ISIS … Are we missing the boat!

While I can understand the reasons and the desire of part of the Islamic movement's wish to recreate a Caliphate covering the middle East, I cannot accept the willy nilly slaughtering of people who do not agree.

The word terrorist has been used over liberally during the past decade. Here we have a situation where all civilised people will agree that the ISIS movement are first and foremost terrorists. There is no reason in the world that we cannot go to the Security Council and sanction military action against the movement. I am sure that we would be able to garner support from both Russia and China over the issue … in spite of our differences with Russia over Ukraine.

The time has come to settle the Middle East for once and all … undo the mistakes post World War 1, where the deep underlying philosophy was divide and rule. Perhaps the caliphate should be allowed to recreate itself but on a basis that gives quasi autonomy to the many and varied people within this geographic area. We can see with the Kurds in Iraq, who have been given a large degree of autonomy, that a viable entity can arise. Possibly the Sunni's should be given a similar level of autonomy even if it results in the resurrection of a Bathist party.

The Syrian issue could also be resolved by a Government of National Unity that does not set the removal of Bashar al-Assad as a precondition for negotiation. Gaza can be resolved by Israel simply recognising that Hamas is a political party democratically selected by the people of the region and that they are freedom fighters rather than terrorists. Hamas needs to accept Israel's right to exist and survive.

Iran needs to be brought back into the fold, in return for recognising Israel and accepting it's right to exist  

The real solution is for the world (including the USA) to accept International Law and extend it further that the leadership of any country invading another without United Nations sanction should be guilty of all crimes carried out by it's invading army, or drone force, be they simply war crimes or crimes against humanity. That resolutions to allow invasion should be clear and not couched in language that allows for interpretation.

It is time to stop murder!

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