Non Footy Chat Thread II

[Suitman]

It's not ridiculous. It's stimulating. Nothing better than a good high octane discussion about serious matters to break up the nonsense we usually carry on with in here, lol. Yeah, we're not going to solve the worlds problems, but we're all learning and learning is never a bad thing IMO.

I truly believe that the world won't be at peace until we evolve further. Terrorism is just a larger expression of cultural, political, or economic conflicts within a given region that in many cases have existed for thousands of years.It's been going on forever and will continue in various forms, you are absolutely spot on there. We, like other intelligent animals, are born from conflict. I always laugh at the flowery "only humans fight wars" garbage that a lot of people seem to genuinely believe.

Ultimately, people need to understand that we are still animals. In many ways, being smarter than other animals is more of a curse than a blessing.

A considered reply. Thank you. Unlike someone else who is still trying to pick fights.

 

[Bazal]

(Just to name the recent merry-go-round) ... Saddam, Taliban, Osama & al Queda, IS .... next

The middle east is a lost cause tbh

Well, the Taliban was Asia technically, but you're not far wrong.

The Middle East is what it is because of things much deeper and more serious than religion or politics.

 

[strider]

It's not ridiculous. It's stimulating. Nothing better than a good high octane discussion about serious matters to break up the nonsense we usually carry on with in here, lol. Yeah, we're not going to solve the worlds problems, but we're all learning and learning is never a bad thing IMO.

I truly believe that the world won't be at peace until we evolve further. Terrorism is just a larger expression of cultural, political, or economic conflicts within a given region that in many cases have existed for thousands of years.It's been going on forever and will continue in various forms, you are absolutely spot on there. We, like other intelligent animals, are born from conflict. I always laugh at the flowery "only humans fight wars" garbage that a lot of people seem to genuinely believe.

Ultimately, people need to understand that we are still animals. In many ways, being smarter than other animals is more of a curse than a blessing.

The world won't be at peace until we get attacked by aliens Independance Day style .... and even then we will beat of the slimy green merkins and then fight over who killed the most of em

 

[Happy MEel]

What do you mean "if that doesn't work"? If we take out IS headquarters in that one town, we've taken out the IS hierarchy - job done, the IS "organisation" collapses, just like the Al Qaeda "oprganisation".

Disenfranchised nutters have been doing individual acts of distruction on their own for centuries - Hilton bombing, Wollies bomber, Lindt Cafe etc - that shit will never stop. And to be honest we won't be able to stop the next lunatic extremist faction from trying to target disenfranchised nutters to do their attention-grabbing acts of terror in the west, at least not before they've started.

But to worry that these act are about Islam the religion in general, or about migration in Australia, or that something we choose do mightn't work, is just playing into the fear terrorists try to create. Just keep on living life - there's more risk of getting killed in a car accident.

If it was that simple they would have done it a long time ago. As you concede, another bunch of loonies will rise and we'll be back to square one. It didn't take long for IS to rise after Al-Queda so I dare say there is some faction waiting in the wings for just a scenario as you have suggested.

 

[Bazal]

The world won't be at peace until we get attacked by aliens Independance Day style .... and even then we will beat of the slimy green merkins and then fight over who killed the most of em

Have you seen (or read) Watchmen?

 

[Bazal]

If it was that simple they would have done it a long time ago. As you concede, another bunch of loonies will rise and we'll be back to square one. It didn't take long for IS to rise after Al-Queda so I dare say there is some faction waiting in the wings for just a scenario as you have suggested.

Not necessarily. Certainly not on the scale of IS.

IS have been around for longer than people think. They were a threat at the same time as Al Qaeda but the US were fixated on bin Laden and allowed IS to fester thinking they were a minor problem....

 

[Gary Gutful]

Ohhhh as if there are smarter people than us on this forum ... you're dreamin' mate

But seriously, i kinda agree ... i cant see any way this sort of stuff can be stopped - sad but true ... just have to hope you are not in the wrong place at the wrong time

Are we seriously thinking we can solve it?

Did Suity really think "Right, I am all done on the stadium and WSW forums, I am just going to jump over to LU. I hope these useless merkins have solved the global terrorism problem"?

We cant even agree on how to improve Parramatta's fortunes. World peace might be a bit beyond us! Shouldn't stop people sharing their views though? What else is the forum for?

 

[Gary Gutful]

Ultimately, people need to understand that we are still animals. In many ways, being smarter than other animals is more of a curse than a blessing.

Fanbase must be very blessed.

 

[Happy MEel]

Not necessarily. Certainly not on the scale of IS.

IS have been around for longer than people think. They were a threat at the same time as Al Qaeda but the US were fixated on bin Laden and allowed IS to fester thinking they were a minor problem....

You clearly know more about the history of events in the Middle East than I do but IS have provided a pretty effective template for anyone else looking for a bit of power. I just can't see a blitzkrieg style approach providing too much relief for long. Although on a much grander scale than usual, happy to be proven wrong.

 

[strider]

Are we seriously thinking we can solve it?

Did Suity really think "Right, I am all done on the stadium and WSW forums, I am just going to jump over to LU. I hope these useless merkins have solved the global terrorism problem"?

We cant even agree on how to improve Parramatta's fortunes. World peace might be a bit beyond us! Shouldn't stop people sharing their views though? What else is the forum for?

Bart solved it ... or phantom ... one of them two

 

[Bazal]

You clearly know more about the history of events in the Middle East than I do but IS have provided a pretty effective template for anyone else looking for a bit of power. I just can't see a blitzkrieg style approach providing too much relief for long. Although on a much grander scale than usual, happy to be proven wrong.

