France has begun bombing ISIS, ‘entirely destroying’ its logistics depot in North-eastern Iraq

A remote camera shows a Rafale jet fighter, partially seen at right, and a pilot fly over Iraq Friday.

PARIS — Joining U.S. forces acting in Iraqi skies, France conducted its first airstrikes Friday against the militant Islamic State group, destroying a logistics depot, Iraqi and French officials said.
Rafale fighter jets accompanied by support planes struck in northern Iraq on Friday morning and the target was “entirely destroyed,” President Francois Hollande said.

The four airstrikes on an Iraqi military installation overrun by the militants hit a munitions and fuel depot, a French military official said, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss operational details.

Iraq’s military spokesman said dozens of extremist fighters were...(Click for more)


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No one has to wonder what France will have to do in order to combat ISIS on French soil. 

The Flames of War

The Islamic State goes Hollywood.

The Face of Things To Come

The Islamic State's vision for the future as illustrated by their own press release.

By: The National Bacon

While their reach may not yet meet the reality of their goals, the IS is certainly planning for a future that is striking in it's massive scope.  Many have asked if the IS would be a serious direct threat to the Western world, which of course is highly debatable.  However, in a globalized economic world even a significant regional change can produce significant effects across the globe.  

The regions the IS is looking to conquer not only contain valuable oil and gas resources, but also other materials, agricultural products, and significant cultural sites.  In terms of globally significant cultural areas, the IS has already pillaged their way through many areas of Syria and Iraq and destroyed archaeological sites.

It could also be argued that Europe faces the greatest direct threat from the IS, because of their relatively geographic location to the Middle East and North Africa and the fairly significant the IS is currently enjoying from elements of the populations of Western European nations.

Unfortunately we are faced with two grim scenerios; the IS as a destablizing regional problem or the IS as a rising global empire.  Either propostion deserves serious thought and serious action.

Trudeau Opposes Revoking Canadian Passports of Would-be Terrorists

TORONTO - Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau confused holding a passport with citizenship - but doesn't think the government should be able to take away either from Canadians suspected of being involved in terrorism.

The issue of homegrown terrorists has been in the spotlight since the onslaught of terror group Islamic State (ISIS), which claims to have established a caliphate - or Islamic state - in parts of Syria and Iraq and which has had alarming success in recruiting Western youth to fight for its cause.

Speaking with reporters Saturday at the Liberal Party of Ontario's annual general meeting in Markham, Trudeau said he believes the Canadian justice system is currently well enough equipped to handle homegrown terrorism.

Legislation passed in June allows the federal government to strip citizenship from dual citizens who are convicted of terrorism at home or abroad.
Trudeau and his Liberals opposed the legislation. He has often expressed his concern the bill creates a "two-tiered" system of citizenship.

Asked for his thoughts on revoking or denying passports to would-be terrorists, Trudeau appeared to conflate citizenship with having a passport, but ultimately said he believes the Criminal Code is the best tool to fight terrorism.

"I think that a lot of Canadians, including very conservative Canadians, should be worried about the state willing to, and taking the power to, arbitrarily remove citizenship from people," he said. "That's a slippery slope that I don't thin...(Click for more) 

Brian Toohey: Australia plays dangerous game with defense shift

Almost unnoticed, Australia has reverted to a forward defense doctrine abandoned during the Cold War in the 1960s.

 

Australian Army soldiers fire their weapons in a live fire exercise in Hawaii. © Reuters

     The change is all the more remarkable because the earlier policy did not threaten the profitability of the country's biggest businesses, while the resurrected policy appears to be aimed at its biggest trading partner, China.

     Although the specifics are classified, there is now backing across the political spectrum for preparations for the forward deployment of ground troops, ships and planes equipped for high-intensity warfare. Key components include large destroyers equipped to contribute to an anti-ballistic missile shield against China and North Korea; frigates that could help enforce a trade blockade; and big new submarines capable of firing cruise missiles into China. This may suit countries near China, but it represents a huge change for a more distant Australia.

     The switch began five years ago with the insistence by then-Labor Prime Minister Kevin Rudd that the defense White Paper should ditch the established doctrine defining the Australian military's area of operational interest as rarely extending beyond the archipelagic chain of Indonesian and Melanesian islands to its near north. Prime Minister Tony Abbott now enthusiastically promotes the new...(Click for more)

Canadians Don’t Want Combat Role in Iraq, Trudeau Says

Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau is cautioning against sending Canadian jet fighters to join U.S. air strikes against the Islamic State.

Trudeau questions value of combat role for Canada

U.S. President Barack Obama announced the air strikes against militants in Syria and Iraq in an address Wednesday night.

Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau is cautioning against sending Canadian jet fighters to join U.S. air strikes against the Islamic State.

