Hang on people from the Tele read the AFR?

ian wrote on Jan 21^st, 2015 at 10:56am:


Nearly all my muslim freinds either work for themselves or have uni degrees. Most drive nice cars and live in fancy houses.

freediver wrote on Jan 21^st, 2015 at 8:51am:



In the 13 years since September 11, the Liberal Party's foreign policy has been based on a double folly: increasing the risk of terrorism-related incidents at home, while also making the situation in Iraq worse.

As Tony Abbott admitted in Baghdad last week, the 2003 Coalition invasion created "chaos and confusion". This led to the rise of IS, as Sunni militants tried to regain the influence they had enjoyed under Saddam Hussein.

Since the resumption of Western military action four months ago, Islamic State's numbers have doubled – a recruitment boon driven by the perception of American/Australian imperialism. IS no longer has to deal with its internal hatreds and factionalism; the jihadists have joined forces against a common adversary.

This new "long war" will have the same outcome as every other "long war" in the Middle East: entrenching sectarian bitterness and division.

Australia's national security interests are best served by staying out of the region.  Instead, our counterterrorism efforts should focus on obvious problems closer to home.

freediver wrote on Jan 21^st, 2015 at 8:12pm:


The west failed iraq.

ian wrote on Jan 21^st, 2015 at 10:56am:


Queen Victoria was a patron of a British explorer called Richard Burton. After thoroughly investigating Egypt for its potential as a trading partner with Britain, he advised the British authorities not to bother with them, saying, in today's vernacular - you couldn't get them to work in an Iron Lung.



I have worked with Christian Arabs who did a fair day's work for their pay.

John Smith wrote on Jan 21^st, 2015 at 8:27pm:


IS are all nutcases. That does not mean they have nothing to do with IS. Monis was asking for an IS flag and was inspired by ISIS. ISIS had been calling for the exact kind of attack Monis carried out. One of the Paris attack accomplices has escaped back to IS. Islam is a cult of supremacy. The best recruiting tool IS could get is western appeasement, because they will paint it as a victory over the west and inspire more attacks. That's why, despite the rhetoric from limp-wristed western apologists, Bin Laden's best recruiting tool was 9/11, not the invasions that followed. That is why, after getting their arses thoroughly kicked, the Palestinians claim a great military victory over Israel every time Israel withdraws or offers some kind of concession. There is no shortage of pointless struggles for Muslims to die for. What brings them out of the woodwork is a hint of progress back towards a 7th century style Arab empire.

Prime Minister for Canyons wrote on Jan 22^nd, 2015 at 8:15am:


All fine qualifications that go into making the best of our politicians.

As Churchill once said: "Nearly all the great politicians of history were bad men".