The Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant Megathread

[Eddie Teach]

Hitler was also supported by the majority of Germans.

Not when he was elected. And subsequent "elections" didn't have opposition parties running.

Putin may be a corrupt autocrat, but he appears to have maintained a democratic mandate. More like Richard Daley than Hitler.

[Tamas]

Hitler was also supported by the majority of Germans.

Not when he was elected. And subsequent "elections" didn't have opposition parties running.

Putin may be a corrupt autocrat, but he appears to have maintained a democratic mandate. More like Richard Daley than Hitler.

They rather died fighting for him than against him. I know its not that simple, but if you want to see a population and army not really having the hots for their dictator in that era, look at Italy.

[Syt]

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-31142273

Female jihadist 'guide' to life under IS

Just what exactly is life like for a female jihadist living amongst the extremists of Islamic State (IS)?

A lengthy treatise has been published online in Arabic by female IS supporters in Iraq and Syria, calling themselves the Khansaa Brigades. Aimed primarily at attracting female recruits from Saudi Arabia and the Gulf, it sets out to answer questions and debunk myths.

Now it has been translated into English and published by the London-based counter-extremism think-tank, Quilliam.

"It is considered legitimate," says the document, "for a girl to be married at the age of nine."

"Most pure girls," it adds, "will be married by 16 or 17".

From this time onwards she should remain hidden from view, supporting the Caliphate from behind closed doors.

Women, it says, should not be backward, in fact they should be educated, especially about all aspects of the Islamic religion, but only from the ages of seven to 15.

The Western model of emancipated women leaving the house to work, it says, has failed, with women "gaining nothing from the idea of equality with men apart from thorns".

Fashion boutiques and beauty salons are the work of Iblis, the devil, it states.

'Heaven for migrants'
This lengthy document was published online on 23 January, but it went largely unnoticed by the international media.

It appears quite different from the adventurist - often violent - messages posted on social media by female jihadists who have migrated to IS from Western countries.

Women, including an estimated 50 from Britain, are believed to account for about 10% of the thousands of foreign recruits who have crossed the Turkish border to join IS.

The document makes it clear that women's primary role is "sedentary", not to fight but to support the male jihadists in the home, including bearing their children.

Much of the treatise is given over to stressing the normality of life for women under IS rule.

"The state has not forbidden a thing," it says, immediately adding that it has spared no efforts to separate male and female students in colleges.

Raqqa, the de facto capital of IS, is described as "a haven for migrants", where families live "untouched by hunger, cold winds or frost".

"To hell with nationalism," it says, adding that in Raqqa tribes are merged, and the Chechen is a friend of the Syrian, the Saudi a neighbour of the Kazakh.

'Fallen women'
By contrast, it says, women in the Gulf Arab states, notably in Saudi Arabia, face "barbarism and savagery".

It goes on to explain that this includes women working alongside men in shops, appearing in ID photographs, going on Western scholarships or attending "a university of corruption" in the Saudi city of Jeddah.

Saudi TV, comprising some of the most conservative outlets in the region, is described as "television channels of prostitution and corruption" and female writers are branded as "fallen women".

Imported teachers are labelled as spies, spreading "their poisonous and corrupt atheist ideas".

No mention is made of the mass enslavement of Yazidi civilians or the trafficking in underage girls, decapitated heads being stuck on railings in Raqqa or gay men being thrown off seven-storey buildings.

There is a passing reference to the coalition air strikes that target Raqqa and other IS centres.

But the overriding message is that women in Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states should rush to escape their supposed life of injustice there and migrate instead to the utopia that is Islamic State.

[Martinus]

Sorry if I missed that but if not, it is surprising noone has picked that up yet:

Reports: Jordanian King Personally Flying Sorties Against ISIS

Jordan's King Abdullah is reportedly personally involved in executing air strikes against Islamic State positions in the aftermath of the terrorist group's brutal execution of Jordanian pilot 1st Lt. Moaz Kasasbeh.

Shafaqna news and Iraqinews.com claimed to have confirmed with their sources that King Abdullah is personally involved in conducting the air strikes. What remains unclear is whether Abdullah is personally suiting up and flying a plane, or instead commanding units involved in the mission.