While Mr. Trudeau didn’t completely rule out supporting such a move eventually, he said Canadians aren’t enthusiastic about taking on such a “combat” role.

“Shifting toward a combat mission, which air strikes would be, will require a large shift in Canada’s positioning, and I just don’t see a tremendous level of enthusiasm or openness among Canadians, or Canadian parliamentarians, for taking on a combat...(Click for more)

75 Years Ago we Were at War: Lest We Forget

 

Time ticks by and memories fade, it would serve us well to remember the cost of ignoring the rise of tyrants and fanatics. 

Global Jihad Rising

The Islamic State has Become Much More Than a Regional Problem as Their Membership is Partially Swelled By Global Recruitment (Including the West). 

By: The National Bacon

The recent rise of the Islamic State (IS) and their so far highly successful campaign in the Middle East has captured media headlines throughout the Western world, often eclipsing even the conflict in the Ukraine.  So far many media outlets, pundits, and other individuals have found the dilemma of the IS both horrifying and perplexing.  One of the most mystifying aspects has been the willingness of many citizens of Western nations to volunteer to fight for the Islamic State’s jihad; a factor that has left some questioning why anyone would give up what are in many cases relatively comfortable lives to join a group that has become synonymous with wanton violence and sadism.

There have been many stories thus far about Westerners, either of a Islamic cultural background or recent converts, who have freely gone to fight for the IS.  Canadians are joining the IS (at this point well over 100 suspected to have done so), Americans have also been found to have done the same, and by far the most affected by IS recruitment have been the nations of Western Europe.  British intelligence services believe that there are possibly as many as 500 British subjects fighting for the IS, a figure which also includes many British women, some of who allegedly act as‘Sharia police.’  Belgium has also seen a great number of citizens leave to join the IS, estimates ranging from 250 –400 Belgian citizens.  And above all others is France, where it is believed as many as 1000 French citizens have joined with the IS.  France too has discovered that 1/6 of their population support the Islamic State’s actions and their rise in power.

Despite the uncomfortable numbers of Westerners supporting or involved in the IS, a significant portion of the discussion of what it all means fails to capture the issue; the Islamic State has gone global and the West is still trying to figure out what it all means. 

Some have chosen to write off the IS as a group of unsophisticated, cave dwelling savages, who are of little threat and will soon fade away.  This could not be further from the truth, as the group has show itself to be strategically and tactically sophisticated as well as capable of running advanced information operations with global reach.  The IS has also mastered the use of social media in order to recruit and spread their ideological concepts.

Others in the West have tried to argue that the Islamic State is indeed not Islamic at all, which of course ignores several realities in favour of political correctness.  The IS have applied a draconian view of Islam that though it may not be supported by the entirety of the global Muslim population, they are none the less heavily influenced by Islamic ideas. 

The rising numbers of Westerners, both of Islamic cultural origins and recent converts of European backgrounds, have created a crisis of ideas.  Many find it difficult to fathom why their fellow citizens would fight for and support the actions of brutality and barbarity perpetrated by the Islamic State.  Unfortunately there are no easy answers to this.  One thing is for certain however, the problem of the IS is transnational and not limited to the Middle East; Jihad has gone global. 

Iraq's Shi'ite Militia, Kurds Use U.S. Air Strikes to Further Own Agendas

A Kurdish Peshmerga fighter moves into position while firing into Baretle village (background), which is controlled by the Islamic State, in Khazir, on the edge of Mosul September 8, 2014.

Credit: Reuters/Ahmed Jadallah

(Reuters) - A small group of people pick through putrefying human remains laid out on plastic sheets by the side of a road in northern Iraq, searching for any trace of missing friends and relatives.

Some had brought spades to help dig up the mass grave near Suleiman Beg after the town was retaken from Sunni Islamic State militants who held the area until last week.
"They (Islamic State) slaughtered him simply because he was Shi'ite," said Jomaa Jabratollah, hauling the remnants of his friend, a truck driver, into a coffin, having identified him from the lighter in his breast pocket. "We must take revenge".

Helped by the United States and Iran, Kurdish forces and Shi’ite militia are finally beating back Islamic State militants who overran most Sunni Arab areas in northern and central Iraq nearly three months ago. 

But the aftermath illustrates the unintended consequences of the U.S. air campaign against Islamic State.
Kurdish and Shi'ite fighters have regained ground, but Sunni Muslims who fled the violence are being prevented from returning home and some have had their houses pillaged and torched. 

Rather than help keep the nation together, the air strikes risk being used by different factions for their own advantage in Iraq's sectarian and ethnic conflicts.
 
