Hey halduell

Bet you can't prove that it wasn't MH17 that smashed into the South Tower of the World Trade Center.

I hear from Russian Intelligence that Putin demolished the North Tower all by his-selfie.

Petrovko

Hi David Singer

Where you say "The idea that China and Iran should offer any help to Iraq outside the American-led coalition – which itself is operating without Security Council authorisation – seems a recipe for disaster." raises some issues.

Fortunately for Iran the Iraqi Foreign Minister, Ibrahim_al-Jaafari, is from a Shiite faction that has been well disposed to Iranian support for decades. "[Ibrahim_al-Jaafari] left for Iran in 1980 and became involved in the movement against Saddam Hussein there as part of the Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq where he represented the Islamic Dawa Party." see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ibrahim_al-Jaafari

Iran has also been providing manpower and direction, via undercover Iranian Revolutionary Guards, for the Iraqi Government's shadow army - the Shiite militias - particularly since US forces largely withdrew in 2011.

Iranian miltary units in Iraq have also provided more open assistance to those Iraqis who are Shiite http://www.independent.ie/world-news/middle-east/us-under-pressure-to-act-as-iran-helps-iraq-fight-alqaida-30351513.html .

So I understand opposing Iran is very much an objective of Israeli foreign policy. However Iranian interests, money and personnel are very much operating in Iraq along Shiite sectarian lines.

The Shiites are currently dominant now just as the the Sunnis were under Saddam...with the West returning to the Long War in Iraq to prevent the wrong type of Sunnis from rising again.

About the only positive note are the Kurds, who have worked with and occasionally been trained by the Israelis.

Regards

Pete

'morning David,

I can't ever remember agreeing with any of your articles in the past however, relatively speaking, this is a balanced article and I quite enjoyed it.

The USA has faired badly, in reputational terms, in trying to be the worlds policeman. IMHO they have done their fair share of heavy lifting and have paid a heavy price in all respects.

It is high time that the Arab nations stopped playing the victim card and started trying to solve the many problems they have been instrumental in creating. If they are supported by such as Russia then fine.

The Islamic terrorists have demonstrated their willingness to die for their causes and I have no problem in assisting them. There is no negotiating with them, they renege on any deal that has the potential of preventing them from doing what they want to do and we should embark upon an irradication program, preferably by those closest to them, the Arabs. If Putin can help and can secure geo political advantage, then let him have it.

The sooner the Arabs realise that they own their problems, the sooner we can all sleep better.

In the West we see these conflicts through a socialised perspective of human rights, PC and the UN ideology rammed down our throats, without these attributes I suspect there would be no problem at all. We just make it one.

It is time to put and end to their 1,400 year old war.

I agree with Arjay the most in terms of comments on this article.
It seems to me that most of you guys believe the crap you are fed on TV.
Its all just propaganda to sway public opinion to go along with whatever foreign policy agenda the US has.

I think I should bring this to your attention firstly.
http://moroccantimes.com/2014/07/nsa-documents-reveal-isis-leaderabu-bakr-al-baghdadi-trained-israeli-mossad/

Next this... German Intelligence: Flight MH-17 was Shotdown by Ukraine
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oF0FeZ20gtw&list=UUvsye7V9psc-APX6wV1twLg

What about this?
Nuland Admits US Invested $5 Billion To "Assist" Democracy (Dec 2013)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dexrP27MMdU

Or This - Blackwater troops in Ukraine
http://rt.com/news/158212-academi-blackwater-ukraine-military/
(So the US is allowed to send proxy armies in but Russia isnt??

Or this in the SMH
http://www.smh.com.au/world/mh17-ukrainian-fighter-jet-near-plane-before-crash-russian-tv-blames-cia-20140722-zvho8.html
I heard another rumour that the Ukrainian fighter jets purposely sent MH17 into a warzone and were using it to shield themselves in order to prevent being shot down. - And why isn't Air traffic control info from Kiev available??

Maybe this.. US arms ISIS again.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5MQI2bnKrSg&list=UUvsye7V9psc-APX6wV1twLg

And Spindoc.. You say the US has faired badly in acting as the worlds police officer..
Well the truth of that statement depends on what the US were actually trying to achieve.
The US aims are DESTABILISATION and they have been quite effective in doing this.

Next watch this: General Wesley Clark: Wars Were Planned - Seven Countries In Five Years.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9RC1Mepk_Sw

I really cant be bothered right now to think about all the smaller bits of info Ive watched (and get the links) but you people are all total fools if you believe what the mainstream media tells you. Its all war propaganda to justify wars and most of you naively buy into it.
Im not even sure I wanna start on Ebola, the UN countries own track records of human rights abuses or the G20..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gc16H3uHKOA
http://experimentalvaccines.blogspot.com.au/2012/05/bill-gates-oral-polio-vaccine-cripples.html
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ORKDW8Svbw
http://www.globalresearch.ca/g20-governments-all-agreed-to-cyprus-style-theft-of-bank-deposits-in-2010/5335567

And yes, I realise now that I worded my comment wrong in regard to the Ukrainian fighter jets..
It should have read 'I heard another rumour that the Ukrainians purposely sent MH17 into a warzone and were using it to shield their fighter jets in order to prevent being shot down.'
I know I haven't actually commented on the 'shirtfronting' of Putin.
The point I was trying to make was that you cant really write a article worthy of discussion when all the primary facts the article is based upon are factually incorrect.
But if I did, Id say Tony would get his butt handed to him after Vlad makes a mess of him with his 6th Dan Judo..
And its really just pathetic that he has to send a woman in to smooth things over after mouthing off.
No hard feelings sorry David, Im not trying to put you down, but you need to look at things a little more in depth and not just go along with the first piece of information (propaganda) you're told.
- Scott

#plantaganet

My definition of "skirt fronting":
"the ability of female politicians to persuade their male counterparts to adopt policies without threatening confrontation to secure their approval."

#halduell
Putin hasn't shown any real interest in stopping Islamic State to my knowledge. He can show he is serious by sponsoring a Chapter VII UN Security Council Resolution to involve an international response to eradicating Islamic State. He does not have to wait until Russia experiences the same trauma as has befallen Canada this week.

#Yuyutsu
If the UN wants to retain what little credibility (if any) it possesses - then it needs to get involved in eliminating Islamic State or go the way of its predecessor the League of Nations which proved totally ineffectual in preventing World War II.

#Arjay
You are welcome to embrace Iran and North Korea. Enjoy.I prefer to keep clasping at straws.

#plantaganet

Iraq is one big mess as Shiites continue to kill Sunnis and vice versa in ever increasing numbers. Letting Islamic State loose is like letting a fox into the chicken coop. What is your solution for stopping the unmitigated carnage of Shiites and Sunnis occurring almost daily before our very eyes - not to mention the Christians, Kurds and Yazidis?

#spindoc
How do you put an end to a 1400 year war? Come up with the answer and I will nominate you for the Nobel Peace Prize.