"The Jordanian King Abdullah II will participate personally on Thursday in conducting air strikes against the shelters of the terrorist ISIL organization to revenge the execution of the Jordanian pilot [Kasasbeh] by the ISIL," said the IraqiNews report.

Others on social media have reported similar statements.

Jordanian Author Waleed Abu Nada Tweeted on Wednesday afternoon, "Local reports here in Jordan say that King Abdullah will personally fly and lead the airstrikes against ISIS tomorrow."

Middle East commentator Joseph Braude wrote on Twitter: "Reports that Jordanian King Abdullah, himself a pilot, will fly sorties on ISIS targets."

Before assuming the throne, Abullah II was a Major General in charge of Jordanian Special Forces. Abdullah is also certified as a Cobra Attack Helicopter Pilot. In 1980, he joined the UK's Royal Military Academy Sandhurst and was commissioned as a 2nd Lt. in the British Army.

Jordanian air strikes on Wednesday neutralized at least 55 Islamic State jihadists, including a top Islamic State commander who was known as the "Prince of Nineveh," according to reports.

After Jordanian Pilot Burned Alive, Jordan Launches Airstrikes Against ISIS, Kills 55 In Iraq Including Top Commander 'Prince Of Nineveh'

By  Cristina Silva@cristymsilva[email protected] on February 04 2015 5:21 PM

A day after the Islamic State released a video showing a Jordanian pilot being burned alive, Jordan launched airstrikes against the group in Iraq that killed 55 people, including a top commander known as the "Prince of Nineveh," Iraqi media reported Wednesday. The airstrikes came just hours after Jordan's King Abdullah II pledged a "severe" response.

"The blood of martyr Maaz al-Kassasbeh [also spelled Muath al-Kaseasbeh] will not be in vain, and the response of Jordan and its army after what happened to our dear son will be severe," the king said in a statement released by the royal court. Jordan also executed two jihadist prisoners by hanging Wednesday morning, government spokesman Mohammed al-Momani said.

Jordan had said it would beef up its role in the U.S.-led coalition against the militant group also known as ISIS. White House spokesman Alistair Baskey said, "The president and King Abdullah reaffirmed that the vile murder of this brave Jordanian will only serve to steel the international community's resolve to destroy IS."

The video released by ISIS showed al-Kaseasbeh with his clothes drenched in fuel as flames engulfed him. It concluded with pictures of what the Islamic State claimed were other Jordanian pilots and an offer of a reward for their deaths. Al-Kaseasbeh was reportedly shot down in his F-16 fighter bomber on Dec. 24 during an air operation near the militants' stronghold of Raqqa in eastern Syria, according to the New York Times.

U.S. National Security Council spokeswoman Bernadette Meehan said administration officials were examining the video. "We are aware of the video purporting to show that [al-Kaseasbeh] has been murdered by the terrorist group ISIL," read Meehan's statement. "The intelligence community is working to confirm its authenticity. The United States strongly condemns ISIL's actions and we call for the immediate release of all those held captive by ISIL. We stand in solidarity with the government of Jordan and the Jordanian people."

President Barack Obama met Tuesday with Abdullah in the Oval Office, where he offered his condolences. "I think it will redouble the vigilance and determination on the part of the global coalition to make sure that they are degraded and ultimately defeated," he said.

The Islamic State had asked Jordanian officials to trade al-Kaseasbeh for Sajida al-Rishawi, an Iraqi woman held in prison in Jordan after a 2005 suicide bomb attack that killed 60 people in Amman. Rishawi was one of those executed Wednesday.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the brutality of IS was "beyond comprehension," according to AFP. "It has nothing to do with our religion."

This is quite cool. 

[Martinus]

Apparently, homosexuality is not illegal in Jordan (and in fact there are several functioning LGBT publications); women have a number of guaranteed seats in the Parliament; and parties based on religion are banned.

Also, their crown prince is hot.

It looks like a really cool muslim country.