The fallout also risks worsening grievances that helped Islamic State find support amongst Iraq's Sunnis, and allows the militant...(Click for more)

Canada Finds One of Two British Explorer Ships that Vanished in the Arctic More than 160 Years Ago

• 

  Sir John Franklin

  The HMS Erebus and HMS Terror were carrying British Arctic explorer Sir John Franklin and 128 hand-picked officers when they vanished in the late 1840s - perhaps after they were abandoned when they became locked in ice

• On Sunday, Parks Canada used a remote underwater vehicle to find a wreckage in the Victoria Strait near King William Island, Nunavut - but officials do not yet know which ship it is

• Canada announced it would start searching for the wreckages in 2008 in a bid to assert its sovereignty over the Northwest Passage - the same passage the ships had been trying to find

   

  One of two British explorer ships that vanished in the Arctic more 160 years ago has been found, Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced on Tuesday.

  The HMS Erebus and HMS Terror, which were led by British Arctic explorer Sir John Franklin and were carrying 128 hand-picked officers, were last seen in the late 1840s as they searched for the fabled Northwest Passage.
  
  In 2008, Canada announced it would search for the ships in a bid to assert its sovereignty over the passage, which was found during searches for the missing ships.
  The wreckage was confirmed by Parks Canada on Sunday using a remote underwater vehicle in the Victoria Strait near...(Click for more)
  
  

Insight - Vietnam Building Deterrent Against China in Disputed Seas with Submarines

Sailors look at a model of a submarine which is scheduled for delivery to Vietnam in 2013, in Vietnam's northern port city of Hai Phong, in this October 21, 2011 file picture.

Credit: Reuters/Kham/Files

(Reuters) - Vietnam will soon have a credible naval deterrent to China in the South China Sea in the form of Kilo-class submarines from Russia, which experts say could make Beijing think twice before pushing its much smaller neighbour around in disputed waters.

A master of guerrilla warfare, Vietnam has taken possession of two of the state-of-the-art submarines and will get a third in November under a $2.6 billion deal agreed with Moscow in 2009. A final three are scheduled to be delivered within two years.

While communist parties rule both Vietnam and China and annual trade has risen to $50 billion, Hanoi has long been wary of China, especially over Beijing's claims to most of the potentially energy-rich South China Sea. Beijing's placement of an oil rig in waters claimed by Vietnam earlier this year infuriated Hanoi but the coastguard vessels it dispatched to the platform were always chased off by larger Chinese boats.

The Vietnamese are likely to run so-called area denial operations off its coast and around its military bases in the Spratly island chain of...(click for more)

Britain Finally Faces Up to Its Homegrown Jihadist Problem

 

Scotland Yard estimates that at least 500 Britons have joined Islamic State.

On Monday last week British Prime Minister David Cameron proposed legislation to prevent citizens who joined the Islamic State and other terrorist groups from re-entering Britain to "wreak havoc." His proposal followed the Aug. 19 release of a video showing a jihadist who spoke with a British accent appearing to behead American journalist James Foley. One day after Mr. Cameron's announcement, the Islamic State posted a video showing the murder of American journalist Steven Sotloff, ostensibly by the same Briton.

The jihadist's nationality shocked Britain and the world. It shouldn't have. Scotland Yard estimates that at least 500 Britons have traveled to the Middle East to join the Islamic State. British-born terrorists have been the most numerous, violent and influential of European jihadists since well before 9/11.
Why Britain? The reasons include the nation's tradition as a sanctuary for dissidents; a defendant-friendly judiciary; a law-enforcement system with few Muslim informants; a profligate version of multiculturalism; and the misfortune of having Pakistan as the main source of Muslim immigrants.

Most jihadists who call Britain home aren't immigrants. They are the alienated children of immigrants. These second-generation immigrants regard...(click for more)

Canadian Armed Forces Advisors to be Stationed in Iraq's North

By: The National Bacon

 

Canadian Special Operations Forces (SOF) will be heading to Iraq to provide advisory training and assistance to forces engage in the battle against the Islamic State (IS).  This kind of action is exactly what SOF is meant to do; have a force multiplication effect where a few highly trained operators have a larger strategic impact on the battle zone.  According to a press release from the Prime Ministers office these Canadians will be stationed in Iraq's north.

Canadian Special Forces have earned a strong reputation for professionalism and effectiveness; there is no doubt that they will continue to bring honour to the Canadian Armed Forces through their commitment to forwarding Canadian and allied interests abroad. 

ISIS in Iraq: Canada to send Special Ops Soldiers as Advisers

Harper announces deployment of 'several dozen' military advisers for 'up to 30 days' to help Kurds

Candidates for the Canadian Special Operations Regiment train in Kamloops, B.C., in 2006. CSOR members are among the advisers Canada is sending to Iraq to assist in the fight against ISIS. (Lt(N) Meghan Marsaw/Combat Camera)

Canada's next contribution to the fight against ISIS in Iraq will be "several dozen" members of the Armed Forces, Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced today — and CBC News has learned that includes special operations forces.

