ISIS were completely wrong to target and murder civilians in Paris on 13 November 2015, but it’s sanctimonious of the West to believe that it did nothing that might incite such an attack, and it is foolish to think that we cannot talk to them.
Commentators and some individuals are starting to talk about how naïve we in the West have been to think ISIS only a regional threat. Along with it goes the implication of "why me?" - and a question of what was done to deserve war.
Commentators and some individuals are starting to talk about how naïve we in the West have been to think ISIS only a regional threat. Along with it goes the implication of "why me?" - and a question of what was done to deserve war.
This is deeply concerning. That exact discussion of whether or not to make a regional issue global and so declare war was held had when deciding whether or not to launch a campaign against ISIS in Iraq and subsequently Syria. Plenty said ISIS were a global issue, but major figures such as the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs claimed otherwise and argued that the West[1] only had to concern itself with them if it wanted to.
Apparently the West did want to, and it declared war when it began bombing in the Middle East. It is small wonder that there has been a reprisal (barbaric though it is).
François Hollande stated that the attack against Paris, “is an act of war… [by] Da’esh, against France”. And he’s right. Paris was ISIS’s retaliation against French engagement coalition bombing; the group said as much, and this has been pointed out by individuals from the Institute for Strategic Studies when interviewed by Al-Jazeera on 14 November 2015.
Apparently the West did want to, and it declared war when it began bombing in the Middle East. It is small wonder that there has been a reprisal (barbaric though it is).
François Hollande stated that the attack against Paris, “is an act of war… [by] Da’esh, against France”. And he’s right. Paris was ISIS’s retaliation against French engagement coalition bombing; the group said as much, and this has been pointed out by individuals from the Institute for Strategic Studies when interviewed by Al-Jazeera on 14 November 2015.
Yes the attack brutal and unjustified for targeting civilians; it violated the Geneva Convention and is shocking. However, it must be recognized as an act in a war that the West (with public opinion behind governments) CHOSE to make itself a part of.
A now there are some suggestions that the West should withdraw. That would be wrong. To do so would send the message that terrorism works, and would set the dangerous precedent that attacking civilians means you can achieve your ends. But it is time to accept the inevitable and stop refusing to enter dialogue with ISIS. We thought that unacceptable with the Taliban for almost a decade, but we finally realized the only hope of peace would be a solution that included them[2].
Northern Ireland was not solved because the British were able to arrest and imprison all the terrorists, or because the IRA and affiliated groups were able to blow up all British soldiers. And the war with ISIS will not be ended because one or other side has total victory. It will inevitably end with a negotiated peace. That is possible. We did it with the Taliban (pre-2001), we are talking with them again and ISIS are not that dissimilar to the Taliban; as Voactiv highlight.
A now there are some suggestions that the West should withdraw. That would be wrong. To do so would send the message that terrorism works, and would set the dangerous precedent that attacking civilians means you can achieve your ends. But it is time to accept the inevitable and stop refusing to enter dialogue with ISIS. We thought that unacceptable with the Taliban for almost a decade, but we finally realized the only hope of peace would be a solution that included them[2].
Northern Ireland was not solved because the British were able to arrest and imprison all the terrorists, or because the IRA and affiliated groups were able to blow up all British soldiers. And the war with ISIS will not be ended because one or other side has total victory. It will inevitably end with a negotiated peace. That is possible. We did it with the Taliban (pre-2001), we are talking with them again and ISIS are not that dissimilar to the Taliban; as Voactiv highlight.
If the West wants to be in a war with ISIS – then it must expect that it will incur losses. But it must also expect that there will need to be an end, which will have to be negotiated. The losses from the fighting are a tragedy, but that is the nature of war.
To put it in the words of British TV show Doctor Who: “no matter how right you feel, you have no idea who's going to die! You don't know whose children are going to scream and burn! How many hearts will be broken! How many lives shattered! How much blood will spill until everybody does until what they were always going to have to do from the very beginning. Sit down and talk!”
The decision was made taken to make this a war and the West is certainly experiencing the uncontrollable violence and deaths that are inevitably incurred as a part of it. How long will it be before it is accepted that there must be a negotiation with ISIS?
Footnotes
[1] I say the West, and not just Paris/France, as the coalition against ISIS is made up of many Western states, and (rightly) many displayed their solidarity with the French people.
[2] Thomas Waldman (2014), “Reconciliation and research in Afghanistan: an analytical narrative”, International Affairs, Vol.90; No.5, September 2015, pp.1049-1068
To put it in the words of British TV show Doctor Who: “no matter how right you feel, you have no idea who's going to die! You don't know whose children are going to scream and burn! How many hearts will be broken! How many lives shattered! How much blood will spill until everybody does until what they were always going to have to do from the very beginning. Sit down and talk!”
The decision was made taken to make this a war and the West is certainly experiencing the uncontrollable violence and deaths that are inevitably incurred as a part of it. How long will it be before it is accepted that there must be a negotiation with ISIS?
Footnotes
[1] I say the West, and not just Paris/France, as the coalition against ISIS is made up of many Western states, and (rightly) many displayed their solidarity with the French people.
[2] Thomas Waldman (2014), “Reconciliation and research in Afghanistan: an analytical narrative”, International Affairs, Vol.90; No.5, September 2015, pp.1049-1068