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posted by martyb on Monday November 23 2015, @05:21PM   Printer-friendly
from the eyes-wide-shut? dept.

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.


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  • (Score: 4, Insightful) by gman003 on Monday November 23 2015, @07:01PM

    by gman003 (4155) on Monday November 23 2015, @07:01PM (#267119)

    Like others have said, that's mostly a myth. They don't consider "daesh" to be particularly offensive.

    However, I do advise not calling them simply "the Islamic State", simply because that's their preferred name and ultimate goal - they want to be the *only* Islamic country, and to have all Muslims under their command (and everyone else dead). The thing that absolutely terrifies them is the idea that Muslims might not actually want to join a suicidal armageddon cult-country. The thing they fear most is that they'll be a military dictatorship with no serfs to sustain them.

    Even just calling them "the Islamic State of suchandsuch place" reinforces that idea that they're just a local power, and that they don't command all of Islam. It's like the difference between describing Soylent as "a news site for nerds" and describing it as "the nerd news site". Subtle but significant difference. Plus "Isis" is easier and more fun to say than "IS".

    (Oh, and that fear of theirs is also why they hate refugees even more than Western conservatives do - the idea that people could choose to flee to the depraved and cowardly west rather than stay in their glorious god-given land is like kryptonite to them.)

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  • (Score: 2) by urza9814 on Monday November 23 2015, @07:51PM

    by urza9814 (3954) on Monday November 23 2015, @07:51PM (#267141) Journal

    Personally, I think we ought to just call them what they call themselves...

    I mean, are we going around renaming all the "Peoples' Republics"? Not really.

    The only thing this renaming crap is going to do is confuse people and make the organization seem like less of a threat. Use the same name they use in their press releases so everyone is clear where they're coming from.

    • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday November 23 2015, @09:31PM

      by Anonymous Coward on Monday November 23 2015, @09:31PM (#267181)

      If lets say Iceland renamed themselves "The peoples republic of the world" everyone would still call them Iceland.

      Just like if you renamed yourself "The king of the world" most people would just call you conceited. I see no reason to call them what they want.

  • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday November 23 2015, @09:55PM

    by Anonymous Coward on Monday November 23 2015, @09:55PM (#267190)

    Like others have said, that's mostly a myth. They don't consider "daesh" to be particularly offensive.

    Actually, they consider it offensive enough that they have threatened to cut out the tongue of anyone they find calling them that. Go google it yourself. (I don't have the time right now to do it for you.)