The contingent of special operations forces will work closely with U.S. forces but remain under full command of Canada's Chief of Defence Staff.  The forces will come from the Special Operations Regiment. No specifics were available on what type of work they'd be doing, but Harper has said the Canadian Forces deployed to Iraq won't be involved in combat.

A spokesman for Harper described the broader Canadian mission as one that provides "strategic and tactical counsel to Iraqi forces before they start tactical operations" against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, also called ISIL.

"This is an advise and assist role, not one in which Canadian Forces will be accompanying Iraqi forces on missions [or] tactical operations. They are there to provide advice that will help the government of Iraq and its security forces be more effective against ISIL," Jason MacDonald said in...(click for more)

 

Russians increasingly challenging Danish airspace

Looking more like Cold War tactics

The number of times that the F-16s have been activated to patrol Danish airspace has doubled since 2012 (Photo: Forsvaret.dk)

The Danish ministry of defence is increasingly deploying its F-16 fighter jets to meet Russian military aircraft flying near, or even inside, Danish airspace, according to a report obtained by Berlingske newspaper from the Danish Defence Command, Forsvarskommandoen.

The report showed that the number of times that the F-16s have been activated to patrol Danish airspace has doubled from 21 in 2012 to 42 in 2013. And during the first eight months of 2014 that trend has continued with 38 deployments, the vast majority being due to approaching Russian aircraft.  “The news is yet another sign of shifting Russian foreign policy,” Johannes Nordby, a captain with the Defence Academy, told Berlingske. “The shift can lead to effects similar to those from the Cold War.”

“These are the poor diplomatic relations, the introduction of nuclear weapons Putin mentioned last week and the increased testing of the Danish defence readiness.”
READ MORE: Danish F16 jets chase Russian bombers
 
May get worse
 
On June 15, a Russian military aircraft, part of a five-plane squadron, actually entered Danish airspace before leaving again two...(click for more)

The Islamic State’s War on Cultural Heritage

While the tragedy of human suffering at the hands of the Islamic State is well know, their destruction of Iraq and Syria’s cultural heritage remains on the fringes.

By: The National Bacon

A remarkably well-preserved Roman Parade Shield found at Dura-Europos

The news of the past weeks has painted us an all too powerful picture of the violence and destruction brought to the Middle East by the rising tides of fortune for the Islamic State (IS).  There seems to be little stopping this latest incarnation of radical Islam from growing stronger and defying nearly every tenant of international law and human decency laid down through the hard work of so many diplomats, soldiers, and humanitarians in the decades since the end of the Second World War. 

We hear of the slaughter of the Yazidi, Shiite, and Christian minorities at the hands of the IS, however the slaughter of culture by the IS has another face.  The rich archaeological heritage of Syria and Iraq is being violated at a alarming pace; much of it being sold to finance the strategic goals of the IS and further their campaign of conquest. Syria and Iraq are part of what is referred to as the Fertile Crescent; an area that is known as the cradle of civilization.  This region produced some of the earliest phonetic writing, codified laws, and the some of the earliest large cities to name only a few features of early-civilized life.  The archaeological heritage of Syria and Iraq span 10,000 years of human history and include Babalyonian, Greek, Roman, early Islamic, and Medieval sites.  In a recent article produced by National Geographic the extent of the destruction is described for sites such as Dura-Europos, a archaeological site that has produced artefacts priceless to the record of human history.  Now the site has been reduced to a moonscape by looters who will sell their ill-gotten gains on the antiquities black market. 

It is a sad state of affairs for the heritage of the region to say the least; when a nations cultural heritage is destroyed it not only murders its past, it murders its future.

  

Inside the Life of a 20-year-old Scottish Woman Who Ran Away to Become a Hardline Supporter of ISIS

Add Umm Layth AKA Aqsa Mahmood, a young Scottish Muslim woman who abandoned a comfortable middle-class background to join the Islamic State in Iraq and al Sham (ISIS) in Syria. caption

Aqsa Mahmood, the privately educated Scottish woman described by friends as clever and gifted, went missing from her tony Glasgow neighbourhood in November.

Now she’s emerged as an avid supporter of the hardline jihadists of the Islamic State of Iraq & Al-Sham (ISIS) and is busy promoting it to her followers online.

