ISIL could pose threat to US, Europe, officials say

[MadeFromDust]

The group is now considered “the most potent military force” of any terrorist outfit in the world

U.S. counterterrorism officials have dramatically ramped up their warnings about the threat posed by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), concluding that the well-armed group is expanding its ambitions outside the Middle East and may be planning terror attacks against western Europe — and even the U.S. homeland.

ISIL's conquest of vast swaths of Iraqi territory this spring and summer netted it a “significant” arsenal of U.S. weapons from two Iraqi military bases, including hundreds of tanks, heavily armored Humvees, assault rifles, and rocket-propelled grenade launchers, officials say. One U.S official tells Yahoo News ISIL is now considered “the most potent military force” of any terrorist group in the world.

Led by its charismatic chief Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the radical Islamist group is looking beyond its short-term goal of overthrowing the Iraqi and Syrian governments and replacing them with a self-proclaimed Islamic Caliphate. “We’re seeing an expansion of its external terrorist ambitions,” one U.S. counterterrorism official said in a briefing for reporters Thursday. “As its capabilities grow, it has attracted thousands of foreign extremists — some of whom are going home to start cells. As it carves out territory [in Iraq], it wants to go beyond that and do attacks outside. ” U.S. counterterrorism agencies had put the number of ISIL fighters at about 10,000, but that figure is now being reassessed and is likely to be raised, officials say.

http://news.yahoo.com/isil-could-pose-threat-to-u-s---europe--officials-say-135908833.html

Time to nip this one in the bud.

 

[MadeFromDust]

Also, rumors are that Russia and Ukraine may now officially be at war. Interesting read:

http://news.yahoo.com/did-russia-ukraine-just-start-172002149.html

One thing is for sure, things are heating up globally by the day.

 

[PDXFonz]

Also, rumors are that Russia and Ukraine may now officially be at war. Interesting read:

http://news.yahoo.com/did-russia-ukraine-just-start-172002149.html

One thing is for sure, things are heating up globally by the day.

Can Denny confirm this?

 

[barfo]

Can Denny confirm this?

Political scientists are all corrupt.
There aren't bombs falling on Portland today, so obviously this is all hogwash.

barfo

 

[DaLincolnJones]

Can Denny confirm this?

haha, with all due respect, cant you? I realize that Yahoo News is not the apex of media coverage, they are legit. It is obvious that this is more an opinion, as it poses a question.

 

[donkiez]

this is good news for our corporate war machine and arms sales.

 

[MadeFromDust]

Just remember guys....

That's our military, and most on that list are our allies too.



Merica

 

[donkiez]

Just remember guys....

That's our military, and most on that list are our allies too.



Merica

One thing you fail to account for in your favorite military spending graphic is the cost of labor. China, Russia and others get much more for their personal dollar than we do and that makes up a considerable portion of our budget.

 

[MadeFromDust]

One thing you fail to account for in your favorite military spending graphic is the cost of labor. China, Russia and others get much more for their personal dollar than we do and that makes up a considerable portion of our budget.

I'm not sure if that's taken account for in that graphic or not, it was made by Wallstreet but there is a considerable difference in spending regardless. You can test other sources as well if you want to, they all say the same thing.

 

[Denny Crane]

Political scientists are all corrupt.
There aren't bombs falling on Portland today, so obviously this is all hogwash.

barfo

So obviously there's no bombs falling on Portland, consensus or not.

 

[MadeFromDust]

There are 8,400 attack helicopters in the world. The U.S. has 6,400 of them.

We have 19 Air Craft Carriers. The rest of the world has 10.

The M1 Abrams tank has seen more combat than just about any other tank on the battlefield today. It has never been knocked out by enemy fire. (Completely killed). Ever. China has less than 500 Type 99 tanks, that have just been developed, and are not even close to being as good as the Abrams. We have 8,700 Abrams.

Yada yada yada

http://www.military1.com/army/artic...litary-compared-with-the-next-strongest-power

 

[speeds]

You almost make it sound excessive.

 

[MadeFromDust]

In times like these it makes you feel a little more secure, no?

 

[Minstrel]

In times like these it makes you feel a little more secure, no?

Not really. Frontal assault has never been a big concern. Terrorist attacks can sneak past aircraft carriers.

 

[MadeFromDust]

Not really. Frontal assault has never been a big concern. Terrorist attacks can sneak past aircraft carriers.

Not a chance. They'd have to attack from the inside like 9/11. We have satellites that monitor everything and can shoot incoming nukes straight out of the sky. Our technology is ridiculously advanced.

 

[MarAzul]

Perhaps it is time for Germany or France to go battle Islam. Yep! Next!

 

[Minstrel]

Not a chance. They'd have to attack from the inside like 9/11. We have satellites that monitor everything and can shoot incoming nukes straight out of the sky. Our technology is ridiculously advanced.

Um. What? Obviously I mean attacks like 9/11. I wouldn't call missile attacks "sneaking."

 

[PDXFonz]

Not a chance. They'd have to attack from the inside like 9/11. We have satellites that monitor everything and can shoot incoming nukes straight out of the sky. Our technology is ridiculously advanced.

Until some one spends a million developing a less detectable nuke, at which point we spend one billion on better satellites.

 

[MadeFromDust]

Sorry I ran my own topic off course with American badassery and patriotism. I meant for this thread to be about things simmering up around the world.

 

[MadeFromDust]

Um. What? Obviously I mean attacks like 9/11. I wouldn't call missile attacks "sneaking."

So you mean like Muslims who are already American citizens?

 

[MadeFromDust]

Until some one spends a million developing a less detectable nuke, at which point we spend one billion on better satellites.

Pretty much.

 

[donkiez]

Perhaps it is time for Germany or France to go battle Islam. Yep! Next!

I agree because a militarized Germany has worked out so well in the past!

 

[Minstrel]

So you mean like Muslims who are already American citizens?

Or anyone inside the US, sure. I think that's a greater concern than invasion via tanks and planes.

 

[MadeFromDust]

Or anyone inside the US, sure. I think that's a greater concern than invasion via tanks and planes.

Probably because anyone in their right mind knows they can't take us on that way, but ISIL doesn't seem to be in their right mind, so....