ISIS in the Philippines, and elsewhere

[FollowingHim]

ISIS is clearly expanding well beyond their Middle East activities. They have claimed responsibility for the Manchester bombing, and now an affiliate group has taken an entire city in the Philippines, hopefully temporarily. Martial law has been declared over the entire island of Mindanao.

But what is most concerning is that there is a media blackout on the whole thing. It is extremely difficult to find information on what is happening in the Philippines from normal international news sites. As I write, the BBC has one article, RT has none, local NZ sources have very little, Aljazeera has some basic coverage. This is an absolutely massive event with serious international consequences, their aim is to take control of Mindanaeo and declare a caliphate there, and if successful that would have enormous security implications throughout Asia, as many people would flock to it. It is essential that the Philippine army manage to stop this right as it starts, fortunately they've got the right president to just do what is needed and not care what anyone thinks about it, so hopefully they will be successful. But prayers are required, for their success, and for the safety of Christians in Mindanaeo.

The best site I have found for keeping up with the news on this is PhilStar Global, if anyone has a better source please share it, because there is so little coverage in mainstream Western outlets.

This also shows that ISIS is not a group, so much as an ideology. An "ISIS-affiliate" can emerge anywhere in the world, and it doesn't take many militants to cause a lot of carnage. This is why the Philippine issue is far more than just a matter of local security, it illustrates the risk to the entire world.

 

[Sarai]

Prayers also requested for the victims,their families,as well as all who were working on the scene of the Manc attack.They have seen some horrendous things,and our family personally knows some of the people in the emergency services that responded.This one hit close to home.

 

[Mojo]

One of my local AM radio stationSs did report on it. It wasn't a conservative station, just a talk station that breaks left and right depending on host.

My only fear about "vigilance" towards Islamic terrorists is the inclination to heavy handed dictatorships. Remember that Saddam Hussein kept most of this in check in Iraq for 30 years. How??? We all know.

 

[IshChayil]

German language news has had decent coverage.

 

[FollowingHim]

My only fear about "vigilance" towards Islamic terrorists is the inclination to heavy handed dictatorships. Remember that Saddam Hussein kept most of this in check in Iraq for 30 years. How??? We all know.

Majority Christian or Atheistic countries can get on ok with democracy, but dictatorships are in my opinion essential in a majority Muslim country. Islam does not recognise freedom of religion, and democracy allows the majority to make any law they like against the minority, together that's a deadly combination. Muslims need a tough leader to keep on top of things, but from a minority group. Saddam Hussein, Muammar Gaddafi and Bashar Al Assad are good examples, as all were/are from minority Muslim sects or tribes in their countries so knew/know the need to keep a lid on religious and intertribal conflict within the country, even if only for their own personal self-interest. And in keeping this in check, Christians are protected from murder too. The details of the reign of such a leader may not be pretty, but sadly are still less atrocious than the mess that occurs if they are overthrown. In the same way, I am no fan of Duterte, his war on drugs is far too unjustly heavy-handed for instance - but when it comes to squashing an Islamic uprising, he's the man for the hour.

 

[Shadowjak's Dancer]

My brother's fiance lives on that Island. We are praying.

 

[Mojo]

The Philippines is not a majority Muslim country. It is majority Catholic.
The majority of stable democracies (yes even Japan) have either had a "Protestant" historical background, or were established by modeling western/Protestant nations (Israel and Japan fit this description).

Catholicism is technically western, but it was the main agent fighting the enlightenment and Protestant reformation. Not to be a toe stepper, but Catholic sentiments seem to revere a central authority (papacy). So, it would seem that a dictatorship would be easier to establish in a majority Catholic country (Philippines).

The further we step away from western ideals of rule of law, constitutionalism, the individual rights, etc. the easier it is to establish heavy handed rulers. This was my biggest aversion to the language of Trumpism.

Thank God he has met the Congress and the Constitution. Our government was meant to be slow and deliberative...it prevented reactive, rash decisions (not always, but it's not the norm).

I agree that Muslims can't appreciate anything but heavy handed rulers according to their mindsets, but I mentioned Sadam only as an example of how other-dictator minded rulers could establish themselves in the name of "national safety, law and order".

 

[FollowingHim]

The Philippines is not a majority Muslim country. It is majority Catholic.