 In a series of posts, she has described what it’s like to be a “sister” and encouraged other Muslims living in the West to take up the rebels’ cause.
Much has been written about young Muslim men who have left western countries for Syria, attracted by the image of adventure and camaraderie proliferated by rebel groups there. But less is known about the women who are drawn to ISIS and its self-proclaimed caliphate, which imposes such a hardline version of Islam even Al-Qaeda has disowned it.
“The message generally is, ‘Your life will be better than it is in whichever western country you live in,’ ” said Melanie Smith, a researcher at the International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation and Political Violence in London. “[ISIS] says they need women to make families and raise children who can carry on the same interpretation of Islam that they’re practising.”
The parents of Ms. Mahmood, 20, reported her missing soon after her disappearance. She surfaced in Syria a little... (click for more)

India on Alert after 'Indian al-Qaeda' Video

India has issued a security alert in several states after an announcement by al-Qaeda of the formation of an Indian branch of the group.

In a video message, al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri said "al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent" would "raise the flag of jihad" across South Asia.  In the 55-minute video posted online, Zawahiri pledged renewed loyalty to Afghan Taliban leader Mullah Omar.

Correspondents say this is an apparent snub to Islamic State (IS) militants. Indian Home Minister Rajnath Singh met senior intelligence officials to discuss new security measures and to brief the prime minister. India's intelligence and security services are studying the Zawahiri announcement video, which experts said appeared to be a reaction to IS's growing dominance...

Unearthed, a golden Roman hoard hidden from Boadicea’s army

Lost jewels of Roman fleeing Boadicea found underneath high street 

Historians have uncovered one of the finest collections of Roman jewellery found in Britain, which was hastily buried as Queen Boadicea and her army advanced on Colchester.

The hoard, which was discovered as a tangled ball of metal, includes gold armlets, earrings and rings as well as silver chains and coins.

Archaeologists believe it was abandoned by a rich Roman who was trying to escape as Boadicea’s Iceni army marched on the town in AD61.

Dr Philip Crummy, the director of Colchester Archaeological Trust, described the find hidden under the Essex town’s high street as “of national importance and one of the finest ever uncovered in Britain”.

He said: “It is a particularly poignant find because of its historical context: Boadicea and her army destroyed London and St Albans but many of the inhabitants had time to escape. However, the people of Colchester were not so fortunate.

 “They knew a large Roman army was coming to their aid but they were practically defenceless, with only a small force of soldiers and no town defences.
“Imagine their panic and desperation when they learnt of the massacre of a large part of the Ninth Legion on its way to relieve them, and after a two-day siege they were overrun. They would have tried desperately to bury and hide valuables like jewellery for safe-keeping.
“We know that the noblest of Colchester’s Roman women were...

I was nearly an American jihadi - and I understand why young men are joining Isis

Formerly a Catholic American Michael Muhammad Knight's travelled to Pakistan to study in a madrassa - but says it was his American values rather than his new religious beliefs that made him want to fight

 

ISIS Fighter (Reuters)

The Islamic State just released a gruesome new beheading video, again helmed by a western-bred Jihadist. As often happens, I received messages asking for explanation.

You see, I’m the jihadi who never was.
Twenty years ago, I ditched my Catholic high school in upstate New York to study at a Saudi-funded madrassa in Pakistan. A fresh convert, I jumped at the chance to live at a mosque and study Qur’an all day. This was in the mid-1990s, during an escalation of the Chechen resistance against Russian rule. After class, we’d turn on the television and watch feeds of destruction and suffering. The videos were upsetting. So upsetting that soon I found myself thinking about abandoning my religious education to pick up a gun and fight for Chechen freedom.

It wasn’t a verse I’d read in our Qur’an study circles that made me want to fight, but rather my American values. I had grown up in the Reagan ’80s. I learned from G.I. Joe cartoons to (in the words of the theme song) “fight for freedom, wherever there’s trouble.” I assumed that individuals had the right — and the duty — to intervene anywhere on the planet where they perceived threats to freedom, justice and...

Why Nato is more relevant than it has been for 30 years

With the new threats posed by Isis and Russia, the agenda at this week's Nato summit is full to bursting

 The last time the UK hosted a Nato summit was in 1990, when Margaret Thatcher was prime minister, the cold war was coming to an end, and the alliance was questioning its relevance in a multipolar world where soft power might count more than hard power. The old chestnut about Nato's purpose voiced by the first Nato secretary general, Lord Ismay – "to keep the Russians out, the Americans in" – looked hopelessly anachronistic. Russia famously had become a country with which the west felt it could do business.
A quarter of a century later, Putin's actions, and the ever more grisly new threats posed by Islamic militants, has given Nato a new lease of life. Indeed, Nato is now so relevant that David Cameron's chief task as host to this week's summit in Wales has been to ensure that the agenda does not burst at the seams. Discussions will range across the Russian advance in Ukraine and expansionist threat to the Baltics, the Nato withdrawal from Afghanistan next year, the possibility of wider alliance air strikes in northern Iraq against Islamic State (ISIS) the need for Nato to produce a viable rapid reaction force in Europe as well as respond to the threats of hybrid warfare and terrorism.

