The Islamic State

[zenshiite]

And Kessig had apparently converted to Islam. So that says an awful lot about these douchebags.

He converted in ISIS captivity. I think ISIS would say "So that says a lot about his conversion".

May they burn in hellfire, and may the Muslims in the region get their shit together and wipe these assholes out soon. Amin.

So now you are takfiring a group of Muslims because they have different interpretations. I wonder who that sounds like...
Anyway I don't think takfiring each other can solve the problem. It just makes more rival radical groups.

Pipe down Islamophobe, no one gives a shit about your hate speech and douchebaggery.

ISIS' slanted view on whatever they thing about Kessig's conversion is irrelevant. The example of Muhammad, the Qur'an itself, and the rulings of the various scholars of Islam are clear on this issue. Captives who convert are to be freed. Full stop.

[leifeng]

Well you are flat wrong in this matter. There are different opinions about what to do with the captives but many agree that the Islamic ruler is the one who decides their fate. As the life of the prophet shows us he either executed them for their crimes or enslaved them or freed them after receiving the ransom. Alternatively he had the right to free them on condition that they convert to Islam or on condition that they teach Muslims how to read or just free them with no conditions. Also after becoming a slave the Muslims had the right to sell them or keep them or sell them back to their families as they wished and becoming Muslim wouldn't automatically free them.

67. It is not for a Prophet that he should have prisoners of war (and free them with ransom) until he had made a great slaughter (among his enemies) in the land. You desire the good of this world (i.e. the money of ransom for freeing the captives), but Allah desires (for you) the Hereafter. And Allah is All-Mighty, All-Wise.

68. Were it not a previous ordainment from Allah, a severe torment would have touched you for what you took.

69. So enjoy what you have gotten of booty in war, lawful and good, and be afraid of Allah. Certainly, Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

70. O Prophet! Say to the captives that are in your hands: "If Allah knows any good in your hearts, He will give you something better than what has been taken from you, and He will forgive you, and Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful."

71. But if they intend to betray you (O Muhammad ), they have already betrayed Allah before. So He gave (you) power over them. And Allah is All-Knower, All-Wise.

As you see in the last verses above it also recommends asking them to join Muslims but also warns against those who are just pretending.
Although there are different opinions, I would really want to see how many major scholars you can find who would agree with you that it is "obligatory" for the Islamic ruler to release the kafir captives saying that they have converted to Islam no matter what crimes they have done. So show me your sources.

[grzegorz]

The Rise of ISIS on Frontline.

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/rise-of-isis/

[grzegorz]

The Rise of ISIS on Frontline.

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/rise-of-isis/

It seems like a very balanced point of view. ISIS are not heroes but the fact is they started by standing up for the Sunnis who were being suppressed by Malaki and things spun out of control. I can see how they see themselves as heroes.

Usually the US media just presents the evil actions of a group like this without any sort of explanation. Then again that makes it easier to kill them.

[Azer]

Pentagon: U.S. to begin to train and equip moderate Syria rebels

http://edition.cnn.com/2015/01/16/us/sy ... -training/

Great idea! What could possibly go wrong?!?

[chud]

Apparently ISIS just conducted a successful attack on Saudi Arabia and killed one of their generals.
General Oudah al-Belawi was in charge of the Saudi effort to secure the northern border against ISIS.
It seems ISIS wants to take Mecca from the House of Saud.

[Azer]

Now that would be something, one lot of old extremists vs one lot of newer ones. Wahabi vs Wahabi. In large part armed from the same armoury, though one significantly more than the other.

[yeniseri]

Apparently ISIS just conducted a successful attack on Saudi Arabia and killed one of their generals.
General Oudah al-Belawi was in charge of the Saudi effort to secure the northern border against ISIS.
It seems ISIS wants to take Mecca from the House of Saud.

Comes down to Sunni vs Shi'a again! Is leadership to be passed down through a religious monarchy or does one have to drag the jawbone from the mouth of the lion (jihad (of sword/gun)/struggle/war) to secure righteousness

[Dajenarit]

Pentagon: U.S. to begin to train and equip moderate Syria rebels

http://edition.cnn.com/2015/01/16/us/sy ... -training/

Great idea! What could possibly go wrong?!?

Wait isn't that how Isis was created in the first place?

Never mind. Doubling down on failed plans is the Pentagons job apparently.

Might as well admit they're training new Isis recruits and send the shiny new weapons to them direct and gift wrapped. Why the charade?

[yeniseri]

There is a pattern here that even the analysts are clueless! Why does every group that the US trains always come back to haunt US? Hint! please don't rack your brain as it is a terrible thing!
Insanty! Doing the same thing over but expecting a different result. McCain was alleged to have met al-Baghdadi and shot the sh*t with him and praising his moderation and now what?

[leifeng]

There is a pattern here that even the analysts are clueless! Why does every group that the US trains always come back to haunt US?

Maybe that's what the US wants. Creating an enemy that you can control is the best way you can control your society by causing fear in a controlled way. The terrorist attacks against the western countries are like mosquito bites comparing to what is going on in some Muslim countries. The biggest losers are the ordinary Muslims. Their religion's loopholes are being used against them and they are too slow to realize it.

[chud]

[Michael]

I think burning this pilot alive is a horror, I don't defend it in any way, but most warfare doesn't allow for a quick death, apparently neither does lethal injection. I remember when Iraq retreated out of Kuwait and the USA coalition pilots burned something like tens of thousands of Iraqi soldiers alive along the highway.

The USA has been operating a torture dungeon in Guantanamo, perhaps not of medieval or Marquis de Sade calibre, for about 12 years, not to mention all the black sites around the world, the various dungeons in Bagram air base, Abu Ghraib, and elsewhere in Afghanistan, etc. Is that the Dark Ages?

[leifeng]

This shows that ISIS is poorly educated in Islamic law. Burning is supposed to be saved for homos.

[chud]

I think burning this pilot alive is a horror, I don't defend it in any way, but most warfare doesn't allow for a quick death, apparently neither does lethal injection. I remember when Iraq retreated out of Kuwait and the USA coalition pilots burned something like tens of thousands of Iraqi soldiers alive along the highway.

The USA has been operating a torture dungeon in Guantanamo, perhaps not of medieval or Marquis de Sade calibre, for about 12 years, not to mention all the black sites around the world, the various dungeons in Bagram air base, Abu Ghraib, and elsewhere in Afghanistan, etc. Is that the Dark Ages?

Your points are well taken Michael and what you say is true; the US (under both parties) has also done very bad things.