... the affairs of dragons...

[_nicolai_]

I feel that life is about to get worse for "Islamic State", because the French government is fully functional, highly competent at attacking things outside their borders, and very, very pissed off.

I am looking forward to that.

Comments

[also_huey]

In ten years in the military, I have met more than my share of badasses, but one of the scariest sons-of-bitches I ever encountered was a former French Foreign Legion first sergeant.

[gerald_duck]

In one sense, they know.

In another, their action seems rational to them because they have a different notion of "worse".

In the past few days I've seen some apparently intelligent and knowledgeable commentators saying that IS's main objection is to Muslims and non-Muslims living together in peace and harmony. Their purpose with these attacks, therefore, was to drive as wedge between moderate Muslims and other moderates, to radicalise the middle ground.

And, for them, death is not too high a price to pay in achieving that goal. Given their doctrine of martyrdom, it's almost desirable.

If that really does accurately represent their ideology, their actions in Paris would make perfect sense to them and the French reaction would be playing into their hands…

[_nicolai_]

You're imagining some sort of American-style large scale warfare clusterfuck.

I'm imagining some sort of sneaky, deliberate attempt to end the existence of "IS" and its leaders, and remove its appeal to new recruits.

[mangosteen]

It will be very interesting if France tries (modulo the initial bombing) a much quieter, slower decapitation attack. "You will fail and you will be forgotten", and all that.

[_nicolai_]

Quite so. That is how the French are much more competent, and much more intelligent, than (most of) the Americans. Certainly far more intelligent and competent than G W Bush & co.