Cameron has ensured that the crisis posed by Isis – made even more pertinent by the latest beheading and the threat to a British citizen – will be discussed both at a working dinner on Thursdaytomorrow evening, and then again on Friday as the 28 members discuss asymmetric warfare, and how to respond to...

The Media And The Message Of Extremism

 By: The National Bacon

We live in an age of information availability that is unprecedented in the history of mankind.  Never before have the vast majority of individual persons had such access to both information gathering but also information production.  Social media allows the individual or organizations to spread their ideas rapidly and disperse them globally to a massive multi-national audience.  This fact has not be lost on extremist organizations such as Al Qaeda and of late the Islamic State (IS).

Some like to consider groups like the IS, perhaps in light of their continued acts of barbarity, to be primitive, cave dwelling, hill fighters who will be easily defeated; sadly the truth is that they are not and will not be.  Like Al Qaeda before them, the IS has shown itself to be adept at information operations (info ops) and publicizing their cause through the use of modern technology and both traditional and social media outlets.  Not only are they highly adept, they are in many ways performing better than Western info ops.

The IS produces their own magazine called Dabiq, they produce recruiting videos designed to recruit internationally, and the most shock oriented of all the recent videos of the beheadings of American journalists.  Despite, or perhaps because of, the ferosity displayed in these media releases they are succeeding in attracting members to their cause.  They are attracting volunteers from Canada, volunteers from Britain, and volunteers from the United States in amongst others from across the globe.  In fact when it comes to British recruitment for the IS, more British Muslims have volunteered to join the IS than the British army.  Regardless of the condemnation of the IS and other similar organizations, their ideology and goals appear to be well received by significant numbers of Western citizens.

What the Western world also needs to understand as that the messages designed by organizations like the IS and Al Qaeda are intentionally designed to have a specific effect.  The greatest media coup thus far for an extremist organization was Al Qaeda's successful attack on the World Trade Centre on 9/11.  This attack was a pure info op from its inception.  Immediately after those two towers fell everyone across the United States and throughout the world knew who Al Qaeda was, what their goals were, and what they were capable of doing to actualize them; shock and awe media in its purest form.  The intent of the latest stream of beheading videos is designed in the same vein; the IS know that such videos shock the West and that the Western media will disperse them and dicuss their impact.  Unfortunately extremist organizations know that Western media is a strategic point that can be effectively used to push their message. 

The sophistication of info ops by groups such as the IS should be cause for concern; those who control the message control the argument.  The IS is capable of producing modern quality videos, magazines, and distribute them through modern media outlets and their efforts have proven to be successful in gaining support and disseminating their ideology.  To destroy an extremist organization their ideology must be attacked as vigorously as their fighters or it will continue to survive as a smouldering fire waiting to erupt once more.

The Russia House

By: The National Bacon

Everything old is new again, as the old saying goes.  One can't help but wonder if the retired pensioners from the various Western intelligence services who once worked against the Soviet Union feel that time has reversed somewhat of late. The resurgence of aggressive Russian military policy, first with Georgia, and now in the Ukraine must seem a bit of a blast from the past.  For Russia's part, Putin is letting Europe know in no uncertain terms that Russia is back and ready for business.  In a story published in Britain's The Telegraph, Putin warns Europe: “If I want to, I can take Kiev in two weeks.”   It is indeed a bold move, however so far Putin is faring relatively well, all things considered.  In the grand scheme of things the West has no serious interest in fighting a war over Ukraine, then again at the end of the day Putin likely doesn't neither.

For Putin, the the Ukraine is likely a probing action; to see how far the Western world has decayed, with an obviously weakened United States disengaging from their former muscular position around the globe.  The West is weakening and the world knows it; Putin knows it and so does the Islamic State in the Middle East.  Putin sees a chance to restore some of Russia's former glory by gobbling up chunks of border land and he has gambled that the West will stomach some success in order to avoid war. For now Putin and other aggressive actors around the globe will see how far they can push their luck; they will take little bits and pieces while the West wonders if this is 1939 or 1945 all over again. The plain truth is that this is not the Second World War returned nor is it the Cold War again.  What we are seeing is a new situation that will have characteristics all of its own.  There is a salient and immutable commonality from history however; perception of weakness is nearly always spurs on belligerents to pursue aggressive action. 

Decline Cometh Before A Fall

By: The National Bacon

The Roman Empire was the original European cultural, economic, and military power house, eventually stretching from Britain to Mesopotamia at it's greatest height of power.  The Roman civilization was so powerful and long lived that even today the echo of her cultural impact is palpable in the institutions, language, and customs of the modern Western world.  Apart from these cultural echos and the artifacts that amuse the visitors in museums, the Roman world once so powerful, vibrant, and vital is long gone.  The tale of the decline and fall of the Roman world serves as one of history's great lessons; nothing, not matter how large and influential it once was, is guaranteed to be permanent.

