Editorial: Paris attacks — What is the sensible response to this horrific act?
Publisher’s note: This editorial is from the Nov. 14, 2015, Los Angeles Times.
After the terrorist attacks on Charlie Hebdo in Paris in January, it was clear that France wasn’t immune to acts of violence motivated by a warped interpretation of Islam. It was also foreseeable that that risk would increase with France’s participation in the launching of airstrikes against Islamic State in Syria as well as Iraq. Still, Friday’s orchestrated carnage in Paris — for which Islamic State has claimed responsibility — came as a shock.
As with 9/11 and other acts of terrorism, the multiple attacks that killed more than 120 people in the French capital will (and should) lead to an inquest into whether internal security and intelligence collection were adequate. In his comments, French President Francois Hollande went frrther, describing the attacks as an “act of war” and promising that France would use “all means anywhere, inside or outside the country” to defeat Islamic State.
For Americans, those words were reminiscent of President George W. Bush’s declaration after 9/11 that the U.S. would act if the Taliban government in Afghanistan didn’t end its support for Al Qaeda and other terrorists. Soon afterward, with support from Congress, the U.S. invaded Afghanistan, and American troops remain in that country to this day, albeit not in a combat role.
Well, it seems that all we are able to do is say that we will pray for all the massacred people and their friends and families, show crime scene tape and a bunch of police and military people standing around looking solemn. When the carnage is shown than, just maybe, people will take it more personally and say “no more”. Follow the weapons, follow the money, follow the “bible of choice”.
until every single human looks at themself in the mirror and decides to make a difference, decides that PEACE is a better choice, absolutly nothing will change. Its just the violence of the day. With all the violence world wide, Humanity is doomed IMHO.
Without killing ISIS, humanity is doomed. This cancer needs to be cut out. Not a fan of Putin, but at least he and the French are doing something while the president of what used to be America sits passively by…..must be his Muslim side. He is a spineless disgrace!!
First, STOP bringing in fake welfare seeking Muslim “refugees” into western countries. THEN close the US open borders and deport all ILLEGALLY in the country which includes any number of criminals with bad intent. THEN unleash the US military to aid our NATO allies in wiping out ISIS. Also reverse the terrible Iran deal, AND vote all open-borders liberals out. Does anyone need any more proof? Ignoring it will bring it here.
Kitty litter and justanass, take your hateful hearts and go crawl in a hole, together, as it seems you two are kindered soulless twins.
Justice, I see that you are also challenged by the complexities of the Middle East – one is a long line of topics you are bats**t crazy on. I encourage you to read and watch these two sources just to get a small taste of the vast knowledge you lack. Just so you get it, we created ISIS by invading Iraq and overthrowing Sadam, and in 2006 Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki who sealed the deal by being crazy nutcase and hugely discriminating against the Sunni’s. Now the Turks (a NATO ally) hate the Kurds and would rather kill Kurds then ISIS fighters. Russia on the other hand does see ISIS as a risk as not so surprisingly so does Iran. The Middle East is wild crazy with factions. Oh, and the Saudi’s just want to pay folks off on all sides so they can continue to run their oligarchy. Turns out that Russia and Iran actually provide us working with most of NATO some hope.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/robert-kuttner/a-grand-bargain-with-putin-against-isis_b_8570252.html?ncid=txtlnkusaolp00000592
https://www.facebook.com/ezraklein/videos/10153793162638410/
Rick
Drink!
KKKits is aligning herself with the KGB-trained leader of Russia while railing against the US President(What a true Patriot she is!)and past president of the Harvard Law Review…well I guess that tells us where her sentiments are regarding America. One would think that with all their guns the righties would feel safe…after all they kkkeep telling us that’s why they need them.
Billy, I did have a nice glass of wine, only one tho. Maybe our strategy is working :)
Nature: If you don’t hate ISIS then you are more blind than I gave you credit for. I think you are the one in a hole with closed eyes.