It could well be that someone else takes over, and tbh terrorism is never going to go away entirely. But we also have to remember that IS benefited hugely from things like Libya, the Arab Spring, and more recently Syria. All of these events served to make radicalising people a hell of a lot easier. They didn't come from nowhere but they certainly expanded really quickly, and that may not be available to anyone else trying to set up in their place.

Ultimately the issues in the Middle East are not going away any time soon...

 

[Happy MEel]

This is a genuine question for those that seem to know more about the situation in the Middle East...

If IS' end goal is purely power in the Middle East and not a "holy war" then how is radicalising young merkins in the western world achieving that? Surely that's just bringing a coalition force closer to a blitzkrieg style wipeout of IS that has been mentioned.

I try to find logic in things that I don't understand and I just can't see it here.

 

[hindy111]

How many muslims in Australia?

32cm

#OnTheFlop

View attachment 13629

I think my profile photo is the perfect reaction...

Carry on

 

[Gary Gutful]

Bart solved it ... or phantom ... one of them two

He didn't solve much but I thought he made some insightful comments (along with Baz).

 

[hindy111]

Ohhhh as if there are smarter people than us on this forum ... you're dreamin' mate

But seriously, i kinda agree ... i cant see any way this sort of stuff can be stopped - sad but true ... just have to hope you are not in the wrong place at the wrong time

I am yet to speak. Now I will finish my tea and have some input.

 

[Gary Gutful]

I am yet to speak. Now I will finish my tea and have some input.

 

[hindy111]

Ok so the way i see it.
This is more about standing up against western society. The whole materialistic approach and missing the important things like family and respect. The rich getting richer while poor getting poorer. Western society is all about money and we have all become slaves to the dollar.
In the 80s and early 90s shops where shut on a Sunday. People where not treated like robots. People where not all about themself.
So yes they are using religion. But I feel they are trying to wake people up to the system we are in. In a horrible horrible way. Everytime a bomb goes off everyone reflects on whats important. Freedom and family. Maybe this is the message they are wanting to get through. To try and stop the whole system in a way they only think they can.

How do we fix it? See the problem is people have kids and they think they own them. And they raise them with their views. We should live as tribes not as individual families.

 

[Gronk]

@Happy MEel I found this for you. I dont really get WTF it means howver.

I think we'll have to wait for @Barry O'Speedwagon to explain it to us. He'd know for sure.

" ISIS aspires to create a caliphate, a state governed in accordance with Islamic law by God’s deputy on Earth, or caliph. A caliph seen as the successor to the Islamic prophet Muhammad.

In June 2014, the group formally declared the establishment of a caliphate.

It has demanded that Muslims across the world swear allegiance to its leader – Ibrahim Awad Ibrahim al-Badri al-Samarrai, better known as Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi – and migrate to territory under its control.

IS has also told other jihadist groups worldwide that they must accept its supreme authority.

Many already have, among them several offshoots of the rival al-Qaeda network.

IS seeks to eradicate obstacles to restoring God’s rule on Earth and to defend the Muslim community, or umma, against infidels and apostates.

The group has welcomed the prospect of direct confrontation with the US-led coalition, viewing it as a harbinger of an end-of-times showdown between Muslims and their enemies described in Islamic apocalyptic prophecies. "

 

[Happy MEel]

@Happy MEel I found this for you. I dont really get WTF it means howver.

I think we'll have to wait for @Barry O'Speedwagon to explain it to us. He'd know for sure.

" ISIS aspires to create a caliphate, a state governed in accordance with Islamic law by God’s deputy on Earth, or caliph. A caliph seen as the successor to the Islamic prophet Muhammad.

In June 2014, the group formally declared the establishment of a caliphate.

It has demanded that Muslims across the world swear allegiance to its leader – Ibrahim Awad Ibrahim al-Badri al-Samarrai, better known as Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi – and migrate to territory under its control.

IS has also told other jihadist groups worldwide that they must accept its supreme authority.

Many already have, among them several offshoots of the rival al-Qaeda network.

IS seeks to eradicate obstacles to restoring God’s rule on Earth and to defend the Muslim community, or umma, against infidels and apostates.

The group has welcomed the prospect of direct confrontation with the US-led coalition, viewing it as a harbinger of an end-of-times showdown between Muslims and their enemies described in Islamic apocalyptic prophecies. "

Cheers @Gronk and that would make sense. I can see the logic in that but we've had posters on here who seem to know what they are talking about saying it isn't about Islam and is purely a push for power over the Middle East. That's what I can't rationalise in my head.

 

[Bazal]

This is a genuine question for those that seem to know more about the situation in the Middle East...

If IS' end goal is purely power in the Middle East and not a "holy war" then how is radicalising young merkins in the western world achieving that? Surely that's just bringing a coalition force closer to a blitzkrieg style wipeout of IS that has been mentioned.

I try to find logic in things that I don't understand and I just can't see it here.

By waging "holy war" in the west, in part they distract attention from what they're really doing. The US and the UK are currently far too busy running around their own countries looking for terrorists to really bother too much about IS in the Middle East. Create the idea that a nation is under attack and they will first worry about defending themselves. Make the US or whoever think that IS have a genuine foothold to wage war against them on their own soil and they are going to focus more energy internally and less energy externally.

On top of that, the "holy war" is a tactic they use as recruitment tool. It's much easier to recruit and twist impressionable young people into radicalised foot soldiers willing to die for your cause if they believe that A) they are being persecuted and B) the west is some evil empire. Not to mention by altering perceptions of Islam in the west, they give the recruits a reason to hate. And hate is an incredibly powerful tool. IS thrive on hate. From there you can mould the hatred of the west into hatred of Saudis, or any other Middle East nations, very easily.