[Valmy]

That's a concept that has no meaning. There is nothing under U.S. law that requires you be formally named an "enemy" for us to say, kill you on the battlefield, or send you to prison if you're captured. Lincoln never accepted the premise that Confederates had stopped being American citizens. During Reconstruction they lost some of their rights of citizenship, but certainly weren't left stateless.

Well I checked my passport and it says clearly that the loss of citizenship can result from taking oaths to a foreign state or serving voluntarily in a foreign military.  So I guess my passport is lying?  I guess I read that and just assumed those actions, along with a few others, are things that would result in my losing my citizenship.  If that is not true, why is it printed on my passport?

[Martinus]

That's a concept that has no meaning. There is nothing under U.S. law that requires you be formally named an "enemy" for us to say, kill you on the battlefield, or send you to prison if you're captured. Lincoln never accepted the premise that Confederates had stopped being American citizens. During Reconstruction they lost some of their rights of citizenship, but certainly weren't left stateless.

Well I checked my passport and it says clearly that the loss of citizenship can result from taking oaths to a foreign state or serving voluntarily in a foreign military.  So I guess my passport is lying?  I guess I read that and just assumed those actions, along with a few others, are things that would result in my losing my citizenship.  If that is not true, why is it printed on my passport?

"May" does not mean it will. My point was that under the convention I quoted, you can strip someone's citizenship for service in foreign armed forces unless this would make them stateless. So it seems consistent with what your passport is saying.

[jimmy olsen]

Yeah, I think Britain had talked of stripping these people of citizenship but largely dropped the effort when it was decided it wouldn't be legal.

The justice officers of this government have a really bad habit of being fucking ignorant on basic points of law. This is an example. Another was a recent easy-read leaflet for people with learning difficulties on the trial process which reversed the burden of proof

No I think that 'error' was make in the drafting of the new law; the learning difficulties leaflet is now the accurate description.

Link?

[Valmy]

"May" does not mean it will. My point was that under the convention I quoted, you can strip someone's citizenship for service in foreign armed forces unless this would make them stateless. So it seems consistent with what your passport is saying.

Well it certainly gives the entirely false impression that it is related to the severity of the offense.  Nowhere does it say anything about multiple citizenship, which I was under the impression the US did not even recognize.

Anyway, sorry if I am coming across as a brick wall.  My stupid passport gave me assumptions that I have had for over a decade you dudes are blowing up. 

[Sheilbh]

Also, their crown prince is hot.

Agree to disagree.

[mongers]

Yeah, I think Britain had talked of stripping these people of citizenship but largely dropped the effort when it was decided it wouldn't be legal.

The justice officers of this government have a really bad habit of being fucking ignorant on basic points of law. This is an example. Another was a recent easy-read leaflet for people with learning difficulties on the trial process which reversed the burden of proof

No I think that 'error' was make in the drafting of the new law; the learning difficulties leaflet is now the accurate description.

Link?

It's ..... a ........ JOKE. 

[Valmy]

Apparently, homosexuality is not illegal in Jordan (and in fact there are several functioning LGBT publications); women have a number of guaranteed seats in the Parliament; and parties based on religion are banned.

Also, their crown prince is hot.

It looks like a really cool muslim country.

I hate to admit this, since I really hate the Hashemites, but in their neighborhood they look pretty good.

[Sheilbh]

I really hate the Hashemites

!

WTF?

[Martinus]

Also, their crown prince is hot.

Agree to disagree.

Well, he is only 20 but he is manning up quite nicely:



He has good genes - his mother is hot and his father is also not bad looking.

[Martinus]

Apparently, homosexuality is not illegal in Jordan (and in fact there are several functioning LGBT publications); women have a number of guaranteed seats in the Parliament; and parties based on religion are banned.

Also, their crown prince is hot.

It looks like a really cool muslim country.

I hate to admit this, since I really hate the Hashemites, but in their neighborhood they look pretty good.

What the fuck. Republicanism only should go so far.

Speaking of neighbourhood, I just looked at the map and they are bordering Israel, Syria, Iraq and Saudi Arabia. That makes Poland's neighbourhood look positively tranquil.