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How does the Islamic State, a ragtag band of jihadis who are supposedly at war with the combined military might of the US, Turkey, the Saudis, the Russians, the Iraqis, the Iranians and many others (including, of course, the Syrians) manage to fund and coordinate spectacular international terror attacks, including not only the Paris attack, but also (apparently) bombings in Turkey and Lebanon, and the take down of Russian airliners? How is it that governments can flag and track the "suspicious" financial transactions of anyone withdrawing or transferring over $10,000 from their own bank account, but can't seem to find a way to restrict cash flows, arms and munitions to a geographically isolated enemy who are dependent on oil sales for their financial survival?
Good question. Just don't ask the US State Department spokesman those questions, because he doesn't have the answers. When asked earlier this week by RT's Gayane Chichakyan "whether the US has sanctioned any banks suspected of carrying out transactions for ISIL," department spokesman Mark Toner responded with a resounding: "I'd have to look into that. I don't have the answer in front of me."
Apparently the question of how ISIS is financing its operations is of so little interest to the State Department that they haven't bothered to look into it. So in the interest of helping them out with their homework, let's connect a few dots, shall we?
[More after the break.]
Earlier this year it was revealed that French President François Hollande had authorized illegal shipments of arms to the Syrian terrorists in 2012. The deliveries–including cannons, machine guns, rocket launchers and anti-tank missiles–were in direct contravention of an EU embargo that was in place at the time.
In late 2012 it was revealed that one of the most prominent backers of the Syrian terrorists was the French government, who in addition to their illegal arms shipments were also delivering money directly to the terrorist opposition leaders.
Last year the French arms export industry enjoyed its best sales in 15 years, with revenues up 18%. The reason for the Merchant of Death bonanza? A spike in sales to Saudi Arabia and Qatar, two of the main funders and supporters of ISIS.
(Score: 3, Interesting) by VLM on Monday November 23 2015, @06:34PM
In Arabic it means Bigot and they find is offensive.
Not really. That's specifically listed as one of five common urban legends about the name:
https://www.freewordcentre.com/blog/2015/02/daesh-isis-media-alice-guthrie/ [freewordcentre.com]
Its an immense long article but it boils down to disrespecting their name and making some subtle fun of their pride over their otherwise holier than thou language and actions.
A nearly perfect analogy would be describing Angela Merkel, leader of Germany, for now anyway, as a Stasi officer Technically on paper she was never in the Stasi merely their affiliated youth group and she didn't really participate (lots of going thru the motions toward the end of the Soviet Union, and everyone was required to join so its not like she had any choice) and it kind of makes fun of her recent remarks about the USA monitoring her phone being like the Stasi. So its not technically false although it has baggage.
Maybe a similar analogy would be calling a Catholic a Papist although thats stretching it.
(Score: 3, Interesting) by VLM on Monday November 23 2015, @06:40PM
Oh I just got the perfect analogy. Edit button where are you? Calling them Daesh is almost perfect analogy to addressing Mr Putin as "Czar of the Commies". Its just tongue in cheek enough, just knowingly inaccurate enough to be insulting, just inaccurate enough to prove you don't give a F what he thinks, totally disrespectful...
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday November 24 2015, @01:01AM
Kind of like Pilate calling Jesus the "King of the Jews".