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I also don't quite know what type of intervention I would back but am very much in favour of them being downgraded/got rid of. I just have an issue with the publicly stated goal of doing that being out of kilter with the privately stated geopolitical stuff. If it's genuinely about doing away with them then work with who is most able to fight them on the ground (this may include the Syrian state), working with natural allies like Iran, putting real pressure on allies like Turkey to stop enabling them, be alert to the fact that sunnis in the two countries most effected by this are totally unrepresented, don't treat the conflict as another 'sphere' to fuck with Russia and it's interests, and essentially don't use this horrendous tragedy as a means to carve the region into something that policy makers think suits their respective interests. These guys are fucking hideous and I will back any well thought out comprehensive diplomatic as well as military policy that genuinely focuses on getting rid of them, saving lives and increasing regional stability. If that includes British military assets so be it. I haven't seen that plan yet and won't be backing anything that favours zero sum geopolitical gains over these objectives.
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Final point. Oliver - much respect generally, but your shit about oil prices just doesn't make any sense.
Why not?
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kaiseroscar
Oliver Schick
@h2o
Thanks all for engaging with the question seriously. I'm genuinely curious to know people's views.
For a bit of context on my part - I marched against the war in 2002-3, I'm not so sure I would march against a war now. Invading Iraq seemed a very bad idea, because destabilising the place might have led to shit like we have now. Now we have the shit we have now, I'm less sure of what I think we should do.
I respect the idea we should have UN blessing to intervene. Some think we do. I think that if we tried to get more of a blessing than we have Russian vetos might become an issue.
I don't think bombing is a panacea. I don't think think working with the local tribes always works out well. But neither did western boots on the ground. I'd like to see anyone come up with a decent plan. For the moment, is degrading their ability to hurt us such a bad thing?
Final point. Oliver - much respect generally, but your shit about oil prices just doesn't make any sense.