11 dead in French satirical magazine shooting

[Sheilbh]

Loved this piece:
http://reason.com/blog/2015/01/07/je-suis-charlie-no-youre-not-or-else-you?n_play=54ae585be4b01b0e7340591a

[dps]

Some details there I didn't know about, or really, care about.  After all, what's there to discuss?  If you want to acquire a weapon, you can.  In general, while it's much harder to acquire firearms legally in Europe than in the US, I'm not sure it's all that more difficult to acquire them illegally.  And if you're planning on using it in a terrorist attack, I'd think that even in the US you'd much rather acquire one illegally.

I think what Yi is prompting is that these three mutts had the contacts necessary to score AKs, which would lead one to believe there's more than three yahoos at work here.  The European weapons black market aside, considering the number of Europeans (including Frenchmen) that have returned from Iraq, Syria and Libya in recent years, maybe these kind of "lone wolf" attacks aren't quite as "lone" as they seem? 

I just tossed in the article because I was surprised at the availability.  I knew there was a black market for small arms, didn't know it was that big.

Loved this, though:

Applying for a gun license for hunting, target shooting, or personal protection requires not only a background check but a formal psychological evaluation. Gun licenses must be renewed every three to five years; the blacklist of those banned from owning weapons is nearly 18,000.

Can you imagine the full metal kittens the NRA would have if this logical and sensible approach was adopted here?   

In a lot of US jurisdictions, convicted felons aren't legally allowed to own weapons.  Gotta be a lot more of those, not only in absolute numbers but as a percent of the population.

[Ed Anger]

For every one legally procured firearm in France, there are nearly two illegal ones, some of which can be purchased online. There are between 10 million and 20 million illegal guns in a nation of 65 million.

http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Europe/2015/0107/Paris-Hebdo-attack-France-awash-with-black-market-weaponry-video

Surely it can't be *that* easy to get your hands on an AK in France.
[/quote]

Open borders, former east bloc nations in the EU. Track suit wearers wouldn't have a problem getting them in.

[CountDeMoney]

In a lot of US jurisdictions, convicted felons aren't legally allowed to own weapons.  Gotta be a lot more of those, not only in absolute numbers but as a percent of the population.

You mean all US jurisdictions.  But I particularly like the part about the mandatory psychological examination.

[mongers]

Maybe the some of the attacks in France are a sign the ISIL is under real pressure in Syria/Iraq, and with few western boots on the ground to shoot at, this is way of getting back asymmetrically?

I don't think it's a co-incidence that these guys went about their murdering dressed like ISIL militants and seem proud/determined to remain in their 'uniform'

Also wasn't the guy who murdered the young police woman today, also dressed in black, though reportedly also wearing body armour and using an MP5 liks SMG.

I guess it'll be hard to tell directed attacks from 'lone wolf' attacks . 

[11B4V]

In a lot of US jurisdictions, convicted felons aren't legally allowed to own weapons.  Gotta be a lot more of those, not only in absolute numbers but as a percent of the population.

You mean all US jurisdictions.  But I particularly like the part about the mandatory psychological examination.

That will cut down on some of the lunatics.

[garbon]

Loved this piece:
http://reason.com/blog/2015/01/07/je-suis-charlie-no-youre-not-or-else-you?n_play=54ae585be4b01b0e7340591a

[Sheilbh]

I guess it'll be hard to tell directed attacks from 'lone wolf' attacks .

I don't know that there's necessarily a huge distinction. From a French perspective it's striking that probably the area that's panicking most about destabilisation from returning Syrian fighters is the Maghreb.

[Sheilbh]

Loved this piece:
http://reason.com/blog/2015/01/07/je-suis-charlie-no-youre-not-or-else-you?n_play=54ae585be4b01b0e7340591a

Quoi?

[dps]

Maybe the some of the attacks in France are a sign the ISIL is under real pressure in Syria/Iraq, and with few western boots on the ground to shoot at, this is way of getting back asymmetrically?   

Or maybe it's a sign that they're doing so well in Syria/Iraq that they have plenty of fighters to send elsewhere.

[11B4V]

I think they will find this as an inspirational hit. Not a hit order by ISwhateverthefucktheycallthemselves

[mongers]

Maybe the some of the attacks in France are a sign the ISIL is under real pressure in Syria/Iraq, and with few western boots on the ground to shoot at, this is way of getting back asymmetrically?   

Or maybe it's a sign that they're doing so well in Syria/Iraq that they have plenty of fighters to send elsewhere.

The Kurds from Iraq and the PKK seem to be doing an good job, with US backing of turning Kobane into a bit of a meatgrinder for the ISIL foreign fighters. 

Also.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/01/08/us-mideast-crisis-dempsey-idUSKBN0KH29I20150108?feedType=RSS&feedName=topNews&utm_source=twitter

U.S. forces 'building pressure' on Islamic State: military chief

By David Alexander

WASHINGTON Thu Jan 8, 2015 5:43pm EST

Credit: Reuters/Larry Downing

(Reuters) - U.S. efforts against Islamic State militants in Iraq are "a drumbeat, a steady building pressure" on several fronts that will ultimately enable Iraqi forces to launch a counteroffensive at a time of their choosing, the top U.S. military officer said on Thursday.

General Martin Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said U.S. forces were not sitting idly in the key Iraqi cities of Baghdad or Arbil waiting until spring to launch an offensive but were actively working to weaken Islamic State in several areas.

"This is a drumbeat, a steady building pressure on ISIL along eight or nine lines of effort: counter-financing, counter-foreign fighters, counter-message as well as the military operations," he added, using an acronym for the Islamic State group.

Dempsey's spoke to reporters after meeting with his Israeli counterpart, Lieutenant General Benjamin Gantz, to discuss regional security and military cooperation as Gantz winds up his tenure as the chief of the Israel Defense Forces general staff.

Dempsey said Iraq would initiate a counter-offensive against Islamic State when Baghdad felt it was ready to conduct the necessary military operations to recapture territory and follow it with humanitarian and reconstruction efforts.

"In the meantime we're keeping steady pressure on and we're building their capacity," Dempsey said.

The Pentagon said this week that U.S. forces have hit or damaged some 3,222 Islamic State targets in Iraq and Syria since August.
....

The fly in the ointment being the expectation that the Iraqi 'armed forces' will be able to do anything in the spring.

[dps]

You mean all US jurisdictions. 

Thought so, but I'm pretty much in the habit of assuming that there are some exceptions to almost any legal practice somewhere in the country. 

[mongers]

When they corner these terrorists, I hope they just shot them from a distance and let them bleed out, no point in upping the risks to police by trying to detain them alive.

[CountDeMoney]

When they corner these terrorists, I hope they just shot them from a distance and let them bleed out, no point in upping the risks to police by trying to detain them alive.

I don't think these yahoos will have to worry about being taken alive.  It's probably not in their plans anyway.