not to say I don't approve of religious individuals in positions of authority, I just feel that your duty is first to your responsibilities to the state. Which is actually to protect the rights of all to protect their constituents rights to practice (or not) their religion of choice. And I would never support a war on any religion, but if I was going to support them, academically, I must recognize that it would have to be the elimination of as many ideological dogmas as possible (religions, athiests, racial hate, etc.).

As for body count - 1) That's not the right metric. You need to convert it to percent of global population. 2) Let us not forget that Christians forcibly converted and/or enslaved three continents (North America, South America, and the bulk of Africa) within the past 500 years.

-Rob

[Wondering Beard]

A question for those guys that understand air operations.

How did the French get to Raqqa?

I'm assuming the strike was carried out by Rafales from the Charles De Gaulle aircraft carrier which is probably somewhere west of Lebanon. Did they fly north, got the ok from Turkey to fly through and then turn south onto Raqqa, or did they fly straight through Lebanon and Syria which would require the Russians to give their ok?

I don't know the range of the Rafale but it seems that going through Israel and Jordan and then through US controlled airspace is the long way around.

I get the feeling that considering the fecklessness of this administration, the French are probably tempted to talk directly with the Russians.

[Drang]

Here is Raqqa on Google Maps.

France launches massive strike against ISIL in Syria as manhunt intensifies

Twelve aircraft including 10 fighter jets dropped a total of 20 bombs in the biggest airstrikes since France extended its bombing campaign against the extremist group to Syria in September, a Defense Ministry statement said. The jets launched from sites in Jordan and the Persian Gulf, in coordination with U.S. forces.

[StraitR]

This image is exactly what I was expecting to see. Despite this, my first thought was this looks like something out of a military rather than a civilian context. I quickly corrected myself, this IS a military context. That's how the enemy sees it and that's how we need to see it too. I wonder what it will take for people like Bernie Sanders to see it that way?

Are they even capable of changing the way they see the world? Will people like him be able to humble themselves fast enough to accept that they were wrong? Probably not. What would be the catalyst for such an event? Possibly something they may not survive.

So Climate Change didn't come to mind as what we need to do to fix that?

I was referencing the above bold comments. I suppose I should have quoted both originally.

[MGW]

Not having a carrier group in the Persian Gulf currently seems unfortunate.

I've been wondering this about POTUS bringing Syrian refugees to the U.S. How the kitten can he decide to do this on his own? How can he alone make the decision to spend tax dollars on the transportation of, housing of, feeding of, medical care of, and eventually welfare systeming of non-US citizens to US soil?

Someone tell me how the kitten this is even possible?

[Wondering Beard]

Thanks Drang

[Drang]

Thanks Drang

No sweat, I was looking up "Where In The Hell Is Raqqa?" to satisfy my own curiosity.

[RevolverRob]

A question for those guys that understand air operations.

How did the French get to Raqqa?

I'm assuming the strike was carried out by Rafales from the Charles De Gaulle aircraft carrier which is probably somewhere west of Lebanon. Did they fly north, got the ok from Turkey to fly through and then turn south onto Raqqa, or did they fly straight through Lebanon and Syria which would require the Russians to give their ok?

I don't know the range of the Rafale but it seems that going through Israel and Jordan and then through US controlled airspace is the long way around.

I get the feeling that considering the fecklessness of this administration, the French are probably tempted to talk directly with the Russians.

According to the article above,

The raid ... including 10 fighter jets, was launched simultaneously from the United Arab Emirates and Jordan. 20 bombs were dropped.

If De Gaulle is in the Persian Gulf, they could have easily flown across Iraq and turned north. If they had planes based in Jordan, it was easy enough to get there. Any planes in Jordan probably arrived via the French airbase in Djibouti yesterday.

-Rob

[hufnagel]

Seems as good a time as any to "dispose" of any ordinace that's reached EoL.