I think Pres. Obama’s speech at the U20 meetings in Turkey laid out our continued aggresive response to the mayhem perpetrated by ISIL-not some kneeJerk stupidity from the clown car GOP candidates and the hate radio foxbots-
This despicable act in Paris by religious fanatics has killed and injured almost as many innocent souls as Timothy McVeigh and the rightwing extremists did at the Murrah Bldg. in Oklahoma City-
Mindlessly unleashing the full force of the American military in the Middle East has already proven to be a disaster that created this latest nightmare group of crazies looking for revenge-time for alternatives to escalating violence
I just want to say two things. First I’m very sad for all the people of the world who have been a victim of terror in all its forms, for now particularly for the people of France.
Second I’d just like to point out that in the past here on LTN when violence against a bear or a bear was killed, reported, there has been full blown anger and calls for torture and death for the people whom perpetrated it. Yet a few people say to go after the group who attacked innocent people in Paris, and its chaos.
“We can bomb the world to pieces
But we cant bomb it into peace”
Michael Franti & Spearhead
I think a large number of Americans have never recognized Barack as our president and never will. Thankfully that pansy will be gone forever soon.
Bill Maher advocates for the U.S. to get completely out of the middle east–off their turf and I have to agree. Some middle east experts claim that the only two reasons the U.S. military is involved over there is oil and Israel. Can’t disagree with that either.
Kitty litter, I try to only hate inanimate objects, like guns. I dont hate innocent people because of their religious preferences, or no preference. Quite frankly if I did hate any humans it would be tea party bigot racists who try and impose their man made religious hatred of people not like them on others. The way you and justanass spew your hatred and ignorance about people whom you dislike
Is a daily occurance. Isis is a huge problem for the whole world and if you want to put American boots on the ground , I hope you and your kids are standing in line to enlist. Until then, let the people in charge solve this problem. Ill continue to try and spread the notion of PEACE to my fellow humans. I believe my president will prevail and I refuse to live in fear. My eyes are open wide…
Wow. Some serious disconnect here. Can we say pot calling kettle black? Nature, for someone who claims not to hate, you speak incredibly nastily to people you disagree with. I can’t believe the disconnect between how you see yourself and how you actually treat people.
Ditto dog
J & K. Before you throw up on your keyboards and this blog, get some basic history of the Middle East before you twist your panties.
A. Sunnis and Shia Muslims have been in conflict since 632AD after Mohammad died. You also have subsets of Sunnis and Shia fighting each other; example, Kurds and Turks are mostly Sunni but have been fighting each other for decades now. And Yes, a lot of this conflict has been very bloody with most of the blood shed in the Middle East.
B. At least Five (5) Major Crusades were undertaken by the Holy Roman Church in the 10th – 11th, 12th, 13th, 14th and 15th Centuries to re-take “Holy Lands” and/or Jerusalem from the Muslims; mostly failing. It took the United Nations and that Liberal President Truman to finally give control of Jerusalem to Jewish followers in 1948.
C. Putin nor Bush killed Bin Laden. President Obama committed the resources to finding him and he gave to order to kill him.
D. ISIL or ISIS are Sunni. They formed in 2003 after the Iraq War II invasion under al-Zarqawi. In April of 2010, most of ISIS leadership was killed. In May of 2010, al-Baghdadi took over and recruited former Ba’athist officers who had served with Saddam Hussein.
E. It is suspected that much of the funding for ISIS has come from Saudi Arabia because with the fall of Sunni dominated Iraq via invasion and overthrow, Shia now dominate Iraq and the Saudi’s are trying to establish a new Sunni buffer zone in their border region with Iraq.
F. In a big twist, Shiite Militias via Iran are fighting against the Sunni ISIS in Iraq. These same Shiite Militias were fighting against us, America, during the Iraqi insurgency.
G. “Once you break it [Iraq], you are going to own it, and we’re going to be responsible for 26 million people standing there looking at us. And it’s going to suck up a good 40 to 50 percent of the Army for years.” Colin Powell to GW Bush in 2003.
H. “In the Battle of Iraq, the United States and our allies have prevailed.” GW Bush in 2003 under the Mission Accomplished Banner.