Manns Medium

Maybe it’s just me but to hear people talk about ISIS or ISIL makes me wish to ask why they invest so much into a group of cowardly people who hide in the shadows and pick on people who they have a pretty good idea won’t fight back. I mean, the media makes ISIS or ISIL seem like an army of real soldiers and highly intelligent generals who can give any minimal trained army a real run for it’s money, while I personally see them simple as nothing more than cowards and bullies. I say this not to disrespect anyone but to make a few points very clear to those seeking to categorizes ISIS or ISIL as a force to be feared.  “ Surveillance footage, cab driver offer clues in investigation in Brussels attack ” for CNN News by Catherine E. Shoichet, Frederik Pleitgen and Greg Botelho.  The article reports “ a break in the investigation may have come from a taxi driver who took the suspects to the airport.  The driver contacted authorities after seeing surveillance footage and gave...

The Islamic State rose into power not because of what they did but because of the sudden and great interest shown by the public about them and what they were all about.  It’s troop levels grew because of the lack of richness in the country, the lack of advancement of its society, the lack of leadership within its ranks and most importantly because of a few who saw an opportunity to get rich quick by jumping on the “infidels bandwagon”.  They used the fear of the people to accept them and grant them overlords to the sparse freedoms that they had.  We made them larger than life by all the reporting and the touting of their power.  Countries trembled at the very mention of their name and citizens turned on one another to avoid their deadly rampage but what many forgot and only a few knew, the Islamic State is just like any other organization in the world.  You hit them hard and heavy with a consistency that only a country like the United States can.  You hit ...

We could all see this day coming, at least those who were not so enamored with ISIL/ISIS.  We all knew that the bombings were going to eventually have the intended affect even if our own media would not admit or report it.  We knew that they day would come when Muslims would finally get tired of being associated with ISIL/ISIS and their way of damaging the religion.  We knew that eventually, those who truly have the power to rid this planet of ISIL/ISIS would finally step up and do so; all we needed to do is show and demonstrate a little faith.  We knew this and I think this article by Jacob Siegel titled “ The Real Target of ISIS’s Child-Soldier Execution Video ” proves it. The article reports “The latest ISIS shock tactic—using a young boy to shoot at point-blank range a ‘spy’ for Israel—is aimed at stifling internal dissent amid reported infighting and losses in Iraq.  In ISIS’s ongoing war in Iraq and Syria, the group regularly publicizes its killing of...

As a retired U.S. Marine who served from 1981 till 1991, I am amazed at how often those with thoughts of revisiting the Christian Crusades occupy our control centers when it comes to saber rattling, fear mongering and cowboy justice.  I am amazed because I wish to think that we have hired the best and the brightest to occupy the seats of government and therefore wonder how so many could be led by the nose by those who have little to no risk involved in the decisions that they push or make. In an article titled “Netanyahu Warns Congress Iran Deal Guarantees Nuclear Arms ” written by Jonathan Ferziger for Bloomberg News, Mr. Ferziger reports that “Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, directly challenging President Barack Obama in a speech to U.S. lawmakers, said an emerging agreement with Iran would backfire and ensure the Islamic Republic gains a nuclear arsenal.  “That deal would not prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons -- it would all but guarantee that Ira...

So many are frustrated and confused as to what we have to do to defeat ISIL and many are considering that all that is necessary is to cut off the head of the snake but today, it has occurred to me that this is and never will be the way ISIL will ever get defeated.  Some are correct that military force is necessary but it will never end them.  Some are correct that it will take a diplomatic answer to solve this issue but that alone is also not the case.  So with that, quite a few are confused and frustrated so they lash out at anyone or anything else that is marginally offensive to them in order to find a place for their frustrated-laced anger.  So what do we do?  First we need to understand the problem before we can find the solution. The first thing, I think we need to teach ourselves is ISIL is not one main operating group but a series of self-lead branches which follow their own brand of justice.  The overall message may be the same but the actions ...

It is always been a question as to where all these radical groups who truly hate America came from.  Now the homegrown ones, we know when, how and why they were created but the mystery about foreign haters always perplexed us that are until now. The extreme hatred of this nation can be traced back 31 years beginning with the  Beirut  Bombing when the Honorable Ronald Reagan was in the White House, George H.W. Bush was by his side and Richard (Dick) Cheney was in his ear.  Want proof of what I say, consider this. Prior to October 23 rd , 1983, President  Reagan  had Okayed shelling from the waters of Lebanon villages without discretion.  Killing women and children because he wanted to “teach them a lesson”.  The brains of the administration decided to give those angered by this shelling a target so they sent over Marines to act as peace keepers, tying their hands and making the Rules of Engagement policy so tight tha...

For some time now, people like John McCain and Lindsey Graham has been trying desperately to push this country into another long, drawn-out war in the Middle East.  A war, I must say, in which they will not have an active role in and have to dodge one bullet but will see the less that 1 percent having to re-engage if for no other reason than strictly political and try to make up for the lies that many helped spread to get us into Iraq in the first place. Some have avoided catering to their egos but still there are those who just can’t seem to help but seek their advice when it comes to things dealing with war as if their bad judgment of the past meant nothing.  The thousands of American lives lost do not seem to bother those who run straight to those cheerleaders.  Now Lindsey Graham is screaming like a little school girl who got her scarf caught in the car door as the vehicle was pulling off.  He’s saying that ISIL needs to be dealt with before they come over h...

So many people have asked ad many more have searched.  The discussion among the public is joined and all except those of Congress who was hired to help run this country are buckling down and trying to help solve this problem.  The problem ISIS or ISIL whichever way you wish to say it. The situation seems far more daunting and complicated the more people you talk to.  It grows more serious with each passing day depending on the news outlet you favor.  It was made even more obvious by the killing of James Foley and would you believe that we have had the ultimate weapon against them waiting to be activated all this time and never knew it.  Would you also believe that this terrible group is also not truly led by the faces you see on television but covered faces of those you miss seeing? The ultimate weapon against ISIL is none other than the Islamic people.  Those who tire of westerners buying their way into their religion and totally re-writing their ...

If you pick up the paper, two major headlines will probably jump out at you.  The continuation of the massive coverage of the Ferguson, Missouri protests and the beheading of U.S. journalist James Foley.  One of these are about to lose its appeal so soon the Ferguson story will soon go by the waste side like Aurora, Newtown, Trayvon Martin and so many others but this beheading of James Foley is just beginning to peak the interest of many.  Not because it is a story that its lessons will ever be heeded but because it was an American who was savagely killed and there are other Americans who may be next.  Now I’m not saying that is a bad thing to be concerned with any America dying especially by the hands of cowards that call themselves brave but can anyone tell me how many military personnel died during this same time? I think, one of the best articles written about Foley’s death was done so by Chelsea J. Carter for CNN titled “ Video shows ISIS beheading U.S. jou...