Foreign fighters in Iraq & Syria
Fighting abroad is a constant issue, currently given much hype in the media due to the numbers reported in Syria. Thanks to a "lurker" for the pointer to an article by a "radical" with a militant background, one Moazzam Begg, who offers an explanation as to their motivation and whether they are a threat upon returning home:http://www.cageprisoners.com/our-wor...-war-on-terror
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The received wisdom that has led politicians and policemen to reach this conclusion reads something like this: Muslims going to fight in Syria are probably already extremists but even if they’re not, they will be by the time they return radicalised and traumatised from what they have witnessed and experienced. Viz, coupled with extremist ideological beliefs and operational experience they pose an existential threat to the national security of Britain.
Since the groups that attract foreign fighters in Syria have varying affiliations to Al-Qaeda and its beliefs, the reasoning continues, it is safe to assume that young men and women enlisted into the ranks of these organisations are all potential terrorists.
(Later) It is not hard, however, to understand why Muslims would want to go out to Syria to help. Scores of them go every month on humanitarian aid missions and face endless questioning at ports by British police under schedule 7 anti-terrorism powers. It is also understandable why people want to go out and fight for what they believe is a just cause, even if the wisdom of them doing so can be questioned.
There is a main thread 'Today's Wild Geese: Foreign Fighters in the GWOT', which started in 2005, with 83 posts and 43k views:http://council.smallwarsjournal.com/...ad.php?t=14841
It may not be easy reading, it is worth reading IMHO.
Indonesians and the syrian conflict
http://council.smallwarsjournal.com/...9&postcount=10
I posted this under terrorism trends in SE Asia, but this paper gives a very good explanation on why foreign fighters are flocking to Syria.
A (not) straight forward UK policy on FF
Two different commentaries, both are British. First The Guardian's columnist George Monbiot, the headline and sub-title:
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Orwell was hailed a hero for fighting in Spain. Today he'd be guilty of terrorism
The International Brigades are acclaimed for bravery. But British citizens who fight in Syria are damned. If only they did it for the money
He opens with:
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If George Orwell and Laurie Lee were to return from the Spanish civil war today, they would be arrested under section five of the Terrorism Act 2006. If convicted of fighting abroad with a "political, ideological, religious or racial motive" – a charge they would find hard to contest – they would face a maximum sentence of life in prison. That they were fighting to defend an elected government against a fascist rebellion would have no bearing on the case. They would go down as terrorists.
Link:http://www.theguardian.com/commentis...MCNEWEML6619I2
The contortions the UK government are embarking on are well made. One wonders if anyone who goes to fight for Bashir Assad will be targeted?
Then from a different point of view, Shiraz Maher of ICSR, in The Daily Telegraph and his final passages are:
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Mr Maher said that many British jihadists denied any plan to return.
“They are often very explicit in saying they want to live in a Muslim land and they want to fight Assad and carry on doing this to build an Islamic state in Syria. They say the idea of coming back to the UK to work in Primark or whatever is ridiculous.”
However, Mr Maher highlighted a contradiction: if the fighters have no plan to return, they would have no reason to hide their identities.
“I ask them ‘why won’t you tell me who you are?’ And the answer often is ‘don’t be stupid, we might have to come back one day’.”
Link:http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worl...-in-Syria.html
The fighters are coming home?
Not a development that anyone anticipated. A short US article:http://www.buzzfeed.com/mikegiglio/s...ere-do-they-go
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Facing a sudden backlash in Syria, some foreign fighters are now doing just that — dropping their weapons and fleeing the war — according to rebels, activists and analysts tracking the conflict.
A twist to the usual reporting
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A serving Australian soldier has been killed fighting with rebels in Syria.
The ABC has been told that the man was an infantry soldier who was still a member of the Australian Defence Force when he travelled to Syria to fight against the regime of Bashar al-Assad.....However, it is understood that he died two months ago....But the Australian is believed to be the first serving member of a Western army to be killed while fighting with the rebels.
Link:http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-03-1...-syria/5329184
Criminals and Terrorists do mix
A RUSI analysis 'Thick As Thieves: European Criminals Take to Syria’s Battlefield' by Rafaello Pantucci, raises an issue we should discuss.
His sub-title is:
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Individuals with known criminal histories are a surprisingly common feature of the current Syrian battlefield. While their motives may be a combination of redemption and opportunism, returnees in this mode pose a complicated threat picture for security services to process if they return.
He ends with:
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The terror-crime nexus is not a new one. People with criminal pasts are often drawn to extremist ideologies as a way of atoning for past sins, though often they donot leave their pasts completely behind. But the high instance of people going to Syria with criminal pasts of every sort adds a further worrying dimension to the phenomenon of foreign fighters going to Syria.
Link:https://www.rusi.org/analysis/commen.../#.Uzlj0ahdXk_
Much of the SWC discussion around 'foreign fighters' currently is on another thread 'Foreign fighters in Syria: a crime minus a motive?', but IIRC we have not debated this issue before. I do concede reference has been made in virtually all regional conflicts to crime and terrorism, not in the context of 'foreign fighters' returning home in the West.