Many factors led to the decline and eventual fall of the western portion of the Roman Empire, however one salient factor was the failure of the Roman state to repel the continuous invasions by Germanic tribes and the slow yet continual conquest of Roman territory

An excellent read for those interested in the decline and fall of Rome is Rome's Barbarian Mercenaries by David G. Frye.  I highly recommed it for anyone interested in how a civilization that loses interest in defending itself, its own culture, and its territory opens itself to destruction.

For civilizations that no longer fight for their own interests and survival, all roads lead to Rome in the end.

Up In Arms

By: The National Bacon

Whever an accident claims a human life it is an undeniable tragedy; however when that death involves a firearm it has the potential to become a national (even international) event.  The recent death of Arazona shooting instructor Charles Vaca due to the handling of an Uzi by an unidentified 9 year old girl he was instructing has resulted in a rising of debate of the handling of firearms by children and has fueled the continued debate of firearms ownership in Canada.

While shooting related accidents are quite normally picked up by media outlets, the fact that this incident involved a child has caused considerable more sensation and has been grasped upon by both anti and pro-firearm political factions.  A recent story from the CBC about Justice Minister Peter MacKay wearing a pro-firearms advocacy t-shirt was met with commentary postings claiming that Canada is in danger of such accidents as that which resulted in Vaca's death and that Canadian firearms advocates cannot wait to introduce automatic weapons like the Uzi for legal ownership and then place them into the hands of children.  Such claims are highly dubious and play upon generating irrational fears that firearms ownership will necessarily result in rampant shootings and reduces Canadian firearms owners and advocates to the level of Hollywoodized clichés who not only desire to own the most powerful of automatic weapons but be able to carry them at all times.  This of course defies thoughtful reason and ignores the fact that the majority of Canadian firearms owners abide the law, follow safe practices when it comes to firearms ownership, and advocate for safe firearms use; you will not find people more eager to admonish a unsafe shooter than at any Canadian shooting club facility. 

A child shooter using a semi-automatic .22 cal rifle at a shooting range.

It may be shocking to some people that children under 18 years of age are involved, and have been involved for generations, in sport shooting and hunting in Canada.  Some may also be shocked to learn that Canadian law also requires such shooters to be supervised by a licenced adult and that Canadian shooting clubs require children to complete a safety course before shooting.  In the wake of stories about Vaca's death the CBC also produced a video report about the legality of children shooting firearms in Canada.  The report was mostly an overview of the law when it comes to Canadian children using firearms, however a possible negative undertone could be interpreted from some of the comments and images shown in the footage.  Unfortunately where there is fear there is sensationalism, and where there is sensationalism there is news.

The fact that the incident which claimed Vaca's life involved a female may also be the cause of further sensation; the traditional narrative of many news media and anti-gun advocacy groups primarily being that women are the victims of firearms, not the users of firearms.  This could not be further from the truth however, as women are currently the most actively growing sport shooter and hunting demographic in North America.  There still remains an active bias however; women and especially young women and firearms are not a natural mix.  Such taboos do not seem to be deterring many Canadian women from shooting however; the number of Canadian women enjoying hunting and other shooting sports is on the rise.

The overwhelming majority of Canadian firearms owners, hunters, and sport shooters would not advocate for the use of firearms by children without significant training and adult supervision.  The same majority would also likely agree that allowing a child to handle a firearm like an Uzi is not the most sound of ideas.  We must also remember that automatic weapons such as the Uzi are prohibited in Canada and such firearms are owned only be a shrinking number of people who were 'grandfathered' through a prohibited licence, which is provided for under The Firearms Act.  Because of Canadian firearms laws children will not have access to the firing of an Uzi.  The majority of sports, be they football, hockey, swimming, ATV driving, or shooting, have the potential to result in injury or death.  Proper instruction, training, and supervision however mitigate these risks (but will not totally eliminate them.)  Shooting accidents are rare (accidents involving children and Uzis are almost unheard of) and we should not let a tragic event result in irrational fear mongering and the condemnation of all law abiding Canadian firearms owners.  

For statistics on accident related Canadian firearms fatalities go to: 

http://www.justice.gc.ca/eng/rp-pr/csj-sjc/jsp-sjp/wd98_4-dt98_4/p6.html

For a well written op-ed by Professor Gary Mauser on long gun safety and criminal activity go to: 

http://fullcomment.nationalpost.com/2012/12/11/gary-mauser-why-the-long-gun-registry-doesnt-work-and-never-did/

By: The National Bacon

Few Canadian organizations can boast a century of continuous national service while being subjected to some of the toughest conditions that a person can endure.  The Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry (PPCLI) turns 100 this year, having been formed in August 1914 for active service in the battlefields of the Western Front, where they earned the distinct honour of being the first Canadian infantry unit to go into action during the First World War.