Absolutely. Which is why democracy works there. Yet they now face an issue that requires the same sort of strong leadership over at least part of the country due to an Islamic element, and fortunately that democracy has elected someone with the balls to deal with this particular situation (despite his flaws elsewhere). But I do agree with you on the risk of a dictator arising with this excuse, it's certainly happened before. Such leadership is necessary during the crisis, the problem is when it extends beyond it.

 

[The Revolting Man]

Absolutely. Which is why democracy works there. Yet they now face an issue that requires the same sort of strong leadership over at least part of the country due to an Islamic element, and fortunately that democracy has elected someone with the balls to deal with this particular situation (despite his flaws elsewhere). But I do agree with you on the risk of a dictator arising with this excuse, it's certainly happened before. Such leadership is necessary during the crisis, the problem is when it extends beyond it.

Trumpism explained in a few short sentences.

 

[Mojo]

I don't limit this mindset to Trumpism. It's not a partisan, left/right issue. FDR was the master of using a crisis to implement the heavy hand of government without regard to the Constitution. It started with the Great Depression, then moved to WWII. That whole alphabet soup of new government intervention, conjured up by a single politician only served to exacerbate the economic issues of the day. But strong Constitutionalists like Bob Taft (son of the former president) fought him tooth and nail.

I don't seek to fight over Trump or the Philippine strong man, but many men on this forum have felt the need to vacate brick and mortar churches because of the penchant of those churches to leave solid, biblical "sola scriptura" teachings in favor of pop culture mindsets, especially as it relates to polygyny. Why? Because these men of God choose to live by the Book, regardless of how inconvenient some of it is to their daily lives.......yet...many "evangelicals" cling to a president who laments how "inconvenient and antiquated" the Senate is. The Constitution is inconvenient and antiquated, period. But any rogue who seeks to circumvent it (regardless of party) is not esteemed in my book. Yet, I will pray for him each day as I have every other president in my lifetime. I do not hate him. If he follows the rule of law in keeping Islamic nut jobs out of business here, I support him 1000 fold.

As far as Duterte goes, I support his efforts for the time being because it's his country he is protecting, as I would support any president of ours seeking to protect us. I just want to caution the Filipinos and we Yanks to be wise as serpents and harmless as doves when it comes to our elected officials. If we don't hold their feet to the fire, they will walk that fire all over us.

 

[IshChayil]

S

My brother's fiance lives on that Island. We are praying.

Some Biblical Families members also live there. Mindanao is a HUGE island though.
About time someone does something about the radicals; the previous president was such a wuss.
Filipino soldiers were slaughtered on base and he did nothing about it at the behest of the bishops here.

 

[IshChayil]

Majority Christian or Atheistic countries can get on ok with democracy, but dictatorships are in my opinion essential in a majority Muslim country. Islam does not recognise freedom of religion, and democracy allows the majority to make any law they like against the minority, together that's a deadly combination. Muslims need a tough leader to keep on top of things, but from a minority group. Saddam Hussein, Muammar Gaddafi and Bashar Al Assad are good examples, as all were/are from minority Muslim sects or tribes in their countries so knew/know the need to keep a lid on religious and intertribal conflict within the country, even if only for their own personal self-interest. And in keeping this in check, Christians are protected from murder too. The details of the reign of such a leader may not be pretty, but sadly are still less atrocious than the mess that occurs if they are overthrown. In the same way, I am no fan of Duterte, his war on drugs is far too unjustly heavy-handed for instance - but when it comes to squashing an Islamic uprising, he's the man for the hour.

True
what a mistake it has been to try to force democracy on Muslims in the Middle East.
Remember when Bush Jr. pushed Israel to allow the Jordanian Arabs living there aka "Palestinians" to have democratic elections?
The internationally recognized terror group HAMAS got elected democratically!

Even the lefty European countries froze all humanitarian aid to "Palestine" in shock and horror ... but now the world is used to it and why can't Israel and the Muslims "just get along".

The reasons you mentioned is why Bush Sr. refused to depose Saddam even when the US and Allied forces were unopposed to capture Bagdad. He correctly understood the greater danger of Iran and Islamic militant groups.

I was in horror when I heard we (USA) were bombing Gaddafi's forces.
The guy got scared and gave up his nuclear program and in return for playing ball.... that'll teach any Islamic regime working on nukes to surrender them to us... just like Ukraine learned their lesson about surrendering nukes in exchange for pledge of military protection.
Ooops! suckers!!!!