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I don't see media speaking much about these countries that allows financing of ISIS. But if we want to eradicate ISIS, I too think we should deal with its finan

I don't see media speaking much about these countries that allows financing of ISIS. But if we want to eradicate ISIS, I too think we should deal with its financial sources first. Maybe because these countries are the same countries that western companies want to sell weapons to.

seivan 11y ago
A blind focus on ISIS is also a mistake as Al Nusrah (Al Qaida) is also heavily funded and commits atrocities as well. They are backed by Muslim Brotherhood from Turkey and operate in Syria. I consider Muslim Brotherhood with Khorasan group far more dangerous than ISIS and I recall reading that some where else, but can't find the source now. Fun Fact: The spokes person for Sweden funded Islamic Union is quite proud having his father happily punishing infidels in Idlib. Lovely guy.
sbarre 11y ago
Isn't it naive to think of these countries as one entity? Is the US, or any Western country, one unified allied voice where everyone has the same policies or supports the same causes? It's very likely that these "rich oil-producing countries" are made up of fragmented power centres and viewpoints, just like everywhere else in the world. Painting these countries all with one brush is about as foolish as painting Christianity (or Islam) with one brush too.
- cm2187 11y ago
  But the fact is that they are a safe-heaven from the US anti-terror campaign. After 9/11, pretty much in any other country of the world the financiers of Al Qaeda would have been imprisoned or assassinated by the US and its allies. In Saudi Arabia or Qatar, not only they have not, but they are still heavily financing ISIS. Whether the monarchies are complicit or not, they are certainly not doing anything against this financing.
  - jacquesm 11y ago
    This is a slightly dated but pretty good primer on how ISIS manages to pay the bills to keep the lights on: http://www.newsweek.com/2014/11/14/how-does-isis-fund-its-reign-terror-282607.html http://www.newsweek.com/2014/11/14/how-does-isis-fund-its-re...
- rihegher 11y ago
  Correct me if I am wrong but money transfers are controlled at state scale or even at higher scale. Banks are liable to states about where money goes or come from, so yes I think you can brush some countries with a level of control on money flow. Some with really strict control and some less strict or even tolerant in some cases.
jstepka 11y ago
PBS Frontline did a fantastic documentary a few weeks ago on what it's like in Syria right now; * http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/inside-assads-syria/ http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/inside-assads-syria/ The folks interviewed in the video reflect many of the opinions wrote about by Salah-Eddin Shaban in the VLC email.

seivan 11y ago

A blind focus on ISIS is also a mistake as Al Nusrah (Al Qaida) is also heavily funded and commits atrocities as well. They are backed by Muslim Brotherhood from Turkey and operate in Syria. I consider Muslim Brotherhood with Khorasan group far more dangerous than ISIS and I recall reading that some where else, but can't find the source now. Fun Fact: The spokes person for Sweden funded Islamic Union is quite proud having his father happily punishing infidels in Idlib. Lovely guy.

sbarre 11y ago

Isn't it naive to think of these countries as one entity? Is the US, or any Western country, one unified allied voice where everyone has the same policies or supports the same causes? It's very likely that these "rich oil-producing countries" are made up of fragmented power centres and viewpoints, just like everywhere else in the world. Painting these countries all with one brush is about as foolish as painting Christianity (or Islam) with one brush too.

cm2187 11y ago
But the fact is that they are a safe-heaven from the US anti-terror campaign. After 9/11, pretty much in any other country of the world the financiers of Al Qaeda would have been imprisoned or assassinated by the US and its allies. In Saudi Arabia or Qatar, not only they have not, but they are still heavily financing ISIS. Whether the monarchies are complicit or not, they are certainly not doing anything against this financing.
- jacquesm 11y ago
  This is a slightly dated but pretty good primer on how ISIS manages to pay the bills to keep the lights on: http://www.newsweek.com/2014/11/14/how-does-isis-fund-its-reign-terror-282607.html http://www.newsweek.com/2014/11/14/how-does-isis-fund-its-re...
rihegher 11y ago
Correct me if I am wrong but money transfers are controlled at state scale or even at higher scale. Banks are liable to states about where money goes or come from, so yes I think you can brush some countries with a level of control on money flow. Some with really strict control and some less strict or even tolerant in some cases.

jstepka 11y ago

PBS Frontline did a fantastic documentary a few weeks ago on what it's like in Syria right now; * http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/inside-assads-syria/ http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/inside-assads-syria/ The folks interviewed in the video reflect many of the opinions wrote about by Salah-Eddin Shaban in the VLC email.