For 100 years the PPCLI has fought in two World Wars, the Korean War, numerous Peacekeeping missions, Afghanistan, and provided countless aid to Canadians during times of crisis and disaster.  The regiment boasts numerous battle honours, decorations for gallantry and leadership (including two Victoria Crosses), and embraces a heritage of bravery and commitment to service that has earned them the distinction as one of the Canadian Army's premier fighting units.

So it is with heartfelt appreciation and respect that I say congratulations and best regards to the soldiers of the PPCLI, past, present, and future, who have signed up for service and brought honour to the Ric-A-Dam-Doo.

Fracking Hysteria

By: The National Bacon

The issue of Hydraulic Fracturing (commonly known as fracking) has been a hotbed of activity for environmental activists, energy producers, and politicians over the past few years.  The issue of the application of this natural gas capturing technology has resulted in passionate debate, sometimes bordering on the hysterical, regarding the use of the technology in Canada.  Recently federal Liberal leader Justin Trudeau has weighed in on the issue of fracking in the province of New Brunswick and interestingly his comments were neither an endorsement nor a condemnation of the process.  Trudeau, in his usual fashion, called for more study into the technology, however there is far from a lack of scientific data available to consult on the relative safety of the process.

Hydraulic fracturing is a process that uses drilling and the application of high-pressure fluids (mostly water) in order to extract natural gas deposits from shale beds deep underground.  Despite its recent popularity in the news the process has been is use for over half a century and wells have been drilled in many areas around the world.  In fact the Royal Society in the United Kingdom has published an in depth report, based on decades of scientific study and data from practical application of the technology, that states hydraulic fracturing is a technology that can be safely applied with minimal risk. 

Burning RCMP vehicles at an anti-fracking protest in Rexton, New Brunswick

 When it comes to the popular anti-fracking movement, the most often cited source of concern stems from the ‘documentary’ Gasland, which is narrated by actor Matt Damon.  The sequence most commonly referenced is the portion of the film that shows one of the individuals interviewed dramatically igniting the water from his faucet.   What the film’s director, Josh Fox, failed to include was the fact that the methane gas in the groundwater from which this particular well was drawn had nothing to do with fracking.  Additionally, Fox was confronted by filmmaker Phelim McAleer at an event and was forced to admit that he left out details, supported by historical records, that locals have been able to ignite natural occurring gas seepage from so called ‘burning springs’ long before the practice of fracking was introduced to the area.  Fox apparently believed that those details were unimportant to reveal.  Further information was unearthed after the film’s release that the film was partially funded by a company from the United Arab Emirates, a nation which has a very lucrative natural gas industry and would face economic threats from a large scale increase in international natural gas production.  Regardless of these details and the questionable validity of many of the film’s claims, it has been used as a tool to perpetuate the fear of fracking.

On Trudeau’s part, neither endorsing nor condemning the process of fracking is a very politically convenient manoeuvre, as he does not have to commit support to either side of the issue and risk alienating large numbers of people on either side of the debate.  And while politicians play politics New Brunswick languishes as one of the poorest provinces in Canada with record unemployment coupled with a declining population as a result of New Brunswickers leaving to seek better opportunities (ironically usually in western Canada’s oil and gas industry.)  New Brunswick needs viable and well paying employment opportunities and the safe application of fracking technology appears to be an option worth pursuing.  This should not be an issue of science versus the environment; it should be one of proven science working with understanding environmental concerns and with proper oversight for the benefit of Canadians.

It is safe to say that those on the pro side of the fracking debate are not advocating for rashly undertaking the process; often forgotten is that in places like New Brunswick many involved in the industry would have to live with any severe negative consequences of fracking.  To assume that pro-fracking advocates are cackling villains eagerly wringing their hands and hoping to cause as much damage as possible is cartoonish and contrary to reason and common sense.  Hydraulic Fracturing is a technology that though is not devoid of any risks, has the potential to be implemented safely and with due diligence for the benefit of Canadians.  The potential for Canada to utilize this technology effectively and with maximum safety in mind is also bolstered by the existence of bodies to provide oversight, laws regarding safety, a free and open press, a legal system that pushes the issue of a accountability, and the existence of technologies and expertise that can be applied to the conduct of fracking operations. Do not give into closed-minded hysteria my fellow Canadians; the extraction of energy resources through technology such as fracking is not a choice between environmental paradise or ecological doom.