Name:   copperline - Subject:   Reflections on the Belgium attacks Date:   3/25/2016 11:02:30 AM

I am 100% in favor of defeating ISIS.   You raise a good point, we should focus on their source of power... but exactly what is this?  Is it a city?   An entire region?  A religious philosophy or the social/economic conditions of that part of the world?  

At this point in this thread, I feel like we are chasing our tails.   We could debate a strategy, but no one has articulated one that is clearly defined and likely to have some success.   The idea of coating bullets with pigs blood is pretty far out in my mind, but it does raise an pretty interesting idea:   It would be great if we could find a way to use their own religious mythology to undermine the determination of their fighters.  

Multiple news reports in recent days describe the retreat of ISIS in Syria & Iraq, examples being reported of ISIS fighters melting away quickly when under attack & in retreat.    They haven't mounted an offensive in months.  Mosul & Palmyra are close to being recaptured, Raqqa (sp?) encircled.     Recent Brussels attack appears to be carried out by fighters who returned from the war zone and perhaps avenging the military set backs in that region.   Another interesting point is that these bombers may not all be highly motivated religious zealots who adhere to belief in Islamic purity, but street level criminals with less religious motivation.   Some of the bombers decided to save themselves and escape rather than commit suicide.   Maybe this is a change in terrorist profiles we should pay attention to.

If their collective religious zealotry were to be diminished (after all, suicidal fighters have a really limited shelf-life, so to speak)... and ISIS has to recruit fighters more interested in self-preservation & loot rather than some mythical glory in the afterlife... I think we can more easily defeat that kind of enemy.    For now, that is a big IF.... but one I will pay attention to.