In the UK context it has been very clear that there is little relationship between criminal activity, criminals and organised crime with domestic Jihadi terrorism. 'The Troubles' in Northern Ireland were and are quite different, on both sides it was very hard to see any distinction, especially when it came to money raising.
i have no idea where to begin even replying...
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Originally Posted by
Bob's World
Carl, actually it is you espousing ideological nonsense. I tolerate your binded shots in my general direction, and I realize many are equally as ideolgogically blinded as yourself and agree in large part with your baseless positions. That does not make those positions correct.
In many ways you are a microcosm of post Cold War US national security strategy, becoming increasingly ideological ourselves to the point where we perceive ourselves to be existentially threatened merely because some other ideolog believes differently.
Personally I am cautious of all ideologs, regardless of their espoused creed. I prefer those who think, seek to understand, and then speak or act; over those who memorize, recite and perform.
These are political struggles. When one loses sight of that reality and over-focuses on "the lipstick" (to borrow your phrase) one forgets its all about the pig. And that pig is politics; and the political competition is driven by fundamental human nature, not fundamentalist ideology. Those denied legal redress will take illegal redress. It is what humans have always done and will always do.
...to this nonsense. Political preferences are non ideiological? Ever hear of the spanish civil war? So politics is purely proceducral? I take it these people travel abroad to risk their lives for such administrative or procedural political goals as wether or not the central government should pick up household rubiish on Tuesday instead of Wednesday? Its crap like this that simply turned me off SWC. Bobs worls and I have debated before. Right now I just can't be bothered. Politics is not ideological?!! Thank god this site doesnt require a subscription.
'Greenbirds: Measuring Importance and Influence in Syrian Foreign Fighter Networks'
ICSR @ Kings has published this research paper today:
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An analysis of social media has shown what a selection of foreign fighters in Syria are liking, following and interacting with. What are their key online influences?....The analysis identifies two relatively unknown clerics who have been acting as online cheerleaders for fighters seeking to topple President Bashar al-Assad. It also identifies a new breed of 'disseminators' advising and supporting the men and women who have joined rebel groups. Two preachers, Ahmad Musa Jibril (US-based) and Musa Cerantonio (based in Australia)
From a short article:http://www.theguardian.com/news/data...ighters-syria?
An eight minute video:http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/v...al-media-video
The report via:http://icsr.info/2014/04/icsr-insigh...eign-fighters/
Messages for those who wish to fight
A short, six minute CNN interview with Peter Neumann from ICSR and he is very pessimistic about teh impact of foreign fighters. This quote comes after his direct contact with fighters:
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They are telling us that the Syrian people do not like them very much. They are telling us that they hate the idea that all this infighting is going on between different groups – they came to Syria in order to fight Bashar Assad; what they end up doing is killing other Sunni rebels. And so there are a lot of powerful messages. If governments paid more attention, these would be very powerful messages to deter people from going to Syria in the first place
Link:http://amanpour.blogs.cnn.com/2014/0...stan-in-1980s/
So most of them are already home?
Amidst a longer story, IMHO fear-mongering, is this passage:
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Security officials estimate that about two-thirds of those have already returned.
Link:http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...#ixzz36h0sNQoY
From the Guy Next Door to the Fighter Overseas: A Look at Four Foreign Fighters who J
A Ticket to Turkey and a Desire to Fight: Why Some Foreign Fighters Travel to Syria
A Ticket to Turkey and a Desire to Fight: Why Some Foreign Fighters Travel to Syria
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Foreign fighter in Syria/Iraq now exceeds 20k; surpasses Afghanistan conflict
The latest ICSR estimate:
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The number of foreigners that have joined Sunni militant organizations in the Syria/Iraq conflict continues to rise. According to ICSR’s latest estimate, the total now exceeds 20,000 – of which nearly a fifth were residents or nationals of Western European countries.
Link to short document:http://icsr.info/2015/01/foreign-fig...onflict-1980s/
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/B8TD24DCEAAHwz7.png
How Many Fighters Does the Islamic State Really Have?
How Many Fighters Does the Islamic State Really Have?
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Petraeus: Use Al Qaeda Fighters to Beat ISIS
Petraeus: Use Al Qaeda Fighters to Beat ISIS
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Global Efforts Fail to Stem Flow of Foreign Fighters to Syria, Iraq
Global Efforts Fail to Stem Flow of Foreign Fighters to Syria, Iraq
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Failing to Stem the Flow of Foreign Fighters
A succinct Soufan Group briefing note, the keypoint IMHO is:
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Both the UN and U.S. estimates find that nearly 30,000 people have traveled to Syria; the monthly rate of 1,000 remains unchanged
Link:http://soufangroup.com/tsg-intelbrie...eign-fighters/
Their argument is weakened by no mention of the recent ICSR report and nowt on those who change their mind.